Tony Thayer’s

Crucible Coaching

Strengthening Leadership Through Life’s Most Challenging Moments

Free Consultation

Welcome to The Crucible Coach

I’m Tony Thayer, an executive coach devoted to supporting business leaders as they navigate the emotional challenges of personal crises. “ Whether you’re grappling with the loss of a loved one, facing a sudden health diagnosis, or experiencing a painful divorce, I’m here to help you find your footing and lead with assurance during these tumultuous times.

In the high-stakes arena of business, a personal crises can feel overwhelming, disrupting your focus and sense of purpose . It’s easy to feel isolated, as if no one can understand the weight of your responsibilities or the upheaval in your life. But you don’t have to go through this alone.

I specialize in guiding leaders like you through personal challenges. With decades of executive experience combined with empathy and science-backed strategies, I’ll help you emerge stronger, wiser, and more resilient.

My approach fosters a safe space for you to openly discuss the complexities of this difficult phase. Together, we’ll work on self-regulating the overwhelming thoughts and emotions that naturally arise during life-altering events. In a short time, you’ll uncover new sources of energy, regain your focus, and enhance your emotional understanding. You’ll emerge with renewed confidence, wisdom, and purpose.

Restore Your Confidence, Focus, and Business Momentum

I’ve Walked This Path. I Can Help.

My own journey began when a cancer diagnosis abruptly ended my 35-year corporate career.

In just a few months, I faced profound losses—my job, my marriage, and my health. With a When my oncologist shared his prognosis that I’d be lucky  to survive another three years, I found myself entering a crucible that would last five years and forever change me.

I didn’t just survive – I’ve thrived! After five years living under the cloud of that prognosis, my doctor delivered incredible news: all traces of cancer had vanished. 

The challenges of those five years reshaped my understanding of leadership; it instilled in me a deep sense of purpose, compassion, and resilience. I emerged from my crucible with newfound strengths and clarity, ready to tackle life’s challenges head-on.

What is Crucible Coaching?

Crucible Coaching is a specialized approach designed for leaders facing personal crises while trying to fulfill demanding responsibilities. This transformative journey unfolds in two essential phases:

  1. Stabilization: We’ll first tackle your immediate emotional challenges, helping you regain focus and meet your obligations at work.

  2. Transformation: Over six months, we’ll explore your deeper emotional responses, uncover untapped strengths, and develop greater emotional intelligence, enabling you to become a more agile and resilient leader.

As your executive coach, I combine my extensive corporate experience with practical, science-based techniques to provide you with powerful tools and insights. You’ll learn how to manage stress, enhance your emotional intelligence, and foster a positive environment that encourages your team to invest emotionally in their work.

Crucible Coaching is not just about surviving tough times; it’s about emerging from them stronger and more self-aware. Together, we’ll turn your setbacks into opportunities for growth and renewal.

Why Choose Me as Your Crucible Coach?

This time can be a powerful opportunity for transformation. My role is to support you in navigating these challenges, enabling you to emerge stronger and more confident in your leadership.

Corporate Expertise

I spent 35 years in various roles, from sales to executive leadership, including Vice President of Sales and Marketing. I understand the dynamics of your work environment.

Turnaround Artist

As a Xerox sales rep, I earned Sales Rep of the Year for reconnecting with lost clients. At Pitney Bowes, I revitalized a struggling team, achieving Team of the Year and increasing revenue fivefold. I’ve also turned around struggling companies and established a successful new division.

Survivor Insight

Having faced the fears and lessons that accompany my own crucible journey, I am equipped to help you process the intense emotions that may arise.

If you or someone you know is navigating a crucible, I’m here to offer support and guidance. Let’s start with a quiet, confidential conversation; this is not a sales pitch; but a safe space where you can catch your breath and gain a fresh perspective on turning setbacks into opportunities.

Client Successes

  • S.K. Director, Google | Santa Clara

    “Tony’s coaching helped me see my current challenge as a process, not a problem needing to be quickly solved. He gave me confidence and a compass to navigate my choices, benefiting both my professional and personal life.”

  • Peter M. | Los Angeles

    “Tony has an appealing magnetism – I experience him as welcoming and free of judgment, he provides a wonderful sense of acceptance and openness that lets me get below the surface and see things with a new clarity. I find I can step back, go deep, and look at my world from different perspectives. Not many coaches provide the quality of listening that he does. He’s really good at being right there with you. He looks deep and helps me go there with him.

    I also find him inspiring – when I hear his story and how he handled his journey, I want to raise my own commitment to myself – he sets a great example.”

  • Irina Kurtsevaya | Ukraine

    “Tony has an amazing way of listening. He sort of plugs into you and creates a space where you can reflect, reconsider and investigate further. He’s just very intuitive. He helped me consider where my thoughts and feelings come from. He showed me how to turn down the white noise - the negative self-talk and anxieties that were often playing in mind. He guided me to hear the voices I wanted to hear, instead of the ones that always seemed to bring me down when I was alone with myself.”

  • Brigette Iarusso | Barcelona, Spain

    “Tony is a deeply curious person – but in a unique way. He doesn’t even say he’s curious. With Tony, it’s not what he says, it’s how he shows it. – it’s in his face and body language and his demeanour. But the effect is that you know he cares. When he reflects on who I am, or who I am being, it’s believable to me. And encouraging.

    Tony helped me step back and see my world from new perspectives. Because of the profound sense of safety he creates , I could dive deep and explore things I used to avoid. There’s a word in Spanish that doesn’t translate well into English —it’s like ‘spark”. The Spanish word conveys someone who gets your mind sparking so you think about things you hadn’t before… that’s Tony.”

  • Karim Mohsen | Berkeley, CA

    “Tony has the ability to generate a sense of safety and invited curiosity into my sessions. He has a presence that lets me go very deep into my past experience. I could finally explore these freely. I was surprised at how these deep dives freed me up and allowed me to make sense of things that I had avoided or felt confused by. I found this revelatory, and it provided me with powerful new insights that inspired me to act and make decisions with clarity.”

  • Susan Bruggerman | St Louis, MO

    “I always feel safe being myself with Tony - he has a quiet strength and an open heart. He’s gone through a lot and yet he still leads with an open heart. That’s an incredible thing for a man. It says that he’s really open.

    He’s very authentic and has an amazing story to share. Despite the hard knocks he’s taken, Tony offers an uplifting sense of positive expectations.”

  • Dana C. | Portland, OR

    “Tony is totally approachable; he gives me more room to be present, and he brings a lightness to even the darkest conversation. He’s really good at being there with you.”

  • Liviu Petri | Lyon, France

    “Working with Tony as our mastermind group facilitator has been an enlightening experience. He possesses a unique talent for allowing conversations to organically evolve, while gently guiding us back to our core objectives when needed. Tony's skill in managing the delicate dance between liberty and focus has been crucial in our group's growth and efficiency. I wholeheartedly recommend him as a facilitator for any group looking to thrive.”

Are We a Fit?
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Contact Tony

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Have questions, or want to learn more?

Email: tony@tonythayercoaching.com

Phone: (925) 323-8590