**I spent 25 years inside advertising agencies before becoming a leadership coach.**

That means when I work with your team, I’m not guessing what their world looks like, because I’ve managed the pitches, I’ve led the teams, I’ve sat in the reorg meetings. I know the pressure, pace, and politics that define this industry, and I know the difference between theory and what actually works under deadline.
I'm Dahlia Hanin, leadership coach, former agency veteran, and lifelong helper.
I've spent the last several years working with advertising and marketing leaders, some individually, some in teams, some through workshops on key leadership skills. Across all of it, the pattern is the same: talented people capable of more, held back by the gap between their execution skills and the strategic expectations that are placed on them now more than before.
What I find most impressive isn't the work itself, but how it changes things afterward. Some of the clients I’ve worked with have earned promotions, in large part due to the skills they learned during coaching. Others report something harder to measure but equally as valuable: they finally feel confident making their own decisions, understand how to manage up, across, and down in the organization, and have created more powerful relationships with their clients.

How I Got Here

From the age of five, I knew I wanted to be a psychologist. I've always been a helper. I earned a BA in Communications Theory and Research, then pursued a Masters in Counseling Psychology. But something wasn't quite right—I wasn't ready to sit in a therapist's chair.

So I went back into advertising and marketing. For 25 years, I lived inside agencies, leading teams, managing client relationships, and experiencing firsthand the pressure, politics, and pace that define this industry. I loved the work, but I always felt something was missing.

After soul-searching, research, and my own coaching experience, I found my way to iPEC training and became an ICF-certified coach.

My commitment to leadership development also led me to the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), which consistently ranks among the world's top leadership education providers. There I work with senior executives and emerging leaders, using CCL's research-backed assessment tools and development frameworks to help leaders at every level understand their impact, navigate complexity, and lead with greater intentionality.

Now I get to combine two things I love: helping people uncover their best selves, and applying deep industry knowledge to the specific challenges advertising and marketing leaders face. I'm not guessing what your world looks like. I've lived in it.

MY STYLE

**Straightforward and Supportive**

My style is straightforward and supportive. I ask the hard questions, provide practical guidance and honest feedback, and hold people accountable. I'm not interested in surface-level coaching. I'm interested in the conversations that actually change how individuals show up.
When I came to coaching, I was looking for someone who would truly challenge me, not simply listen and reflect, but push my thinking and help me grow as a leader. That's what I deliver for my clients, too.

Book a Free Discovery Call

What I Believe

People grow when they're challenged, not coddled. My coaching is supportive but honest.
Experience matters. I've walked in your shoes. That changes the conversation.
The best leaders ask better questions. Not louder demands—but more incisive, thoughtful, courageous questions.
Coaching should translate to visible impact. Not just feelings. Better conversations, clearer decisions, stronger outcomes.

Credentials & Training

ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) - Gold-standard certification with rigorous training requirements
Coach at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) - One of the world's top leadership education providers
MA, Counseling Psychology
BA, Communications Theory & Research
COR.e Leadership Dynamics Specialist & Transitions Specialist
Assessments: FIRO-B, Benchmarks 360, WorkPlace Big Five, Change Style Indicator, PerSight, MBTI, Leader Network Diagnostic, and Energy Leadership Index

**Who I Partner With**

**+Agency Principals & HR Leaders**
You know your account leaders are capable of more. But they're stuck in execution mode, managing deliverables instead of driving strategy, saying yes when they should push back or provide a strategic recommendation that really pushes the client.
I partner with agency principals and HR leaders to build the internal capability that makes strategic partnership real. Not theoretical. Real.
**+Individual Leaders**
Emerging leaders transitioning from individual contributor to confident leader, and those continuing to grow into Director, VP, or C-suite roles. I help you find your path as a leader and develop skills that evoke positive change within yourself and your work environment.

What People Say About Working With Me

I've worked with Dahlia in a variety of capacities for the last several years. She has led both individual and group coaching for our team, spearheaded workshops on key leadership skills for our account management team, and been a sounding board for organizational and personnel decisions many times. What I find to be the most impressive in my work with Dahlia is that she can say the hard and clear thing in a way that contains both empathy and honesty at the same time. Our team respects her greatly, and several of the folks she worked with have gone on to get promotions, in large part due to the skills they learned under her tutelage.”

—Courtney Lewis, CEO & Partner @ The Variable | Corporate Client
“Working with Dahlia was one of the most impactful investments I've made in my personal and professional growth. I initially came seeking structured guidance on how to grow as a strategic contributor and navigate new challenges. What I found was not just a coach but a deeply intuitive thought partner who helped me reconnect with my own inner authority."

—Caroline, H. | Private Coaching
I came to coaching looking for someone who would truly challenge me — not simply listen and reflect, but push my thinking and help me grow as a leader. Dahlia delivered exactly that. She brought a calm, grounded presence to our work together, even as we navigated complex personal and professional challenges. She was candid, thoughtful, and unafraid to ask hard questions, including helping me distinguish between situations where I was genuinely being wronged and moments where I might be layering my own interpretations onto events. That level of honesty and clarity was invaluable."

—Jessy M. | Corporate Client
"When I came to Dahlia, I had conflicting directions of what I wanted in life - both personally and professionally. While working with her, I was able to take a deep and insightful look into my own thought process, which pushed me to figure out what I truly wanted. I love that I came to my own conclusions as Dahlia helped me navigate those thoughts with challenging self-examinations. I now feel confident making my own decisions moving forward as I know which powerful and meaningful questions I should ask myself in certain situations.”

—Laura C. | Private Coaching

Ready to Get Into Action?

Whether you’re an agency leader looking to invest in your team or an individual ready for your next chapter, let’s have a conversation and get you into action!

dahlia.hanin@coachdahlia.com