FROM FIRST PAGE TO LAUNCH DAY

Your book is closer than you think.

I'm Melinda — book coach, brand strategist, bestselling author. I help women write the book they've been carrying, one-on-one or in a community. Part coach, part strategist: we finish the draft, build your platform, and start selling copies before launch day.

How Does Your
Next Chapter Begin?

Start wherever feels right.

Your Story

One-on-one, or with a cohort of women working toward the same goal: a book that builds your business or leaves a legacy. Show up and do the work, and I'll handle the rest.

Elle's Story

Elle Mayer just sold her tech startup, finalized a divorce, and turned fifty, all in the same season. Then she throws caution to the wind and heads out West. A story for every woman who's ever started over.

Inspiration

True stories about the people, places, and plot twists that have shaped my life. New every week on Substack.

Ready for a change?

You need a plan. And a guide.

When I left Corporate America, I had no plan. No clients, no roadmap, not one sensible reason. I sold my beloved condo, taught college classes, joined a running group that mainly drank wine, and built a marketing agency that ran for the next two decades, with clients that included Microsoft, HP, and University of Idaho. It wasn't always smooth. But it was mine.

The women I work with have accomplished a lot — they don't need convincing, and they're not short on courage. What they need is a guide: someone who's made the leap and knows the terrain. Someone who knows how to publish and sell a book, not just write one. I take you all the way — draft to published book, to a platform that fuels your next chapter.

Brands I've worked with

Nice to Meet you

Hi, I'm Melinda

I have spent years building brands, for corporate giants like Starbucks and Welch’s and fast-moving startups, before leading my own brand marketing agency. Then I served as an executive at Forbes Books and now work with authors at Brand Builders Group. Somewhere during that journey, I biked from Seattle to Portland in a single day and, more recently, across Tuscany, which was a much better decision.

Coming Soon!

Fifty Yard Line of Life

"To transitions, new beginnings, and whatever (or whoever) comes next."

Elle Mayer just sold her tech startup, finalized a divorce, and turned fifty. At a time when Elle expected to relish all the treasures life was supposed to offer, she suddenly lacks clarity on how to find a man, money, and meaning to move forward. She spent so many years tirelessly chasing the big dream, she lacks the stamina to get back in the game. Feeling undesired in the bedroom and the boardroom, she throws caution to the wind and heads out West for a life-changing culinary adventure. With the support of her two best friends, Samantha and Karen, she recharges her batteries, relocates, and starts a new business venture. Despite hot flashes, an old beau, and blond bimbo standing in her way, Elle charts a new and fulfilling course.

From my shelf

Discover My Books

A novel about a woman figuring out her next chapter, and nonfiction about good food, long runs, and living with intention.

Heart & Sole

How 26 people ran a marathon · 2018

Eat In Not Out

Health & wellness · 2018

Finding Life's Secret Sauce

Good food, fitness & fun · 2010

Fifty Yard Line of Life

The debut novel · coming 2027

Short Stories

Write to Reinvent

Sep 2, 2026Course CorrectionShe talks a mile a minute.Read more →

Aug 25, 2026The Short ListFree tennis lessons at a city park in Jackson (TN).Read more →

Aug 18, 2026LockdownAt the US Open, I learned a lesson the hard way — be careful what you teach your children.Read more →

Read & subscribe on Substack

In their words

What Clients Are Saying

A secure foundation

“Melinda's evident thorough preparation provided a secure foundation for our branding process… we are now in a great position to articulate our positioning.”

—Douglas Haines

Marketing Professor & Department Head

University of Idaho

Expertise I trusted completely

“Melinda played a pivotal role in my book launch. As both a writer and brand strategist, she brought a level of expertise and perspective that I trusted completely. Her understanding of both the corporate world and entrepreneurship made her especially effective in guiding my transition to author. Her recommendations were thoughtful, strategic, and consistently on target, helping me navigate the publishing and marketing process with clarity and confidence.”

—Jennifer Marcou

Founder & CEO, Marcou Coaching

Former General Manager, Microsoft

She doesn't waste a moment

“Melinda gathers data the way the rest of us chat over coffee — learning from anywhere, anytime, whether it's a casual conversation or a formal focus group. And when it's time to act, she doesn't waste a moment. She's a stellar wordsmith, making sense of countless touchpoints and turning them into succinct goals and strategies that are easy to absorb and implement. The net of this is business results.”

—Sara Chase

Former Account Director

Drake Cooper

A well-connected friend in your corner

“Melinda is one of those rare people who combines deep expertise with a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. She understands how a book can fit into the broader work, reputation, and goals of someone who has already had a substantial career. Working with her feels like having a very smart, very well-connected friend in your corner who genuinely cares about your success.”

—Laureen Knutsen

Founder and CEO, The Essential Professional

Former Chief Transformation Officer, Broadcom, Inc.

Out-of-the-box and grounded

“From my very first strategy session with Melinda, I knew I had the right partner to move my book and my speaking career forward. Her ability to listen to my ideas and immediately draw on her years of experience working with other creatives seems effortless. Her coaching style is a rare blend of out-of-the-box and grounded. I appreciate the strength with which she speaks and her knack for keeping me moving toward my objectives. I leave every session with clear direction and an action list I'm excited to take action on.”

—Renée Aly

Author, Speaker, and Coach

My story shaped my business

“I never realized how deeply the story of my life could shape the business I was building. Melinda changed that. Her expertise was invaluable.”

—Michele Keeffe

CEO, Belle Vie Investments

Belle Vie Investments

She thinks well beyond the writing

“Melinda provides strategic guidance for both my book and my business launch — she thinks well beyond the writing. She's mapping the business side, the key milestones, what needs to happen and when. She's easy to work with, and I can be completely transparent with her. We have real conversations, not just check-ins.”

—Michelle Dray

Founder, The Authentic Revolution

Global Workday Alliance Leader, PwC

Uniquely authentic to me

“Melinda created a personal brand strategy uniquely authentic to me — one that aligns my business goals with my mission of giving back.”

—Bill Hirschman

Portfolio Manager

Brown Advisory

Digestible and doable

“Melinda has a gift for honing in on the message that will make you most successful — using your book to boost your business right where you are today, even if your goals are bigger down the road. She brings a wealth of experience to a book launch and breaks the whole process down into something digestible and doable. Melinda has the knowledge to back up what she teaches others — she's been there before, and she brings facts and data to the conversation. In her workshops, she breaks down the material so it's personal, understandable, and easy for attendees to absorb.”

—Terri Stanton

Public Relations and Communications Leader

Authority Coach & Strategist

Analytical and creative

“A rare balance of analytical and creative skills — ideal for a marketing leader. She was invaluable to us.”

—Dana McLeod

CFO

Evoca TV

Exciting, purposeful, and possible

“I cannot say enough wonderful things about working with Melinda. She has a way of taking what can feel like a thousand ideas swirling around in my head and helping me turn them into a clear, cohesive, and actionable path forward. Having her as a strategic partner has made the process feel exciting, purposeful, and most importantly possible.”

—Beth Amason

Co-Founder, Live in Love Club

VP, Fabric Innovation, 37.5 Technology

Real life, in frames