Hire the Best AccountAbility Specialists in Chicago, IL

I’m a presentation strategist who bridges message + visuals. I help executives and teams clarify what matters, structure the flow, and translate it into a strong PowerPoint deck—board/leadership updates, investor decks, sales presentations, and ops reviews—delivered fast and polished.

**Hi, I’m Alex Coaching for Real Confidence, Steady Presence, and Being True to Yourself** This is not a program full of tricks or quick tips. And it’s not for people who want an easy way out. My work is for people who feel it’s time to grow — people who know that their next level won’t come from pretending, performing, or following someone else’s script. Together, we build **real confidence**, **calm authority**, and a **strong connection to who you really are**, so you can move forward with clarity and strength. --- ## **What We Build Together** * **Confidence that stays with you** — not something that disappears after the moment passes. * **Presence that others feel** — clear boundaries, clear voice, and calm energy. * **Alignment with yourself** — so your thoughts, words, and actions match. * **Skills you can use anywhere** — leadership, conversations, dating, sales, speaking, creativity. I won’t give you all the answers. I’ll help you **trust your own**. --- ## **Who This Is For** * People who are tired of pretending things are okay. * Hard-working leaders and creators who feel stuck, even after past success. * Anyone who wants to break old habits instead of repeating them. * People who want clarity, growth, and honest support. --- ## **What the Work Looks Like** * 🧭 **Real Reflection:** We look at what’s truly holding you back — not the surface stuff. * 🎯 **Clear Direction:** You learn what actually matters and stop wasting energy on noise. * 🧠 **Simple Tools:** Practical techniques for mind, body, focus, and language. * 💪 **Stronger Presence:** You speak and move with more confidence, without trying too hard. * 🤝 **Honest Support:** I’ll stand with you — and I’ll be direct, not just comforting. --- ## **How We Work — A Simple, Strong Process** 1. **Map Your Patterns** — see where confidence drops and what triggers old habits. 2. **Let Go of What Doesn’t Help** — people-pleasing, overthinking, seeking approval. 3. **Build New Habits** — clear communication, stronger boundaries, calmer mind. 4. **Practice in Real Life** — work situations, hard conversations, leadership moments. 5. **Make It Stick** — feedback, small adjustments, and simple routines. **Tools we may use:** small daily habits, clear language, decision steps, boundary practice, breath control, and rehearsal for important situations. --- ## **What Clients Often Experience** * Speaking more slowly and clearly — and people pay attention. * Making decisions with more confidence. * Setting boundaries without feeling guilty. * Feeling like the same person everywhere — work, home, private life. * Getting more respect and opportunities because their presence is stronger. --- ## **This Work Is Selective** If you want a quick fix, this isn’t the right place. If you’re ready to grow, be honest with yourself, and do real work, you’ll feel a strong shift — and it will last. **If you have questions or want to begin, feel free to contact me.**

From 2007 to 2017 I was the owner of the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography, which published 40 books for total distribution of over 20,000 copies. Along the way, CCLaP's books won or were finalists for a half-dozen awards, including the Pushcart Prize, the Lambda Award for LGBTQ literature, and the Independent Publisher Book Award; and the center itself was named one of the 10 best indie presses in the United States by both BookRiot and Poets & Writers magazine. Now I bring that same award-winning deep experience to your own self-published or small-press manuscript, helping you hone it with a fine knife into the best book it can possibly be. I currently offer three services as a freelancer, the first and main one being editing. I provide not only developmental editing (helping you identify “big picture” problems regarding the story, characters, dialogue, information logic, and more) but also copy editing (including a close-in technical pass for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage, also sometimes known as “line editing” or “content editing”) and post-production proofreading (where I review not only the text but also all the book parts, such as headers and footers, the title page and synopsis, etc.). I charge half a cent per word for proofreading, 1 cent per word for either developmental or copy editing, or a bundled discount of 1.5 cents per word for all three. Secondly, I offer graphic design of your book’s interior pages. If you have specific ideas beforehand of what you’d like included, I’m happy to incorporate those wishes; or otherwise we work in an iterative process, where I present you multiple options as far as layout style and typeface choices, and over several back-and-forth discussions we whittle things down to a design you love. For books of less than 500 pages/100,000 words with no tables, I charge a flat $300 for the entire process, plus provide EPUB and Kindle ebook versions for free; please drop me a line if you have a bigger or more complicated book. (My apologies, but I do not offer cover design as a freelance service.) And thirdly, I offer help as a story coach, which you can think of as a creative writing college course but with only one student, you. I meet up with you at whatever frequency works best, review the latest work, give you pointers on where to go next, help you brainstorm ideas, and serve as an accountability partner during mental blocks. You determine exactly what kind of help would work best for you, and the maximum amount of hours I should work per week, at a rate of $30 per hour. See my portfolio section at the bottom of the page for a broad selection of testimonials from authors I've worked with as a freelancer, and praise my books have garnered over the years from such publications as Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, the Chicago Tribune, HTMLGIANT, and more. Proud member of: American Copy Editors Society Romance Writers of America (fellow RWA members get a discount; write for more) Chicago-North Romance Writers ANTI-AI PLEDGE: I promise that all work I complete for clients has been, and will always be, accomplished using only my human brain and ten human fingers, never using AI bots, Grammarly, or other software options.

I build custom data and AI solutions that fit your business. Not off-the-shelf tools that sort of work. Hands-on, direct communication, full accountability. Projects of any size. A lead-scoring model for Salesforce. Large-scale ETL with Snowflake, Airflow, and Python. Custom analytics applications that answer questions your team actually asks. When projects need more capacity, I tap a trusted network of developers and analysts I've worked with for years. What I build: - AI integrations (RAG, agents, document intelligence, local LLMs) - Data infrastructure (Snowflake, Airflow, dbt, Python) - Custom analytics applications - Cloud architecture (AWS, Azure, GCP) 8+ years. 100% Job Success. Top Rated Plus. Expert Vetted. If you want solutions built for how your business actually works, let's talk.

I help businesses build demand generation engines, improve customer experience, and turn marketing spend into measurable revenue growth. With 15+ years in marketing leadership — from regional director to hands-on fractional consulting — I've worked in situations where the buyer journey is complex, the sales cycle is long, and generic playbooks simply don't work. My background spans industrial B2B, construction, and healthcare services, but the focus is always the same: more qualified leads, better conversion, stronger retention. I recently made a deliberate move from corporate leadership into project-based consulting — so yes, my Upwork profile is new. No reviews yet. But what I bring instead is 17 years of real results, genuine flexibility on engagement structure and rate, and a very personal investment in making sure you're happy with the outcome. I'm a perfectionist by nature — your results matter to me more than the invoice. What I've delivered: +12% inbound leads and +18% appointment bookings for a private medical clinic in 4 months 250% lead volume growth in newly entered markets within 12 months 14% YoY revenue growth across a 7-country region 45% reduction in marketing spend while sustaining growth $250K annual incremental revenue from a new services line identified through customer journey mapping Org restructuring for a fast-growing clinic: redefined leadership roles, created two new functional positions, and serve as ongoing mentor and advisor to each leader World CX Award (2021) for innovation in customer experience Where I add the most value: Demand generation architecture and full-funnel lead management GTM strategy: segmentation, positioning, channel mix, market entry CX transformation and Voice of Customer programs Call center and service operations redesign CRM setup and optimization — I've launched and managed CRM systems from scratch, built marketing automation workflows, and created attribution frameworks that track what's actually driving revenue Marketing analytics and seamless reporting across tools Field marketing and event-to-customer funnels On tools: HubSpot certified. Hands-on experience with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Mindbox, Roistat, Power BI, and AI-assisted development tools including Lovable, Cursor, and Claude. I'm hands-on by nature — I've led teams of 25+ across 7 countries and I still roll up my sleeves when it matters. I take on a focused number of engagements at a time so every client gets my full attention. If you're looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with real execution — let's talk. Rate is flexible depending on scope and complexity, and I'm genuinely happy to find a structure that works for you.

💞 Empower Your Life with Personal Leadership & Awareness Coaching 💞 As a dedicated Personal Leadership + Awareness Coach, I help individuals tap into the power of their emotions and thoughts to create lasting personal transformation. By fostering emotional awareness, we break through limiting beliefs and unhelpful patterns, unlocking the joy, love, and purpose you deserve. 🌟 How I Can Help 🌟 1:1 Coaching – Through a combination of Life Coaching, Spiritual Guidance, and Mindfulness Practices, I support you in overcoming obstacles, gaining clarity, and moving forward with confidence. Mentorship & Goal Mapping – Using personalized whiteboarding sessions and project management techniques, I help you break down your goals into actionable steps, ensuring you have the momentum and clarity needed to achieve success. 🌱 Areas of Expertise 🌱 I specialize in guiding clients through challenges such as: Limiting Beliefs & Self-Doubt Emotional Resilience & Stress Management Life Purpose & Self-Love Relationships & Communication Grief & Healing Motivation & Mindfulness ✅ Ready to Begin Your Journey? If you’re ready to take the next step toward personal growth and professional well-being, let’s connect! Visit my website at [yourcoachthroughlife.com] or follow me on Instagram [@yourcoachthroughlife] for inspirations and meditations.