Love coach, writer, and professional work-in-progress

At 42, I'm still figuring out what life and love are all about—and I'm okay with that uncertainty being part of the journey.

I'm a love coach living in Montreal with my 12-year-old blind rescue dog, helping people navigate relationships through vulnerability, authenticity, and playfulness. These three qualities form the foundation of everything I teach and strive to embody, even when (especially when) it's messy.

The unconventional path

My resume reads like someone who couldn't decide what they wanted to be when they grew up: tech sales, taxi driver, Panamanian hostel owner, erotic masseur, ski, bike, and climb bum, and now love coach. I've called Montreal, Panama City, Austin, San Francisco, Boulder, and Flagstaff home at various points, often chasing new experiences while being drawn back to familiar places that reveal themselves differently each time but also feel like home.

You might wonder why a love coach is still single in his forties. Fair question. The honest answer? I'm not entirely sure, but I have some theories: ongoing work around childhood trauma, a chronic case of FOMO, mild intimacy fears, and what my therapist diplomatically calls a "mixed attachment style" (translation: I'm complicated).

Or maybe it's just that old saying: "Those who can't, teach." 😂

What I actually do

I break down complex relationship dynamics into clear, actionable advice. My superpower is seeing through the noise to identify the simple (but rarely easy) solution that creates clarity. Most of my current work is online, although I'm transitioning toward in-person retreats and more writing because remote work via Zoom isn't fulfilling my soul—and if I can't nourish mine, I can't help heal yours.

Recently, I've been hosting retreats that help people open their hearts and live for themselves rather than everyone else's expectations. There's something irreplaceable about working with people face-to-face in a group environment. It just feels more alive.

Why substack, why now

I've identified a deep yearning to slow down, write more thoughtfully, and step off the hamster wheel of constant content creation. There's a book inside me that won't see daylight unless I cultivate the writer within.

This space is where I'll share the stories, failures, and experiences that have shaped me, documenting this next chapter in real-time. It's for anyone who wants to know me beyond 30-second Instagram clips and is curious about living with more vulnerability, authenticity, and playfulness.

I'm terrified of this pivot toward more serious, consistent writing—but I've nearly always leaned into fear, and this feels like the right kind of scary.

What you'll get

Free subscription: One post monthly, including some of my best-archived writing.

$7/month: All content, including my most intimate writing, voicemails to my dad, live Q&A replays, and full commenting access.

$60/year: Everything above, but save $20 with an annual commitment to this journey together.

I know we're all drowning in subscriptions. Still, I hope a behind-the-curtain look at navigating love and life—with all its beautiful messiness—is worth the price of a fancy coffee drink.

Ready to join me in this next chapter? Let's figure out this whole love and life thing together.

The Love Drive runs on coffee. $7/mo keeps me caffeinated and happy.

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No-nonsense love advice, unadulterated rants, and cautionary tales for hopeful romantics and recovering love cynics, with a behind-the-scenes look into the life and heart of love coach Shaun Galanos.

People

Love coach, speaker, and writer leading with vulnerability and playfulness while examining my relationships to love and life. Finding my place in the world. Sassy but kind.