After some positive feedback and questions about my personal journey coming out of last week’s newsletter, I thought it would be a good time to bring back a podcast that I did earlier this year with now friend, Limor Bergman Gross.

This became one of those conversations where we both forgot we were recording, and I hope it adds some more color to my personal story moving from operator to full-time consultant.

Limor is building “From a Woman to Leader”, a space for women navigating all of the mess of leadership transitions and career pivots. Check out the episode below.

We covered everything from my transition out of an intense operating role while pregnant, to why building a website before landing your first client is just procrastination in disguise. If you’re thinking about going independent, or you’re already a few years in and wondering if you’re doing it “right,” this episode is for you.

What you’ll get from this episode

My weird career journey (4:01)
I talk about my path from the music industry to tech to consulting, and how my core skill of being “backstage support for creative geniuses” translated across all of it. Spoiler: you don’t need a perfect background to make this work.

My “why” for consulting (10:30)
Being pregnant with baby number three while working insane hours was my forcing function. I did _not_ want to slow down, but I needed the model to change. Your “why” will be different.

Step away from your title and no-one will get hurt (23:59)
How to deconstruct your corporate roles to find what you’re actually good at versus staying boxed in by your title. This is where most people get tripped up when trying to position themselves as consultants.

The truth about your first contracts (26:41)
I reached out to my warmest network first, and those early projects were poorly defined at best. But here’s why that was actually okay and what I wish I’d done differently about contract length.

Why your website can wait (28:28)
This might be controversial, but building a logo and perfecting your LinkedIn before you have a single client conversation is procrastination that feels like productivity. I explain what you should do instead.

The joy of self-direction (29:43)
Freedom isn’t just about setting your own schedule. It’s about molding your work, pursuing what interests you, and collaborating with people you actually want to work with. Once you taste this, it’s hard to go back.

Should you actually do this? (31:09)
My litmus test: can you name 3 to 5 people who trust you and would sponsor you into opportunities? If yes, and you feel compelled, give it a shot. If not, maybe stay where you are and keep building those relationships.

I’ve written about several of these topics in more depth. Check out my piece on positioning if you’re struggling to articulate what you actually do.

Join me in January

And if you’re past the “thinking about it” stage and ready to build your consulting portfolio, I’m opening up a small group coaching circle in January. It will be limited in size and curated to allow for strong cross-group learning and networking. We’ll work through positioning, proposals, pricing, and all the tactical stuff that keeps you stuck. Join the waitlist below:

Join the waitlist

This podcast conversation reminded me why I love this work. After three and a half years, I’m still figuring things out, but I’m also more convinced than ever that becoming “unhireable” was the right move.

<3
Amanda

P.S. If you listen to the episode, let me know what landed for you. I’m always curious about what resonates.

Last week, I hosted a Lightning Lesson called "Position Your Expertise for Consulting in the AI Era" and it was so much fun. Missed it? Check out the recording and highlights below.

I also made an exciting announcement on the call:

I'm launching a group coaching circle! 🎉

This is a small, curated group that will dive deep into positioning and offer development, but also get tactical on proposals and pricing. I'll be your resource as you actually navigate the market. This is open to course alumni AND folks who haven't taken the course yet.

Click the button below to learn more and secure your spot.

Explore coaching

Lastly, many of you continued submitting your intro blurbs, and I've really enjoyed providing feedback! In fact, the last batch caught the attention of a VC and had broader amplification through the Fractional Jobs newsletter! In my next newsletter, I’ll highlight several more blurbs and share my feedback. Want feedback on your blurb? Click here.

Highlights from my lightning lesson

We had a great conversation and some of the questions were so good that I wanted to capture a few highlights for everyone. You can watch the recording using the button below.

Watch the lesson

What's your 10,000 foot view of the consulting market right now?

The market's completely different from when I started as an independent consultant in 2022. Back then, the idea that I could drop in as a part time COO and then leave was pretty novel. At cocktail parties, I'd say "I'm a part time COO" and people would go "What the hell are you talking about?"

Now? Fractional work is everywhere. That's not my hook anymore. Instead, I lean much more on my industry experience and functional expertise. And then there's AI, of course. Companies are dealing with business model transformations and workplace changes that weren't even on the radar in 2022. It's essentially a completely different market, and you need to contextualize yourself within that reality.

Do we even need human consultants anymore when AI can generate strategy decks and financial models?

Yes! The market for consultants is growing because companies are trying to understand how to leverage AI technology, not just adopt it. If you look at the P&Ls of major consulting firms, they're ballooning out of control. There's increased demand due to tech disruption AND due to downsizing of headcount.

Just like your favorite AI assistant, you could always drop questions into the minds of smart analysts and get answers. That's exactly how I started my business. But that was never what I handed the client. There was always contextualizing insight, applying judgment, framing recommendations. You're not outsourcing any of that to AI.

As a consultant, 95% of the value we provide is in aligning, influencing, and motivating people. AI does none of that. There's always going to be opportunity and need for wisdom and real insight versus just information.

How do we justify premium rates when companies are cutting spending?

There are a few must haves to make this work. First, you need real expertise in whatever you’re working on. It shouldn't feel like a stretch assignment. You should be able to jump in on day one and add real industry expertise and value through access, know-how, or functional value.

If it's specialized, incredibly relevant to the problem the company is solving, and you're flexible in your billing (not demanding 3,000 hours upfront at $4,000 an hour), you're probably going to be the “one of one” answer to this problem. You're coming without the baggage of a full time executive, you're there fast, you ramp quickly, you solve the problem.

If that's the case, you should be billing at the appropriate rate. Don't discount your rate, and don't go insane because OpEx is tight. If you're delivering in a credible and relevant way, there's no risk in billing appropriately.

I contributed to a piece in the First Round Review that talks about what real relevance looks like for startups of all stages. Click here to give it a read.

Where are most of your leads coming from?

85% of my business has come from people I've worked with before, or people who know those people. You need a list of people who are waiting to work with you, who would be happy to give you opportunities. Without that short list, all the strategy in the world won't translate.

Now that I'm in year four, I'm starting to see referrals from current and past clients. But qualified cold leads from my website? That's just not happening. It's really about cultivating relationships with folks you already know.

If someone's just starting out with positioning, what's one thing they can do today?

Go through your work experience and synthesize your expertise across industry and functional areas. If you've been in any career for more than 15 years, this is brutal but necessary. One mistake I see often is over generalizing.

You need that mix of industry experience, functional expertise, and what I call thematic expertise (relevance). The thematic part shifts as you pay attention to the market, but your functional expertise should be durable. You can't be shifting from product leader to finance leader every quarter, because then I'd wonder if you were either.

​

<3

Amanda

Honestly, it’s been the highlight of my week reading through them. Some of you clearly nailed it right out of the gate (impressive), others are wrestling with the classic “I do everything for everyone” trap (been there). There’s quite a range, and that’s exactly what makes this so interesting.

I’m still working through all the submissions, but I wanted to jump in here with some patterns I’m seeing and a few quick wins you can apply whether you submitted or not. Plus, I have some thoughts on why most of us struggle with this whole positioning thing in the first place.

Here are the blurbs

Here are 5 excellent blurbs I'd like to highlight (with names redacted for privacy):

#1

I help founders punch above their weight in fundraising and execution. As a former VC and startup operations leader I work with series A/B startups 12 months pre/post investment round — wrangling, launching, and executing on funding and growth plans to get the money and put it to work.

Amanda's Feedback

What really works: "Punch above their weight" is fun and specific, plus your VC background gives you strong credibility. The 12-month window is smart positioning. You clearly know your sweet spot.

​
​Some tips: Think about how a startup founder would actually describe their needs. Instead of "wrangling and executing", they're looking for someone who can help them nail their pitch, avoid fundraising mistakes, or deploy capital without burning through it. Tell the client what box to put you in. Don't assume they know what to do with you. Fundraising and execution are important but two distinct offerings. As a generalist, you may want to have different blurbs for different audiences.

#2

I help growing companies build AI into how they operate. Most companies see AI's potential but can't figure out how to actually make it work in their business. As Chief of Staff at [Company Name] who led AI integration during 20→500 scaling, I know how to connect people, process, and technology to build systems that get real results. Companies stop thinking about what AI could do and start using it to realize its potential.

Amanda's Feedback

What really works: You've identified a real pain point. Companies see AI's potential but struggle with implementation. Your experience during that growth phase is solid proof, and you're clearly onto something valuable.

​
​What could be improved: You have an interesting niche (AI-Fluent Chief of Staff), run with it. Focus on your concrete angle. Instead of "connect people, process, and technology," tell me you help companies automate their customer onboarding or build AI-powered sales forecasting.

#3

I'm an ex-founder turned fractional Head of Growth for pre Series A AI companies, building product-led growth engines that scale beyond founder-led sales. I've led growth at all stages from bootstrapped startups to VC-backed companies and Fortune 100s (ex Slack/Salesforce, Best Buy) and know where to apply outsized energy to drive systematic growth from <$2K MRR to $100Ms in ARR.

Amanda's Feedback

What really works: "Ex-founder turned fractional Head of Growth" immediately establishes credibility, and focusing on pre-Series A AI companies is nice and narrow. You're in a hot space with real expertise.

​
​What could be improved If the sentence jumbles in your mouth, you've lost the reader. I do this all the time. Don't worry. Break up those long sentences and resist the urge to prove everything at once. Your core positioning is already strong.

#4

I’m [Name]. After leading HR at high-growth companies like Headspace, Elemy, and F45, I launched [Company Name] to bring that same hands-on, scale-ready approach to startups. I work with founders who are growing fast and buried in people problems. Onboarding is a mess, comp is all over the place, and managers are winging it. I step in as a fractional Head of People to clean it up, build what’s missing, and help the company grow without falling apart.

Amanda's Feedback

What really works: This is the strongest blurb of the bunch. You paint a vivid, relatable picture of startup chaos, then position yourself as the solution. The problem description ("onboarding is a mess, comp is all over the place") makes founders nod their heads.

​
​What could be improved: Honestly, not much. Maybe tighten up that last sentence, but you nailed the positioning.

#5

[Name] is a fractional strategist and executive coach passionate about helping companies thrive at the intersection of profits and purpose. She works with first-hires to Series A+ startups to help them build strong systems, and cohesive teams. By working together, this talent stays longer and the company's heart stays intact.

Amanda's Feedback

What really works: You're addressing an important tension that many growing companies face, and the range from early hires to Series A shows you understand different growth stages. There's real wisdom here.

​
​What could be improved: Here are some questions to think about to make your blurb more concrete. Profits and purpose sounds like you're interested in mission-driven companies. Is that your focus? Do you focus on culture? If so, say that. Are you offering coaching or consulting or something else? From first hires to Series A, where do you specialize? Narrowing down and avoiding broad terms like "fractional strategist" would help people understand exactly what you do.

If any of these sound like someone you'd want to hire, let me know. I'd be happy to make the introduction!

Subscribe now

Join me: Lightning Lesson on August 6 – NEXT WEEK!

And speaking of positioning…

I’m hosting a free Maven Lightning Lesson on August 6th, 2025 (9:30 AM Pacific) called “Position Your Expertise for Consulting in the AI Era” where we’ll dig into:

• Mapping your expertise to find your actual consulting sweet spot (not the one you think sounds impressive)

• Crafting positioning that highlights what AI can’t do—your judgment, taste, and ability to read the room

• Getting clarity on whether this path actually fits your life (spoiler: it’s not for everyone)

Looking forward to seeing you there!

<3

Amanda

After brand new “nice to meet you” convos, there are a few things that help me keep other consultants top-of-mind:

1. A good conversation (I learned something & felt good vibes while we chatted), and

2. They followed up with a solid blurb

#1 is certainly more important than #2, but here’s what happens when I don’t have a solid blurb:

Let's assume you and I chat, I walk away smiling, and immediately get mauled by my children or my next meeting. While I hope we speak again, I’m on to the next thing.

And then, exactly 9 days later, my client mentions that he is interested in a CX expert with experience in health-tech (in this story, that’s you). Because I like connecting clients with other consultants, I tend to remember my conversations. I tell them, “I may know somebody like that.”

Then I search for your LinkedIn profile. I think, “Ah, got it. Let me share their profile, along with a few bullets on why they may be interesting to my client.” It goes on my long to-do list, and after my son stops screaming L-L-L-LAVA CH-CH-CH-CHICKEN in my ear, I’ll go ahead and craft a thoughtful intro to make the connection.

Ugh... this is a lot of time and effort for me, and all this friction costs you opportunities.

So what exactly makes a great blurb?

In writing a great blurb, you have a few goals:

• Establish relevant credibility: highlight your industry, sector, or stage-relevant functional experience.

• Be concise: make your most important points by sentence 2 or 3.

• Stay human: no weird buzzword combos or generic consultant phrases written by AI.

As consultants, we talk about “positioning” – essentially establishing that you have hard-to-acquire expertise in an area of extreme relevance for your prospective clients.

Go too broad and you’re a forgettable “generic consultant”. Go too narrow without relevance, and you’re a friendly face that gets filed away as another LinkedIn connection.

Want an example of a decent blurb? Here’s mine:

Amanda is a strategy & ops exec with a track record of standing up and scaling fintech businesses globally. While at PayPal, Amanda led incubation, operationalization and turnaround efforts for emerging units and corporate functions. After PayPal, Amanda joined Dapper Labs to lead business operations, strategy and corporate development. Amanda now runs Garden Labs, an advisory practice focused on refining strategy and operations for emerging tech & high-growth startups.

I have 14+ versions of this blurb. This one’s a bit jargon-heavy, but it works. I did manage to synthesize over a decade of work that creates extreme relevance for fintech COO advisory projects.

I called out specific companies (PayPal, Dapper Labs), concrete outcomes (scaled business units), clear focus (emerging tech & high-growth). I removed past fluff about “synergies” or “leveraging best practices.”

I adapt this blurb for different contexts: consulting projects, crypto advisory, board conversations—always positioning my expertise for credible relevance.

Subscribe now

Join me: Upcoming Free Lightning Lesson on August 6

Speaking of positioning…

I’m hosting a Maven Lightning Lesson on August 6th, 2025 (9:30 AM Pacific) called “Position Your Expertise for Consulting in the AI Era” where we’ll dig into:

• Mapping your expertise to find your actual consulting sweet spot (not the one you think sounds impressive)

• Crafting positioning that highlights what AI can’t do—your judgment, taste, and ability to read the room

• Getting clarity on whether this path actually fits your life (spoiler: it’s not for everyone)

Because here’s the thing: You’re craving freedom and impact. Many of us are. But in a world where AI can write strategy docs, your positioning better be sharper than “I help companies transform.”

Looking forward to hearing from you. I’m really excited to support you on your journey!

<3

Amanda

We ended up fleshing out a comprehensive guide that breaks down exactly how fractional talent can accelerate your path through product-market fit without the commitment (or cost) of full-time hires.

The full piece walks through exactly:

• when to bring in fractional help across different functions (sales, ops, product, you name it),

• how to structure these relationships so they actually work, and

• how to identify the red flags that'll save you from expensive hiring mistakes

Plus, we dive into some real examples of how this plays out in practice, which I think you'll find pretty useful whether you're considering going fractional yourself or thinking about hiring someone.

Read the full piece here.

I hope this guide provides a useful framework for founders and fractionals. Huge thanks to Julianna Marchant and the First Round team for their thoughtful questions and excellent work putting this together.

Months ago, Gagan Biyani reached out to see if I’d be interested in becoming a featured instructor on Maven.

It was an immediate “hell yes” as it was a clear way to scale the COO advisory practice that I’d built over the last two years. It also centered on something that gives me energy — teaching — and felt like an opportunity to get smarter on the black magic that is “ops”.

So I jumped in and started developing the course that I wish I had earlier in my career.

And then something interesting happened…

I looked back on my calendar for the last many weeks and noticed a new theme: execs who were interested in transitioning into full-time advisory or consulting mode — and weren’t sure where or how to start.

These were all incredibly talented folks, with specialized skills and years of experience. All with loads of value to add to startups and large cos — at a fraction of the time, cost and risk of a full-time exec hire.

So I picked up the pen and started designing an offering that included: tactical resources, a private community of support, and access to coaching along the way — effectively, an on-ramp into the solopreneur world for the busiest people.

Today, I’m excited to share that both courses are coming along well, and I’m opening up the “transition to advisory” course for pre-enrollment.

To make sure this course is 10/10 valuable, I’d love your help in doing some customer discovery.

How you can help:

• If you’re an exec interested in transitioning into full-time consulting / advisory — please take 2 minutes to fill out this brief survey and help me get to the heart of what you need the most.

• Please share this course opportunity with anyone you believe may be interested. That would mean the world to me.

If you’re like me, and loving the flexibility, variety and impact of full-time advisory / consulting — I’d love to chat. I’ll be locking in great guest speakers for a session or two.

Excited to keep building with your support!… 🙏🏼

XO,

Amanda

PS: another course for emerging Ops leaders is also in development! Please stay tuned for more info on that front ❤️