Helping Leaders Lead with Confidence: Meet Wendy Hultmark

In this edition of Women Business Owners Who Are Making a Difference, I’m thrilled to introduce Wendy Hultmark, an insightful leadership and career coach dedicated to helping mid- and late-career professionals, especially scientists and mission-driven leaders, navigate the uncharted waters of their careers with clarity and confidence.

With decades of experience in HR leadership, Wendy saw firsthand how many brilliant professionals were left without the kind of thoughtful, personalized support they needed to thrive as leaders. That gap inspired her to launch her own coaching practice, where she now serves as a strategic thought partner to clients looking to grow, lead with intention, and build careers aligned with their values.

Wendy brings a deep sense of empathy, wisdom, and quiet strength to her work, supporting those who are ready to grow beyond what’s expected and step fully into who they are as leaders. Her story is one of insight, purpose, and meaningful impact.

Lynn Davey: Tell me a little about yourself! Where are you from, and what inspires you every day?

Wendy Hultmark: I’m a lifelong New Englander–born in Massachusetts, raised in Connecticut, and now living in Massachusetts again with my husband Eric and Jack Russell Terrier, Posy. What inspires me every day is my mission to help scientists and leaders tend to the professional challenges that they don’t often have time to explore directly on their own.

LD: How would you describe your business in one sentence?

WH: I help scientists and leaders be as successful navigating their professional and leadership challenges as they are in their core area of expertise.

LD: What does your business do, and who do you serve?

WH: I provide private leadership and career coaching and facilitate trainings that enhance communication and leadership effectiveness. My clients are mid- to late-career, often scientists, who find themselves in uncharted career territory and want a thought partner to help them learn from new challenges and identify their path forward.

LD: What inspired you to start your business, and what was the moment you knew this was the path for you?

WH: Prior to launching my business in 2021, I had a 20+ year career as an HR leader, where I saw countless leaders flounder and burn out due to lack of meaningful support at work from someone who was truly in their corner.

I knew I wanted to carve out a new career for myself where I could focus exclusively on developing strong leaders, and I knew that would be as a coach when I, myself, hired my first coach and experienced the tremendous power of coaching.

Today, I have been a career collaborator to hundreds of leaders so they can focus on what matters, build leadership confidence, and create fulfilling careers.

LD: What do you love most about running your business?

WH: I love the continual learning experience of it. I am always learning how to be a better businessperson as well as a better coach.

LD: How does your business make a difference, either in your community, industry, or for your clients?

WH: Leaders I work with have told me that they are able to bring more clarity and composure to their daily work, and they feel good knowing that they are shaping what their future will be, which in turn, helps them feel more positively about the present. I bet you can think of bosses you wished had more of those qualities-I know I can! I believe that my work as a leadership and career coach positively impacts not just the person I am coaching, but the people around them who are influenced by their leadership.

LD: What’s one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business owner, and how did you overcome it?

WH: Initially, my business grew slower than I would have liked. I tried to “niche down” but, in retrospect, it was too early to do that. I overcame that challenge by continually focusing on improving my skills as a coach and coaching as often as I could. Eventually, my “niche” found me.

LD: What’s a piece of advice you’d share with another woman who is thinking about starting her own business?

WH: Be realistic with your financial goals and requirements, start gradually, and keep processes and investments simple in the beginning.

LD: Coffee or tea? How do you take it?

WH: Coffee in the morning, with almond milk. In the cooler weather, I like a nice herbal tea in the afternoon, with a little honey.

LD: What’s one song that always gets you motivated or in a great mood?

WH: Mbube by Miriam Makeba. It’s an old song that many artists have recorded, but her version feels purest to me and evokes feelings I don’t quite have a name for.

LD: Where can people find you or learn more about your business?

WH: People can find me and learn more about me on my website and LinkedIn.

Leadership Rooted in Purpose

Wendy Hultmark’s work reminds us that leadership isn’t just about titles or credentials, it’s about presence, clarity, and connection. Through her coaching practice, Wendy empowers professionals to move through uncertainty with confidence, to lead with intention, and to shape careers that are not only successful, but also deeply fulfilling.

Her impact reaches beyond her clients, because when leaders feel grounded and supported, their teams and organizations benefit too. Wendy’s approach is both thoughtful and transformational, and her story is a powerful example of how one woman’s expertise and vision can spark meaningful change in the lives of others.

Know another inspiring woman business owner who should be featured? Send me an email! I’d love to share more stories like Wendy’s.