Coco Duan, Executive Life & Leadership Coach

Meet Coco Duan

I did many badass things. But for most of my life… I didn’t feel like one.

I grew up poor in a small town in rural China. At 18, I moved to Shanghai alone. At 20, I learned to speak English. At 27, I moved to the U.S. with a few thousand dollars and a $120K student loan.

Over time, I built what many would call a successful career—leading a half-billion-dollar business, managing a team of 20+, earning $400K a year, and becoming the first millionaire in my family.

From the outside, it looked like I was doing really well.


Inside, it felt heavy.

I second-guessed myself. I held back what I really thought. I said yes when I wanted to say no.

I worked hard. I performed. I achieved. But I didn’t feel powerful.

Because I was still operating from what I now call Good Girl conditioning—

play safe, play small, be agreeable, be nice, be perfect, put others first, be strong… but not too strong.

It helped me succeed. But it was also keeping me stuck.

 

Everything changed when I stopped trying to fix the outside—and started changing what was happening inside.

I went deep into psychology, neuroscience, and nervous system work. I began unlearning the Good Girl conditioning that taught me to shrink, please, and prove. I learned how to feel safe in my own body, get clear on what I want, and trust myself.

For the first time, I didn’t just look powerful. I felt it. Calm. Grounded. Comfortable in my own skin.

A real badass.

Now, I help high-achieving women do the same.

Because many successful women are already badass—they just don’t feel like one.

I’m Coco Duan, executive coach and former Fortune 500 senior leader.

I help women go from Good Girl to Badass Leader—so they can lead with calm, clarity, and deep self-trust.

Coco Duan’s Professional and Educational Background

  • 20 years of leadership experience in marketing and general management roles
  • Worked at Chewy.com, Walmart.com, Coupang.com, Nike and Reckitt
  • Experienced in living and working across diverse cultures, including China, the U.S., and South Korea
  • Duke University MBA
  • Associate Certified Coach (ACC), International Coaching Federation (ICF)
  • Avid Meditator with 200+ hours of Vipassana meditation training completed
  • Certified Yoga Teacher

Outside of coaching, I spend my time dancing Argentine Tango and West Coast Swing, walking by the ocean, writing, and hosting game nights with friends. I’m also the author of Unchecking the Boxes.