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Farhad Niyoz

Mentor, Cocoon CEO

Cocoonprogram.com

🌟 Business growth mentor for founders, focusing on inner power, self-knowledge and people skills.

CEO of Cocoon Program.


🙌 Farhad is very good at getting to the root of the problem with his direct questions and comments. - Michael Henriksen, CEO of Wavepiston


Farhad, as a mentor, has the ability to look at your challenges from a completely different angle to what you would expect. - Marek Alliksoo, CEO of Skycorp


Farhad's experience and insight were very helpful for us in our growth trajectory. He is incredibly generous as a mentor, and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to up their game and willing to hear some potentially hard truths. - Julia Gifford, CEO of TrueSix



Tech entrepreneur transformed into self-discovery and business growth mentor for founders and leaders.

  • 10+ years experience in psychology and self-discovery.

  • 20+ years experience in entrepreneurship and leadership of B2B (corporates and government client sector) and B2C (>1m users) companies.

  • MBA.

  • Expertise: Business development, negotiation, fundraising, sales, conflict resolution, problem solving, delegation, team leading.

  • Personal: authenticity and inner freedom, emotional healing, purpose and motivation, intuition and sensing.


To work with me or explore if I can help you address your needs, book an appointment here.

What do you do today?


In 3 words - I support people. I'm genuinely interested in

  • Self-discovery: Discovering who you truly are, including your hidden potential and challenges.

  • Emotional healing: Letting go of the past and becoming a healthier, more whole person.

  • Self-development: Enhancing your strengths, transforming your shortcomings, and growing as a conscious human.

  • Professional development: Becoming a more effective contributor as a professional and leader.

  • Business development: I've been in business context for 20+ years and love supporting the solving of business-development-related needs. 

  • Balanced Hedonism: Enjoying life in a balanced and harmonious way.


I contribute to others in several forms:


1. Mentor

I collaborate with high-impact individuals - entrepreneurs and leaders.


I help you achieve more in the business world by understanding and evolving your impact as a human. I believe that change begins within us, and I'm here to support you in your transformation.


My goal is to support you in solving challenges and reaching goals, and on a bigger scale, to be on a path that feels meaningful to you and to succeed in it.


Leaders seek my support on a variety of topics, including but not limited to:

  • Uncover the root causes of their challenges

  • Boost productivity and reduce workload

  • Increase energy levels

  • Resolve a conflict

  • Improve alignment within the core team

  • Get better at decision-making and using intuition

  • Regain motivation

  • Discover their purpose, vision, and values

  • Rearrange roles within the company and refine its structure

  • Improve delegation and leadership skills

  • Make an important choice.



2. Educator

I share my knowledge through writing, videos, and live sessions, aiming to provide generally applicable insights that can benefit everyone.


What's the difference with mentoring? As a mentor, I help you uncover what is and what could be (in you, your team, business, and life) and design and execute a path that can get you where it's beneficial for you to get. As an educator, I share generally applicable insights.



3. Experience creator

I love crafting experiences that merge my core interests.


These range from intense multi-day self-development training to professional development masterclasses to tapas&wine&authentic networking meetups.



4. CEO of Cocoon

I lead Cocoon, a platform that brings together like-minded individuals and activities focused on mentoring, education, and experiences. Organising and leading this platform is a natural and enjoyable part of my life.



5. Lymes disease recovery support

Having experienced chronic Lyme disease and recovery, I dedicate some of my free time to supporting others facing this challenge. My conclusion is that to recover, some lack belief, discipline, or information. I've written more here.



And...

Outside of work and personal development, I relish what I term "Balanced Hedonism," which for me includes:

  • Deep immersion in nature, from trekking through forests and mountains to sailing.

  • Engaging in thought-provoking and honest discussions with open-minded friends.

  • Exploring the rich world of fine arts and cultural events, including theatre, live music, opera, paintings.

  • Authentic relationship and quality family time.

  • Exploring other cultures through travel.

  • Cooking and enjoying fine food and wine.

  • Expressing creativity through writing and music.

  • Nurturing various hobbies.

  • Finding serenity and clarity through meditation and moments of solitude.

How did you get there?


Life experiences have both shaped and led me. Looking back, I can see how my self-awareness has slowly but constantly grown, and at the same time, I have to conclude that my life has been led by a higher force (Higher self, if you will) than the result of my logic-led decisions in the past.


In matters of intellect, we can tell whatever we have read/heard. But in self-development, we can lead only so far as we have gained experience.


My life's journey, beginning in childhood, uniquely prepared me to help others navigate their challenges.


Here are some of the pivotal experiences that have contributed to my journey:


Self-development. I've invested thousands of hours in various forms of self-development work, including psychotherapy, mentoring and transformative events as a client. This journey equips me with diverse tools and perspectives to support individuals.


Business development. I've had various experiences - starting, growing, selling, buying, folding, and recovering from bankruptcy companies in b2b and b2c business models, all involving software. That has given insights into business development, negotiation, fundraising, sales, product management, etc.


Leadership. Over the years, I've had the privilege of hiring and leading hundreds of people. My leadership journey began as a protective response to early childhood experiences of being bullied. Initially, I adopted a distant and controlling leadership style with its own set of consequences. This led me to learn more empowering and inclusive ways to lead, catalysing a personal transformation journey where I addressed my emotions like shame, fear, anger, and sadness. I understood that leadership is not merely about what we know but also who we are.


Mental wellbeing. In my thirties, I could not let go of a past relationship, gradually spiralling into a prolonged depression. Determined to find a resolution without relying on antidepressants, I went on a journey including psychotherapy, spirituality, and self-development. I learned a lot about unconsciousness and developed new inner skills that helped me develop resilience and mental well-being.


Inner freedom through forgiveness. My parents' divorce during  childhood left me with vague and negative emotions about my Uzbek father. During a transformative journey in my late thirties, I reconnected with my father, who had been considered deceased, and journeyed from hatred to ignorance and, ultimately, to acceptance and love. I gained insights to support others navigating challenging inner relationships, especially with their fathers.


Identity. I experienced accepting my partially Uzbek DNA and returning to my real name. I wrote more about it here. These experiences have given me perspectives on self-honesty, self-acceptance, and claiming inner authority and power.


Physical Wellbeing. Confronting chronic Lyme disease and subsequently recovering from it has imparted invaluable lessons on caring for the physical body regaining wellbeing, energy, and fitness.


Meaningful work. In 2018, I had a near-death experience, which gave me a strong sense of the importance of meaningful work. It showed the importance of uncovering and materialising one's purpose. No one has guarantees for how long our lives will be. Therefore, it makes sense to strive to make life meaningful now.


Sensing. Following this same experience, I've become more attuned to what can be described as an irrational flow of information. In mentoring sessions, we talk about some business topics, and I can sense what's beneath it on a personal level.


Curiosity about the mystery of life. Since childhood, I've been fascinated by the mystery of nature. I had borrowed a telescope and microscope from school, which I used to explore the stars at night and the microscopic world of bacteria and natural matter during the day. This has given me the perspective of exploring the seemingly invisible reality in big and small zoom.

Why are you doing what you are doing?


I live my purpose. Work is a fusion of meaningful creation, service, and personal enjoyment.


I sense my way in life according to where I'm being led and what talents and abilities I have. My role in this world is to facilitate inner healing and development within the context of life's challenges. These challenges often serve as external reflections of our inner worlds, offering us valuable opportunities for understanding and transformation.


Having spent most of my life in the business, I understand the context of business challenges well. Hence, I'm supporting founders and leaders in their everyday context. 


I enjoy feeling when people get the "aha" moments about their inner and outer world and the ripple effects that follow.


I enjoy being with people who are growth-oriented (professionally and personally), seekers, and open-minded. This work allows me to be surrounded by such people. 



Where are you going? What is your vision?


I'm on a journey led by intuition and experience.


I actively work to enhance my abilities as a mentor, educator and experience creator. 


Together with our mentors and team, we're working to develop our tools and services for our clients further. 


Beyond this, I envision a broader impact—a ripple effect contributing to a more sustainable society in its broadest sense. I've explored this concept further here.


Moreover, I've recently felt a calling to support men's initiation journeys. I'm taking the first steps in this direction, curious about where this path will lead.


Testimonials

Black and White Leaf

Andris Merkulovs

CEO of Monetizer

I am a CEO and founder of an early-stage startup, and my life revolves around building an ambitious product that impacts billions of people. In the midst of this hectic and chaotic journey, where structure is essential, I’ve realized the importance of delegation, clear communication, team motivation, and personal well-being. These tasks are challenging, and tackling them alone can be even more daunting. That’s why I sought hands-on mentorship and support, and I found exactly what I needed with Farhad and his team at Cocoon. Working with Farhad has been transformative. His guidance has not only helped me navigate anxiety but also empowered me to delegate effectively, communicate with clarity, and connect with my inner self.
Through coaching, frameworks, books, real-life examples, and valuable connections from Farhad’s extensive network, I’ve discovered opportunities to overcome startup founder challenges. Now, 14 months into this journey, I can confidently say that I’m evolving into a better leader.
Thank you, Farhad, for being the mentor and support system I needed on this incredible entrepreneurial ride!

themonetizr.com

Black and White Leaf

Krista Krumina

COO of Truesix

Our mentoring session with Farhad was truly eye-opening. Through a number of right questions and even tears, we received answers to many long-unsolved questions. We became more aware of the steps we need to take to grow and develop our business further. Very much recommended!

truesix.co

Black and White Leaf

Madis Lehtmets

CEO of Remato (at the time of mentoring)

Farhad has a warm and caring heart. While we were working together, he was the support I needed while also helping me to face some really uncomfortable truths. Farhad enabled me to take multiple steps toward discovering my true self.

remato.com

Black and White Leaf

Triinu Hansen

COO of Bercman Technologies (at the time of mentoring)

Farhad really listens and hears what you say. He doesn't just hear what you say but also what is behind the words and things you say. So, he really helps you to get to the root of the challenges and understand them. Farhad is also very genuine and honest with emotions; he knows how to understand and deal with them. As emotions accompany us in everything in life, this is one of the many things I learned from him: to approach emotions with a new perspective and be a better person for myself and the people around me.
As a mentor, Farhad is very caring and is there for you when you need him. He has a lot of experience, so he knows how to approach different challenges. I learnt a lot from Farhad and couldn't be more grateful to him for his dedicated time and genuine support.

bercman.com

Black and White Leaf

Michał Dziergwa

Co-Founder of EMYS

Farhad is a wizard. His deep understanding of the human psyche will help you look at yourself and your reality in an entirely new, deeply refreshing way. With just a few pointed questions he's able to get to the core of the issue at hand and give valuable advice at multiple levels of analysis.

emys.co

Black and White Leaf

Zigmunds Vīķis

CEO of Protectum

I highly appreciate Farhad contribution as a mentor to the program, because he was able to look at founders not only from the "start-up founder's shoes", but also from the "personality-founder-leader" perspective. His personal experience in the search for his roots has greatly enriched his vision. The JTBD's recommendations and additional practical material were particularly useful in finding answers to more difficult and unpleasant questions.

protectum.lv

Black and White Leaf

Toomas Pihl

CEO of Agrello

I was looking for a clearer vision for my company and a better alignment around it. The results of our workshop astounded me - we uncovered so much about our current challenges and possible steps towards better alignment. I recommend this process for leadership teams looking to uncover and solve misalignments around vision and strategy.

agrello.io

Black and White Leaf

Julia Gifford

CEO of Truesix

Farhad's experience and insight were very helpful for us in our growth trajectory. He is incredibly generous as a mentor, and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to up their game and willing to hear some potentially hard truths.

truesix.co

Black and White Leaf

Agne Ellere

CEO of AG Vibez

I must say that Farhad is so skilled in his technique that I thought he was a shaman! 
It is clear that a strong knowledge system supports his method of helping entrepreneurs gain the most out of the capacity that lies within us. 
It was easy to communicate, which led to deeper discussions, therefore understanding myself - why I react to something in a specific way or why my character influences the situations I find myself in. 
He is a great advisor, a mentor, I want to say even a psychologist and a person you can rely on and talk to if the times inside and out are rough. 
Grateful that I have this person in my life. 

agvibez.com

Black and White Leaf

Michael Henriksen

CEO of Wavepiston

I had the pleasure of having conversations with Farhad about my challenges on where to focus on our journey, making Wavepiston the leading wave energy company in the world. Farhad is very good at getting to the root of the problem with his direct questions and comments. This has given me some tools and made me more conscious of choosing the right battles and tasks to focus on and being better at delegating to other colleagues.

wavepiston.dk

Black and White Leaf

Marek Alliksoo

CEO of SKYCORP

As a mentor, Farhad has the ability to look at your challenges from a completely different angle than what you would expect and provide insights into underlying issues instead of a temporary fix. By pulling from literature, personal anecdotes, and deep experience, he can pinpoint your weaknesses and teach you how to turn them into strengths.
Thanks to him, I've learned to have not only business tasks and challenges but also personal development, self-discovery, and reflection.

sky-corp.eu

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