
"Retirement isn't an ending - it's an edit"
- Andrea Maizes
Frequently asked questions
What is executive retirement coaching?
Executive retirement coaching helps high-achieving professionals navigate the non-financial side of leaving a career — including the identity shifts, loss of structure, and search for renewed purpose that most people aren't prepared for. Unlike financial planning, it addresses the question that keeps many executives up at night: who am I when I'm no longer my job title?
How is retirement coaching different from therapy?
Coaching is forward-focused. We're not here to process the past — we're here to design what comes next. My work is grounded in evidence-based coaching frameworks, but it's fundamentally about action: getting clarity, making decisions, and building a life you're genuinely excited about. If deeper psychological work is needed, I'll say so and can refer you to the right resources.
Do I have to be retired — or about to retire — to work with you?
Not at all. Many of my clients are still mid-career but starting to ask the bigger questions: Is this still what I want? What does the next chapter look like? What am I building toward? If you're within five years of a transition, or simply feeling the itch to think differently about your life, this work is relevant to you.
What does a typical coaching engagement look like?
Most clients begin with a free 30-minute consultation so we can assess fit and clarify what you're working through. From there, individual coaching typically runs in 3- or 6-month engagements with biweekly sessions. Each session builds on the last — we move through identity, structure, and purpose in a deliberate sequence, so you finish with a clear, personalized life plan rather than a collection of interesting conversations.
What's your coaching methodology?
My approach is organized around three dimensions: Identity (who you are beyond the title), Structure (how you design your days and weeks), and Purpose (what this chapter is actually for). I draw on my own transition experience, 35 years of HR and executive leadership, ICF coaching frameworks, and the research behind my book. Sessions are warm, direct, and practical — not therapy, not cheerleading.