Cohort 2

For ambitious people who want more mastery, autonomy and purpose from their work

Maria Wang-Faulkner

Entrepreneur, Mother of 2, Ex-Google, Career Coach, Design Thinker - aka ambitious person living authentically

Next Chapter Launchpad

Get the skills, frameworks and tools to engineer the work life that you want. Challenge the beliefs holding you back, discover and quickly validate alternative paths, and build a support system to make it happen.

Engineer the work life that you want

You're an aspiring founder, but you feel overwhelmed and need some structure, advice, a plan, and a nudge or two to finally take the leap.

You're doing the 9-to-5 right now, but you're looking for something more flexible and more rewarding, like freelancing or coaching.

You've been impacted by the recent tech lay-offs and see this as an opportunity to ask yourself: what do I really want to do next?

Is this you?

After this course, you'll...

You'll remember the way you are now is not the way you always were. There was a time you were happier and more energized by work.

Stop being complacent

You'll have pinned down what you're optimizing for now, paving the way for you to move forward with intention and make those hard trade-off decisions.

Trust your own inner compass

You'll have dreamed big and let yourself go there in a way you never have. You'll have discovered things you've wanted at your core but never let yourself admit. And believe it or not, those possibilities will start to feel... not only possible but within reach.

See possibility after possibility

You'll have validated key assumptions and de-risked the path forward. You'll have a better sense of what you'll gain and what you'll forgo, and what that might mean for life outside of work.

Make decisions based on data, not fear

You'll have assembled a small but mighty board of people you can trust to be 100% in your corner, willing to be a sounding board, and also unafraid to call you out when you need it.

Have a personal board of advisors

Whatever you decide your next chapter should be, you'll have a direction, a step-by-step plan, a support system, and the momentum to see that plan through, with flying colors.

Have a plan and a system to follow through

Taking part in this launchpad is an investment in you. You're committing to finding a career path that is authentically you.

Meet your instructor

A message from your instructor

Escaped WeWork before stuff went down, now living in Mexico and building a healing center with her partner

Former VP at Google, now Board Partner at Gradient Ventures

See what people are saying

Challenge the beliefs that are holding you back. Get clarity, firm up a direction, and formulate a concrete plan you're excited to make happen. This sprint includes 8 x 1-hour sessions. Most of the coursework happens in-session. You'll refine and gather data between sessions.

4-week cohort-based course

In this first session, I’ll lead you through some exercises to help you step out of inertia, and step into a mindset of agency and urgency.&nbsp;Deliverable: A commitment to yourself and to the others in the cohort.

Session 1: Get in the mindset

In this module, I'll show you how to audit your career history, hobbies, life, family and social network, for credits and debits to your energy bank.&nbsp;Deliverable: A truthful, complete picture of “You at Your Best".

Session 2: Audit your energy bank

In this module, we'll name and stack rank your values so that you can move forward with clear-eyed intention and navigate trade-off decisions.&nbsp;Deliverable: Guiding principles you can count on one hand.

Session 3: Articulate your reason for being

In this module, we'll suspend all beliefs that don’t serve you and ask yourself: “what if?” Invent multiple alternate universe you's. I'll get you past your discomfort, so you can go wild and have fun with it.&nbsp;Deliverable: At least 3 alternate versions of what could go right.

Session 4: Take 'but' out of the equation

In this module, we'll unpack what risk means to you and reframe it to be empowering, rather than paralyzing. I'll show you how to calculate risk and reward - financial and non-financial.&nbsp;Deliverable: A risk/reward analysis - financial and non-financial.

Session 5: Befriend risk

"You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." So we'll architect a process for being exposed, in the best possible way, to role models, trusted advisors and others living their best life.&nbsp;Deliverable: A personal board of directors &amp; terms of engagement.

Session 6: Assemble the board

In this module, I'll show you a framework for a 12-week Action Plan that you’ll construct and present at Demo Day so you have concrete next steps that you and the class will hold you accountable to.&nbsp;Deliverable: A 12-week action plan you'll have committed to.

Session 7: Craft 12-week action plan

You'll each commit to making a decision or taking an action, and you'll present the 12-week Action Plan that you've crafted to see that through. Commitments made in public see better follow through and your peers can lend support.

Session 8: Demo Day

Drop into office hours with me for additional support if you hit roadblocks.

Weekly office hours (optional)

Course outline

Cohorts are kept small to maximize interaction. We're capping the cohort at 10. You'll form bonds deeper than you thought possible.

We curate who takes part to ensure you'll be in good company - highly accomplished, working at big name companies, and givers.

You'll be in good company

Not ready to commit? Join me for a free workshop to preview what it's like to work with me.

Sign up for a free workshop

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Active learning, not passive watching

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Interactive and project-based

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

Learn with a cohort of peers

Learning is better with cohorts

Frequently Asked Questions

"You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." Cohorts are kept small to maximize interaction. We curate who takes part to ensure you'll be in good company. We'll use a nudge - you'll also write me a $500 check which I cash if you don't follow through.

In this module, I'll show you how to audit your career history, hobbies, life, family and social network, for credits and debits on your mental and emotional bank. Deliverable: A truthful, complete picture of “You at Your Best"

When were you at your best?

In this module, we'll name and stack rank your values so that you can move forward with clear-eyed intention and navigate trade-off decisions. Deliverable: Guiding principles you can count on one hand

What's your reason for being?

In this module, we'll suspend all beliefs that don’t serve you and ask yourself: “what if?” Invent multiple alternate universe you's. I'll get you past your discomfort, so you can go wild and have fun with it. Deliverable: At least 3 fantastical versions of what could go right

What if?

In this module, we'll unpack what risk means to you and reframe it to be empowering, rather than paralyzing.&nbsp;I'll show you how to calculate risk and reward - financial and non-financial. Deliverable: A risk/reward analysis - financial and non-financial

How about we make risk our friend?

"You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." So we'll architect a process for being exposed, in the best possible way, to role models, trusted advisors and others living their best life. Deliverable: Your personal board of advisors and agreed terms of engagement

Who sees me and sees what I can be?

In this module, I'll show you a framework for a 30-60-90 Day Exit Strategy that you’ll construct and present at Demo Day so you have concrete next steps that you and the class will hold you accountable to. Deliverable: A 30-60-90 day plan you'll have committed to in public

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