Executive & Life Coaching

Sometimes the most powerful question is, what's next?

You may be stepping into a new role, navigating a transition, facing a difficult leadership challenge, or looking for a different way to lead. That's where our work begins — grounded in curiosity, candor, compassion, and accountability.

Laurie, founder of What's Next? Coaching and Consulting

Curiosity

Asking better questions before reaching for answers.

Candor

Honest conversations, even when they are difficult ones.

Compassion

Remembering the human being in front of you.

Accountability

Expecting great things without losing sight of humanity.

Portrait of Laurie, founder of What's Next? Coaching and Consulting

About

Hi, I'm Laurie.

Executive AdvisorCoachKeynote SpeakerPodcast HostBest-Selling Author

At the heart of my work is a simple belief: what's next can be one of the most powerful questions we ask ourselves.

For more than 30 years, I've worked alongside leaders, teams, and organizations navigating growth, change, uncertainty, and transformation. My career has spanned executive leadership, organizational strategy, culture, talent, and business transformation across technology, SaaS, biotechnology, government contracting, and nonprofit organizations.

What I've learned is that life isn't about having all the answers.

It's about having the courage to ask better questions, the clarity to make difficult choices, and the compassion to remember the human being in front of you.

Today, through What's Next? Coaching and Consulting, I bring that experience to leaders and organizations at pivotal moments — whether they are stepping into a bigger role, navigating significant change, strengthening a leadership team, building a more humane and accountable culture, or deciding what comes next.

30+

Years of experience

5

Industries served

4

Guiding principles

My approach combines strategic business insight with curiosity, candor, compassion, and accountability. I believe we can expect great things from people without losing sight of their humanity — and that some of the strongest leadership happens when people feel both challenged and genuinely seen.

Through executive and individual coaching, team coaching, leadership development, keynote speaking, and the What's Next? podcast, I create conversations that help people find greater clarity, confidence, courage, and possibility.

Because what's next isn't simply about where you go from here. It's about recognizing what's possible, choosing what matters, and having the courage to move toward it.

Services

What's in it for you?

Sometimes you know something needs to change, but you're not quite sure what comes next. You may be stepping into a new role, navigating a career or life transition, facing a difficult leadership challenge, strengthening a team, or simply realizing that what worked before no longer fits. That's where our work begins.

Executive & Individual Coaching

Find clarity. Make confident choices. Move forward.

One-on-one coaching creates space to step away from the noise, think differently, and focus on what matters most. Together, we’ll explore where you are, where you want to go, and what may be getting in the way. Whether you’re navigating a leadership challenge, stepping into a new role, making a career decision, or looking for greater clarity and confidence, our conversations are grounded in curiosity, candor, compassion, and accountability.

What you gain: Greater clarity, stronger decision-making, fresh perspective, renewed confidence, and practical next steps.

Life & What’s Next Coaching

Get clear about what matters now — and choose what comes next.

Life doesn’t always follow the path we expected. A career changes. A relationship shifts. A chapter ends. Or sometimes we simply realize that what once worked no longer feels right. This work creates space to step back, listen more closely to what you need, challenge the assumptions that may be keeping you stuck, and explore what feels meaningful now. My role isn’t to tell you what your next chapter should look like — together, we’ll uncover what matters most to you and create a path forward that feels intentional and authentically yours.

What you gain: Greater clarity, renewed confidence, a stronger sense of possibility, and practical steps toward the life you want to create.

Team Coaching & Development

Build stronger leaders — and stronger connections.

Great teams don’t happen by accident. I work with leadership teams to strengthen communication, build trust, navigate change, clarify expectations, and create an environment where people can challenge one another, be accountable, and still feel heard and respected. The work is tailored to the needs of the team and may include facilitated conversations, coaching, leadership development, and practical tools that strengthen how the team works together.

What you gain: Better conversations, clearer expectations, stronger relationships, greater trust, and a team better equipped to move forward together.

Leadership Development & Compassionate Leadership

Lead with humanity without lowering the bar.

Compassion and accountability are not opposites. My leadership programs and workshops help leaders develop the mindset and skills to have honest conversations, give meaningful feedback, lead through uncertainty, build trust, and create cultures where humanity and high expectations can coexist. Programs can be tailored to the needs of your leaders, teams, and organization.

What you gain: More self-aware leaders, greater accountability, healthier communication, stronger relationships, and leadership practices that support both people and performance.

Keynotes & Conversations

Create a conversation people continue after the room clears.

I speak on leadership, change, choice, mindset, compassionate leadership, and what it means to lead and live with greater intention. My goal isn’t simply to inspire an audience for an hour — it’s to invite people to think differently about how they lead, the choices they make, and what may be possible next. I’m also available for podcast appearances, panel discussions, fireside chats, and facilitated leadership conversations.

What you gain: An engaging, thought-provoking experience that encourages reflection, meaningful conversation, and action.

Laurie speaking on stage at a keynote event

Beyond the Coaching Room

Ideas worth carrying into the room

Author

What's Next?, an international best-selling book on leadership and life's pivotal moments.

Podcast Host

What's Next? Podcast explores leadership, change, and the questions worth asking next.

Speaker

Keynotes, panels, and facilitated conversations on leadership, mindset, and compassionate accountability.

What's Next? — Creating a Path Forward, Laurie Riker, Founder

Not Sure Where to Begin?

You don't have to know exactly what you need before we talk.

Sometimes the first step is simply a conversation about where you are, what feels stuck or uncertain, and what you'd like to be different. Let's discover what's next.

Book a conversation