What our clients say.
Clients often describe their work with us as deeply transformative, highlighting the unique combination of strategic insight and empathetic support.
Read on to learn directly from our clients about how Bold Paths is helping professionals in tech and design create lasting change for themselves and their careers.
"Melanie has helped me shift the way I think about my career in a shockingly short time. Her approach was equal parts strategic and empathetic. We'd go from drafting plans and discussing leadership frameworks to doing powerful visualizations that let me tap into my intuitive self when facing challenging professional situations. I couldn't recommend Melanie enough to anyone looking to elevate their leadership as a design practitioner and chart a course for their career bigger-picture. Thank you, Melanie!"
Sonya Falcon
Product Design Manager, LinkedIn
"I began working with Melanie during a challenging transition and time of uncertainty in my career. Melanie is an excellent source of knowledge of the inner workings of the tech industry and design career paths, as well as a compassionate listener and guide. She masterfully employed a variety of frameworks to help me reframe my experiences, discover new perspectives, and explore my values as they relate to my career and life. Many of Melanie's techniques focused on getting me out of my head and into my body, physically moving around in my space, and taking a variety of postures, all while imagining future scenarios in my career. These exercises boosted my confidence, helped me develop a positive outlook, and empowered me to make difficult career decisions that align with my values and attitudes toward work and life. Melanie also made herself available over email between our coaching sessions, thoughtfully responding to my thoughts, questions, and challenges between sessions. I highly recommend Melanie to anyone looking for a little bit of guidance in reaching their next career or life milestone."
Amy Compeau
Senior Product Designer, Lyft
"I've worked with Melanie for over a year and she was so much more than a coach to me. After working with other coaches in the past, Melanie stood out to me as someone who continuously I leaned on and deeply trusted because of her approach. She listened and cared in a way that is so much more encompassing than just growing one's professional self. She is holistic, kind, and open-minded in her coaching practice and I leave every session feeling understood and heard. The magic in Melanie's coaching lies in her way of making me feel seen, while always finding the right ways to push me further with her perceptive questions, role-playing, guidance and most importantly - humor and lightness. I absolutely recommend Melanie as a coach!"
Teresa Man
Head of Design, Superhuman
"Melanie is an incredible leadership coach. She is deeply empathetic and perceptive, balancing honesty and safety in her approach. She is intentional about creating thoughtful and collaborative spaces for her clients and always makes you feel more confident in your ability to be a force for good. I worked with Melanie as I was newly transitioning into people management and she was an invaluable resource for me. She helped me develop an authentic and unique leadership style, navigate both celebratory and difficult situations, and brainstorm where my skills and interests could take me. I left every session feeling energized and inspired. Melanie will elevate your leadership potential and transform the way you see yourself - I recommend working with her wholeheartedly!"
Thuy Tran
Lead Product Designer, Atticus
"I couldn't recommend Melanie enough as a coach. I went to her at a time I was burned out and lost. Melanie instilled self confidence in me to ask for more and not settle in my career. She has a tender and inquisitive approach to coaching through which she unpacks the professional and (where applicable) the personal self. I found her to be sharp, intuitive, and honest in the way she conducted every session. It is hard not to be inspired by someone as tough and brilliant as Melanie and I'm thankful to have a piece of that brilliance with me as I walk through my career today."
Tanaya Joshi
Product Designer, LinkedIn
"Melanie is an exceptional coach, and I can’t recommend her enough! She has been an incredible champion for me throughout my journey into management, fostering a highly supportive environment for both my personal and professional growth. Working with her was a powerful and transformative experience for me. Our one-hour sessions were deep, intentional, and action-oriented. Her ability to make you feel seen and boost your confidence is truly remarkable! If you're in search of an authentic coach with a genuine commitment to your success, Melanie is the one for you. I can’t emphasize enough how strongly I recommend her!"
Anu Murthy
Design Manager, Code for America
"I wholeheartedly recommend Melanie as a career coach. Over the past six months, our collaboration has been nothing short of transformative. Each session with Melanie has provided invaluable insights into my professional journey, allowing me to uncover facets of myself and my capabilities that I hadn't fully realized before. Melanie possesses a remarkable ability to pinpoint areas for growth and development, and through targeted guidance and support, I have seen significant progress in both my skill set and career trajectory. Her astute observations and personalized approach have empowered me to navigate challenges (such as a layoff) with confidence and clarity, leading to tangible advancements in my career, including salary enhancements and professional recognition. Working with Melanie has been a pleasure and I am immensely grateful for her expertise, encouragement, and unwavering commitment to my success. I highly recommend Melanie to anyone seeking to unlock their full potential and achieve their professional aspirations."
Ashley Glover
Product Designer, Meta
"I had the honour of working with Melanie in 2022. It was an incredible experience and one that occurred at the most opportune moment for me. I was coming back into the workforce after maternity leave and wanted to do something to help set myself up for success. Melanie helped me get my goals organized and helped me understand all the tools and skills I had at my disposal. She taught me how to be fearless, get clarity, and to stay true to myself. Two years later I still think about my time working with her. If you have the opportunity to work with Melanie run, don't walk. I highly recommend it! You will not be disappointed!"
Janine Pierre
Creative & Brand Lead, Navigator
"I had the pleasure of working with Melanie for over a year. Melanie's insightful guidance and ability to tailor sessions to my specific needs made our collaboration stand out. If you're thinking about working with Melanie, I'd emphasize her expertise in fostering professional as well as personal growth. Her approach is both supportive and motivating, making her a great match for anyone looking to advance their career and well-being."
Ismael Kose
Product Designer, OKCoin
"Melanie was my career coach for almost two years, supporting my development as a design leader and director. Melanie's personal experience as a designer at large companies, as well as her expertise in psychological safety and organizational design, made our sessions enriching and productive. We worked together to identify and tap into my leadership style, to avoid professional burnout when advocating for DEI, and approach new career challenges with a balanced growth mindset. If you're a designer, a leader, or someone looking for a coach that is as experienced and talented as she is empathetic, I cannot recommend Melanie highly enough."
Micah Bennett
Product Designer, Figma
"Working with Melanie was an amazing experience. Melanie has a way of connecting with people at a level higher than face value. Melanie does this by meeting people where they are in language that resonates and sticks. What stood out the most with me during my collaboration with her was her communication style, the great introspective questions that she would ask, and the way that she affirmed that the pencil was in my hand for the outcomes that I wanted to achieve. Anyone considering working with Melanie should consider that Melanie is highly experienced, talented, and knowledgeable in the business of design. Her way of working is primarily up to the client and she's highly adaptable to learning styles, personalities, and experiences."
Isaac Leverett
Senior Product Designer, Uber Freight
"I’ve followed Melanie’s career since she founded Front & Center and knew that she would be a force in shaping the next generation of design executives. So when I accepted my first head of design role, I reached out to work with her right away. What’s stood out to me about our collaboration is her ability to really challenge and push my weak areas without undermining my ability to believe in myself. It’s been a key to my success as a leader in a bigger role as a Latina woman and working mother in tech. If you are considering working with Melanie, know that you’re about to dream big for yourself, and the investment and hard work will be worth it."
Desiree Zamora Garcia
Head of Design, Driver