I have had such an amazing experience with Ama La Vida. From the very start when I first talked to Justice Lawson, I knew this was the right move. Justice talked me through the whole process and was so honest and easy to talk to. I am so thankful to Justice for making the decision so easy. Not only was I able to build a professional online presence, but also build my confidence and self-love as well. Coach Peggy Wu is amazing, she brings her background as a life coach into her career coaching. When I started with Peggy I was struggling to see myself as a professional. We talked about more than just my job experience and she helped remove some of my mental blocks. Peggy has been such a great source of support in the past few months. I would email her on some of my lowest days and her words always put me back on the right path. I even did two celebrity sessions with Lisa Allie. With Lisa, we went through line-by-line of my resume and she told me what was good and what needed improvement. My resume has never looked better and people are often impressed. Lisa also helped me with LinkedIn and taught me useful tools for how to get the most out of it! on top of all of that, I have completed many helpful modules. The modules are like career-focused therapy. I really feel that everyone at Ama La Vida is focused on you as a human being. Your mental health and well-being will be prioritized. I can not put a value on the experience I got out of this service as I don't know where I would be today without it. I know this post is super cheesy but I wasn't paid to say any of this and have been sincerely blown away by my experience with Ama La Vida. When I first joined I didn't expect much but at EVERY step of the way I have been met with so much positivity and support. read more

I got behind on my coaching sessions which were about $200 a session, definitely expensive, and you can't cancel you have to keep paying $100 a month to keep the money that you already put into them usable. It was also really hard to get a coaching session set up because everything is through email and most of the coaches available sessions are weeks ahead of time. Not a great experience and I wouldn't recommend them. read more

Don't waste your time. They call you to offer you a $435/month career coaching plan. If you say no, the call ends. I guess they expect you to sign up for something without even seeing if their consulting makes sense, don't waste your time. read more

Unfortunately I had a bad experience with Alma La Vida. I complied with all the exercises that were given to me (personality tests, SWOT analysis, etc), and the coach I had most of the time did not read anything I submitted until the day of the session. I realized most of these things they could just have had me fill out before my sessions started instead of using my money to go over tests available online. My coach was not at all prepared to speak with me when our sessions started. The sessions ended up me helping her catch up on what she had missed. I thought regardless, she must have some ideas of what path I could take and could lay out a plan via email to help me through. No, she said I would have a hard time finding a job (even though it's literally her job to help me find one!). My last session in what I'd pre-paid for ended up being ignored. After asking around to a few other career coaches on LinkedIn, one of them actually gave me some free advice on next steps to take and said I'd been scammed. It's all about marketing yourself, and she suggested some fields where my specific skills could be really valuable. ALV said they would offer my last session to someone more suited to me, but my question was, why wasn't this person offered to me in the first place? Isn't it their job to pair you with someone who is professional and understands your skillset? I asked them if they would address any of the wasted sessions that didn't help me at all, maybe in the form of sessions through this better career coach. They said no, and said it was my fault for not knowing that I had a bad mentor. I was really upset. They said it's not typical of them to issue refunds, but they'd refund for my last session if I didn't want to use it. Really a complete waste, and they are indeed very expensive. They do not go the extra mile for their clients. read more

I'm so glad I took the leap and did coaching with ALV. It was exactly the right thing for me to figure through my career pivot. Coming from a small, family business, Kristin S helped me put words and value to the skill set I have acquired. And helped me learn how to share that with the world. And from one of the homework assignments she gave me, I actually found my business partner and were now a year into our entrepreneurial journey. Thank you! I also did celebrity sessions with Peggy. She was great and helped me harness the power of my thoughts and feelings, and shift my mindset towards a more positive, growth-focused perspective. It seemed a bit expensive, but I'm so glad I did it anyway. One of those things that is just worth it - and will have lasting impact. read more

Company is a complete scam at worst, and a grossly overpriced life coaching service at best. They promise you a career discovery platform and then it's basically an overpriced set of stock psychological questions and coaches who don't have much professional experience. Really didn't get anything out of it. You are better off working with a resume coach for 1 hour or doing a deep dive on your passions/interests with a qualified psychologist. Note- they split up their company into regional offices on Yelp to divert any accountability for reviews. They also try to block you and backdoor all of your reviews when you post one. Very sketchy. Once I posted a review, the owner tried to play mindgames on me and tell me I wasn't being "mindful" by posting a review. Yet was unwilling to do anything to remedy the situation. Complete joke. Review grooming is the name-of-the-game for this company. You will see on here that most of these reviews are either her classmates or people who attended a conference with her. read more

Ama La Vida is not just a run-of-the-mill career coach but instead covers so many other aspects--not just work related--that go into personal growth. During these times of social distancing, I have been attending a few of their webinars, many of which are free through Eventbrite. These have provided a needed dose of positivity and make me feel like I am doing something good for myself in the midst of this unprecedented situation, when so much is out of my immediate control. Last week I attended a webinar on ditching diet culture with Coach Jill. The presentation was comprehensive and the follow-up was effective without being overbearing. The weekly email is informative and the web site offers a number of resources to help a person gain more insight into a particular topic of interest. read more

I have so enjoyed working with Betsy over the past few months as my coach through Ama La Vida's partnership with the University of Chicago. It has been a great complement to my graduate school education, ensuring that I'm making the most of my time in as a part-time student and a full time employee working in philanthropy. Betsy's guidance in helping me navigate a promotion has been critical, and she has helped me think about what leadership can look like, especially focusing on empowering myself as a woman and making sure that I'm self-advocating for what I deserve. read more

TL;DR: Natalia is absolutely phenomenal and Ama La Vida helped me. Period. After 8 years in the same career - and several failed attempts to transition away from it - I was feeling stagnant and directionless. I don't know how else to deliver this without sounding like a corny, infomercial testimonial, but after 6 months working with Natalia, I have a new job that provides me fulfillment along and a healthier work-life balance and enrolled in a graduate program that will continue to support my career transition and aspirations. More than that, however, I have learned strategies and tools that help me in strengthening my leadership skills and negating my imposter syndrome. Though one could argue that this is all stuff someone could just google and do themselves, that's much easier said than done (as we see with most people's New Year's resolutions). Natalia's guidance and intentional questions pushed and empowered me to make changes for myself in the ways that were best for me. The personalized accountability and support were exactly what I needed. To be transparent, I was able to have this opportunity at no cost due to my organization's partnership with Ama La Vida. I cannot objectively say whether I would feel the same otherwise; however, my time has proven helpful and left me feeling successful and confident. If I found myself struggling and aimless again, I would definitely reach out and pay for their coaching services. read more

I knew Foram, the chief coaching officer, from my time in WI with her. She is a leader and an inspiration. She makes her own path and believes in herself more than anyone else. WIth that, I was not surprised when I realized how successful ALV has become! I'm a VP of product management for a public, health tech company, and I immediately recommended ALV to our head of HR to use for the executive team! My coach is Betsy and she is fierce, honest, and keeps me on track. I could not have asked for a better executive coaching experience! Working with Betsy as well as support from the community that I see is really phenomenal. Thank you ALV! read more

Foram was my leadership coach during my time at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She worked with me through a professionally challenging time, during which I was figuring out the organizations and roles I could see myself in, as well as trying to define my management and leadership style for my post MBA career. Foram was incredibly helpful in getting me think about what I value as an individual, and how to reflect that going forward. I really appreciated her commitment to my success, often helping me identify strengths that I should nurture, and encouraging me to be tactical about my personal and professional development. Foram is also amazing outside her sessions, having stayed in touch over time and always offering to be a resource. read more

I highly recommend Shari Santoriello and Ama La Vida for career coaching. I hesitated to hire a coach. I have a coaching certification myself and shouldn't wait, but I forgot that I, too, could benefit from a clear-headed mentor to navigate the confusion. I am complicated and knew only a top-notch coach would be able to move the needle for me. Shari is not only a skilled coach, but she has an inherent talent that I don't believe can be taught - she brings the game to another level. read more

Such a great decision to partner with Ama La Vida and Career Coach Kristin S! Decided to make a career change but didn't know what industry that change might be in and needed some direction. The onboarding and coach placement was amazing. My coach, Kristen S, was so supportive and gave tons of ideas that ultimately helped direct me to the right industry and through the entire interview process. Really appreciated her help customizing my resume. I had the support of Kristen and tons of online help through the ALV module system. Would never had been able to transition so quickly and land my dream job without the personalized experience I received at ALV. Thank you for being here! read more

ALV Coaching uses a reflective practice & modern tools to coach one through career transitions. My coach helped me focus my next challenge and where it fits in with my skills, values, and interests. She also improved my résumé, cover letter, and interview skills. The online modules helped me to be more reflective, purposeful, and gave me the resources I needed to become successful in the job hunt! read more

I really appreciate Kristi's positive and relatable personality and how she fosters creativity and grace towards her clients to help them succeed at their own pace even when life gets a little bumpy. read more

I had a great experience with ALV , Brittny Arnold was great and helped find the right fit in coach Kristin Vierra. Kristin was very good, helped me with my resume and gave me some really great tips. She understood my needs, my shortcoming and issues and helped me to gain confidence and present myself at my best. The mock interview round was very helpful , she recorded it and then gave me feedback on every aspect. It was an eye opener and clearly helped me see where I needed improvement . I have benefited greatly with ALV the online content and interview modules are very good too!. Overall this was money very well spent. read more

ALV not only provided me the tools and guidance I needed to work through my career crossroads, I also gained a new community of supportive, driven women to do life with! The passion ALV has to help you "love your life" is apparent from day 1 and they have curated an ideal program for wherever you are in your journey to live your best life. I couldn't be happier with the program and the insight I gained! I also really valued my sessions with Teague. She was thoughtful, helpful, and so supportive! read more

Working with Coach Cait has been truly life-changing. When I started my coaching sessions with Ama La Vida, I was feeling extremely frustrated and burnt out from my job, but I had no idea what to do next. Cait helped give me the courage to do what I had been dreaming of, which was leave my role and take a career break to spend time focusing on myself, my passions, and what I'd like to do next. I am so grateful for the kindness and compassion she showed me each session while also pushing me out of my comfort zone. I was able to learn a lot about myself personally and professionally, and I landed a new job that I'm incredibly excited about! read more

Ama La Vida was a great experience. I needed some help finding direction in my current role and with the help of Eden was able to find ways in which my skills and passions are complimented in my current line of work. The program helped me to think deeply about what's important to me both personally and professionally. I was able to see my job in a new light and forge a path for a change if I am estranged with my industry in the future. I would highly recommend the program to anyone trying to find a sense of direction! read more

I seeked career coaching through Ama La Vida at the turn of many transitions in my life- I had just moved and changing careers is something I had been contemplating for awhile. I knew I wanted to change careers but wasn't sure where to begin or what exactly I wanted to do next. Kristin Simon and I worked together for 3 months and during that time I gained valuable insight, reflected on my gifts, and she helped me identify and define what I have to offer to a company. Each session with Kristin felt very comfortable and I looked forward to our sessions and the work in between! She asked meaningful questions and helped make connections about my career journey I had never considered. The online learning modules that Ama La Vida provides are extremely helpful and serve as a great guideline throughout the coaching journey. Kristin provided excellent feedback regarding my Linkedin profile, personal statement, resume, and she even offered to proofread my cover letter! Kristin is very speedy at replying and provided as a wonderful and knowledgeable resource throughout my career change. If you are in a career transition in your life or just need some guidance throughout the process, I highly recommend Kristin and Ama La Vida team. Thank you Kristin and Ama La Vida! read more

I had a great experience working with my coach Kristin Vierra. I came to Ama La Vida at a time when I was feeling very stuck and burnt out in my career path. The most helpful aspects of coaching for me were the interview prep, resume writing, job search tips, and talking with my coach helped me boost my overall confidence. I didn't get as much as I wanted out of the ALV modules aspect as much (particularly related to career discovery), because the results of those exercises reiterated to me what I knew I value about my work life, and I was really hoping for more specific connections to other fields that I haven't been as exposed to as my current field. However, this isn't a mark against Kristin, who was a very supportive and helpful coach. read more

Love Katie & Nicole! They are so personable, and are very open to helping you with whatever it is you need help with. The entire team is super energetic and provide great tips and advice for you through the Slack app. The e-coaching tools are also great when you need to really think about the month's theme. Sometimes it's exactly what you need! Would definitely recommend to others to try. read more

I signed up for Ama La Vida my senior year of college and worked with coach Katie. I had been struggling to determine a direction for my career and felt a mounting pressure as my friends started to receive full time offers. A friend recommended that I check out Ama La Vida to see if their coaching could help me find a direction and ease my pre-career anxiety. After my first phone call with Katie I knew this was exactly what I needed to get my job search started in a way that would make me feel confident and motivated. Katie was smart, helpful, compassionate, and extremely insightful. I felt I was in good hands throughout the entire process and she was always very accommodating whenever I had extra questions or needed to reschedule or change locations. The ALV coaches truly go above and beyond and make it clear that they genuinely care about the success and satisfaction of their clients. They are always willing to go the extra mile to make sure clients get the most out of their coaching and will follow up with their clients long after coaching sessions have finished to see if there is anything else they can do to help, a testament to how committed they are to creating a real, caring relationship with their clients. I could not recommend Ama La Vida more to anyone looking for career guidance, whether a soon-to-be college grad or anyone working full-time that's ready for some positive change. read more

I cannot recommend Betsy and the folks at Ama La Vida more. Working with them has been like working with a career therapist. Betsy has helped me strategize my growth and develop actionable methodologies to help me achieve my goals. Her methodologies have also helped me to break through mental blocks and rebuild my confidence. I'm so grateful for and impressed by the work that we've done together, and I always look forward to my sessions. read more

I'm very grateful that I took on coaching with Coach Foram. I explored coaching with ALV when I was in the process of determining what I wanted next out of my time in the Consulting industry, and meeting with Foram helped me to see that there's more to the world (and to my interests) than just Consulting. Through the 5 sessions we've had, Foram has helped me gain confidence and understand what my non-negotiables are both in my work and home life. I really enjoy being part of the ALV community (and I absolutely love the inspirational Tuesday emails I get from the CEO, Nicole). I'm excited to continue this relationship into the future and have even been nudging my husband to give this a try, too. I highly recommend ALV! read more

The reviews here are one of the reasons I decided to go with Ama La Vida. If you are looking to make a change or need affirmation this is the program for you. Eden and ALV really helped me find my path and career that fits with my values and skills. I was truly lost and did not know how so many people have jobs they loved and really exceled in. Eden helped me discover my strengths and values and career paths that aligned with me as well as my goals. She also provided great coaching and tools to navigate the daunting job search and interview process. Eden helped me with so many questions and concerns that were very unique to my situation. She always had an answer, advice, or resources for me. I can say now that thanks to Eden and ALV I know exactly where I am going and how I am going to get there! read more

Through Teach for America I was able to have 6 sessions with a career coach through Ama La Vida. I was paired with Brooke and could not have been more thrilled with my experience. Brooke was incredibly organized and came in with a plan for our six sessions that began with getting to each other and got me to get to know myself and my personal/professional goals and passions. Once identifying those, we identified potential jobs, perfected my resume to match different job descriptions, wrote a cover letter, and revamped my LinkedIn. Throughout the process she was extremely encouraging and gave honest feedback in order to create a candidate profile for myself that I felt confident about. I was able to secure a job in the field we had identified shortly after our sessions concluded and I attribute a lot of that success to my time with Brooke! If you are looking for guidance, accountability, and tools to take the next step in your career, Ama La Vida is a resource that I could not recommend more highly! read more

ALV was tremendous in helping me with my career change. I had a lot of other change happening at the same time and they were patient and professional while I dealt with it all. Highly recommend for anyone not sure what you want to do in your professional life. They helped me not only figure what direction I wanted to go but gave me the tools to get the job I wanted. read more

I was fortunate enough to work with Foram and I cannot recommend her and Ama La Vida highly enough. She was very easy to build a relationship with, and the early comfort I had with her made our sessions very enjoyable. She helped me on my various leadership and life goals through a range of exercises, including reflections, simulated role play and discussion of articles and other literature. I feel much more confident about entering my new role post graduate school now, and feel that I have started making significant progress towards addressing key personality flaws. I am empowered and inspired by Foram. Highly recommend this coaching service and Foram! read more

I worked with Foram during last summer and had an outstanding experience. She was very skilled in helping me pin down what my development priority was, and in balancing deep discussions that fostered self-discovery with very actionable to-dos and next steps between each meeting. I would certainly recommend her to those that are looking for development coaching. read more

It has been a great experience working with Coach Teague. I signed up for ALV in Summer 2019 and my request for in-person coaching was immediately accepted by Nicole and Teague! Since then I have been working with Teague and the in-person coaching sessions have held me accountable. I like Teague's approach in that it is task oriented with tangible outcomes. For example, one thing I was struggling with was time management and productivity issues. Rather that asking me to elaborate on how I spend time and how I feel about it, Teague gave me a timesheet and asked me to fill it for 2 weeks. After doing that, the data was clear. We immediately figured out what activities can be bundled together or moved around to manage time better. Similarly, she has helped me in establishing life goals and my business goals through exercises which made me read, reflect, and document. Teague is smart and can cover wide spectrum of topics; she has helped me with time management, team building, leadership goals, handling conflict at work, setting business vision and goals, personal goal setting, etc. to name a few. She is very accommodating too and adjusted meeting times and locations whenever I requested. I highly recommend ALV and Coach Teague! read more