Lucia Franchi had everything a successful corporate career promised—status, structure, and a seat at the table. But something deeper was missing. “I felt like a fern in the wrong ecosystem,” she says. “I had the light, the drive—but not the right soil.” That moment of reckoning became the seed of her transformation. Today, as a high-impact coach and founder of a purpose-driven practice, Lucia helps women step out of environments that stifle them and into spaces where they can truly thrive. Her work isn’t about climbing ladders—it’s about cultivating gardens where everyone has the chance to grow, in their own way, on their own terms.

You had a successful corporate career—what made you take the leap into coaching?

I left the corporate path when I realized I had become a fern in the wrong ecosystem. I had light, experience, and drive—but the environment no longer allowed me to grow. Coaching gave me the chance to become a gardener instead: to cultivate the conditions for others to thrive, each in their own unique way.

Looking back, what moment in your career changed you the most?

There was a moment—early in my career—when negative feedback broke something in me. I felt like a plant cut back to the roots. But that pruning became the very condition for my growth. I rebuilt myself with more self-awareness, curiosity, and the quiet confidence of someone who had survived her own winter.

How did that early job interview experience shape the way you support women today?

It planted a seed. Being told I wasn’t hirable because I might ‘get pregnant’ was like stepping into a desert where nothing is supposed to grow. But I refused to stay small. Today, I help women find the courage to plant themselves in richer soil, even when the world says, ‘this is not your place.’

What do you believe makes a truly great leader in today’s world?

A great leader today knows the climate has changed. It’s not about being the tallest tree—it’s about cultivating a garden. Safety. Empathy. Clarity. A good leader shapes the space so that ferns, cacti, wildflowers—everyone—can grow on their terms.

When someone feels “stuck” in their career or leadership role, where do you start with them?

We start by locating the soil. Where are you now, and is it nourishing you—or draining you? Often, people are not broken. They’re just planted in the wrong environment. Once we shift that perspective, everything becomes possible.

What’s something you wish more young professionals knew about navigating their career path?

That it’s okay not to bloom all the time. Rest is part of the cycle. Curiosity is a compass. And success doesn’t mean becoming a tree if you’re a vine. The strength lies in knowing your own way to grow.

You work with individuals and teams—how do you approach coaching differently in those two settings?

In 1:1 coaching, I focus on the inner roots: beliefs, blocks, identity. In group or team settings, I look at the ecosystem: how people interact, support, or compete. But in both, my role is the same—I tend the space so growth can happen.

What’s one breakthrough you’ve seen a client experience that really stayed with you?

A young woman once told me: ‘I’ll never be a leader—I’m too quiet.’ A few months later, she was facilitating a team workshop and got standing ovation. Her power wasn’t in speaking louder—it was in speaking from the roots.

How do you stay grounded and inspired in your own leadership journey?

I spend time in nature—gardens, woods, the sea. I write. I listen more than I speak. And I remind myself: growth is not always visible, but it’s always happening under the surface.

What’s your message to young women entering the workforce today?

You are not too much. You are not too fragile. You are a seed with your own rhythm. Find the space that feeds you—and when it feels scary to speak, do it anyway. Your voice is a kind of light. Someone else might be growing because of it.