Interview

As a performance coach who regularly works with pro athletes, executives, and office employees, Coach Pauline Pompei brings an all-around mindset to every client she meets.

Whether she’s supporting a weekend warrior, a pre/postnatal mom, or an athlete in their off-season, she starts with one question: What really matters to you?

Her approach is shaped by a background in organizational leadership and a lifelong fascination with human performance. The heart of her coaching philosophy: Trust. Communication. And a relentless commitment to learning.

We sat down with her to talk about what it means to coach the whole person, how she made the leap from corporate wellness to sport performance, and why failure is one of her favorite teachers.

How did you first get into coaching?

I started in New York City, coaching all kinds of people: youth athletes, weekend warriors, and a lot of pre- and postnatal clients. My background before that was in organizational development and leadership, mostly on the corporate wellness side. So I’d always enjoyed working with people, just in different contexts.

But even before I became a coach, I was always interested in the human body and performance. That was something I just genuinely enjoyed exploring outside of work. 

I wanted to combine the relationship-building and problem-solving skills I had into a career I felt really fulfilled by.

What made you shift from leadership and wellness into coaching full-time?

There wasn’t a single moment or event. I just realized I was spending my free time coaching, even while working a full-time job. I found so much fulfillment in coaching, it just felt natural to keep pursuing it.

I was confident in my relationship skills, but I had to learn the science side. I dug into physiology, effective exercise programming, and tying in my relationship skills to science and the human body.

School had never been my favorite environment, but once I got curious about something, I was all in. Diving into science helped me level up my knowledge. But beyond that, it was about realizing that there’s an art to coaching, too.

What do you mean by the "art of coaching"?

It’s not just about knowing what to do. It’s about how you communicate it to the person in front of you: how you put an athlete in positions to succeed to execute in the way you intend or they need, how you demo the movements, how you adapt your style based on who you’re coaching. That’s something I’m learning every day.

I take a little insight from every session, add it to my toolbox, and adjust what doesn’t work. Coaching is all about problem solving through trial and error. You have to be okay with making mistakes — and letting your clients make them too.

That’s a unique perspective, letting people make their own mistakes. Can you say more about that?

Absolutely. Sometimes people have to feel what’s wrong before they understand what’s right. I don’t push for perfection. I give them space to learn through doing, and I stay curious alongside them.

That mindset helps both my clients and me grow.

How would you describe your coaching philosophy?

The number one thing is the relationship. If I can’t build trust or communicate clearly, it doesn’t matter how much I know. I need to support people in a way they’ll actually receive well. 

The second piece is education. I want the people I coach to understand what I’m giving them and why I’m giving it to them. 

I also want them to feel like they have a voice in their journey. Whether they’re in a group setting or one-on-one, they should walk away feeling heard and supported.

I try to learn lessons from every single thing I do, and encourage my clients to do the same. I don’t claim to know everything, but I learn so much every day when it comes to building relationships, solving problems, and supporting the human body.

You work with a wide range of athletes and professionals. How do you tailor your approach between the two?

Surprisingly, coaching athletes and working professionals is really not all that different. Whether someone’s a youth athlete or a C-suite exec, I always try to understand what success looks like for them. Did they feel like their session was valuable? Did they walk away with more confidence?

The goals may differ, but the approach of building trust, educating, and collaborative problem-solving stays the same.

How did you arrive to Exos?

From the outside, Exos was always known as an elite coaching environment. I took some of their education courses early on and knew I wanted to be a part of it. When the opportunity came up, I dove in.

I started on the virtual side recording classes for our virtual coaching app, which was completely out of my comfort zone. But I made myself available to learn and grow.

That led to part-time coaching on the sport side, and eventually a full-time role. I’m really grateful I didn’t pass up those early chances to grow, even when they felt uncomfortable.

What excites you most about your role today?

The more I learn, the more useful I can be to the Exos team and our athletes. That’s exciting. I want to grow alongside the coaches and clinicians I work with and give back everything I can to this space.

Exos is known for its holistic approach. How do you connect with that?

It’s become a huge part of how I coach. I always had a big-picture mindset, but Exos helped me see how everything connects: recovery, stress, sleep, nutrition, performance.

Training is just one dial among many. So you have to understand what’s going on outside of it. That means talking to people about their sleep, their nutrition, their stressors.

Nothing works in isolation. It’s all about adjusting the dials to help them show up as their best, most resilient self.

What do you want people to know about working with an Exos coach?

I want people to know that there’s always a place to start. This space can feel intimidating for anyone. But we meet every person where they are.

Whether it’s through the Exos app or in-person sessions, we have tools to support your goals at every stage.

You don’t have to train five days a week to make progress. Maybe it’s just walking more. Maybe it’s fueling your body a little better. Just start small with the big rocks, and let things grow from there.

Want to help your workforce win? Talk to us about how Exos coaching can help your team reach their fullest potential.