About Anne Cullen
Advisor to Business Owners & Creator of the PEACE Method™
Based in New Plymouth, New Zealand · Working with clients worldwide (virtually) · In-person by arrangement.
I help business owners, co-founders, and family-run companies move from reactivity to collaboration—so you can talk through hard things, make decisions you can keep and lead with calm instead of confusion—in the business and at home.
WHO I HELP
Owners / Founders
I work privately with owners / founders who want to lead with calm, clarity, and collaboration. Often, they come to me when decisions keep looping, reactivity is taking over, or stress in the business is spilling into home life. Together we steady leadership, strengthen communication, and create agreements that hold—so you, the business and the family all feel calmer.
Co-founders
I support co-founders who’ve built something meaningful but find collaboration harder than it used to be. Friction, defensiveness, or revisited decisions are draining energy. We rebuild alignment, clarify priorities, and establish repair routines that keep the partnership—and the business—moving forward.
Family Business Leaders
I help family business leaders navigating the crossover between generations—founders preparing for succession, or next-gen leaders stepping up. We untangle personal dynamics from strategy, set boundaries that stick, and make sure the handover strengthens both relationships and results.
Couples & Parents
I also work with couples and parents who want calmer communication and stronger connection at home. Many of my business clients choose to extend their work into this space once things have steadied in the business, and some choose to start here.
In the Business
Cleaner, faster decisions (fewer re-runs)
Defined decision rights and smoother handovers
A shared language to handle conflict without collateral damage
WHAT CHANGES
At Home
Less tension, more clarity; a more settled rhythm
Clearer roles and faster repair after tough moments
Kids and adults who catch themselves sooner and take responsibility
WHY I DO THIS
I help people get along. I’ve been a peacemaker my whole life—it's not just what I do, it’s who I am.
When I became a parent, even with a background in child development, the emotional load surprised me. I wanted to “do it right,” but nothing showed us how to decide together or live our values under pressure. Everything centred on the child; no one asked about us as a couple or how to navigate the decisions that mattered.
So I created the PEACE Method™—a simple, repeatable way to slow reactivity, understand what’s really going on, and turn intention into action.
Two young-adult kids and hundreds of client families later, one truth keeps proving itself: the skills that keep families connected are the same skills that help businesses run well. You can’t compartmentalise yourself. Who you are in the business is who you are at home.
And here’s why that matters to me: kids do best when the adults around them create calm, respectful spaces. Children can’t choose new parents or opt out of their household. Everything they experience is shaped by the adults setting the tone. When I help owners and families lead with collaboration instead of control, I’m helping create spaces where everyone—especially those with the least power—feels safe, valued, and understood.
The PEACE Method™ blends mindset, skills, and practice rooted in behaviour science and communication research:
Pause (regulate first) • Empathise (acknowledge perspective) • Assess (find what’s in the way) • Create (co-design agreements) • Evaluate (review and refine)
Whether it’s bedtime negotiations or equity discussions, the process stays the same. This isn’t therapy. It’s not behaviour management. It’s collaboration with clear follow-through, rooted in psychological safety and respect.
WHAT I BRING
Emotional intelligence, under pressure. I help you notice reactivity, regulate, and respond with clarity.
Psychological safety, in real life. Ways to disagree and repair without damage.
Systems lens. Patterns across leadership, couple dynamics, and family show up in the business—we work at that level.
Trauma-aware, neurodiversity-aware. Practical, respectful adjustments so people can do their best work.
Plain language + practice. We don’t just talk; we rehearse the next hard conversation.
TRAINING & BACKGROUND
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) • Certified Life Coach • Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) • Trauma-informed coaching • Certified Mindfulness in Schools Instructor • PGCert Education • BA (Family Resources, Sociology & Anthropology)
Mum of two young adults • 20+ years supporting families and businesses
COMMON QUESTIONS
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I work with business owners, leadership pairs, and family-run companies who want less friction and steadier relationships—in the business and at home. If conversations loop, roles feel fuzzy, or evenings are tense, we start where it’s hottest and work as a team. I’ll meet you as people first, then use the PEACE Method™ to turn insight into small, co-owned agreements you can actually keep.
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I’m not a therapist, and this isn’t clinical work. It’s practical and personal. We slow things down, make room for what’s really being felt, and then use the PEACE Method™ to turn that insight into action. I go deep with you as people and partners, while keeping us anchored to small, co-owned agreements you can keep this week and review next week.
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We begin with a short chat to clarify your goals and greatest source of tension, whether in the business or at home. Together we decide on a cadence for 1:1 or dyad/couple sessions & support. Later, we can add other team members to the mix.
