THE MODERN FOUNDER METHOD™
Turn your corporate expertise into a defined premium offer, a live pipeline,
and a practical path to your first advisory clients in 10 weeks.
The Modern Founder Method™ is the advisory business program built specifically for Fortune 500 executives — Directors, VPs, and C-suite leaders with 20+ years of corporate experience who want to build a premium advisory business without quitting first. 125+ leaders have used this framework to launch while still employed.
The Promise:
I help Directors and VPs stop living like overworked employees and start building their second act as senior advisors who build a six-figure advisory business, without burning out or quitting their job until they're ready.
In 10 Weeks, You Will Have:
A defined advisory business built around your specific expertise
A premium offer with three tiers and clear pricing
A LinkedIn presence and content system that builds visibility while you're still employed
A live pipeline with qualified prospects at every stage
A complete sales system — from first conversation to signed contract
A 90-day activation plan and quarterly review process that keeps the engine running
The Modern Founder Method™ is not a consulting launch course, a personal branding program, or a freelance transition plan. It’s an advisory business framework for senior corporate leaders who want to extract their intellectual property, package their judgment into a premium offer, and build an independent business — without quitting before they're ready.
The System:
PHASE 1:
FOUNDATION
(Weeks 1-2)
Extract the expertise you cannot see, define the expensive problem you were born to solve, and build the positioning that makes you a category of one.
A precision-engineered system built specifically for high-performing executives who've been in corporate for 20+ years. Every week includes frameworks, automation tools, and asset generators that turn strategy into execution.
What You'll Do:
Reset your identity from employee to advisor
Identify your “edge advantages” - the pattern recognition skills other’s can’t replicate
Define your “Category of One”
Your “Letter from Your Future Self” becomes a 90-day strategic roadmap.
What You'll Walk Away With:
90-day operating blueprint to measure each decision against
A CEO operating system that protects your time and energy
Mental/emotional reset, clear path forward
Your hidden advantage defined
PHASE 2:
MARKET (Weeks 3-5)
Map your buyers, activate your network, have real market conversations, and build a three-tier offer priced from value, not from fear.
What You'll Do:
Design a premium offer that sells outcomes, not hours
Build a three-stage authority signaling strategy for LinkedIn
Create your pitch deck and core sales assets
Have 12-15 gateway conversations to validate your offer
Refine your messaging based on real buyer language
What You'll Walk Away With:
A premium advisory offer with clear pricing and ROI
A pitch deck ready for your first sales conversations
High-value outreach sequence with personalized “soft signal” messages
Market intelligence that sharpens your positioning
Confidence in your message and your market fit
PHASE 3:
BUILD
(Weeks 6-7)
Your Modern Founder OS
Assemble everything into a one-page operating model, draw the line between advisory and consulting, and craft the story that makes buyers come to you.
PHASE 4:
ACTIVATE
(Weeks 8-10)
Land your first engagement and build the rhythm that keeps your business running long after the cohort ends.
What You'll Do:
Lock in your 90-minute daily routine (post, engage, outreach)
Design how your business actually works before you build anything to sell
Create your origin story
Define how you engage clients, retainer structure, and how many clients you need to achieve your goals.
What You'll Do:
Create a complete sales system that converts
Design next steps once you hear ‘yes’
Map your entire advisory business on one page
Build your week-to-week 90 day activation plan with targets and milestones
What You'll Walk Away With:
A business already in motion
A proven, predictable business model
Buyers that feel seen, understood and how you can help them
Solid positioning and go-to-market strategy
What You'll Walk Away With:
A live pipeline tracker with real opportunities
Personalized connect-to-call outreach sequence
Onboarding checklist
Diagnose bottlenecks with clear actions
Quarterly review, future target and growth decisions for future
PROGRAM DETAILS
Format: 10-week cohort with live group sessions, asset generators, and community support
Investment: $7,500 (limited spots available)
Guarantee: If you attend the sessions and complete the asset generators each week but don't have a validated premium offer and pitch deck ready by Week 10, I'll continue to work with you 1:1 at no additional cost until you do.
Bonus: Pre-launch access to exclusive community, 90-day blueprint exercise, and networking with other senior leaders making the same transition.
PRIVATE COACHING
For Leaders Who Want White-Glove Guidance
Six months of 1:1 strategic partnership. Fully customized. Built around your timeline, your goals, your constraints.
This is for executives who need precision, confidentiality, and the kind of hands-on support that only comes from working directly with someone who's been exactly where you are.
What's Included:
Bi-weekly 1:1 strategy sessions
Unlimited access via WhatsApp for real-time support
Full access to all frameworks, tools, and asset generators
Custom roadmap built around your specific situation
Ongoing refinement as you build and scale
Investment: $3,000/month | 3 month minimum
WHO THIS IS FOR
This is built for senior leaders who are:
Directors, VPs, CXOs, Heads of Functions with 20+ years of experience
Multiple six-figure earners ($200K-$500K+) ready to protect that income
Burned out but strategic. You're building toward something better.
Ready to build alongside your role, not quit tomorrow and panic
Willing to be visible and do the work required to build authority
Coachable and action-oriented. You implement. You take action.
WHO THIS IS NOT FOR
This is not for:
Individual contributors or mid-level managers (you need senior-level credibility)
Anyone with less than 20 years of experience
People looking for quick fixes or "get rich in 30 days" promises
Those expecting someone else to do the work for them
Anyone unwilling to do sales or outreach in some capacity
This program is optimized for those with significant corporate runway who want to de-risk their transition. If you're earlier in your career, The Bridge newsletter is a great place to start.
If you're looking for passive income or a 4-hour work week, this isn't the right fit. This is about building a real business that requires real work, just smarter work on your terms.
THE METHODOLOGY
Foundation > Market > Build > Activate
This system is rooted in a four-phase methodology that's been proven with 125+ senior leaders who built advisory businesses while still employed.
Foundation
Extract your Invisible Genius, create capacity, and set a clear 90-day path forward
Market
Where the shift happens. We turn your expertise into a premium offer, build your authority presence, and identify your buyers.
Build
Design how you business operates, retainer structure, buyer narrative, and design how to engage clients.
Activate
Land your first engagement and build the sales system that grows your advisory business.
What Leaders Say About The Program
Kevin Elwell
Headshot Photographer
"I highly recommend Melina as an advisor. With 18 years of experience as a finance professional across the U.S., Europe, and Africa, I reached a pivotal moment in my career and sought her guidance to evaluate my short- and long-term career goals. Her exceptional knowledge, experience, and professionalism have been instrumental in my progress. Melina helped me to capitalize on client opportunities through seamless client engagement processes."
Chad Allen
CFO Advisor
"If you are looking for straight forward and actionable guidance to get you on the right track, Melina is the person for you. Her ability to quickly identify issues and provide assistance is extraordinary. I highly recommend her."
Carol Amendola D'Anca
Longevity Expert
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does The Modern Founder Method™ cost?
The 10-week cohort is $7,500. Private 1:1 coaching is $3,000 per month with a three-month minimum.
Can I build an advisory business while still employed?
Yes — that's exactly what this is designed for. The goal is to have your first clients and a validated offer before you leave your corporate role, not after.
What do I walk away with after 10 weeks?
A defined advisory business, a premium offer with three tiers and clear pricing, a LinkedIn presence and content system, a live pipeline with qualified prospects, and a complete sales system from first conversation to signed contract.
Who is this built for?
Directors, VPs, and C-suite executives with 20 or more years of corporate experience earning $200K or more who want to build a premium advisory business without quitting their role first.
What if I complete the program and don't have a validated offer by Week 10?
If you attend the sessions and complete the weekly asset generators but don't have a validated premium offer and pitch deck by Week 10, Melina will continue working with you 1:1 at no additional cost until you do.
How is this different from executive coaching or consulting programs?
The Modern Founder Method™ is not a personal branding program, a consulting launch course, or a freelance transition plan. It's an advisory business framework built around extracting your intellectual property, packaging your judgment into a premium offer, and building an independent business on your terms.
Ready to start?
You've spent 20+ years building expertise that someone else owns. It's time to build something that's yours.
The next cohort is filling now. Spots are limited to maintain quality and ensure every participant gets the attention they deserve.
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