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Susan Hobson

High Performance Leadership Coach

Susan Hobson is a High-Performance Leadership Coach, published author, keynote speaker, and Founder & CEO of Elite High Performance Inc. She is also the co-host of the podcast ‘The Leadership Launchpad Project’, which was named the #3 Leadership podcast in Canada for the second year in a row by Feedspot. And a member of the Forbes Coaches Council since 2022.

Susan’s science-based Elite High-Performance Coaching process draws on her first hand experience competing and winning at some of the most competitive environments on the planet – Princeton (named to The National Dean’s list) & Harvard Universities and The NWHL (National Women’s Hockey League & National Champion).

She now leads a practice of High-Performance Mindset Coaches based in the financial district of downtown Toronto, Canada.

Susan has been leading the industry for 15 years, working with some of the world’s highest performing people and teams: Professional Athletes, C-Suite Executives, Entrepreneurs and many of the world’s leading tech companies like Google.

Her specialty is in the area of mindset strategy architecture, which essentially means that she teaches High-Performers how to think strategically so that they can play their biggest impact.

Susan was recently honored with the title of ‘Most Influential Woman Shaping the Future Through Coaching’ by CIO Women Magazine. Susan has been recognized as a top high-performance coach by CoachFoundation.com. In 2024, she was also named one of the top executive coaches in North America by MSN.com.. And her dream team of Elite coaches were named in the Top 10 Leadership Development Firms in Canada by Manage HR Magazine. In 2025, Time Iconic Magazine named Susan one of the Top 10 Empowering Women in Leadership & Coaching.

Your highest potential is her passion, so join her on her mission to change the way the game of life and business is being played forever.

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Read Susan's Story

As a kid, growing up in Mississauga, Ontario, I started playing hockey with a dream – I wanted to be the best. I dreamt of playing in the NHL for The Boston Bruins. It didn’t take me long to realize that as a girl, I probably wasn’t going to grow up to be making millions of dollars playing in the NHL, so I quickly pivoted and made it my goal to get the best education that I could with my talent for hockey.

As I grew older and progressed in my journey to be my best, I soon learned that “being the best” meant being at the front of the pack, scoring the most goals and getting straight A’s. It not only meant being better than your opponents but your teammates and classmates as well.
These strategies seemed to work – they landed me a full ride to one of the most elite private schools in all of New England, and at just 14 years old, I packed my bags and said goodbye to my family and friends, and moved to the states. I say they seemed to work because I gave myself a life-threatening disease in the process of using these externally motivated strategies to “win.”

That didn’t stop me though – my sheer determination and grit not only helped me white-knuckle my way around these health obstacles, but they helped me get recruited to the #1 IVY League school, Princeton University.

Success, right? I had achieved my goal after all – little did I know it was all about to come crashing down all around me.

Overnight, I went from being a big fish in a small pond (being one of the top recruited hockey players in North America, on the high honour roll at an elite New England prep school), to a tiny minnow in the ocean (being in one of the most competitive environments on the planet, riding pine and getting C’s and D’s for the very first time in my life). And, as if that wasn’t enough, my father got diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away my freshmen year.

This was a real crossroads moment for me – my brain felt like a total failure. All of my hardwiring and programming had taught me that in order to feel like a success, I had to be the best, and that meant getting the external validation of ice time, scoring goals, getting A’s and the recognition of my father up in the stands cheering for me when I was doing well. Without these resources for my motivation and confidence, I literally lost my sense of self. I had no idea who I was or how to get what I needed back internally so that I could regain my feelings of success.

Naturally, my brain told me to do what it thought was right – run for its life. Quit and go home.

Lucky for me, I didn’t listen. I still wanted to be the best. So I chose to listen to those resources around me at the time who taught me how to think my way to get back to feeling that I was.

Places like Princeton do not like to see their student athletes fail, and I was fortunate to be surrounded by resources who helped me retrain my brain’s strategies for success. I learned all about the power of intrinsically motivated goals, where true self-confidence and self-motivation come from and most importantly, and how to redefine success.

Once I re-hardwired my brain in these powerful ways, the results spoke for themselves. I went from bench rider of the century my first year of being on the top lineup as one of the leading scorers my second year. I went from almost failing most of my classes to being on the National’s Dean’s List.

From that point on, I was hooked and I was sold. I had to know everything I possibly could about the power of brain training so that I could go on to teach and train other high-performers on these winning, sustainable strategies for success.

So that’s what I did. While playing professional women’s hockey for the Toronto Aeros in the NWHL, and winning a National Championship and NWHL Cup, I went on to study high-performance coaching and NeuroLinguistic Programming so that I could open up my practice in downtown Toronto over a 15 years ago. Since then, I’ve been helping high-performers in life, sports and business achieve excellence and in doing so, I’ve developed a powerful science-based coaching process that gets results quickly and predictably.

Make every performance count!

Coach Susan

Awards & Affiliations

Meet the Team

Shelley West

Chief Revenue Officer, High Performance Leadership Coach, C-Suite Sales Consultant & Podcast Co-Host of the LLP.

Shelley West is a High-Performance Leadership Coach, with over 20 years of trailblazing leadership success, and on a mission to redefine modern leadership.

Her expertise spans sales strategy, executive leadership, business development, and operational excellence, with a proven track record of delivering substantial revenue growth, elevating organizational culture, and fostering high-impact leadership at every level. Shelley’s coaching philosophy is rooted in the principles of 2.0 leadership, emphasizing continuous evolution, agility, and resilience as cornerstones...

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Shelley West is a High-Performance Leadership Coach, with over 20 years of trailblazing leadership success, and on a mission to redefine modern leadership.

Her expertise spans sales strategy, executive leadership, business development, and operational excellence, with a proven track record of delivering substantial revenue growth, elevating organizational culture, and fostering high-impact leadership at every level. Shelley’s coaching philosophy is rooted in the principles of 2.0 leadership, emphasizing continuous evolution, agility, and resilience as cornerstones for sustainable success.

Known for her strategic insight and people-first approach, Shelley empowers leaders and teams to achieve exceptional results through thoughtful guidance, dynamic coaching, and a relentless focus on growth and innovation. As an Executive Leadership Coach, Shelley brings the wisdom of her experience to guide senior leaders, C-Suite executives, and teams to new heights of performance. Her coaching style blends strategic clarity with empathetic guidance, empowering clients to unlock their full leadership potential, overcome challenges, and accelerate personal and professional growth.

Shelley’s leadership journey includes several high-impact executive roles where she led large, cross-functional teams through complex business transformations.  As Vice President of Client Partnerships at MiQ, she spearheaded the commercial division’s revitalization, resulting in a 30% increase in annual revenue. Leading a team of 38 sales and account management professionals, she set a new standard for operational excellence, team development, and market expansion. Her commitment to mentoring and coaching her teams left a lasting legacy of leadership excellence within the organization.

As Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships at Anthem Sports and Entertainment/AXS.TV, Shelley played a pivotal role on the executive leadership team. Her strategic foresight and operational rigor drove multi-million-dollar M&A opportunities and broadcast partnerships, while her innovative go-to-market (GTM) strategies and the rebranding of AXS.TV fueled global expansion and positioned the company for long-term growth. Her strategic leadership in integrated partnerships and contract negotiations unlocked new revenue streams, significantly enhancing the company’s value proposition.

WMG/IMG, Rogers Media and Cimoroni & Company are also a part of Shelley’s Leadership portfolio and thumbprint.

Shelley’s passion for leadership excellence, combined with her track record of driving growth and transformation, makes her a sought-after coach for executives and organizations looking to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape. Her clients benefit from her unique blend of commercial insight, executive presence, and an unwavering commitment to success.

Whether you are leading a team of 10 or 100, or on a personal growth and development mission Shelley brings a game-changer mentality, that’s driven by clarity of vision and an unshakable belief in possibility and unlocking next-level greatness.

This is Leadership 2.0!

Liane Wansbrough

High Performance Leadership Coach, Podcast Co-Host of the LLP

Liane Wansbrough is a High Performance Leadership Coach dedicated to empowering clients through a fresh, internal-to-external approach to leadership. With a mission to bridge the gap in leadership training, Liane emphasizes the transformative power of mindset. As a mindset strategy expert, she inspires her clients to enhance their performance and ignite growth in self-leadership and team-dynamics. Her expertise lies in cultivating a performance-driven mindset that thrives on complexity, embraces feedback and champions sustainability.

Liane’s journey into leadership...

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Liane Wansbrough is a High Performance Leadership Coach dedicated to empowering clients through a fresh, internal-to-external approach to leadership. With a mission to bridge the gap in leadership training, Liane emphasizes the transformative power of mindset. As a mindset strategy expert, she inspires her clients to enhance their performance and ignite growth in self-leadership and team-dynamics. Her expertise lies in cultivating a performance-driven mindset that thrives on complexity, embraces feedback and champions sustainability.

Liane’s journey into leadership began as a nutritionist and entrepreneur. Witnessing clients struggle to reach their goals lit a passion within her to explore the root causes of behaviour change. As she delved into the dysfunctional frameworks holding her clients back, Liane recognized her own challenges with a classic high achiever mindset—characterized by rigid thinking and self-criticism. This realization was a turning point, helping her shift away from the perfectionism, imposter syndrome and burnout that was slowing her growth.
Drawing from both professional and personal experience, Liane is uniquely equipped to guide high achievers in aligning with their growth and discovering true fulfillment as a path to high performance. Liane is also adept at navigating the midlife challenges of perimenopause and menopause, emphasizing the importance of mastering a mindset that encourages growth, risk taking and authenticity.

With over a decade of experience in behaviour change, Liane offers both one-on-one self-leadership coaching and corporate leadership development. As a certified trainer in the Elite High Performance Coaching method, Liane teaches and mentors new coaches. Additionally, Liane co-hosts the Leadership Launchpad Podcast. Past clients include industry leaders such as the Royal Bank of Canada, Facebook and Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Lauren Williams

High-Performance Leadership & Athletic Mindset Coach

Lauren Williams is the current Assistant Coach for PWHL New York and a former NCAA Division 1 and professional ice hockey player. Her experience with coaching began in high school as she pursued playing hockey at the highest levels in Canada while navigating significant life struggles for the first time in her life. Using mindset coaching to propel her to the highest levels of the sport, Lauren became a two-time Team Ontario member, 3-time WCHA All-Academic team member, two-time all Big10 student-athlete, and senior captain. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin...

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Lauren Williams is the current Assistant Coach for PWHL New York and a former NCAA Division 1 and professional ice hockey player. Her experience with coaching began in high school as she pursued playing hockey at the highest levels in Canada while navigating significant life struggles for the first time in her life. Using mindset coaching to propel her to the highest levels of the sport, Lauren became a two-time Team Ontario member, 3-time WCHA All-Academic team member, two-time all Big10 student-athlete, and senior captain. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin with degrees in Psychology and Sociology and after completing her collegiate career and undergraduate degrees, she moved on to graduate school and to the CWHL.

Lauren holds a Masters of Education in Counseling, focused in Clinical Mental Health and is an ELITE certified coach. As Elite’s lead Brain Training for Athletes coach, Lauren has worked with numerous athletes at the youth and elite levels, helping them develop the mental skills necessary for peak performance. As a leadership coach, Lauren has worked with several leaders in over 500 hours of certification work through the ELITE coaching certification process. Lauren’s passion lies in helping people understand their own experiences to unlock their true passion, create sustainable goals, and reach their peak performance potential.

Beatrice Hipolito

Athletic Mindset Coach

Beatrice is on a mission at Elite to empower athletes to reach their maximum potential. Freshly graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology from Toronto Metropolitan University, she is fueled by a deep passion for the psychological aspects crucial in supporting athletes during challenging times, drawing from her knowledge of the inner workings of the human mind.

With a background as a competitive dancer and a major in dance from the Etobicoke School of the Arts, Beatrice offers a unique perspective on sports, especially for athletes in the performing...

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Beatrice is on a mission at Elite to empower athletes to reach their maximum potential. Freshly graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology from Toronto Metropolitan University, she is fueled by a deep passion for the psychological aspects crucial in supporting athletes during challenging times, drawing from her knowledge of the inner workings of the human mind.

With a background as a competitive dancer and a major in dance from the Etobicoke School of the Arts, Beatrice offers a unique perspective on sports, especially for athletes in the performing arts. Her keen insight extends to common struggles faced by athletes, including performance anxiety, confidence, and the pressure of competition.

Beatrice's dedication extends to aiding clients navigating transition periods, whether transitioning out of sports or adjusting to the reality of post-undergraduate studies. Armed with her Brain Training for Athletes Certification from Elite, she is ready to assist athletes seeking to reconcile with the potential loss of their identity as they transition out of their athletic careers and prepare them to become the leaders they aspire to be.

Samantha Devillez

Athletic Mindset Coach and C-Suite Consultant, High Performance Leadership Coach

Samantha is a dynamic and accomplished leader with a proven ability to inspire and empower executives and teams to achieve their highest potential. With over a decade of experience in leadership roles spanning marketing, operational efficiency, and business development, she has honed a unique perspective on what it takes to lead with impact in today’s fast-paced corporate environments. Her expertise in navigating complex challenges, driving growth, and fostering innovation positions her as a trusted Executive Leadership Coach for senior leaders seeking to elevate their...

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Samantha is a dynamic and accomplished leader with a proven ability to inspire and empower executives and teams to achieve their highest potential. With over a decade of experience in leadership roles spanning marketing, operational efficiency, and business development, she has honed a unique perspective on what it takes to lead with impact in today’s fast-paced corporate environments. Her expertise in navigating complex challenges, driving growth, and fostering innovation positions her as a trusted Executive Leadership Coach for senior leaders seeking to elevate their performance and strategic influence.

Throughout her career, Samantha has built and scaled successful businesses, including two from the ground up in the loyalty and media sectors. These experiences gave her firsthand insight into the leadership skills required to motivate teams, align organizational goals, and drive sustainable results. As a coach, she leverages this knowledge to help executives develop clarity, confidence, and the ability to inspire high-performing cultures.
Samantha's leadership experience enables her to guide clients through complex decision-making, conflict resolution, and organizational transformation with empathy and strategic precision. Samantha’s ability to connect real-world business challenges to personal leadership development makes her coaching uniquely impactful.

Samantha’s approach to leadership coaching integrates her deep business acumen with practical tools for growth. She specializes in helping leaders strengthen their strategic thinking, improve communication, and foster resilience in high-pressure environments. Her tailored coaching programs are designed to help executives embrace their authentic leadership style, navigate change effectively, and build meaningful connections within their teams and organizations.

Having just completed her MBA, Samantha combines academic expertise with hands-on leadership experience to offer a well-rounded, forward-thinking coaching methodology. She works with her clients to unlock their potential, tackle complex challenges, and build the confidence to lead with vision and purpose.

Samantha’s passion for leadership development stems from her belief that great leaders have the power to transform not just organizations, but also the lives of those they influence. Her ability to inspire growth, align leadership objectives with personal values, and foster long-lasting change makes her a sought-after coach for executives ready to excel in their roles and leave a meaningful legacy.

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The Mental Gym - Brain Training for Athletes

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