Frequently Asked Questions

What is THAXA?
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THAXA® is a boutique executive coaching firm that leverages the best ideas from performance science to help its clients focus their strategy, execution, and mental state as they pursue ambitious goals.

What is performance science?
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Performance science is the intersection of cutting-edge research and field-tested best practices in the areas of strategy, productivity, and psychology.

Who runs THAXA?
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The Founder and Managing Director of THAXA is Carla Fowler, MD PhD. Carla graduated from Brown University magna cum laude, earned her MD PhD at the University of Washington, and completed her internship in general surgery at Stanford University. She founded THAXA to share her passion for performance science, where the fields of strategy, productivity, and psychology intersect. Outside of THAXA, Carla is an angel investor specializing in medtech and biotech with a portfolio of over a dozen investments. She is also an active member of Rotary and Alliance of Angels.

Who are THAXA’s clients?
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THAXA engages with leaders in a wide range of fields around the globe, typically working with about 50 clients at any one time. Current clients include Fortune 500 executives, start-up founders, scientific innovators, professional service firm leaders and non-profit directors.

What does a typical engagement look like?
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All client engagements are built around personalized 1-on-1 sessions with THAXA’s Managing Director, Carla Fowler, MD PhD. The process starts with a 5-hour in-depth session so clients can build momentum quickly. This is followed by regular coaching sessions at a frequency of every 1 to 4 weeks to maximize clients’ progress towards their goal. Typical engagements are 6 months in length, though many clients choose to work together beyond that time for continued support for their ambitious, multi-year goals.

What makes THAXA unique?
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With THAXA, science and process drive everything. THAXA’s proprietary process is based on the best practices from performance science - a potent combination of strategy, productivity, and psychology. Through exploratory questions, structured conversation, and proprietary frameworks, the coaching experience is personalized to address the specific needs of each client.

What are some of the best practices of performance science?
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THAXA’s process emphasizes three critical best practices that each tie back to one of the core areas of performance science. Through their work with THAXA, clients become agile in all three of these best practices, increasing their impact. The first of the practices is to master Brutal Focus®, a key element of being strategic. The second is to learn to Relish Uncertainty®, which helps clients manage the psychological challenges of pursuing big goals in which failure is a potential outcome. The third is to continually Cultivate Power® so that clients have the leverage and productivity they need to make things happen.

What are the benefits of THAXA’s process?
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Clients get the following benefits from THAXA’s science-based process:

  • Clarity – to free up their mental bandwidth and improve decision-making
  • Focus – to increase the impact from their time, energy, and resources
  • Growth – to build their skills and self-knowledge to elevate their results
  • Support – to decrease feelings of isolation and build their resilience
How do sessions take place?
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Sessions take place by videoconference or phone depending on client preference and availability of sufficient bandwidth for a high-quality video call.

How much does coaching cost?
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Initial engagements start at $7,425 USD and are priced based on the duration of coaching that is requested. This pricing also includes all preparatory work and follow-up notes for easy reference. A discount is offered for non-profit and public sector.

How do I know if this is a good fit for me?
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Feeling rapport and trust with your coach is important to help you get the most out of coaching. Getting in touch to schedule an introductory call is the best way to get a feel for THAXA’s process and assess fit. These calls are 45 minutes in length and take place over videoconference.

I still have questions; how can I get more information?
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The best way to learn more about coaching with THAXA is to schedule an introductory call.  These calls are 45 minutes in length and take place over videoconference. During this call, you will talk through your goals, get all your questions answered, and learn about THAXA’s process so you know what to expect from the coaching experience.