On-Ramp to Full-Time Advising and Consulting for Busy Execs
5.0 (7)
3 Weeks
·Cohort-based Course
Turn your executive expertise into a thriving consulting practice that gives you freedom, impact, and control.
On-Ramp to Full-Time Advising and Consulting for Busy Execs
5.0 (7)
3 Weeks
·Cohort-based Course
Turn your executive expertise into a thriving consulting practice that gives you freedom, impact, and control.
Previously at or currently serving
Course overview
Get a step-by-step guide for making the transition to full-time consulting.
I frequently speak with busy execs—from Fortune 500s to high-growth startups—who are ready for their next chapter.
They want to leverage their hard-won expertise across multiple companies while building a life on their own terms.
If you're reading this, you may be one of them.
The thing is, while you recognize this path exists, you also have really good questions:
- How, exactly, do you find clients without an existing network of founders?
- How many clients can you really serve at once before quality suffers?
- How do you price your expertise when transitioning from salary to consulting?
- Do you need to be a "thought leader" to succeed?
- Can you really replace your executive compensation with this model?
Beyond the practical, there are deeper emotional questions as well:
- I'm really uncomfortable with sales—will that be a problem?
- I'm scared I'll struggle with boundaries when every hour could mean more revenue.
- How do you protect your time?
- How do I spot red flags with potential clients before signing contracts?
- I thrive with structure and clear goals. Can I stay motivated without them?
- Am I really expert enough when everyone seems to be consulting these days?
After 15 years operating in both startups and Fortune 500s (and three kids later), I took a leap that let me control my time while staying on the steep learning curve I've always loved.
In full-time advisory and consulting, I've constructed a work-life grounded in variety, strategic choice, and continuous learning. Every day, I'm expanding my network, sharpening my expertise, and creating optionality for whatever comes next.
I now serve a small portfolio of companies simultaneously, each benefiting from the patterns and insights I bring from the others.
This path offers extraordinary freedom and impact, and it may be available to you.
But let's be real: Building a consulting practice is an entrepreneurial pursuit requiring testing, iteration, and hustle. The income variability and ambiguity surrounding engagements can trigger real anxiety—especially in your first year.
This course is for executives ready to navigate these challenges, who find energy in building something of their own, and who want to multiply their impact across organizations.
Who is this course for
01
Execs with years of experience in the midst-of or ready to transition into full-time advisory or consulting work.
02
Seasoned leaders looking for diversification, impact across companies, and freedom while hitting the ground running.
03
This isn't for you if you're looking for guarantees of seven-figure contracts in six weeks or if you're unwilling to put in the work.
What you’ll get out of this course
Turn your executive track record into a differentiated consulting position that commands premium rates.
Learn to articulate your unique value in ways that resonate with today's clients who need strategic judgment, not just another pair of hands.
Position yourself where human expertise matters most—especially as companies navigate increasing complexity and AI adoption.
Build a sustainable pipeline using your existing network as the foundation.
Focus on warm outreach and relationship activation without getting salesy.
Lean on your network (connections, former colleagues) to find paying clients using a clear, repeatable playbook.
Accelerate past 18 months of costly trial-and-error with battle-tested systems.
Access the exact templates, pricing models, and operational frameworks I use to manage my clients.
Skip the expensive mistakes around contracts, scope creep, and underpricing that trap most new consultants.
Join a curated community of executives who become your advisory board and referral network.
Learn alongside peers navigating the same transition who understand the unique challenges of leaving corporate life.
Exchange leads, pressure-test positioning, and find accountability partners for the journey.
Gain clarity and confidence about whether this path aligns with your goals.
Work with someone who's successfully made the transition and will share the unvarnished truth.
Understand the real trade-offs between corporate security and consulting freedom to make an informed decision.
What’s included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Amanda Schwartz Ramirez in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Gain in-depth feedback, exchange leads, and find accountability partners for the journey.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Access 1:1 coaching
Receive a lifetime discount to 1:1 coaching with the instructor following the course.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
8 live sessions • 3 lessons • 4 projects
Week 1
Dec
5
Live Course 1: Defining Your Offering
Defining your offering
Week 2
Dec
12
Live Course 2: Building Your Pipeline
Dec
13
Optional: 1:1 Coaching w/ Amanda [Window of Availability]
Building Your Pipeline
Dec
11
Optional: Office Hours #1
Week 3
Dec
18
Optional: Open Office Hours #2
Dec
19
Live Course 3: Setting Up Your Back-Office
Building your Back-Office and other Lessons...
Post-course
May
1
On-Ramp Peer Session: Position & Prospect with AI
May
8
Optional: Q&A with Amanda
5.0 (7 ratings)
What students are saying
What people are saying
Shira Stember
Sofiat Abdulrazaaq
Kurt Hemecker
Samantha Mullett
Clam Lorenz
Meet your instructor
Amanda Schwartz Ramirez
Amanda Schwartz Ramirez
Hi! I'm Amanda Schwartz Ramirez, a strategy and operations executive, advisor and board member. Over the last 15 years, I've built and scaled high-performing organizations at their earliest stages, during hyper-growth, and at Fortune 500 scale.
Currently, as an advisor and founder of Garden Labs, I help venture-backed CEOs and COOs hone a more focused strategy and scale more intentionally. I also work closely with publicly-traded companies to advise on emerging tech.
I built this comprehensive course to help other execs make an informed leap into this meaningful, yet poorly defined, ride.
My hope is that all students come out of this course smarter about the journey, more prepared to take (and mitigate) its risks, and ready to benefit from the freedom and broad impact that I've enjoyed over the last two years.
For more insight into my career journey, find me on Linkedin.
Click here for more info on Garden Labs.
Find me on Substack, where I sporadically write about ops and strategy.
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On-Ramp to Full-Time Advising and Consulting for Busy Execs
Course schedule
2-4 hours per week
Live Sessions
Every other Thursday
For Cohort 1: we will meet bi-weekly on Fridays, from 8 - 9:30am PT, for 5 weeks. There will be 3 live classes, with 1 async kick-off leading in.
For Cohort 2: we will meet weekly on Thursdays, for 3 weeks. There will be 3 live classes, with 1 async kick-off leading in.
Actionable Steps
2 hours per week
Every class will have a clear next-step, allowing you to take action and make progress in your transition.
Tools and templates will be provided.
Office Hours (Optional)
Twice During Course Period
For Cohort 1: I will host two one-hour Office Hours, for any student to join with questions or materials to review.
For Cohort 2: I will host one one-hour Office Hour, with one 1:1 coaching session for each student.
Learning is better with cohorts
Active hands-on learning
This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects
Interactive and project-based
You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams
Learn with a cohort of peers
Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you
Frequently Asked Questions
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