Uncover Better
Ways of Working
We help organizations align leadership, empower teams, and build systems that scale, without losing their soul.
Scroll on to learn how.
WHAT WE HEAR A LOT
What looks fine often isn’t working
“I have good one-on-ones with everyone.”
"I have good one-on-ones with everyone."
We hear that a lot. And it’s usually said with confidence.
But what it often means is: each relationship is managed privately, while the real work of the team, shared decisions, shared accountability, is missing. The issues that matter most are being sidestepped, not solved.
People describe the symptoms.
“Things are slipping through the cracks.”
“We’re not making decisions fast enough.”
“There are silos.”
“Things are slipping through the cracks.”
“We’re not making decisions fast enough.”
"There are silos."
And underneath it all: a leadership team that isn’t actually operating as a team.
We’ve worked with founders who were about to split up and close their company. With leadership teams where the relationships were either nonexistent or quietly confrontational. And with organizations where no one understood why change was even needed.
What we’ve learned is this: the problems you’re feeling aren’t personal failures.
They’re signs of a system that needs to work differently.
And there’s a way forward that starts with the team itself...
WHAT WE OFFER
Building leadership teams that lead change
We help leadership teams work better together, and lead change that actually takes root.
Most of our clients already have strong instincts and good people. We work with what’s there, not against it. But we don’t just help them do more of the same.
We bring a structured, steady way to surface what’s not working, strengthen how decisions get made, and grow the capacity for change across the whole organization.
The work is collaborative. It moves quarter by quarter. And it’s designed to last beyond us.
HOW IT WORKS
Quarter by quarter, building shared ownership
Start with the leader
Begin with the person, not the problem
We start with the leader, how they see their role, their team, and the organization. What’s working, what isn’t, and what they hope for. We listen. We share what we’ve seen. And we begin from there.
Leadership team alignment starts where assumptions hide
We help build the leadership team, not just in name, but in how it operates. That often means unpacking assumptions like, “I have good one-on-ones with everyone,” which can signal a lack of true alignment.
Team first, insight together
When leadership teams model change, others follow
As soon as the leadership team models how to work as a team, we involve the organization, but not through top-down reports.
We co-create the diagnostic with volunteers across the company. When people uncover the issues themselves, they see what’s really going on, and they care more about fixing it.
Change sticks when people choose where to begin
Because the team chooses what to work on, there’s energy behind the effort. New volunteers choose to opt-in to design and test solutions. It’s not theoretical, it’s theirs. And that’s what builds momentum.
Test, adapt, and keep moving
People take the lead when they build the path
They stop waiting for permission and start creating the future themselves. They’re not just actors, they’re authors of the transformation.
Every cycle builds capability, not dependency
We adapt the way of working to fit the challenge that’s been uncovered, whether it’s about decision-making, structure, or how people collaborate. The rhythm stays steady, but the shape of the work is always grounded in what’s needed most.
PRICING
Focused attention, grounded in real context
We price based on focused attention during a quarter.
Not hours. Not deliverables. Because what we’re really offering is our presence, insight, and care for your context.
Fees vary based on the size and complexity of your team and organization. Larger teams mean more relationships to build. Larger organizations mean more nuance to understand. We usually work with one to three clients at a time, because that’s what we can hold well.
This work is not for everyone. It’s for leaders who want to grow a team, not just get advice. For organizations willing to learn and evolve over time, not expect quick fixes. And for people who want to build something that lasts.
GETTING STARTED
Beginning with a real conversation
The first conversation is just that, a conversation.
You’ll probably ask if we’ve seen challenges like yours before. We probably have.
Email us at:
Or
If we decide to move forward together, we’ll begin with a short session that helps us connect beyond just names and titles.
Then we’ll write up a short document. Real sentences. Shared understanding. A timeframe, usually a quarter. That’s it.
WHAT CLIENTS EXPERIENCE
A better way of working that lasts
One leader told us:
“That was probably the only time in my career I felt like I was really part of a team.”
That was after two decades in tech.
Another said, two years after we wrapped up:
“That team is still working the same way. Still having the same level of influence..”
And most of the original members have moved on.
And then there was the founder who said, after just one day:
“We should have done that two years ago.”
They were on the verge of splitting up. They didn’t.
OUR STORY
From witnessing breakdowns to supporting transformation
We started Pearlside after years of watching the same thing happen over and over again: Teams break down. Leaders feel stuck. And the whole company starts to drift.
What fascinated us was that, sometimes, a small team would thrive anyway, even in a broken system. That taught us something: transformation is possible, but not sustainable unless leadership is involved.
The turning point was realizing that supporting leaders, really supporting them, ripples out across the whole organization.
Pearlside is an anagram of “leadership.” It also reminds us of how a pearl is formed: through grit, discomfort, and time.
That metaphor fits. We’re not trying to fix every problem. We’re here to help people build something stronger, starting from where they are.
ABOUT US
Isabel Monville
Co-Founder and Executive and Agile Coach
I’ve spent over 20 years leading change across startups and large organizations, often in roles where agility, coaching, and cultural transformation needed to happen all at once. My focus is helping teams work better together by removing friction, building trust, and supporting real growth.
Alexis Monville
Co-Founder and Executive Leadership Coach
I’ve led teams for more than 30 years, from startup leadership to serving as Chief of Staff to the CTO at Red Hat. My work blends strategic thinking with hands-on experience helping organizations scale with clarity and alignment. I care deeply about building leadership teams that last.