team
Stephanie Soler
Partner
Journey

I was a latchkey kid starting in kindergarten – a poster child for the generational plight of mothers who worked past school bells and before there was such a thing as an after-school program.  My alarm clock went off at 7:45 am and I had to be at the bus stop exactly 30 minutes later.  My mental checklist kicked in young – first, brush my teeth; then, get dressed; don’t forget the Pop Tart in the toaster! I intuitively figured out what to do and where to be, even though I could not tell time.  Day by day, year by year, I grew (myself) up.

At the eager age of 17, I set foot on the immaculate and manicured campus that is Stanford.  Until then, all I had known were the hallways of my public, Northern Virginia high school and the classmates whose parents were in the military or held political office – a place I never felt like I belonged.  Here, I knew no one and had no clue what I wanted to study – orientation was full of starry-eyed students from across the country and the world: some former Olympians, some Europeans, some from Texas, and others with far more sophisticated palates than my own.  Somehow, though, I experienced a strange conscious awakening – a feeling that I can only describe now as the comforting familiarity of an unfamiliar environment.  It was just like home, and yet nothing like it.  I loved it.

I found myself gravitating towards people and places rich in complexity.  Two weeks after graduation, I started my first job as a policy analyst at the Progressive Policy Institute, a DC think tank devoted to helping find a “Third Way” between the left and the right.  Much of my current inner work is on finding this (sometimes) elusive third way.  While conceptually intriguing, I quickly got bored of the theoretical and took a hard right to serve as a humanities teacher at the KIPP Academy in the South Bronx, a chapter in which I also became a mother at the tender age of 26.  To keep my brain occupied during maternity leave, I took a GMAT class, scored well, and given my love of learning and of my undergraduate experience, I enrolled in the joint MBA / MA program back at Stanford.  I became fascinated in organizational behavior and systems thinking and found my way to McKinsey and Company, where I enjoyed a front row seat to solving some of the thorniest issues facing the business world’s most esteemed leadership teams.

Ultimately, I craved the depth and richness of a one-to-one or one-to-few dynamic, so I jumped off the proverbial carousel of consulting to take a deeper dive than I ever had before. I spent 14 years building out my dream job – a meaningful coaching practice working with incredible clients. It gave me the freedom to structure my life around what mattered most—especially as a parent.

Most recently, I felt the tide change and was ready for something new. Enter: Trium. Again, I found myself in a beautifully unfamiliar territory, and the rest is history. 

What Clients Say
“Stephanie has been game changing for me. She has backbone, isn't afraid to say what she thinks, and is relentless about getting to the root of problems. She has gotten me through some of my toughest moments as an operator and founder. On top of all that, she's fun and personable — a 10 out of 10.”
Jack Conte, Patreon
Founder & CEO
“Stephanie is one of the best. She strikes a rare balance of strength and warmth — pushing you to do the hard things while offering steady support along the way. One of the things I appreciate most about her is her ability to help me face my biggest fears or the areas I’ve been avoiding and guide me to tackle them head-on. Stephanie is also incredibly strategic and has helped us refine our product strategy over the years.”
Alyson Watson, Modern Health
Founder & CEO
“I began working with Stephanie based on a strong recommendation, and even still, she exceeded my expectations. She asks insightful questions and makes immensely valuable observations. More so, she pushes me to face and work through challenging situations and helps me make the best use of my time and energy. Her blend of empathy and challenge is rare and makes her extraordinarily helpful to CEOs in particular.”
Chris Urmson, Aurora Innovation
Founder & CEO
“I’m a second time founder and I've had to do a lot of hiring, firing, leading, and transitioning. It’s hard to truly learn from these hard moments without a mirror. For me, Stephanie was that mirror. She is kind, personable, and incredibly thoughtful. She speaks from both the heart and the mind and listens so effectively. I always feel seen and heard as a whole human being. Stephanie helped my leadership team walk away with a better understanding of one another and a stronger culture. Stephanie is someone who always has your best interests at heart.”
Shizu Okusa, Apothekary
Founder & CEO

Perspectives