Erica Ando, PhD (she/her) is a coach and writer who works with women at consequential moments in their lives. Her approach is shaped by three decades of study in somatic learning, Buddhist meditation, and a background in art, design and writing.

Earlier in her career, she owned a design business whose clients included the MoMA Design Store, Takashimaya and design galleries and boutiques across the U.S., Asia and South America. Her writing has appeared in more than 20 international publications, including artpress (Paris), Aesthetica (London) and BOMB (New York). She has worked with more than 1,000 people across nine countries, primarily business owners, consultants, creative professionals, and women with years of work behind them. She co-founded Interval Paper, a collaborative project, and co-created The Good Enough Guide.

Between the Lines

The official bio tells a tidy story. The reality is more complicated.

Alongside the degrees, business, publications, and professional milestones were burnout, failed ventures, divorce, solo parenting, caregiving, chronic illness, and long periods of uncertainty.

What I didn't understand at the time was how much of my life was being shaped by things that felt personal but weren't unique to me at all: perfectionism, people-pleasing, over-responsibility, and the belief that my worth depended on what I accomplished or how well I held everything together.

Again and again, I've found that what feels like an individual problem is actually part of the human story. 

Those questions continue to shape both my life and my work.