Meet your trainer
Hi, my name is Dr. Mariella Franker.
I moved from South America to Europe at 18 and have struggled with many of the same problems as my clients. I was told that I needed to be more visible and more assertive and my supervisors doubted that I could lead big projects.
After training as a molecular biologist for 10 years and trying to force my way to success (and burning out in the process) I almost quit my PhD in the final year.
I felt exhausted and disconnected. I knew I had more value to add to the world but I couldn't do it by forcing my way to success.
I decided to try something different.
I learned about the differences between introverts and extraverts and about the natural way that introverts function. I started to see why most habit advice out there doesn't work well for introverted leaders and causes guilt, exhaustion, and self-doubt.
It became my mission to help introverted leaders to believe in themselves and have a bigger impact with their work.
I founded The Franker Message and started training introverts in 2020 and became a Habit Expert for Introverted Leaders and a certified Natural Advantage® coach.
Since then, I've worked closely with over 25 introverted leaders in individual programs and supported hundreds more with masterclasses, grouptrainings, and my podcast The Exploring Introvert.
I'm co-founder of Scientific and Medical Writers Network in the Benelux and I've been featured in places like Medical Writing (offical publication of the European Medical Writers association), Cheeky Scientist, Making Money Online podcast, and MarieTV.
On most days, you'll find me in the garden either with a laptop or my hands in the dirt. I live in the Netherlands with my husband and son.
What clients say
I really enjoyed this process with you - it felt like everything happened organically. You’re very easy to talk with and you’ve got a big heart. Your authenticity and sincerity make it easy to open-up. And you create a safe space for sharing: I feel like I can say anything to you and share anything with you. I really feel supported by you too, a genuine interest in wanting to help me figure out something about myself that will help me.
Kimi
It was a pleasure to work with you. I feel like I have a team of people around me, a soul team, and you are definitely one of those people that stands out for me in terms of support and connection and being on a similar journey as me. It's very, very lovely to work with you and to be connected with you on many different levels. If someone is facing similar obstacles, I’d tell them to speak to Mariella. You're an expert in this field and I think that's also helpful for us coaches as well. Mariella has the tools to reflect back to you what it is that you do well in life. If you want a mirror to find out your USP or unique skills, then Mariella is definitely one of the people you want to speak to.
Vicki
