In their words

From Freelancer Loop to CEO Mindset: How Strategic Coaching Transformed My Business and Life

The Challenge

Antes de empezar, estaba muy metido en el “freelancer loop.” Aunque siempre he valorado mi libertad y curiosidad, me costaba salir de mi propia perspectiva para ver el negocio desde arriba con una verdadera CEO mindset. Estaba navegando transiciones personales muy fuertes y, aunque las piezas se movían, me faltaba ese mirror estratégico para retar mi forma de pensar. Me sentía enfocado en el day-to-day, pero me faltaba hacerme las preguntas difíciles para dejar de actuar solo como un ejecutor y empezar a mover la aguja hacia un nivel de high performance más alto.

I had joined various entrepreneur groups and masterminds to find support and surround myself with people who were on a similar path. I was really looking to feed off of friends talking to friends instead of just talking to my family about my business. I also spent a lot of time networking in similar circles at conferences and other events, just trying to chip away at my goals bit by bit. While those connections were helpful for community, they weren’t enough to give me the high level perspective I needed. I realized I was missing a more personal, strategic anchor who could help me step outside of my freelancer mindset and look at everything from a CEO’s point of view.

What I Was Looking For

Buscaba a alguien que fuera un buen coach y que entendiera de verdad el mundo de la educación y los idiomas. Como Walter es un políglota, sentí que era el match perfecto para seguir mis valores de curiosity and personal growth. Mi intención no era necesariamente buscar más dinero, sino más bien gaining more mental clarity y mejorar mi proceso de making better decisions. Entré al proceso con una mentalidad de no expectations but trust, simplemente queriendo un partner que me ayudara a step outside of my mindset y ver las cosas desde otro lugar. Quería convertir la claridad en un hábito constante, bajo la idea de que “to share is to teach and to learn.”

The Transformation

The biggest shift is that I’ve started to truly step outside of the freelancer mindset and look at my business through the lens of a CEO. While I still value my freedom and like to stay hands on with my students, I now have the perspective to ask different questions about where I’m actually moving the needle. Our work acted as a strategic anchor during a time of massive personal transition. It helped me stay focused on high performance and mental clarity even while navigating a separation and moving into a new living situation.

I’ve shifted from a freelancer to a CEO. I no longer just “do the work”; I’m building a vision. Despite major personal transitions and moving out on my own, I’ve stayed anchored and high performing. I have more mental clarity, better decision making habits, and a system that finally respects both my nomadic freedom and my creative goals.

Multilingual Integration

Working with Walter helped me feel much more loose and connected, especially in Spanish. I realized that while I enjoy dipping into Italian or Portuguese, I needed to anchor myself in English or Spanish to do the “deeper work” on the business or the mind. This gave me the confidence to stop compartmentalizing and even inspired me to consider proposing my upcoming workshops in Spanish. I stopped feeling fragmented and started leaning into my identity as a multilingual leader, using my languages as a tool for connection rather than just a skill to manage.

The coaching deepened my connection to my identity by grounding it in a shared bond with someone who truly gets the polyglot experience. Meeting up in person and sharing our experiences as coaches helped me see my multilingualism as a bridge for connection rather than a set of separate boxes. It gave me the confidence to express myself more fluidly across languages and sparked a new excitement for learning together. I now see my languages even more as a way to deepen relationships and express different parts of myself, rather than just tools for the business.

What Made the Difference

I think the actual work I was held accountable to produce, like an outline or a schedule, added some structure to my day to day life. Even if I modify them over time, it was a game changer to have someone with my best interests in mind to check in with regarding big decision shifts, often across the world.

The main difference was the ability to work on multiple areas across the board simultaneously. While therapy is great for the internal work, Walter provided a space to bridge the gap between business, personal relationships, travel, and performance. It wasn’t just about fixing the past; it was about actively designing the future. Having a coach who understands the nuances of my specific lifestyle: the nomadic part, the language part, and the entrepreneur part made the support feel much more integrated and practical than a standard course or a traditional therapy session.

Why I Recommend Walter

Walter is exceptionally good at listening and being empathic while sharing his expertise with kindness and grace. He doesn’t just give advice; he provides a supportive space where you feel heard and understood. His ability to navigate complex business and personal topics with such a grounded, gentle demeanor makes him a rare type of coach who helps you find clarity without adding unnecessary pressure.

If I had to describe working with Walter in one phrase, it would be: a strategic anchor.

Before working with Walter, I was struggling to reconnect with the more grounded, spiritual parts of myself—parts I knew would benefit not just me, but my clients as well. I couldn’t quite put the pieces together on my own. Walter helped me re-center in a way that was gentle and profound. His presence created a steady, calm space where I felt seen, heard, and deeply challenged—in the best way. His questions weren’t just smart—they were transformative. They made me stop, think, and explore in ways I hadn’t before.

Through our work, I re-established a spiritual practice that continues to grow. I feel more aligned with who I am and how I show up in the world. Walter’s coaching style is spacious, compassionate, and deeply insightful. I’m truly grateful for the experience.

Before working with Walter, I knew I wanted to launch my coaching business but felt unclear about specific goals or a timeline. I needed help clarifying my vision, setting concrete goals, and building an accountability structure. Working alone I was struggling to find momentum and traction, but with Walter’s support, I gained confidence in my vision, skills, and roadmap.

During our period of working together, I launched my website, created an outreach strategy, set pricing for my packages, and secured my first paid client. Walter’s guidance, feedback, and accountability made a huge difference.

His mastery of English, even as a non-native speaker, ensured seamless communication throughout our sessions. His approachable, clear, and insightful coaching style helped me achieve remarkable progress in just five sessions. I strongly recommend him to anyone seeking a life or language coach!

De postular sin rumbo a conseguir un cargo de liderazgo con 30% más de ingresos

Antes de trabajar juntos

Buscaba un cambio de trabajo que impulsara mi carrera profesional. Quería que se concretara esa oportunidad de cambio de trabajo. Había intentado postular a todas las vacantes que se relacionaban con el cambio que estaba buscando, pero no fue suficiente.

Después de nuestro trabajo

Aprendí a centrarme en mis objetivos principales y tener mayor autoconfianza para lograr eso que me propuse. Gané herramientas para el logro de mis objetivos. Conseguí un nuevo trabajo en un cargo de mayor liderazgo. Esto trajo el crecimiento profesional que buscaba y mejoró mis ingresos en un 30%. Poner en práctica las herramientas que aprendía mejoró mi actitud en la búsqueda de empleo y aumentó mis posibilidades.

Experiencia multilingüe

Antes del coaching, no tenía confianza para expresarme con fluidez en otros idiomas. El coaching me ayudó a volverme más segura. A alguien que se siente “atrapado/a entre culturas” o como “una persona diferente en cada idioma” le diría que se anime a conversar sin miedo a equivocarse.

El enfoque de Walter

Walter logra sacar lo mejor de las personas. Sabe elegir las herramientas más adecuadas para que sus clientes logren sus objetivos. Potencia el desarrollo de las personas y las ayuda a enfocarse en el logro de sus objetivos con herramientas prácticas y disciplina. Se notan los avances de sesión a sesión. El trabajo con Walter lo describiría como enfocado, práctico y útil. Sin dudas vale la pena.

Estoy orgullosa de haber decidido invertir en mi desarrollo profesional y personal. Y agradecida por haber tenido mi primera experiencia de coaching con Walter Freiberg.

Mistaken for Argentine: How Accent Coaching Trained My Ear and Changed My Identity

The Challenge

I was trying to adapt my neutral Spanish accent to an Argentine (Rioplatense) accent. I wanted to sound more authentic and hoped to be mistaken for someone from Argentina by native speakers of Spanish. Before coaching, I had tried listening to content from Argentina, but it wasn’t enough.

The Transformation

I now understand that there are more details involved than I had recognized. I also learned the importance of recording myself and practicing for 10 to 15 minutes a day consistently. The biggest breakthrough came when I was in Chile and was mistaken for someone from Argentina.

Before the coaching I felt uncomfortable using my Spanish in a variety of contexts. Now I feel much more comfortable speaking in a group setting or meeting new people. I feel that I can express my personality in all three languages.

What Made the Difference

Walter has been able to show me how to practice and has trained my ear to hear details that I couldn’t hear before. One of the biggest differences is availability. Walter makes himself available through WhatsApp, so I know that if I need something he is there. He is a very good listener and knows how to motivate in a positive way.

Beyond Language

I really enjoyed the chance to meet Walter in person in Argentina when I was visiting. The experience has made a huge difference in my life. I started off with language coaching and added life coaching. Walter has helped me navigate some challenging moments and come out better than ever. To anyone who feels stuck between cultures or like a different person in each language: don’t be afraid to be yourself in each language.

From Tourist to True Porteño: Finding My Voice in Buenos Aires

When I became an Argentine citizen, I thought the paperwork would be the hardest part. But every day, strangers would ask where I was from within seconds of meeting me. My accent gave me away immediately, and it bothered me more than I wanted to admit. I didn’t want to stand out. I just wanted what I call “the right to indifference.”

Before working with Walter, I knew my French accent was obvious, but I didn’t know why or how to fix it. I wanted to blend in, at least for the first few minutes of conversation, so my foreign origin wouldn’t define every interaction.

The Transformation

Today, everything has changed. I don’t have a perfect Rioplatense accent yet, and I’ve made peace with that. But the questions have become rare, and when they do come, it’s only after long conversations. Almost no one identifies me as French anymore. They just sense something “singular” about my Spanish.

I’ve learned to master the breathed ‘s’ that’s so characteristic of porteño speech. I’ve worked extensively on intonation patterns and rhythm. And the vowels, especially ‘o’ and ‘a’, those deceptive false friends for French speakers? I can finally hear the difference.

The truth is, I’m now better at recognizing my mistakes than avoiding them. I hear myself every day. This is work that will take years, and I’m okay with that.

What Made the Difference

Walter has been an incredibly patient guide with extraordinary attention to detail. He analyzed my speech and helped me become aware of my voice in ways I never had before. The practical exercises were transformative. Not theoretical, but hands on work that yielded real results. What sets coaching apart is its deeply personalized approach. It’s not about imitating others. It’s about expressing your own personality in a different way. You can’t get that from a book or a course. Walter always listens first, without imposing his own way. That patience and adaptability are rare.

Beyond Language

Today, I feel much more confident, not just in my Spanish, but in my identity as an Argentine. Language is culture, and speaking it differently means inhabiting a different version of yourself. I’ve learned to accept that I’m different in each language I speak, rather than fighting against it. Accepting this dissociation is the first step toward true cultural integration.

I’m no longer mistaken for a tourist. And that “right to indifference” I was seeking? I’ve found it, not by erasing who I am, but by learning to embody who I’m becoming.

When Language Learning and Life Coaching Come Together

Before We Worked Together

I was an intermediate Spanish learner feeling stuck, working harder rather than smarter. I had tried several paid courses, AI tools, and other resources, but nothing gave me a clear, efficient path forward. On the life side, I was also navigating a scattered mix of challenges around communicating effectively with my family and work team.

What I was really looking for was a clear plan for advancing my Spanish, one that made sure the time I invested was being spent in the most efficient way possible.

How Things Changed

The most important shift with my Spanish is that I now see myself as a Spanish speaker. I say yes when someone asks if I speak Spanish. I still have a lot to learn and more levels to reach, but working with Walter and putting together a clear game plan over a few months really improved my confidence.

On the professional side, a big breakthrough was being able to communicate more effectively with my work team, which includes my spouse. I had overcomplicated the way I was doing employee evaluations and bonuses, and Walter helped me think through a much clearer and more sustainable way of mentoring my team.

My Multilingual Journey

Before coaching, I saw myself as a very basic Spanish speaker with very little confidence in my ability to practice or use Spanish outside of a controlled environment. Now I see myself as a Spanish speaker with a clear path to get better every single day.

For anyone who feels stuck between languages or cultures, Walter is a great resource for finding fun, interesting ways to improve your learning, gain confidence, and get real feedback.

What Made the Difference

What made the biggest difference was Walter helping me come up with game plans for my Spanish learning and holding me accountable to them, along with the support and positivity throughout the process.

This was also the first time I integrated language learning with coaching, and that combination was genuinely eye opening. I had always seen them as two separate things, but my language learning journey is so integrated into the other areas of my life that bringing them together made complete sense. I got a lot out of that approach.

Walter is especially good at taking an issue and reframing it in a way that makes you look at it from a different perspective. One word I would use to describe working with him: thoughtful.

Final Thoughts

This was a unique and incredible experience that helped me grow in many ways. It is hard to fully express in a survey form. I will definitely recommend Walter’s services to people in the future. Thank you for what you do.

When I moved to Uruguay, I felt overwhelmed—unable to understand people or express myself in Spanish, which made daily life stressful. Walter helped me break down my goals into clear, manageable steps, offering tools that were tailored, flexible, and never overwhelming. His coaching combined language learning with mindset work and cultural insight, creating a process that felt both structured and personal. Some weeks I pushed harder; other weeks he guided me gently when I felt drained.

Thanks to his approach, I improved my listening, built confidence, and made Spanish a natural part of my life. I’m grateful for his support and would recommend him to anyone navigating a new language and culture.

Speaking Spanish on My Own Terms: From App Learning to Real Conversations

The Challenge

Before we worked together, I struggled with pushing myself past the internal discomfort of saying something in Spanish without being certain it was correct or made sense. I had tried mobile apps like Duolingo, but what I was really looking for was a coach who could not only help me learn the language but also motivate me and develop strategies for consistent practice.

The Transformation

Life is different now. I am much more comfortable speaking what is on my mind. I have also found ways to make the learning process more fun and interesting by aligning it with my other life interests. I now use Spanish more regularly in my everyday life with locals here in Puerto Rico and even with friends and partners.

What Made the Biggest Difference

The actionable strategies around content consumption and practicing conversations around topics that interest me made the biggest difference. The coaching approach was not overly prescriptive or stuck to a textbook approach of going through grammar rules and conjugations. Instead, it focused on creating fluid plans that align with personal interests, strengths, and weaknesses.

My Multilingual Experience

Before coaching, I felt like I was still learning and was not comfortable using Spanish in real life scenarios. Now I am able to converse with contractors who work around the house, with other Spanish speakers when I travel, and with friends here in Puerto Rico.

If you feel stuck or self-conscious about your language level, remember: no one is thinking about you as less than proficient.

Working With Walter

One word to describe the experience: Creative.

Walter has been nothing short of transformational in my journey to master Spanish. Before meeting him, I struggled with listening comprehension and pronunciation despite years of traditional study. Real-world conversations—especially during my travels to Latin America—felt intimidating and frustrating; I could understand textbook Spanish but not the nuances of native speakers.

Thanks to Walter’s exceptional coaching, my progress has skyrocketed beyond anything I thought possible. On a recent trip I found myself effortlessly engaging in complex conversations with locals.

His coaching is truly a masterpiece of language instruction. Walter adapts each session with precision, blending reading, writing, speaking, translation, role-playing, and audiovisual work tailored to my needs. Whether tackling intricate grammar, refining pronunciation, or mastering idiomatic expressions, he meets you where you are and propels you forward.

As a physician, the impact is profound: I now connect with Spanish-speaking patients on a deeper level, building trust and delivering more personalized care. Walter’s Argentine cultural insight and his background as a best-selling author elevate every session. If you’re serious about real fluency, book his complimentary session—his coaching is a game-changer.

I participated in a seminar program with Walter about developing hobbies in the language you’re learning. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided to sign up for his coaching program. I have to say it was completely worth it. Walter helped me find unique and interesting ways to incorporate Spanish into my everyday life. I like how amenable he is to the ideas of immersion learning – but at the same time, he doesn’t scoff at more traditional methods. That can be a hard quality to find in a tutor/mentor.

After just over a year of learning Spanish, I reached a comfortable level of conversational fluency. I think Walter played an important role in me reaching that goal. And since there’s always room for improvement, I continue to follow Walter’s content so that I’m always al tanto regarding unique and interesting ways to engage with the language I’m learning.