Vicky Regan: Finding Her True Lane Through Hone Leadership

When the lightning bolt moment struck, Vicky Regan knew there was no turning back. After 25 years as a technology executive, she made a decision many would consider risky: leaving her secure corporate career to start her own leadership coaching business. What drove her to take such a leap? A passion that had been growing for decades and the realization that she needed to be in her lane, doing what she truly loved every day.

Many warned her about the financial risks. Going from a steady executive paycheck to ground zero as an entrepreneur was a massive leap of faith. But Vicky approached the transition with what she calls an abundance mindset. “I just never thought, okay, I’m going to wind up destitute on the street. I never had that thought. Or even, what if this doesn’t work, what’s my plan B? That never even entered my mind.”

Her confidence was well-founded. Coaching and mentoring had been the backbone of her entire career. She started learning leadership and mentorship as a teenager, and it was always a part of who she was. She had even launched a women’s organization where leadership and mentorship were central. Throughout her corporate life, she led large organizations and started mentoring programs. Starting her own practice wasn’t a departure; it was a natural extension of what she’d always done best.

Today, as the founder of Hone Leadership, Vicky has created exactly what she envisioned: a practice focused on helping women build leadership skills and advance their careers. Her approach provides coaching, mentoring, and consulting, and she’s careful to distinguish them.

“Coaching is very much forward-looking,” Vicky explains. “What are the goals, and how am I going to support you in getting there?” As a credentialed coach with advanced certifications in executive and leadership coaching and change leadership, she works with clients on specific goals for a set period. The relationship is collaborative, helping clients arrive at their own solutions and strategies rather than prescribing answers.

Mentoring, on the other hand, is more about offering guidance. A mentee might say, “I’m facing this situation—have you dealt with something similar?” If the mentor has, they can respond, “Yes, I’ve been through that. Here’s how I handled it and what I learned.” Vicky has mentees she’s worked with for years, like Julia, whom she brought to a recent WomELLE conference. These relationships often continue as she supports people through their professional growth.

Vicky’s business model is deliberately flexible. She offers one-on-one coaching, corporate workshops, and team training—shaped entirely around what the client needs. Individual clients often start with one-on-one work, then request team workshops. Organizations may bring her in as a coach for multiple people, then expand into group training.

She’s particularly passionate about supporting people recently promoted without solid leadership training. “So many people are taking on new roles and finding themselves underwater. They know the functional areas, but they aren’t getting leadership training. Now they’ve got a bigger remit without training in critical areas such as leading a new or larger team, strategic decision making, conflict resolution, and leadership communication.” With companies facing tighter budgets and fewer training resources, this is where Vicky often steps in to provide both skills training and coaching.

In addition to coaching and mentoring, Vicky also consults with organizations to help solve pressing leadership and performance challenges. These engagements are tailored to each organization’s needs and often focus on succession planning, closing skill gaps, navigating performance issues, or resetting teams around stronger leadership expectations. Whether working with individuals or entire departments, her goal is the same: elevate leadership and improve business performance.

One of Vicky’s standout commitments is making leadership development accessible. She donates 15% of her coaching services to pro bono and reduced-fee sessions for nonprofits and individuals making a positive impact. This stems from her belief that leadership coaching shouldn’t be limited to senior executives at companies with the biggest budgets.

Now, as an award-winning coach and mentor, Vicky finds fulfillment in the work that was missing from her corporate career. Instead of ending days in frustration and tears as she sometimes did before, she approaches each day with enthusiasm. The lightning bolt decision to leave corporate life and start Hone Leadership has proven exactly right. Vicky now spends her days doing what she loves most: watching women flourish in their careers and helping them get there.