Ranah Edelin
Founder and CEO Coach
I work with founders and startup CEOs to help them perform at their highest levels and remove the internal blocks that hold them back.If you're a founder or startup CEO, I have a lot of empathy for you because I have been in your shoes. I know how simultaneously exciting, rewarding, difficult, and even lonely being in your position can be. I have been Co-Founder/CEO or Founding Exec of four startups that raised $100+ million at a combined $500+ million valuation and had three exits (one is still independent).I provide the support, challenge, and accountability you need to increase your odds of success and help prevent being blindsided by unforeseen circumstances.
© Ranah Edelin. All rights reserved.
About
• Grew up in Berkeley, CA. Went to Brown University, Nagoya University (Japan), and Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB).• Founding exec at Rhapsody, the first cloud-based music subscription service in the US and the largest until Spotify entered the market seven years later.• Co-Founder/CEO of SingShot, called “the YouTube of Karaoke” and acquired by Electronic Arts.• Co-Founder/CEO of Banyan with renowned meditation teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach to help people build inner resilience through mindfulness and meditation.• CEO of image-based social app WeHeartIt and senior exec at blockchain company Orchid.• Set up the Tokyo branch office of a US tech company and lived in Japan for five years.• Facilitator for the Interpersonal Dynamics course and coach for Executive Education leaders at Stanford GSB.• Live in Mill Valley with my family and enjoy getting outside to hike, mountain bike, snowboard, and play tennis / pickleball.
Testimonials and Quotes
Personal Testimonials“Ranah has been a pivotal resource in my leadership journey. His ability to listen, understand, and provide tailored guidance is truly remarkable. He creates a space where I feel supported yet challenged to think differently and approach problems from new angles.Through our sessions, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how to lead with intention, manage through uncertainty, and align my actions with the bigger picture. Ranah’s advice is not just theoretical; it’s practical, actionable, and directly applicable to the complexities of running a company.His coaching has had a profound impact on how I approach decision-making and has empowered me to lead with greater confidence and clarity. I highly recommend Ranah to any leader looking to grow and make meaningful progress in their personal and professional life.”— Edgar Garay
CEO/Founder, Falcomm"As a first-time founder, working with Ranah has been invaluable. He has guided me through an emotionally challenging co-founder breakup, provided clear strategies for high-stakes negotiations, and helped us streamline internal processes. Ranah deeply understands the founder experience. His unique blend of empathy and sharp strategic insight brings clear, practical advice to tackle even the most complex situations. I’m excited to continue learning under his guidance and grow into the best leader I can be."— Adair Kelley
CEO/Founder, Abstract Money"Working with Ranah has been an incredible experience, helping me to unlock capabilities and achieve goals that I have been striving toward for years. His sensitivity to the intellectual, emotional, and physical elements of being a successful person are at the core of his practice and the support that he gives to you as a client."— Matt Hoffman
Managing Partner, HousingTech Ventures“Ranah is, without a doubt, one of the most honorable and thoughtful people that I have ever met. He excels in active listening, prioritizing understanding over merely responding—a skill of immense value. His unyielding curiosity has driven him to deeper understandings of what motivates people and what drives organizational success, and I have benefitted personally from his sage counsel.”— Ty Ahmad-Taylor
CEO, THX; VP Meta; VP Snap“Ranah has an exceptional ability to navigate the complexities of business and leadership, drawing from his rich experience in running companies. He has a unique way of finding parallels from other companies, offering fresh, insightful perspectives. Ranah helps put all options on the table, even those that are challenging to consider at first, which has helped broaden my own decision-making process. Additionally, his insights into working relationship dynamics from an outsider perspective have been super useful in creating more clarity and understanding. Ranah's guidance is a true asset for anyone looking to enhance their strategic thinking in the business world.”— Willem Bult
Co-Founder/CEO, Banyan
Engineering Leader, Airbnb“For any founder, entrepreneur or leader wanting to accelerate their business or personal growth, Ranah is an invaluable thought partner, guide and coach. Ranah brings a rare mix of warmth, wisdom and deep operational experience to every interaction. The ease, clarity and insights that emerge are transformative.”— Susan Hwang
Managing Partner, One+ Leadership“Working with Ranah has had a significant impact on my performance at work and overall well-being. Ranah is a thoughtful, caring, and inspiring coach. The best part of working with Ranah is that he asks insightful questions that lead you to identify the solution to your critical questions and then he guides you to create a tactical path forward to achieve your desired outcome.The sessions with Ranah feel natural, like I am talking to a friend, which has helped me open up more and increase the effectiveness of the sessions. I highly recommend Ranah to anyone looking for an excellent coach who leverages prior experience as a founder with care and empathy to help clients answer their toughest questions and guide them to where they want to go.”— Alec Weissman
Engagement Manager, McKinsey"Ranah has a gift to closely listen and a remarkable ability to ask exactly the right questions to elicit deep self-reflection. He strikes a unique balance of careful listening with sharing his wealth of experience and ideas. Ranah has enabled me to profoundly connect to my purpose and passion, and then challenged and supported me to translate this understanding into significant, tangible outcomes."— Ernest Bates
VP, ASHS; Managing Director, HSBC“Ranah is a creative pleasure to work with. He is experienced, smart, thoughtful, and kind, making him an invaluable asset to startup founders and business leaders. I highly recommend Ranah for the exceptional skills and presence he brings to his work with others.”— Jack Kornfield
Ph.D, Spiritual Teacher, author of over a dozen books on Mindfulness and Meditation
Co-Founder of mindfulness startup Banyan with Ranah"My years working on a team with Ranah has been incredibly enriching, creative and enjoyable. His style blends deep wisdom with practical insights, creating a supportive environment for visioning, transformation and manifestation. Ranah has the talent for unpacking the many dimensions of any situation, the challenges and potential opportunities. He’s thoughtful, empathic, good-humored and exceptionally skilled at providing clear, actionable guidance. I highly recommend Ranah for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills and personal development.”— Tara Brach
Ph.D., Spiritual Teacher, Author of the best-selling book “Radical Acceptance
Co-Founder of mindfulness startup Banyan with Ranah
Famous CEOs on the Benefits of Coaching"The best advice I ever got was to get a coach….The one thing people are never good at is seeing themselves as others see them. A coach really, really helps."— Eric Schmidt
Former CEO of Google"Everyone needs a coach. We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve."— Bill Gates
Co-Founder and former CEO of Microsoft"To be a CEO is a calling. You should not do it because it is a job. It is a calling, and you have got to be involved with it with your head, heart, and hands. Coaching helps align these for greater focus and drive.”— Indra Nooyi
Former CEO of PepsiCo
Coaching
I am a trusted advisor for leaders and have been in the role of Founder/CEO multiple times. I understand the skills and mindset needed to succeed while also understanding how challenging and lonely being a leader can be.Beyond an initial intake process in which I speak with a handful of important people in your life to highlight strengths and uncover blindspots, we focus our sessions on the most high-leverage areas for you. While I don't have a set way in which our sessions unfold because every situation is unique, there are often recognizable patterns that we work through based on decades of experience leading and working with others.We will meet a couple of times per month and focus on the most important issues for you at that time. I am available for my clients outside of regular meetings via text, email, and phone to celebrate the wins and navigate the challenging times. I want to be there as an trusted advisor and support mechanism for all aspects of your leadership and development.Typical areas of focus include:• Creating High-Performance Teams
• Navigating Co-Founder Disputes
• Giving Difficult Feedback
• Getting Unstuck
• Managing Limiting Beliefs
• Growing and Managing Teams
• Creating and Measuring Steps to Success
• Leading from Presence and Awareness
My Influences:
Conscious Leadership Group
• Above the Line / Below the Line
• The Drama Triangle
• Content vs ContextThe Hendricks Institute
• Upper Limit Problem
• Zone of Genius
• Body Intelligence
• Taking 100% responsibilityHoffman Institute
• Cycle of Transformation
• Changing Negative PatternsByron Katie
• The Work + The 4 QuestionsThe Gottman Institute
• 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse
• Dreams within ConflictPositive Intelligence (PQ)
• Sage and SaboteursStanford GSB
• Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator
• Giving Difficult FeedbackMochary Method
• Organizational Efficiency
• Practical Leadership Best PracticesNeuro-linguistic programming (NLP)
• Understanding one’s “operating system”
• Conscious vs Unconscious Mind
• Anchoring and ReframingMindfulness / Meditation
• Direct work with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach
• Silent Vipassana Retreats
• Awareness and acceptance of the present moment
Contact
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