René Petersen

References

Erik Sviatchenko

FC Midtjylland, Celtic, Houston Dynamo

My starting point was that I had just returned from a long injury break and had performed satisfactorily. My expectations for myself increased significantly, and I needed to find my way in this new situation. I felt a great need to establish a solid foundation and get to know myself better.

We worked from an understanding of who I was as an individual, using behavioral profiles, which allowed us to focus on my strengths rather than trying to squeeze me into a specific template. This was a groundbreaking approach to mental training at the time, and we were among the first to implement it.

The collaboration has been crucial to my career and has played a central role in my success. René has been one of the most influential people in my life, both professionally and personally. His ability to help me understand myself as an 18-year-old has been of great importance to my development. I have also had the opportunity to pass on the experience I gained from training with René.
I would highly recommend René and his work to anyone who wants to become a better footballer. His approach focuses on the person behind the player, and as the individual develops, the player follows suit. My recommendation is to start as early as possible.

Photo: Maria Lysaker / Ritzau Scanpix

Jonas Lössl

FC Midtjylland, Guingamp, Mainz , Huddersfield og Everton

I wanted to find mental balance. In a high performance environment it is easy to get caught up in emotions, rituals and inappropriate patterns. I dreamed of becoming more consistent in my performance.
[…] I found out that it’s not just about setting goals, but that you should train “your mental” muscle in the same way you go to the gym. Putting processes into a formula has been key in my career.
I have gone from being a boy with a talent for football to achieving all my dreams as a professional athlete. Rene has helped me find the strength of my skills and put them into play at the right times.
After talking or having a session with René, you are inspired to do more for yourself and for others. Rene doesn’t just guide with gems, he lives it himself! It shines through every time you are in his presence.

Photo: ritzau

Aral Simsir

Turkish national team player, FC Midtjylland.

When I started working with René, my goal was to develop myself mentally and gain a stronger understanding of myself, as well as to be able to handle the different situations I would find myself in on and off the field.
Specifically, the collaboration has meant that I have become mentally stronger, more aware of my strengths and weaknesses, and better able to handle challenges both professionally and personally.
I would recommend Rene to anyone who is seriously committed to creating positive change in their lives and is willing to invest in their own development. He is an inspiring and competent mindset performance coach who can help you realize your dreams and reach your full potential.

Photo: TFF

Elias Olafsson

Icelandic national team goalkeeper, FC Midtjylland.

I would recommend it to all people who work in a high stress performance environment, when I think about my work with René and how much it has helped me, I would definitely recommend him to all athletes and especially to young goalkeepers. A position where you have to be able to handle a lot of pressure. He is good at helping with that.

He is really good at helping navigate through tough times plus he has introduced me to many things that I use a lot to give myself the best opportunity to perform. He is always ready to turn things around and give good advice and reminders on where to focus, that means a lot.
I think the collaboration is fantastic. What I think he does best is that he makes you realize for yourself the things that will benefit you. It is easy to understand and work with the pure way he communicates and when you feel the effect on your own body and gain a deeper awareness and understanding, it becomes clear how much of a difference it makes for you. He always comes in with good energy and every time I have sat and worked with him I leave full of energy and motivation.

Photo: Jens Dresling/Ritzau Scanpix

Michelle Vesterby

Triathlete, 4x Ironman winner, Winner of Ultra Arizona 2024, etc.

When I started working with René, my primary starting point was that I lacked the necessary sparring to develop my mindset. I wanted to structure the balls I was constantly throwing in the air and find peace on the top floor because I always wanted everything. My goal was to optimize my performance and get closer to my top level.

René’s ability to meet me exactly where I was made a big difference. It never felt like I was being pushed into a standard model or a preconceived approach he had learned from a book.

Working with René has had a enormous impact on me. Professionally, it has helped me perform optimally and reach a level where I truly felt at my best. Personally, it has had an equally big impact, as I was in a good place in my relationship with my husband, my team and my professional work. The combination of structure and focus meant that I experienced a balance that was essential for my well-being and success.

Photo: IRONMAN

Kristian Bach Bak

Player, coach and sports director at FC Midtjylland

I have worked with Rene continuously throughout my career as a player, coach and sports director. I have always had sessions with Rene when I have needed to turn things around/think in my head so that I could achieve a feeling of becoming more effective.
Rene has a gift for making you think more simply and concretely and not fill your head with unnecessary noise. It has been both private and professional. Rene has helped with valuable tools.
My development as a person has always moved forward every time I have worked with Rene – I have gained valuable tools in all the roles I have had. And it has had a great impact on my journey from player to coach and now sports director with great responsibility in everyday life.
I would recommend a course with Rene to anyone who has ambitions to advance themselves – as an athlete – as a leader – and most importantly as a person.

Photo: Daniel Stentz

Glen Riddersholm

FC Midtjylland, AGF, SønderjyskE og Norwich

René had a very positive and balancing role in the environment. […]. He contributed with great professionalism and genuine curiosity and insight, and his presence lifted the energy in the room without taking focus away from the core task.
René’s way of working with mental performance has reminded me how important real human contact and empathy are – even in high-performance environments.. He has given me concrete tools, but perhaps more importantly: an understanding of how to create space for reflection, honesty and development, without compromising ambition or demands. This has influenced my leadership style in a positive direction.
René manages to meet people exactly where they are, bringing a genuine, energizing presence that is both inspiring and disarming.

Photo: Claus Fisker/Ritzau Scanpix

Lars Friis

FC Midtjylland, Viborg, AAB, Sparta Prag

First of all, it has created increased awareness and reflection in my daily work. In addition, we work on areas such as self-management, identity and communication. As a result, I have a huge focus on these areas. We work in a winding process, we take the conversations as they come. The most important thing is that we get to work on the topics that are current. This may mean that the strategic plan is not progressing as quickly as it could. On the other hand, we work together with our finger on the pulse, and with me and my topics at the center.
I would recommend everyone who has the courage to develop themselves to contact René. René does not have the answers to how I succeeded, or how I get better. But he has the questions, and the strategy to develop momentum. The big thoughts, and the best answers come from myself.

Rene is the sparring partner who helps me on my way….an. priceless wingman.

Photo: https://www.shutterstock.com/da/g/LCV

Brian Priske

FC Midtjylland, Sparta Prag og Feyenoord

I had an excellent collaboration with Rene. He was always well prepared and structured in his approach, and he attacked the implementation of his ideas with great energy and positivity.
Professionally, it gave me fantastic knowledge about the players and my staff. Knowledge that I could use in my coaching and relationship with them. In addition, I enjoyed Rene’s daily energy and mood as well as many important conversations and sparring about players and staff but also my own role and challenges that sometimes arise in a football club.
I would definitely recommend Rene to other clubs as well as to players and coaches who want to build a stronger mindset and general mental strength. He is present in conversations and knows when to listen and speak, Rene is a team player and is 100% there for the good of the team and not his own interests and therefore does not have a great need to be heard all the time. He knows his role and skills and knows exactly where and when to perform.

Photo: Federico Gambarini/Ritzau Scanpix

Jess Thorup

FC Midtjylland, Gent , Genk, FC København og FC Augsburg

The development of the teams and individuals that Rene has worked with has been fantastic. They have gained an understanding of the importance of the mental aspect in High Performance environments, as well as tools to use in everyday life and in combat situations.
Rene has given me a knowledge of myself, as well as the people I work with, which makes it easier for me to make the right decisions and an insight into how to communicate with these people either individually or in teams.

I can give Rene my highest recommendations.

Photo: Bernd Weibrod/AP/Ritzau Scanpix

Bjørn Hamberg

Chelsea , Brighton, Swansea og Feyenoord

Rene did an amazing job keeping the spirit high with his positivity and knowledge.

I really liked Rene’s approach in the sense of being a good listener and gave valuable feedback that both guided myself but also to ask questions for me to reflect on my leadership and communication skills.
I would recommend to work with Rene because of his ability to recognize and help the individual to be the best version of themselves.

Photo: IMAGO/Pro Shots

Villads Littauer Bendixen

Internationally renowned violinist and composer

René helped me discover how my skills, interests, and values ​​could be united into more purposeful plans. It created a new clarity and drive in my work as a musician.
He also helped me break some mental barriers around my own abilities and ambitions, and his positive and solution-oriented approach helped strengthen my belief in what I can achieve.
Working with René was crucial for both my professional and personal development. Through our work, I gained the courage to resume my passion for composing classical music and performing my own works – a creative side I had previously neglected. It has now developed into a significant part of my career and artistic identity.
I would especially recommend working with René to musicians and artists within the classical music industry. The demands for perfection and the mental strain that comes with it can be compared to extreme sports, and here René’s tools and mindset approach are invaluable.

Photo: Annett Ahrends

Valdemar Littauer Bendixen

Multi-Platinum Certified Producer

My starting point was that I often experienced stress and uncertainty in connection with concerts and shows. This affected my performance and joy of being on stage. I wanted to get tools to handle performance pressure better, find more calm and focus, and generally get a more structured and professional approach to my work as a musician – both in preparation and the performance itself.
The collaboration with René has been both professional, present and inspiring. His approach is very targeted and practical, while he is good at creating a safe and open atmosphere. He meets you where you are, and builds on it with respect and insight. His way of working with mindset is reminiscent of working with elite athletes, where the mental aspect is just as important as the technical aspect.
René stands out for his holistic approach. He truly understands the connection between body, mind and performance, and he manages to convey it in a down-to-earth and effective way. Unlike others I have met, he does not just focus on “positive thoughts” but works concretely and systematically with strategies and tools that can be implemented in everyday life.

Mette Christensen

Buying Director, Jack & Jones

Rene was a developing and supporting role for me as a leader. Rene contributed to the development of a clear plan for employee/team development.

I have felt pleasantly challenged on my leadership style, my thoughts on strengths and weaknesses, and through that, I have created focus and a clear plan.

I have gained more clarity, calmness and overview in response to the challenges that may come. I have become better at delving into the origins of why you ended up where you ended up, rather than taking the problem of frustration where it arises. The whole idea of ​​what was the plan and how did I act to get here? What went wrong and what do I need to improve in the future.

Rene has been an inspiring sparring partner on team development which has worked well. Rene can work at all different levels with his professional skills.

Morten Christensen

Sales Director, Startex

I experienced Rene in a role that was both challenging in relation to the existing situation and not least supportive in relation to any changes and processes that were initiated.
I have seen both myself and teams take on changes and challenges with both enthusiasm and motivation. Renen has managed to make the difficult more manageable and work with people long-term.
The way of thinking about management and training in a context where it focuses on changing to and maintaining a performance mindset has been fantastic and ensured better performance.
It is Rene’s ability to gather the mental and make it concrete, along with his understanding of business. This ensures that there is a constant focus on optimizing the business through people.

Photo: LinkedIn/Morten Christensen

Lars Simonsen

Design Director, Gorm Envision

I was introduced to the locker room approach, a method from the elite sports world, and I think it was a very new and interesting way to see yourself. Seeing yourself in different arenas and roles in relation to the rest of the team.
I have collaborated with occupational psychologists, coaches and similar specialists, but Rene has a model you can relate to and an energy that is an inspiration in itself. The energy and the very positive focus are incredibly important to see the development for me – The Locker Room approach opens up conversations that bring the challenge from another world, but make it relevant to you.
I believe that Rene can be recommended to many – there is a professional weight and an energy that always makes the subject relevant. Rene has gained some experience from a world full of great personalities and has been successful in navigating it – I am quite sure that this can be translated to the challenges of the business world.

Photo: gxe.dk

Alexander Beckold

Country Brand Manager, Jack & Jones, Germany

One of René’s most impressive contributions lies in the lasting impact he had on my organization. He equipped me with the tools I needed as a leader to support each employee in becoming the best version of themselves – as often as possible. And he did so during one of the most challenging times in our industry. Corona and the war in Europe.
The most noticeable change was a shift in focus – from pure outcomes to collaboration, mutual understanding, and respect. It became less about the result itself and more about how we worked together to find solutions. Interestingly, the final outcomes often followed naturally as a result of this shift in mindset.

René also helped me see leadership from a more sustainable perspective: to build an organization that would still function without me. That’s what true legacy means.

Photo: LinkedIn/Alexander Beckold

Niels Skræddergaard

Head of Department, Stock management, Jack & Jones, Bestseller

Rene was the Performance Manager in our company, and has been the brains behind the human development plans and strategies that we have used in the company. It has been an incredibly transformative journey where we focused more on the human values ​​that lie behind fantastic business performance, rather than Business KPIs.

Rene is inspiring, concrete, listening and active at the same time, and he has an ability to both get people to open up and understand different perspectives, and at the same time one that is reliable, personable and professional.
It’s not “small models” or processes, it’s the holistic development that is in focus, and it just gives a completely different perspective than the classic formalized learning about leadership and personal development, which is completely unique.

Rene has been an “anchor” in our personal development, both for me personally and for the teams that have worked with him.

Rene’s approach has influenced me and my leadership style tremendously. I have become more aware of the individual but also of my own personality and how it affects my leadership style.

Photo: LinkedIn/Niels Skræddergaard

Anders Dinnsen

CEO, Ceraco Development

Rene has a high energy level, an energy that undoubtedly has a positive and contagious effect on everything he is involved in.
Rene is good at creating a winning/competitive mentality.
Rene introduces a certain seriousness and professionalism into the teams he works with. It is also important to note that it is often fun to learn new things with Rene.
An insanely positive energy – which is clearly rooted in a broad knowledge-based theory.

Photo: LinkedIn/Anders Dinnsen

Allan Jung Thorbøll

International Buying Manager, Jack & Jones

My starting point was a curiosity about myself as a person and as a leader. I wanted to become aware of my strengths and challenges so that I could appear better and more clearly as a leader. In addition to this, I wanted to become better at playing good to other people.
I had a really good collaboration with Rene, as he managed to help me with both personal and professional development. Rene has a natural interest in the people or areas he works with, and thus could better provide insight into challenges and development opportunities. He is good at doing this by asking the right questions and ideas for further development.
Rene is good at implementing the training, so it becomes a natural part of those involved and their daily lives. Value is created immediately.
Rene is well-versed in the environment and ensures an understanding of the area we work with. This allows him to set the right framework for development, which means that you can take the learning and development directly into practice.

Cédric Jara

Country Sales Manager, Bestseller France

René had a very positive impact within the environment I oversee. He was professional, proactive, and committed, contributing effectively to team goals and supporting a strong team dynamic.
Basically, I’ve noticed changes in the behavior of individuals, for example, those who had difficulty speaking in a group. He helped some people step out of their comfort zones.

René brings real value to high-performance environments through his ability to build trust, promote open dialogue, and motivate people to grow beyond their comfort zones. 

I would especially recommend René to individuals or teams seeking to improve their communication, mindset, and team cohesion. His approach is both human and results-driven, making him a great fit for those looking to grow in a high-performance setting while maintaining well-being and trust.

Photo: LinkedIn/Cédric Jara

Bernard Bruneau

Country Retail Director, Jack & Jones, Canada

I found René’s training and motivational speaking to be highly impactful on our store’s performance and employee engagement. His session on Warrior vs Victim was particularly effective. His motivational speaking helped to boost team morale and create a more positive/driven atmosphere.
The overall results were positive, and his sessions contributed to a significant improvement in creating a more engaged, motivated, and positive work environment and overall team performance.
René’s approach has inspired me to empower my team to take responsibility and see themselves as capable of overcoming any challenge and the importance of creating a culture of ownership and accountability in leadership and coaching.

I highly recommend René for teams that need to overcome challenges and adapt to change fast. He gives people the abilities and skills to not just survive, but to really do well in a fast-changing workplace.

Photo: LinkedIn/Bernard Bruneau

Jens Ikast

Buying & Sourcing Manager, Jack & Jones

[…] I was aware of the need to develop as a leader, both on a personal and professional level, and therefore wanted to get sparring and tools to work with mindset, structure and long-term planning. It was important for me to get a strong mental platform to build on – both for myself and for the team I was leading.
The collaboration with René has always been characterized by great trust, honesty and presence. Already at our very first meeting, René said something that has stuck with me ever since: “What you give is what you get.” It set the direction for our collaboration and has proven to be completely apt for the way we have worked together.
On a professional level, working with René has given me the tools to build and lead a high-performance team with a strong mindset and a healthy culture.
Although I have not previously worked with other dedicated performance coaches, throughout my career I have collaborated with many different types of advisors, leaders and mentors – and here René stands out significantly.

Photo: handelsuddannelsen.dk

Asbjørn Hougesen

Buying Manager, Bestseller

My starting point was a great desire to develop my human understanding, as well as the ability to create a team and a culture around me in harmony and a shared vision.

From the first meeting with Rene, I felt a completely different approach to performance, as I was trained in business performance, with a limited view of mindset and human characteristics and values. It therefore opened up a world of knowledge and tools for myself, but also my relationships.
I felt instantly understood, as that part is the root of my motivation for leadership, which is why that approach and Rene as a person became an important “rock” for me in my journey as a leader.

The human relationship in the collaboration with Rene, and the direct transfer of knowledge creates a much greater understanding, and is delivered in the authentic way that such an important message should be.

Photo: LinkedIn/Asbjørn Hougesen

Stephan Zoega Hegaard

International Sales Manager, Jack & Jones

I finally found someone who understood how my own journey at the management level was met with respect and not contempt.
I have moved up as a leader and been confirmed that my own personal style as a person holds up 100% in top management.
The natural and honest way Rene is “on and off the field” sends SUCH a credible signal that there is no doubt about the effect if you want to use the methods otherwise.

Photo: podcasts.apple.com