The Story Behind Being Gentle
At Gentle, we believe that true strength is not about pushing harder—it’s about moving smarter. It’s about harnessing energy, not draining it.
Our mission is simple: Become gentle to yourself and your environment.
Why Gentleness Works
Many believe that intensity, competitiveness and discipline lead to success. But research and experience show that the most effective leaders, thinkers, and high performers use a different approach. Here are some of the reasons why gentleness works but you may find endless more in your own practice and experience.
Gentleness fuels resilience
Burnout is not a badge of honour. Sustainable success comes from self-awareness, rest, and intelligent energy management.
Gentleness creates clarity
When we slow down, we see the bigger picture. Hypercompetitiveness often leads to tunnel vision, while gentleness opens space for creativity and insight.
Flow beats force
Pushing too hard creates friction. The best decisions, connections, and breakthroughs come when we move with the right rhythm.
It strengthens leadership
The best leaders aren’t the loudest. They are the ones who listen, understand, and empower others.
Our Journey
Gentle was born from a realisation—one that came after years of pushing, striving, competing, and winning in some of the world’s most high-pressure environments.
For over 15 years, we built very competitive and successful careers:
Ben in consulting, finance, and Web3, leading teams, scaling businesses, and navigating the intense, hyper-competitive environment of global finance in Hong Kong.
Ale as a ballet dancer and international school teacher, where perfection and discipline are non-negotiable, and the pursuit of excellence can often come at the cost of well-being for yourself and your colleagues or students.
We both met early in our lives and lived across three continents, travelling 5-10 times a year and surrounded by some of the brightest and most ambitious people in the world. But something was missing.
We began to see that relentless hustle and competition weren’t the most effective way to achieve goals — or to live well. The people who thrived long-term weren’t the ones who burned out the fastest; they were the ones who knew how to recharge, refocus, and flow with energy rather than fight against it.
That’s when we pivoted.
Instead of pushing harder, we started moving with more intention. Instead of seeing gentleness as "soft," we realised it was the most powerful, sustainable way to create real success—in business, in relationships, and in life.
