Hi, I’m Julia Thiel
Following a calling to pursue matters of the heart, I left a high-profile VP Executive Creative Director position behind in June 2025.
After two decades in the creative world—building brands, leading global teams, and mentoring managers—I wanted to use my industry experience and people skills in a different way: to help individuals and teams grow from the outside, with honest, objective guidance unencumbered by corporate goals or politics.
I’m happiest sharing things I’ve learned with others.
My Journey So Far
MUC > ORD > SFO > BTV
Full-Time > Freelance > Full-Time > Freelance > Full-Time > Small Business Owner > Full-Time > Small Business Owner
Dating > Married > Divorced > Dating > Domestic Partnership
If you had told this little girl all the places life would take her, she would have just said “Nein!”
I didn’t like change. I liked routine and order, making lists and planning everything. I still do—but life rarely goes according to plan. So I’ve learned to embrace change, to find the calm inside chaos, and to see reinvention not as loss, but as growth.
From Creative Leadership to Human Connection
I’ve spent over two decades navigating relationships, cultures, and creative industries—building businesses, managing change, and leading teams through uncertainty. From cross-country moves to career pivots, from rebuilding after loss to starting fresh, I’ve learned what adaptability, courage, and self-trust truly mean in practice.
For the past eight years, I led a creative team of 70, producing global advertising campaigns for a tech giant. Along the way, I always championed inclusion, coached managers, and cultivated cultures where every voice mattered. I know the pressures of leadership and the art of keeping creativity alive under tight deadlines.
As your mentor, I bring both strategic insight and lived experience to help you navigate transitions—career, personal, or creative—with clarity, confidence, and compassion.
Speaking Many Languages—Including “Doglish”
I speak German, English, and Italian fluently, and I’ve dabbled in Spanish, French, Arabic, and Norwegian. But the language that’s captured my heart most deeply doesn’t come with a dictionary—it’s the language of our beloved canines.
A lifelong animal lover and dog guardian, I’ve spent two decades studying canine communication: the body language, tone, and subtle signals that create connection. After founding Unleashing Kindness, my dog training and behavior business, I began mentoring other pet professionals to build sustainable, values-based practices.
As a Canine Communication Consultant, I now help humans and dogs understand each other better—building trust, easing tension, and fostering calm, connected relationships. Think of me as a translator between species, helping both sides feel seen, safe, and understood.
Today
I’m reinventing myself once again—this time, to bring all of it together:
My creative leadership experience
My passion for communication and connection
My understanding of what drives both humans and dogs
Whether I’m mentoring a creative professional through a career change, coaching a manager on leading with empathy, or helping a family decode their dog’s behavior, my goal is the same:
to help people communicate better—across teams, across transitions, and even across species.
Grounded. Steady. Ready for whatever comes next.
My online mentoring sessions are 60 minutes long and entirely confidential. You will be able to choose between a one-off, packages, and monthly subscription.
To get started, simply grab some available time on my calendar. I will then send you an intake form to prepare for our free 30-minute introductory conversation.
Clicking on the button below will take you to Calendly for convenient scheduling.
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, and I’m feeling good!
– Nina Simone