About Amanda Bray
I work with women whose work carries real consequence — founders, authors and public-facing leaders who are required to make meaningful decisions under pressure, often in full view of others.
I’m a strategic advisor and executive partner, supporting leaders as they navigate complexity, visibility and growth without losing trust in their own judgment. My role is not to tell you what to do, but to help you see clearly: to surface blind spots, anticipate relational and authority needs, and support decisions that hold up over time.
Much of my work happens at the intersection of strategy, authority and discernment — especially when the systems around a leader have grown more complex than their internal support structure.
A career shaped by systems, story and consequence
I’ve spent nearly two decades inside editorial and publishing systems — from traditional newsrooms and small presses to digital platforms, founder-led businesses and independent publications with significant reach.
Across that time, I’ve supported leaders whose decisions affected not just content, but reputation, revenue, audience trust and long-term sustainability. I’ve advised founders through six-figure software projects and acquisitions, worked alongside bestselling authors and senior editors, and partnered with leaders whose public voice carried real professional risk.
Those environments taught me something essential: when the stakes are real, good decision-making requires more than data or instinct alone. It requires pattern recognition, relational awareness and a steady external perspective that can hold the whole system at once.
How I work now
Today, I work in close partnership with a small number of leaders at a time, often in fractional or embedded roles that mirror the scope of a Chief of Staff.
In practice, this means helping leaders:
make clear decisions when multiple paths look viable
translate instinct into action that can withstand pressure
anticipate relational and authority dynamics before they become problems
design simple structures that stabilize judgment and communication
see how visibility, business, audience and capacity interact as one system
Publishing and public expression are often part of this work — not as tactics, but as sites where authority, trust and consequence converge. My background in publishing allows me to see how voice, audience response and positioning shape long-term outcomes, without collapsing everything into metrics or performance.
Perspective & practice
My approach is shaped not only by professional experience, but by a long-standing contemplative practice. I’m a certified meditation instructor and have maintained an active practice since 2013. This informs how I listen, where I look for insights and how I work with complexity — especially when leaders are under strain.
This is not coaching or mindset work. It’s discernment applied at the executive level.
Working together
I work best with leaders who already carry authority — and want support without surrendering it.
Partnerships are intentionally limited and designed for depth. Whether the work takes the form of executive partnership, decision support or publishing-related strategy depends on the leader and the moment — not a pre-set package.
If you’re navigating a period where the decisions matter, the systems are complex and clear judgment is essential, you’re welcome to explore working together.