Meet Martin Angehrn, Founder & Mentor of Onda Leadership

Tell us more about Onda Leadership.

I work with founders and CEOs who are under pressure or hitting a wall — when decisions get hard, energy drops, or momentum stalls. My flagship offer is the Founder Success Day: a full-day 1:1 sparring walk, out of the office and in nature. No seminar room, no protocol. Movement, fresh air, real conversations — and you leave with clear decisions and concrete next steps. The concept is built on neuroleadership, positive psychology, and my own founder experience.

What was your “aha” moment?

I built my last startup to a seven-figure ARR. From the outside, everything looked fine. Inside, I was running on empty. That tunnel — when everything feels urgent, and you still can’t see what actually matters — I know it firsthand, and I eventually burned out. Onda is, in part, my answer to that state that I call being in overdrive, which, over time, will drain all of your energy.

A bold goal you’re chasing right now?

Establishing the Founder Success Day as the go-to reset format in the Swiss founder ecosystem for founders under pressure, and writing a book based on my own framework around energy-driven leadership.

Which decision had the most unexpected positive impact?

Focusing on one entry point and letting go of some of my early ideas. I collapsed a broad range of formats into one flagship offer with the Founder Success Day. That decision made everything clearer for me and for the founders I speak with. Clarity of offer creates clarity of conversation.

How do you operate and maintain culture as a solo founder?

I work with partners and peers to create a sense of team spirit and have a desk in a co-working space. Culture, for me, is created through psychological safety, radical honesty, and energy awareness. High performance should feel sustainable, not self-destructive. That is the core principle I operate on myself.

What would you do differently?

As a solopreneur, I would work with accountability partners from the start. I would niche down faster instead of trying to serve everyone, and create clarity through subtraction — even if it feels difficult. In the end, that is the only way to grow.

How do you stay resilient under pressure?

Daily movement, walks outdoors, and structured reflection. When pressure builds, my instinct is to slow down deliberately. Clarity doesn’t come from pushing harder; it comes from regulating your state first. “Slow down to speed up” has become my credo in both business and life.

One piece of advice for someone just starting out?

Design your energy system as consciously as your business model. Operating with founder drive and being in overdrive look identical from the outside. The line is thin, and staying on the right side of it is daily practice, not a one-time fix.

Your outlook on the Swiss startup scene?

Strong infrastructure, access to capital, and real talent. What’s missing is category thinking and stronger narrative courage. Switzerland can compete globally, but precision and knowledge alone are not enough. We need founders who build bold positioning and can sustain performance long term.

What do you value about being part of the SSA?

Access to founders and learning from each other. Being there to help, connect, and share common interests in building great companies and putting Switzerland on the map as a thriving startup nation.

Anything else to share?

Founder well-being is not a soft topic. It is a strategic variable. The founders who will win long-term are the ones who figure out how to combine ambition with energy mastery.

Connect with Martin on LinkedIn!