Creating a Values-Driven Business Centered on Connection and Well-Being With Sandra Dias Da Cunha
Sandra Dias Da Cunha is the Owner of Sundance Ranch Portugal, a unique retreat near Lisbon offering immersive riding courses that blend horsemanship, personal growth, and harmony with nature. Previously, Sandra ran one of Portugal's largest urban riding schools, delivering up to 1,400 lessons per month, before founding Sundance Ranch to align her business with her values — prioritizing horse welfare and authentic human connection. An INSEAD graduate, Sandra is known for creating a safe, restorative environment where guests and volunteers from around the world can learn, connect, and return year after year.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
[06:36] Sandra Dias Da Cunha discusses how horses can help rebuild lost confidence in people
[09:39] Why following your passion sometimes leads to burnout
[14:15] How ranking your true values simplifies business decisions
[18:44] The power of non-monetary currencies in business fulfillment
[21:33] Finding your perfect-fit clients to transform your business
[25:52] Why emotionally connecting with customers beats just selling features
[34:44] Attracting more clients by embracing your authentic self
[48:05] Why true connection and authenticity are so rare and powerful
In this episode…
Some businesses feel less like enterprises and more like breathing ecosystems — places where people slow down, reconnect, and remember how they actually want to live. But what does it take to build something that honors well-being and genuine connection rather than speed, pressure, and profit at all costs? And what happens when you let those values lead?
For Sandra Dias Da Cunha, the answer begins with flipping the traditional hierarchy of business priorities. According to Sandra, an equine educator who has spent years observing how humans and horses learn from one another, everything works better when you honor the well-being of the beings at the center — equine and human — before you ever think about money. She describes how, after running a packed riding school that left her depleted and her horses constrained, she rebuilt her work around freedom, presence, and emotional safety. At her ranch, people learn by slowing down, syncing their breath and movement with the horses, and rediscovering a more grounded version of themselves. The result is a business that not only functions but also transforms everyone who engages with it.
In this episode of The Soul Soothing Podcast, Christiane Witt is joined by Sandra Dias Da Cunha, Owner of Sundance Ranch Portugal, to discuss building a values-driven business rooted in connection and well-being. You’ll hear how Sandra created a unique teaching experience that attracts deeply aligned clients, why her natural horsemanship programs inspire lasting community, and how slowing down becomes a strategy for success.
Resources Mentioned in this episode
Quotable Moments
“She’s really, really excellent at giving people their confidence back or giving them confidence in the first place.”
“I make the final decisions on everything, and I know my priorities.”
“We don’t do anything to bring the group closer together; it just happens.”
“People feel like they can be themselves here from the very beginning of their stay.”
“It’s a never-ending learning project, and people can always come back and learn more.”
Action Steps
Clarify the core values that guide your business decisions: Knowing exactly what matters most helps you make aligned choices, especially when pressure or comparison tries to pull you off track.
Design offerings that reflect your unique philosophy: When your programs or services embody your values, you naturally attract clients who appreciate your approach and stay engaged over time.
Create intentional community touchpoints: Keeping past clients connected through groups or ongoing communication builds belonging and reinforces the emotional impact of their experience.
Set clear client-fit criteria before accepting bookings: Defining who you serve best reduces insecurity-driven decisions and leads to more fulfilling, sustainable relationships with your ideal clients.
Incorporate practices that slow people down: Whether through environment, rituals, or teaching style, helping clients regulate and reconnect deepens their transformation and differentiates your work in meaningful ways.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Soul Soothing Co., where we help women founders build AI-enhanced systems and self-managing teams that restore spaciousness, flow, and creative freedom.
One example of how we help our clients is Lynley. We helped her go from working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, to embracing systems, AI, and structure — allowing her to multiply her income, create time to enjoy her hobbies, and reconnect with her deeper self.
If you’re tired of being a woman entrepreneur who has built a business that works but feels like that business is running you, visit us at soulsoothingco.com to book a quick chat, or email us at [email protected].
