You didn’t get here by chance.
You’ve led, built, and carried responsibility few people understand.
Make your next chapter truly matter.
WiseForce’s Strategic Transition Service empowers senior leaders to navigate pivotal career transitions through tailored, high‑impact coaching.
Led by former C‑suite executives, distinguished lawyers, and other accomplished professionals who have faced similar crossroads, clients align near‑term choices with long‑term vision—integrating identity, purpose, and legacy to build a future that is both inspiring and achievable.
The WiseForce Future Intensive equips accomplished leaders at a pivotal crossroads to answer, “What’s next and on what terms?”
Through a focused, multi-session process, your late or post-career stage becomes a deliberate strategy to uncover what truly matters now. You’ll determine what to carry forward—skills, networks, influence—and what to let go of, evolving from “what you did” to “who you are.”
The outcome: a precise, actionable 3–6–12 month roadmap for senior professionals intent on shaping their next decade with clarity, purpose, and strategic direction.
The WiseForce Future Intensive equips accomplished leaders at a pivotal crossroads to answer, “What’s next and on what terms?”
Through a focused, multi-session process, your late or post-career stage becomes a deliberate strategy to uncover what truly matters now. You’ll determine what to carry forward—skills, networks, influence—and what to let go of, evolving from “what you did” to “who you are.”
The outcome: a precise, actionable 3–6–12 month roadmap for senior professionals intent on shaping their next decade with clarity, purpose, and strategic direction.
A comprehensive baseline assessment that clarifies what matters most and informs the intention of your next chapter. It explores purpose, formative career experiences, evolving identity and how these intersect with the core life domains—relationships, health, finances, learning and meaning.
Build on possibilities to redefine yourself beyond your former title by separating who you are from what you used to do, and turning that into a clear, compelling personal brand. This work sharpens your story, language, and positioning so you can move credibly into your next role.
Explore and test concrete scenarios with your senior advisor as your strategic sparring partner. You will continually assess the pros, cons, and implications of each option against your time, energy, impact, and income.
In this phase, your direction is tested in real life before you commit. Micro‑pilots and structured feedback validate assumptions, surface risks, and assess practical, personal, and reputational fit.
The focus is judgment: confirming what works, refining what can work, and discarding what does not—so your decision is grounded in evidence and confidence.
In this last critical phase, we guide you into your next opportunity, whether it’s a new role, venture, pro-bono engagement, board seat, or academic position. This includes support on positioning, negotiation, deal structure, and other practical steps to land well.
Retired or soon-to-retire executives.
Professionals with strong networks and many incoming requests.
Leaders who want impact without returning to full-time executive life.
For someone in their post-career life, this opens powerful possibilities:
More autonomy over time, energy, and pace of work.
The ability to align activities with values, impact, and curiosity.
Space to keep learning, stay relevant, and contribute without burning out.
A portfolio life turns "retirement" into an integrated, evolving design—on your terms.
Business owners selling after decades.
Physicians and dentists transferring their practice.
Partners exiting a firm with long-standing clients and teams.
A transition like this is not just financial; it is deeply personal. This work helps you redefine your role after the sale, clarify whether you show up as consultant, board member, silent partner, or independent advisor, and navigate post-deal dynamics without undermining new leadership or yourself.
You will shape how you communicate your exit to employees, clients, and your network, protect your legacy and relationships, and prepare emotionally to let go of "your" company, practice, or title—so you can move on with clarity and conviction.
Role re-definition
Who will you be after the sale? Consultant? Board member? Silent partner? Independent advisor?
Post-deal dynamics: How to navigate staying on temporarily
without
undermining the new leadership or yourself.
Communication strategy: How to talk to staff, patients/clients,
and
your network about your transition in a way that preserves your legacy and
relationships.
Emotional and identity preparation: Working through attachment to
"your" company, practice, or title so you can truly let go—and move on with
clarity.
Together, we work on:
Legacy definition: What you want to leave in your organization,
profession, family, and community.
Continuity mechanisms: Board roles, mentoring, scholarships,
foundations, or other vehicles for your impact.
Narrative and rituals: How to mark this transition in ways that
honor
your journey and give others orientation and continuity.
Not ready to "stop", but not willing to continue the 24/7 intensity. Try a portfolio career with selective roles, meaningful projects, and time that is truly yours.
Retired or soon-to-retire executives.
Professionals with strong networks and many incoming requests.
Leaders who want impact without returning to full-time executive life.
For someone in their post-career life, this opens powerful possibilities:
More autonomy over time, energy, and pace
of work
The ability to align activities with
values, impact, and curiosity
Space to keep learning, stay relevant,
and contribute without burning out
A portfolio life turns "retirement" into
an integrated, evolving design—on your terms.
This path is for leaders in the middle of a deal, succession, or handover—when everyone else is focused on the transaction, and someone finally needs to focus on you.
Business owners selling after decades.
Physicians and dentists transferring their practice.
Partners exiting a firm with long-standing clients and teams.
A transition like this is not just financial; it is deeply personal. This work helps you redefine your role after the sale, clarify whether you show up as consultant, board member, silent partner, or independent advisor, and navigate post-deal dynamics without undermining new leadership or yourself.
You will shape how you communicate your exit to employees, clients, and your network, protect your legacy and relationships, and prepare emotionally to let go of "your" company, practice, or title—so you can move on with clarity and conviction.
Role re-definition
Who will you be after the sale? Consultant? Board member? Silent partner? Independent advisor?
Post-deal dynamics: How
to navigate staying on temporarily without undermining the new leadership or yourself.
Communication strategy:
How to talk to staff, patients/clients, and your network about your transition in a way that
preserves your legacy and relationships.
Emotional and identity
preparation: Working through attachment to "your" company, practice, or title
so you can truly let go—and move on with clarity.
Legacy & Continuity Dialogue is for leaders who feel a deep responsibility for what outlasts their tenure and want to shape that intentionally rather than leaving it to chance.
It is built for those asking not only "What's next for me?" but also "What remains, who continues, and how do my values live on in the people and institutions I care about?".
It is a guided process to define your personal and professional legacy and translate it into concrete actions, roles, and messages that feel authentic and achievable.
Shape the legacy you leaveTogether, we work on:
Legacy definition: What
you want to leave in your organization, profession, family, and community.
Continuity mechanisms:
Board roles, mentoring, scholarships, foundations, or other vehicles for your impact.
Narrative and rituals:
How to mark this transition in ways that honor your journey and give others orientation and
continuity.
Discover Your Purpose, Redefine Your Path
A transformative outdoor experience for senior professionals in pivotal transitions, the Next Horizon Quest takes the conversation out of the boardroom and into nature to clarify identity, align with true purpose, and renew clarity and impact.
What we work on:
As Co‑Founder and CEO of WiseForce Advisors, Christian Jerusalem brings more than 30 years of senior leadership advisory experience, built from his career in top‑tier global firms Korn Ferry and Heidrick & Struggles, where he served as a leadership advisor to C‑suite and board clients worldwide.
He advised executive teams and boards on C‑level leadership capability, and organizational effectiveness, with a particular focus on an organization’s ability to navigate complex change and make high‑stakes decisions.
Christian’s track record with top leadership included extensive, hands-on work conducting board‑level leadership reviews and individual capability assessments for major organizations. He was recognized for bringing strategic rigor and pragmatic people‑centric interventions that enabled organizations to execute critical leadership decisions with confidence and impact.
He holds a degree in Business Administration from LMU in Munich, is a native German speaker fluent in English. As Charter President of Rotary Düsseldorf‑International, Christian has demonstrated a sustained commitment to responsible leadership and societal impact beyond the corporate sphere.
Dr. Andrea Lensing-Kramer is a former partner at Freshfields, one of the world’s leading international law firms. For decades, she advised global corporations on complex strategic and legal challenges, working closely with senior leaders at critical inflection points.
Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to the development of people and leadership. Today, as a WiseForce Advisor, Andrea acts as a trusted sparring partner and coach for senior executives — offering perspective, challenge, and clarity as they redefine success and shape the next phase of their lives.
Stephan Strauss is an experienced CEO, advisor, mentor, entrepreneur, and investor. He brings more than three decades of global leadership experience in CEO, C-suite, entrepreneurial, consulting and board roles across multiple industries in Europe, the USA, and Asia-Pacific.
Stephan supports CEOs and board teams of large mid-size companies, scale-ups, and start-ups in critical phases of turnaround, transformation, and growth — both as individual leaders and as top-teams navigating high-stakes environments.
Drawing on his own transition from corporate C-level roles into non-executive advisory and mentoring positions as well as entrepreneurial roles, Stephan uniquely accompanies senior leaders with the navigation of their own transition journeys. He helps them release outdated identities, navigate liminal phases with steadiness, and reorient toward meaningful contribution and renewed presence.
His work combines strategic clarity with a deeply human, relational approach—enabling leaders to move into their next chapter with coherence, confidence, and integrity.
Michael Rauch is a European CEO, CFO, and board advisor with a strong track record across listed corporations, private equity–backed firms, and family businesses. As a WiseForce Advisor, he supports senior leaders through transition, transformation, and growth journeys—combining deep financial acumen, strategic insight, and hands-on leadership experience gained from his experience in digital health, consumer brands, and industrials. A former CEO and CFO of CompuGroup Medical and CFO of Douglas, he also held senior roles at Henkel, chairs the supervisory board of edding AG, and advises private equity portfolios, family businesses, and tech start‑ups. Educated at Kellogg, Harvard, and in M&A law, Michael helps experienced leaders navigate complex decisions, lead change with confidence, and translate ambition into lasting results.
Marie Jerusalem is a former HR executive and leadership advisor with global roles across the USA, Europe, and Asia, many in private equity–backed environments, giving her a sharp understanding of value creation, stakeholder expectations, and change under pressure. Trained as a psychologist and experienced executive coach, she brings deep insight into human behavior and motivation, helping senior professionals clarify their goals, unlock their potential, and turn experience into a strategic asset in their next chapter. She has served as Chief People Officer at Vistra, Global Director of Human Resources at Arthur D. Little, Global Director of Learning and Development at Booz Allen Hamilton, and co‑founded Oxford Leadership in Germany and tech start‑up rocket50.
Senior Executive Transition
Imagine walking out of your office for the last time—not with uncertainty, but with clarity and choice. Leaving the C‑suite doesn’t mean leaving leadership; it opens the door to redefine it on your terms.
Instead of reacting to opportunities or defaulting to what’s familiar, you use this moment to pause and recalibrate. You trace what truly drives you now—impact, autonomy, and purpose—and realize you don’t need another 60‑hour operational week to achieve them.
In the months ahead, you design what’s next: perhaps a precisely chosen CEO or president role that aligns with your values and vision or a board seat where your expertise is rare. This is not a landing—it’s an evolution. You move forward more focused, influential, and fulfilled than you were in the C‑suite.
Stepping out of your identity after 30+ years in practice
Imagine stepping away from the structure that has defined your professional life for decades—not with hesitation, but with intention. After years of leading complex matters, guiding clients through risk and ambiguity, and earning trust at the highest levels, you recognize that influence no longer requires an office, a partnership title, or a billable target.
What comes next is shaped by selectivity and strategy, not obligation. You begin to reframe your expertise as capital and deploy it where it creates the greatest impact.
You are not stepping out of leadership; you are stepping into it on your own terms. This is where experience evolves into influence—and where success is defined by choice, relevance, and lasting impact.
Founder selling or handing down their business
Picture the day you hand over the keys—not as an ending, but as a transfer of energy. You’ve created something enduring, and you’re ready to take that same drive and vision into what’s next.
Long before the sale, you’ve built the bridge. You’ve framed your message to clients and employees to protect your legacy. You’ve defined how long you’ll stay to ensure stability—and when you’ll step away to make space for new leadership to thrive.
When the moment comes, you know where your energy will go. You’ll channel it into arenas where you can have the greatest impact: mentoring founders, investing in ventures that reflect your values, or shaping initiatives that move industries forward. You’re not closing a chapter—you’re proving that leadership doesn’t end with ownership. It evolves.
For questions or to explore how WiseForce can support you, please contact us. We are deeply committed to client success, and are happy to walk you through the WiseForce approach
by Christian Jerusalem
Built on the endearing belief in the power of experience, Wise Up! teaches companies how to harness the skills, insight and innovation of a multi generational team to boost competitiveness, spark creativity and thrive in a longevity economy.
Packed with bold ideas and proven strategies and fresh perspectives, this is your playbook for turning experience into an unstoppable business advantage
