Q. What characterizes your client-centric process?
A. I work to help you achieve your content goals by actively listening to what you want and, during our work together, communicating as often as needed. I aim to deliver value-added services by tailoring my business and finance knowledge and industry experience to your unique situation. Client testimonials emphasize the ease of working with me due to my organizational skills, expertise, and calm manner.

Q. Do you provide recommendations to your clients about how to meet their content goals?
A.Yes, I will provide suggestions throughout our engagement. I am a problem-solver who employs consultative methods and excellent communication techniques to help you amplify your thought leadership footprint.

Q. Do you offer a complimentary initial call?
A. Yes. You can contact me to schedule a free 30-minute call. During that time, we will discuss your content objectives, including your budget and timetable. I will answer any questions you have about my experience and project management process. Should we mutually decide to work together, I will send a draft contract for your review.

Q. What kind of clients do you enjoy working with?
A. I’ve been fortunate to work on a variety of projects, small and large. I’ve enjoyed working with dedicated executives in areas that include capital-raising, corporate finance, competitive strategy, compliance, dispute resolution, entrepreneurship, financial strategy, investment management, marketing and sales, professional services, and risk management. I especially enjoy working with individuals who want to make a difference, are excited to solve challenging problems, and are kind to others, even when they must make tough decisions.

Q. How do you communicate with your clients?
A. My content creation process is designed to help you grow your business by amplifying your brand messaging. Typically, we will establish communication guidelines before I begin work on your project. These guidelines will necessarily reflect the scope of work, how you want me to work with your marketing or sales team (if applicable), and the complexity of your project. Many clients request short progress reports, especially for longer-form content deliverables such as ghostwritten books or thought leadership white paper series. Other situations, by their nature, require more frequent dialogue. Conducting business intelligence research on your behalf, interviewing you for a leadership book or speech, or carrying out end user interviews are three examples. I passionately believe that two-way transparency is a cornerstone of every productive relationship.

Q. Can you help me expand a basic idea into a concrete article, book, or presentation?
A. Yes, assuming you provide sufficient information about your audience, content goals, and other relevant factors. Our initial conversation is a 30-minute call, free to you. Should you choose to talk further, you can engage me to conduct original research, put together a general outline, review any notes you have, and/or lead a brainstorming session with you and your team. The purpose of this second step is to transform your undeveloped idea into a structured content action plan.

Q. Do you do the content strategy, data storytelling, editing, and/or ghostwriting of thought leadership yourself?
A. Yes. Whether you engage me to investigate a topic, offer content strategy recommendations, polish your rough draft into a gem, or ghostwrite thought leadership on your behalf, I am the singular writer, unless otherwise specified. Everything I write reflects a combination of two decades of business and finance industry experience and extensive credentialed training in corporate communications and executive development. In the event of an urgent deadline or jumbo scaled project, I may, with your permission, engage a content creation colleague to assist. Should you require services that include book design, book marketing, and/or public relations, I am happy to make introductions, as appropriate.

Q. How do you manage confidential business information we provide you?
A. I am fully aware of the importance of working with sensitive information, having been engaged to consult on business strategy and product development projects. In addition to the published Privacy Policy for I Paint With Words, LLC, any contract I sign to work with you addresses the handling of confidential information.

Q. Do you use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to write drafts or final materials?
A. No. The original work I present to you, pursuant to our mutually signed contract, reflects my knowledge and experience. If I do use AI, it is to brainstorm, edit my internal drafts, and refine ideas. As a member of The Authors Guild, I abide by their published best practices to use Generative AI ethically.

Q. May I provide AI-generated images, text, and/or videos for you to use in writing drafts or final materials on my behalf and/or in my name?
A. It depends. Given the vast complexity of intellectual property rights associated with AI material, I would need written assurances from an authorized person that the material you provide is legitimately available to use.

Q. What is the extent of my involvement once I engage you to ghostwrite on my behalf?
A. It depends on your preferences and the nature of the project. Let’s say you engage me to draft a white paper about a specified topic. You provide details about your audience, your brand voice, preferred format, length, and method of distribution. I work on my own, using this information to create an outline and interim draft, before asking for your feedback. Let’s say instead you engage me to ghostwrite a memoir about your business philosophy, leadership style, or lessons learned. This project, by its nature, requires input from you in the form of interviews and follow-up questions.

Q. Can you help me repurpose content?
A. Absolutely. I am a fervent believer in the power of repurposing content. Doing so can expand your audience, boost your social media presence, and increase the return on your investment in brand storytelling, including thought leadership. There are multiple ways to highlight your insights without breaking your budget.

Q. Do we need to sign a contract between your company and mine?
A. Yes. With rare exceptions, I will only begin working on your project once a duly executed contract is in place and I’ve received the first phase payment. In my experience, a well-written contract benefits both parties. It lays out the specific scope of work, performance expectations, and deadlines.

Q. What sets you apart from journalists who cover business, finance, investments, and law?
A. Unlike other writers, I have firsthand experience about how to run a business, raise capital, identify competitive advantages, and market and sell products and services. Although my job titles varied over a productive 20+ year career managing people and projects, the one constant was, and still is, actionable and straightforward communication. Whether collaborating with attorneys, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, institutional investors, or regulators, I’ve always created content with one goal in mind: to empower decision makers like you and your target audience. Please visit my About page for more details about clients and credentials.

Q. How does your status as a published author and award-winning blogger impact your ability to help me share my insights with my target audience?
A. As a published author of articles, blogs, books, book chapters, presentations, social media, and workshops for a large variety of industry publications, I can help you define your topic, write a book proposal, pitch an article or series idea to an industry publication, outline a white paper, design a Voice of the Customer survey, repurpose content, and much more.

Q. What is the CFAÆ program and why is the related credential held in high regard by the investment industry?
A. I am a CFA® charterholder, having passed three levels of rigorous exams and verifying my significant work experience in the investment industry. I later taught prep courses about asset allocation, capital markets, derivatives, economics, equity pricing, financial reporting, fixed income investing, hedge funds, international investing, portfolio management, private equity, real estate, risk management, and valuation.

Q. What is the Certified Fraud Examiner designation and how does your investigative experience enhance your content strategy, data storytelling, and ghostwriting of thought leadership work on my behalf?
A. I earned the CFE designation after successfully completing a rigorous exam and verifying my significant work experience investigating alleged and actual financial fraud. I am well-equipped to help you create pathbreaking articles, books, presentations, and white papers about complex business, compliance, and financial policies, transactions, and trends. In 2023, the American Society of Business Publication Editors recognized my investigative journalism by awarding me a gold medal for my published article about investment fraud prevention.

Q. How does your writing experience and research about storytelling impact your ability to help me create memorable content?
A.  In my 126-page MFA in Creative & Professional thesis about brand messaging, I explain how and why people respond to stories about agents of change, customers, employees, founders, innovators, inventors, leaders, and thinkers. I can help your brand, individual or corporate, craft compelling content by applying my knowledge of story structure, storyboarding, beat sheet construction, character development with your customer as the hero, and suspense.

Q. How does your experience as a digital publishing entrepreneur and database creator influence your acumen in ghostwriting content for my brand?
A. I understand the power of harnessing information with technology after building or consulting on four databases: a knowledge-sharing peer-to-peer network for institutional investors, a searchable ERISA database for attorneys and fiduciaries, a Fortune 50 financial compliance reporting system, and a bank-wide derivatives trading product. I can work with your investment team to author a report based on your unique data set. I can either create data storytelling visuals or recommend educational infographics to your design team. I can conduct market research about your competitors’ content strategy or industry trends.

Q. How did your work as a corporate trainer influence you create meaningful content?
A. Teaching is a wonderful way to understand how professionals respond to new information. Audience questions directly signal whether your content quality and format is helpful and whether certain topics warrant additional coverage. I can help you replicate the valuable dynamics of back-and-forth feedback through content A/B testing, Voice of the Customer surveys, and one-on-one client interviews.

Q. How did your work as a testifying business and finance expert witness impact your ability to simplify complex concepts
A. I had to write clear and understandable reports to satisfy stringent court standards, knowing that judges and juries are not always familiar with the language of business and finance. As I did then, I can help you engage your target audience by converting data into appealing visuals and conducting original research to bolster your thought leadership.

Q. How do you charge for each content creation project?
A. The rate I charge varies according to the complexity and urgency of your project. The price of a ten-page white paper that requires data analysis, interviews, and/or original research differs from the price of a 1,500-word blog post. One of the benefits of booking a 30-minute discovery call, complimentary to you, is mutual information sharing about the problem you aim to solve through content. Once I understand your needs, I can provide you with feedback about my fee.

Q. Do you charge per hour, per word, or per project?
A. Based on my experience, clients prefer the project fee approach. If you opt for the project fee approach, we contractually agree on a specified scope of work, performance benchmarks, deadlines, and installment payment dates.

Q. What does each project fee reflect?
A. My project fee reflects the estimated time to talk with you as needed, read background materials, conduct research, create an outline and/or first draft, and edit the draft at least once. My clients regularly credit my industry experience as saving them search time and simplifying the process of creating customized thought leadership to help supercharge their brand reputation. Should you need added work such as consulting, I will provide a detailed fee for your consideration.

Q. Do I have to pay your project fee in full upfront?
A. No. Once we agree to work together on a specified project, we will each sign a contract that describes, among other things, the payment schedule. The first payment is due before I begin work on your project.

Q. Do you work on a retainer basis?
A. Yes. A significant advantage of working together on a monthly retainer basis is efficiency. The more I learn about your brand and business goals with every project I complete, the more productive my content creation process becomes. This redounds to your benefit and enhances my ability to make suggestions. My retainer fee to write a mutually agreed upon number of articles, blog posts, emails, LinkedIn posts, newsletters, shareable infographics, video scripts, and website copy currently begins at $3,000 per month.

Q. What is your fee to interview me as needed, conduct research, and create a working draft of a presentation or speech?
A. Experienced speakers with important things to say can earn between $5,000 to $50,000 per corporate event. A memorable speech, one that reflects the hallmarks of excellent storytelling, helps entertain your audience and positions you for lucrative future bookings. As an experienced corporate trainer and professional speaker, I can help you write a high-impact presentation or speech that will have everyone buzzing. My fee for creating a presentation or speech in your voice, and based on your insights, currently begins at $5,000.

Q. What is your fee to research, create an outline, write a first draft of an e-book or white paper, and make one set of reasonable revisions?
A. Creating actionable guides in the form of e-books and white papers on a shoestring is ill-advised. These two formats are powerful tools that can generate leads, increase market visibility, show brand authority, and sway your target buyers. My fee for researching, writing, and editing an e-book or white paper currently begins at $10,000.

Q. What is your fee to interview me as needed, conduct research, and create a working draft of a book proposal I can send to agents and publishers?
A. A non-fiction book proposal is a must-have if you are serious about having your brand history or leadership story published, whether with a traditional or hybrid publisher. Even if you are contemplating the self-published route, a well-written book proposal that describes your value proposition, your bio, comparable titles, intended readers, marketing plan, and two sample chapters can save you time and position your book to sell well. As a published author who drafted book proposals that resulted in contracts, I understand their importance. My fee for interviewing, researching, writing, and editing a book proposal currently begins at $15,000.

Q. What is your fee to develop a course curriculum for our clients and/or employees, develop course materials and an instructor’s manual, and beta test the course with our pre-selected audience?
A. Based on my experience teaching finance as a popular corporate trainer and former tenured university professor, I know firsthand the importance of an outcomes-focused approach. That’s why I start every new learning and development initiative by asking you to name your audience, specify delivery methods as online or in-person or both, and itemize credentialing or licensing board standards, if applicable. My fee for basic course design and creation of instructional materials begins at $20,000. This fee can be changed to include extras such as case studies, interactive learning tools, role playing exercises, community office hours, and data-driven learning performance analyses. I am happy to talk to you about charging on an hourly basis if you prefer a time-based payment approach.

Q. What is your fee to create a content strategy for my business or financial brand?
A. A content strategy consultation is a superior way for you to understand the current state of your thought leadership footprint and how to improve your effectiveness and reach through content. Creating a content strategy typically begins with an audit of your existing content. I examine other factors such as your buyer personal profiles and what your competitors are doing, content-wise. I interview members you select who conduct your marketing and sales initiatives. I design a buyer journey matrix that explains how content format and distribution can help you convert content into inquiries, call, and sales. I recommend content pillars, including what old and new content can be repurposed to keep your content fresh and expand your visibility. If asked, I will set up an editorial calendar. My fee for creating a content strategy plan currently begins at $20,000.

Q. What is your fee to interview me as needed, conduct research, and create a working draft of a non-fiction book written on my behalf?
A. Without a published book in your name, you will find it difficult to compete with other experts for consulting and speaking gigs. A book can help you garner new clients and investors. An obvious solution is to hire a freelance ghostwriter to do the heavy lifting and save you time. A typical non-fiction book ranges from 120 to 250 pages in length. Refining your idea, drafting a book proposal, researching, interviewing, writing, reviewing, and revising are the essential tasks needed to complete a manuscript on your behalf. My fee for ghostwriting a non-fiction book depends on the complexity of your project, word count, estimated number of interviews needed, amount of requisite research, your availability to answer questions, whether permissions are needed for sourced documents, and the number of edits we agree on. My current range to ghostwrite a non-fiction book on your behalf starts at $25,000, payable in installments. I will consider an hourly or per word rate although I don’t recommend this approach for traditional length non-fiction book projects.

Q. What are the other expenses, if any?
A. My fee does not include other expenses such as data, overnight delivery, transcription, and travel-related costs.

Q. What industries do you serve?
A. I create business and finance content for decision makers who work in business law, capital raising, corporate governance, financial technology, financial training, investment management, and risk management.

Q. Why did you choose these industries?
A. My goal is to help you solve your content problems as effectively and efficiently as possible. I fervently believe that my added value as a business and finance content creator extends beyond my consulting, project management, and writing skills. Whether I analyze data, ghostwrite thought leadership on your behalf, recommend content strategy, or otherwise work to tell your brand story, I apply my in-depth knowledge of industry language, structure, and trends. Clients regularly tell me my industry experience is a big plus in saving them time and money and reducing stress.

Q. What services do you offer?
A. I offer services in five main categories: Content Strategy, Data Storytelling, Editing & Content Development, Ghostwriting & Book Proposals, and Thought Leadership. You can read more about each category by visiting the Services section of or booking a complimentary 30-minute consultation with me to discuss your content creation needs.

Q. Do you do the work yourself?
A. I do the writing myself and collaborate with other professionals as needed on data analysis and research.

Q. How quickly can I receive the final draft of contracted content?
A. The turnaround time depends on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the scope of work, how quickly you provide brand marketing information and data, your availability to discuss a preliminary draft, and my commitments to current clients. I will do everything I can to accommodate your content needs in terms of format and timing.

Q. Are your services confidential?
A. Yes. As the Managing Member of I Paint With Words, LLC, I will send a contract draft for your review that includes a clause about confidentiality. The confidentiality clause addresses the marking of information you provide to me as well as your intent to publicly disclose your use of my content-related services. You may want to keep private that you’ve used me as a content strategist, data storyteller, editor, and/or ghostwriter. In most cases, I require confidentiality about the fees I charge you or your company.

Q. Can I select one or more content-related services?
A.  Absolutely. You could have a draft manuscript that requires content restructuring, or a line-by-line edit. You could need me to ghostwrite the remainder of a book you started but cannot finish due to your busy schedule. You could need an audit of your existing content collection and a subsequent content strategy plan prior to asking me to ghostwrite an article, blog post, white paper, or other form of thought leadership. I customize every project to reflect your content needs. When appropriate, I will recommend workflow phases, each with its own budget and timetable.

Q. Can you create a series of content deliverables for publication in my name?
A. Absolutely. Our process of working together over time improves as I learn more about your brand and you learn more about my process. As I deepen my understanding of your content goals and constraints, it’s easier for me to recommend content formats, tactics to cost-effectively repurpose content, and topics that help strengthen your brand relevance.