Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominika Staniewicz.
Hi Dominika, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey started in Poland. I was about seven when I first came to the US, where my parents fled due to martial law and government restrictions. In those times, disagreeing with the system meant being blacklisted and unable to work. I returned to the US for the second time at the age of twelve, where I had the chance to attend junior high and high school.
Let’s just say I was a nonconformist, some would call me a mismatcher. I wanted things my way, which often got me into trouble. Because of that, my parents decided to send me back to Poland. There, I earned my BA, Master’s, and Postgraduate degrees, achieving a high level of success. I became part of an advisory group for the Polish President and later joined the Shadow Cabinet.
I was and still am epileptic, which at that time carried a heavy stigma. I was told I was less intelligent, that I shouldn’t pursue a professional career. Needless to say, I proved them wrong. I became Woman Entrepreneur of the Year and spent over ten years as a college adjunct.
Then a new government came into power, and I found myself on the silent blacklist. I could no longer run my company, which had been built largely around my work in government and the media. I sold everything, my company, my car, my house, and decided to stand by my values, to live and speak in alignment with my beliefs. With one suitcase, I returned to the United States, convinced that my high-level experience in building companies, advising leaders, and conducting analysis that even US firms had used would be valuable here.
I was wrong. I kept hearing that my experience didn’t count because it wasn’t from the US. “Things are different here,” they said. (Spoiler alert: not really, all those skills were transferable.) Unable to find a job, I took whatever work I could get. The most humbling was separating hangers in a warehouse with convicts for ten dollars an hour. That experience taught me an unforgettable lesson: I had forgotten the power of a manager’s words. That alone reshaped my leadership style.
It also came with new challenges, cultural differences, questioning authority, short and direct emails, or speaking honestly when asked for an opinion; none of it seemed to fit. It created dissonance. But I kept going, slowly climbing up the ladder.
Then one day, I came across the Brain Revolution by Dr. Daniel Amen and P.h.D Joseph McClendon III. That nine-month training changed my life. My nerd brain fell in love with the practical application of neuroscience. That was the beginning of my passion for rewiring the brain, empowering leaders through brain health, and using neuroplasticity to create lasting change. Taking complex scientific information and translating it into tools that help people live better, stress less, and perform at their peak became my life’s mission.
That’s how YourBrainCoachD.com came to life. What started as a part-time exploration turned into a full-time calling. For the last three years, this has been my world. All the tools I use are designed for peak performance, eliminating the toxic ten, and supporting brain health through proven, neuroscience-based strategies and protocols anyone can use safely and effectively. Now I can coach one-on-one, speak on stages, provide training for corporate clients, do lunch and learns, or group coaching. The beauty of these tools is that they are transferable and applicable in life and at work. I can make the world a better place.
And that’s how I became known as The Brain Lady, an Elite Brain Coach and mentor at Amen University. At the same time, I had the chance to be a present mom, something that has always been deeply important to me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some struggles? 🙂 Struggles are daily. It started with adapting to a new culture and trying to find myself in it without losing my identity. Then, when I started running a business, I faced the lack of connections and community. I moved to Houston in 2019, and not having any business or personal relationships posed a real problem. Learning how to navigate business in such a different culture was another challenge.
I refused to give up. I loved what I did and saw the impact I was making, so I made it my non-negotiable, even when, in the beginning, I was wondering how to pay the bills. Next came building authority so clients could find me, while reshaping a niche and educating the city about what Brain Health and Brain Coaching really are, and why they go far beyond traditional life coaching. I had to create the need for these services from scratch.
The challenge of introducing something new is always the same; it takes time before people trust you enough to believe they need what you offer. It’s very different from selling cookies.
My challenges now are what I call my “worthy opponents,” and they’ve become part of my life. To be honest, it’s no different from when I was running my HR company in Poland. The challenges were there too, just different. Running a business is literally like marrying your challenges; you expect them to show up, and you learn to be resourceful in solving them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Your Brain Coach D ?
My business is built on one clear mission: to help people and organizations unlock their potential by understanding and optimizing the brain. I combine neuroscience, neuroencoding, and brain health to create a transformation that lasts. Through YourBrainCoachD.com and DominikaStaniewicz.com, I work with corporations, schools, and individuals worldwide to eliminate stress, rewire limiting patterns, and build peak-performing teams and resilient leaders.
I specialize in neuroscience-based leadership and performance coaching, as well as corporate training programs that bring science to life in practical, inspiring ways. My signature talks and trainings focus on topics such as reducing stress and overwhelm, motivation through feedback, embracing female brain differences in leadership, and building leadership identity through neuroscience. I also run a program, “Fall in Love with Your Brain”, which helps adults and students understand their brain, improve self-regulation, and strengthen emotional resilience.
What sets my brand apart is the unique integration of science, psychology, and real-world leadership experience. Before becoming an Elite Brain Coach, I was part of the advisory group for the Polish President, a Shadow Cabinet member, and worked with global brands like Google, Boeing, ZARA, and Nielsen. I bring that strategic understanding of business and human behavior into every program I deliver. My work bridges the gap between performance and wellbeing, helping people not just work better, but live better.
What I’m most proud of is how personal and science-driven my brand is. Every tool and framework I teach is backed by neuroscience, tested in real corporate environments, and designed for measurable change. Whether it’s a one-hour “Lunch & Learn,” a full leadership training, or personalized coaching, my goal is always the same: to help people rewire how they think, lead, and live. I hack their psychology with biology using the 3 R’s method.
I want readers to know that this work isn’t theoretical. It’s not about motivation for a day. It’s about real permanent transformation, grounded in brain science. My brand stands for integrity, empowerment, and evidence-based growth, and every program I offer reflects that.
In short, I help people understand their brains so they can change their life, their work, and their results, from the inside out.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I have so many cheerleaders and mentors it is impossible to mention all. From personality inspirations to knowledge-based mentors, i can mentione: Dr Daniel Amen, Joseph McClendon II, Tony Robbins, Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr Mary Clare, Kendra Scott, Julia Roberts, Vusi Thembekwayo, Whitney Wolfe Herd , Princess Diana, Jamie Kern Lima, Martyna Wojciechowska, Dr Irna Eris, Oprah, Michelle Obama, and so many more impossible to mention all. But without them being who they are, i would not be where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yourbraincoachd.com and https://dominikastaniewicz.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/yourbraincoachd
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/yourbraincoachd
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominikastaniewicz/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/yourbraincoachd
Image Credits
Dominika Staniewicz , Marie Schneider, M.Ed , Malisa Shaw Vader
