How I Work

Services

Four practice areas, one methodology. See clearly, build durably, communicate what's true.

I don't separate the way I see from the way I work. Every engagement starts with the same question: what's actually happening here? From there, I build the systems, the story, or the strategy to respond to it honestly. The context changes. The discipline doesn't.

01

Strategic Operations & Executive Partnership

The Work

Translating leadership mandates into actionable operational frameworks. I partner with executives to build the systems, processes, and communication structures that turn strategy into reality. This includes strategic planning, OKR tracking, cross-functional coordination, change management, crisis response, and internal communications.

I've managed a $1.5M program budget, led teams of 235, navigated organizational restructuring, and built safety systems across 9 countries, including high-risk portfolio countries like Ethiopia and DRC. I bring that same operational depth whether I'm serving as a Chief of Staff, fractional COO, or senior project lead.

Amari Alexander returning from visiting One Acre Fund farmers in the field

Returning from farmer visits with One Acre Fund, Malawi. The maize was a gift from our farmers.

How It Works

Engagements typically start with a diagnostic conversation to understand what's working, what isn't, and where the gaps between intention and execution live. From there, we scope a role or project that fits your actual needs rather than a generic job description.

Good fit: Organizations with operational complexity, leadership transitions, scaling challenges, or a gap between strategic vision and day-to-day execution. Nonprofits, social enterprises, and mission-driven businesses with substance to operationalize.

Not a fit: Organizations looking for someone to execute without input on strategy, or environments where the gap between stated values and operational reality isn't something leadership wants to address.

02

Content Strategy & Audience Growth

The Work

Building data-driven content systems that grow audiences worth having. This means analytics infrastructure, systematic testing, paid advertising optimization, cross-platform strategy, and the operational discipline to sustain it all. I don't guess. I build the dashboards, run the experiments, read the data, and adjust.

For Books Brothers, this approach produced over 500% subscriber growth in 90 days at $0.28 cost-per-subscriber, with ad conversion rates nearly 40% above YouTube's industry benchmark. The content is hour-long academic deep dives. Not exactly viral material. The growth came from systems, not luck.

How It Works

I start with an audit of what you have: content, audience, platforms, data. Then I build a growth roadmap grounded in what's actually working (not what you wish was working), set up the tracking infrastructure, and execute systematically. Monthly or weekly analytics reviews keep strategy responsive to real performance.

Good fit: Educational creators, mission-driven organizations, and small businesses with substantive content that deserves a bigger audience. People willing to invest in systems rather than chasing trends.

Not a fit: Brands looking for someone to post on social media without strategic infrastructure. If you want volume without analytics, I'm not the right partner.

03

Story Production

The Work

Authentic video storytelling for organizations with substance worth communicating. I manage the full production lifecycle from client consultation and concept development through scripting, directing interviews, coordinating production, and overseeing final delivery. This work is done in partnership with Sidelight Studio in Detroit.

Current and recent clients include Henry Ford Health, Jekyll + Hyde Labs (commercial production), Dwyer Marble & Stone (product launches), and GM and AVTC/EcoCAR (educational content). I specialize in translating complex institutional missions into human stories that land.

On set at Henry Ford Health, directing a physician interview with the Sidelight Studio team Behind the scenes at a Books Brothers studio production session

Left: Directing a physician interview at Henry Ford Health. Right: Behind the scenes at a Books Brothers studio session.

How It Works

Every project starts with a conversation about what you're actually trying to accomplish and who needs to see it. From there, I develop a production brief, coordinate logistics, direct the shoot, and manage post-production through final delivery. I handle the complexity so your team doesn't have to.

Good fit: Healthcare organizations, nonprofits, social enterprises, and businesses that need their real story told with technical precision and personal attention. Organizations where HIPAA compliance, institutional protocols, or complex stakeholder environments are part of the picture.

Not a fit: Projects where the goal is to create a narrative that doesn't reflect operational reality. If you want a polished video that papers over real problems, we should talk about fixing the problems first.

04

Professional Positioning & Executive Solutions

The Work

Strategic career positioning for professionals with complex operational backgrounds who need their materials to reflect what they've actually built. I write resumes, CVs, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. I also provide application strategy, gap analysis, and career transition coaching.

I specialize in international development professionals navigating transitions, whether that's moving between organizations, shifting sectors, returning from overseas postings, or stepping into senior leadership. I understand the landscape because I've lived in it for 12 years.

Discrete Projects & Executive Deliverables

Beyond career positioning, I take on standalone communication and strategy projects for leaders and organizations who need senior-level thinking without a long-term engagement. This includes pitch decks, presentation design, internal communications, project plans, templates and frameworks, social media content, editing, and other deliverables where clear thinking and clear writing matter.

If you need someone who can take a messy brief and turn it into something sharp and usable, this is that service. I bring the same diagnostic approach to a single deck that I bring to a six-month operations engagement.

Amari Alexander working on a laptop from a porch in Malawi

Working between Michigan and Malawi.

How It Works

For career positioning, we start with a discovery conversation to map your experience, identify your target, and develop a positioning strategy. Then I produce the materials through an iterative process: draft, review, refine, finalize. Every claim in your materials is grounded in verified experience. I never fabricate or exaggerate.

For discrete projects, the process is straightforward. We scope the deliverable, agree on timeline and cost, and I get to work. Most projects include one round of revisions. Turnaround depends on complexity, but I move quickly.

Good fit: Senior professionals with complex, multi-country careers who need someone who understands both the substance and the strategy. Leaders who need a specific deliverable done well and done fast. People applying for Country Director, VP, or C-suite roles. Professionals with employment gaps or career transitions that need honest, dignified framing.

Not a fit: Entry-level resume writing or high-volume template work. I work closely with a small number of clients at a time.

Not sure which service fits?

Most engagements start with a conversation where I listen more than I talk. Tell me what you're working with and we'll figure out whether and how I can help.

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