Sophie Adelman

Founder Coaching & Strategic Advisory

Pre-seed to Series C
UK, Europe & US

A copilot for founder CEOs

How I Work With Founders

The founder CEO role changes every six months. What got the company started can leave you overloaded once a team, executives, and a board depend on you. Important decisions still come back to you. Strategy gets squeezed by urgency. A hard relationship with a co-founder, executive or board member takes up more of your attention than it should.

I offer retainer-based coaching and advisory to a small number of founder CEOs, seed to Series C, on the parts of the job only they can own/

My work focuses on the real challenges of scaling leadership:

Strategy & leadership clarity. Where the company is going, what only you can do, and a story your team and investors believe.
Fundraising & your board. Building the narrative, running the raise, choosing investors, and building a board that helps rather than drains you.
Team & organisation. Hiring executives for roles you've never hired before, and building a leadership team that works as a team.
Operating rhythm. The goals, cadence and metrics that keep the company aligned without everything coming back to you.
You. Your judgement under pressure, co-founder relationships, and scaling without burning out yourself or your team.

I combine practical, hands-on advice with coaching-style support, offering both strategic perspective and a confidential space to think through the hardest decisions. I'm not an investor or board member in the companies I advise, which means I'm fully independent and focused on your success.

My approach is calm, direct, and empathetic. I've been in your seat, and I bring both lived founder and operator experience and deep pattern recognition from working closely with multiple scaling companies.

Many founders come to me through their investors. VC firms introduce me to founders in their portfolios. However we're introduced, our conversations stay confidential between us.

CEO Coaching Info

My Background

I've co-founded and scaled two startups through the exact challenges my clients face today.

I co-founded Multiverse, the European edtech unicorn creating alternatives to traditional higher education. I helped scale the company from its earliest stages through hypergrowth, navigating fundraising, team building, and the complex stakeholder environment that comes with redefining an industry.

I then founded and led One Garden as CEO, an online learning platform and community that I scaled and successfully exited through acquisition by a UK public company (Saga Plc).

Between these ventures, I was Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Index Ventures, and I've since angel invested in over 30 startups. I'm also a parent of two children - both born while I was in the thick of building companies - so I understand what it means to lead while juggling everything life throws at you.

I don't have all the answers, but I have hard-earned experience and pattern recognition from being inside the founder's journey multiple times. I'm here to share what I've learned with a small number of leaders who want to build something meaningful without losing themselves in the process.

Who I Work With

I work with founders and CEOs from pre-seed to Series C across the UK, Europe and US, supporting early company building through to leadership at scale.

I work best with founders who:

Are building ambitious companies and moving from hustle to scalable growth
Want a trusted thought partner, not surface-level advice
Are willing to commit to working together, not just "check in when things are on fire"
Care about how they lead, not just what they build

If this resonates with you and you're feeling the weight of your growing company and investor expectations, let's talk. I'm here to help you think clearly and lead confidently.

Client testimonials

Julia M, CTO & Cofounder
DeepTech Startup

Working with Sophie has been incredibly valuable to me. Having built and scaled a highly successful company herself, she really understands the situations and decisions that come with building and leading a company.

Sophie has become more than an advisor to me. I’m incredibly grateful to have her in my corner and would highly recommend her to any founder looking for a thoughtful, experienced and honest sparring partner.

Nicky G. Founder & CEO
TunicPay

"Sophie is someone who is not scared to get really practical and tactical - and who has instincts about both people and strategy to push you to think further. I've loved working with her."

Let's Connect

If you're interested in working together reach out to book a 30-minute intro call. We'll discuss your current challenges and whether my advisory approach is the right fit.

Email: sophie @ sophieadelman.com

Working with founders in the UK, Europe and US.