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FAQs
Questions people ask before booking.
Fit, pricing, format, and why 2026 is a reasonable time to take independent consulting seriously. If your question isn't here, message me on WhatsApp.
Getting started & fit
Whether this coaching is built for where you are right now.
Who is this coaching for?
Experienced professionals in international development, climate, and sustainability who want to turn their expertise into independent consulting work — whether you are leaving a role, already freelancing, or building a practice alongside other work.
I'm not sure if I want to go independent or find another role next — can you still help?
Yes. Most people arrive undecided. Early sessions focus on getting clear about what you have to offer and what a realistic path looks like, so you can choose the right move with actual information instead of a guess.
Do I need a specific number of years of experience?
Most clients have 8 to 20+ years in international development, climate, or sustainability. The coaching works because there is real expertise to package — if you are earlier in your career, a Power Hour is a better starting point than the full programme.
What if my background isn't conservation or climate specifically?
That's fine. Clients come from across international development, climate, and sustainability — economic development, MEL, governance, humanitarian response, and more. Conservation and climate finance is where I personally advise, but the coaching methodology applies across the sector.
Is coaching available if I'm not based in the US?
Yes. Sessions run over video call and clients are based across multiple time zones, including Europe, Africa, and North America. Async support runs by WhatsApp and email, Monday to Friday.
Independent consulting coaching (the programme)
What the 6-session programme actually covers.
What does independent consulting coaching cover?
Defining what you can sell, positioning your expertise, identifying potential clients, building a targeted network and pipeline, and turning conversations into paid work.
How long does the programme take?
Six sessions spread over twelve weeks, so there is time to act between sessions rather than only plan.
What actually happens in a session?
Each session is working time, not a lecture: we work on your specific offer, your specific target clients, and your specific outreach — then you leave with concrete steps for the two weeks before the next one.
Do you help with finding actual clients?
Yes. We identify target clients and build an outreach approach you will use throughout the rest of your career — then work on moving those conversations toward a scoped, priced piece of work.
What if I don't know what to sell yet?
That's the starting point for most clients, not a blocker. The first sessions are built around naming the specific service, scope, and price you can offer, based on the expertise you already have.
Why hire a coach in 2026
The context behind why this matters right now, not in the abstract.
Why hire a coach instead of figuring this out alone?
You could figure it out alone — it would just take longer, with more false starts. A coach shortens the path by telling you honestly what's working, what isn't, and what to do next, instead of you guessing at it in isolation over months.
Is 2026 actually a good time to go independent, given the state of the impact sector?
The sector is contracting — USAID cuts, sustainability rollbacks, and multilateral hiring freezes have made full-time roles scarcer and more competitive. That same contraction is why organizations increasingly turn to contracted, project-based expertise instead of headcount — which is exactly the work independent consultants are positioned to take on.
I can't afford to quit my job right now — does coaching still make sense?
Yes, and it's often the better order to do it in. Most clients build their offer, positioning, and pipeline while still employed, using a former employer or existing network as a first client, then transition once real work is lined up rather than after resigning.
Will a coach guarantee me clients?
No, and be wary of anyone who says otherwise. What coaching gives you is a clear offer, a target client list, and an outreach system you control — the same system you'll keep using for the rest of your career, with or without me.
How is this different from a career coach who just helps with job applications?
Career coaching optimizes you for the job-board and application process. This coaching is built for people who want to skip that process altogether — packaging your expertise as something an organization can buy directly, on a contract, instead of hire for a headcount.
Pricing, format & logistics
The practical details people ask about before booking.
How much does it cost?
The 1:1 Independent Consulting Coaching programme is $3,000 for 6 sessions over 12 weeks, including async support by WhatsApp and email, Monday to Friday. A one-off Power Hour is $250.
Is a Power Hour enough on its own?
It can be, if you mainly need to name your offer and identify who to sell it to. Message me on WhatsApp with where you are and I will tell you honestly which one fits.
What's the difference between the Power Hour and the full programme?
A Power Hour is a single session to map your offer and identify your ideal client profile — a fast, focused starting point with no ongoing commitment. The full programme goes further: six sessions over twelve weeks to also build your outreach strategy, your pipeline, and your path to paid work.
What's included in async support?
Between sessions, you can message me on WhatsApp or email with questions, drafts to review, or outreach you want feedback on before you send it. Replies come Monday to Friday.
Do you offer payment plans?
Message me on WhatsApp or email before booking and we can discuss what's workable.
Working together
How to start, and what happens after.
How do we start?
Book a call on Calendly or send a WhatsApp message. Replies come Monday to Friday.
What should I prepare before our first session?
Nothing formal — come with what you're currently thinking about your next move, even if it's unclear. The first session is where we start structuring it, not where you're expected to already have answers.
Do you work with people outside international development, climate, and sustainability?
The coaching is built specifically around this sector, since the client landscape, funding structures, and buyers are different from other industries. If you're outside it, message me before booking and I'll tell you honestly whether it's a fit.
What happens after the 12 weeks end?
You leave with a named offer, a target client list, and an outreach system you keep using on your own. Many clients stay in touch by WhatsApp or return for a Power Hour when they want a second opinion on a specific opportunity.
How do I know whether to book a Power Hour or the full programme first?
If you mainly need to name your offer and your ideal client, a Power Hour is enough. If you also need help building the outreach strategy and pipeline that turns that clarity into paid work, start with the full programme. Message me on WhatsApp with where you are and I'll tell you honestly which one fits.
Still have a question?
Send me a message and tell me where you are. If a Power Hour is enough, I will say so.