Gretchen De Knikker
About Gretchen De Knikker
Gretchen De Knikker is the Founder and Career Coach at Unbound & Unbothered, where she has worked since 2021. With over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, she focuses on empowering women, particularly those over 40, to achieve balance in their careers and lives.
Work at Unbound & Unbothered
Gretchen De Knikker serves as the Founder and Career Coach at Unbound & Unbothered, a role she has held since 2021. Based in San Francisco, California, she focuses on empowering women in their careers, particularly in the tech industry. Her coaching emphasizes setting boundaries, accountability, and achieving a balanced life. Through her work, she aims to reduce the number of women leaving the tech industry mid-career.
Previous Roles in Tech Industry
Gretchen has over 20 years of experience as a tech executive. Prior to founding Unbound & Unbothered, she held various leadership positions. She was the VP of Partnerships at MaestroQA from 2020 to 2021 and served as COO at Girl Geek X from 2017 to 2020. Additionally, she was the Founding COO at SaaStr from 2014 to 2017 and worked as a Director of Business Development at LivePerson in 2010. Her early career included roles at EchoSign and Revere Data, LLC.
Education and Expertise
Gretchen holds multiple degrees, including an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Technology. She also completed an MBA at IESE Business School. Her educational background includes a BA in Criminal Justice and Theatre from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has furthered her expertise through an Advanced Certification in Feminist Coaching and has studied behavioral psychology and gender and ethnic studies.
Coaching Philosophy and Focus
Gretchen's coaching philosophy incorporates behavioral psychology and intersectional feminism. She focuses on helping high achievers, particularly women, to manage stress and avoid burnout. Her approach includes teaching clients how to set and maintain boundaries while holding others accountable. She has been mentoring women for two decades and is a member of the Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching.
Advocacy and Community Engagement
Gretchen is an advocate for women in tech, emphasizing the importance of feeling acknowledged and well-compensated in their careers. She has spoken at various events, including Women in Revenue and Moms in Tech. Her commitment to addressing ageism in the tech industry, especially for women over 40, reflects her dedication to fostering an inclusive environment for women in their careers.