We help leaders and organizations grow with intention.
Executive coaching. People strategy. Talent. A boutique advisory practice built on 25 years of operating experience.
Wertheim Leadership Services works with mid-career executives, founders, and mission-driven organizations navigating growth, change, and transition. We bring real operational depth — not just frameworks — to the three areas where people decisions matter most: developing leaders, building healthy organizations, and making great hires.
Founded by Michael Wertheim, a former media executive turned executive coach and people leader, the practice draws on experience inside dozens of organizations — from venture-backed startups to large enterprises — across media, technology, education, and the nonprofit sector.
Executive Coaching
Coaching for mid-career executives navigating change — in their roles, their organizations, or themselves. Bespoke engagements grounded in operational experience, not just questions. Learn more →
Advisory & Fractional Leadership
Fractional Chief People Officer and organizational advisory for growth-stage companies. People ops, leadership development, culture, and org design — without the full-time hire. Learn more →
Talent & Recruiting
Executive search and talent advisory from someone who's been the hiring manager, the onboarding partner, and the coach. We help you get your most important hires right. Learn more →
How we Work
Our engagements often span more than one service area — and that's by design. A fractional CPO engagement might surface the need for a key hire. A coaching engagement might extend to multiple members of the same leadership team. A search might reveal that the organization needs advisory support before a new leader can succeed.
We see the full picture because we do the full range of work. That's the advantage of a practice built at the intersection of coaching, people strategy, and talent.
Who we work with
Our clients include seed-to-Series D founders, leadership teams at mission-driven organizations, media and content companies, LGBTQ+ executives and entrepreneurs, and nonprofits navigating organizational change. We also partner with venture capital funds and startup studios, providing people strategy and talent advisory across their portfolios.
We're particularly drawn to leaders who care about building humane, high-performing organizations — and who are honest about how hard that is.
What Clients Say
“Working with Michael has been game-changing for me as a leader. He has a rare ability to see both the emotional and structural dynamics at play inside an organization — and to help me navigate them with clarity, focus, and integrity”
“Michael stepped into a complicated moment with warmth, clarity, and a calm presence that instantly made everything feel more manageable. He built systems, strengthened culture, and put the right people and processes in place — work that will have a long-lasting impact.”
Credentials and affiliations
MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
AB, Magna Cum Laude, Harvard College
ICF and CTI-certified executive coach
CFAR, Dynamics of Consulting Graduate
Leadership Circle Profile certified practitioner
Chair, Stanford GSB Alumni Pride — New York Chapter
Let’s talk
Whether you're navigating a leadership transition, building your people function, or looking for your next key hire — we'd love to hear what you're working on.