I help accomplished women design then build their Third Chapter
Purpose. Connection. Bold action. Starting now. Work With MeBook Me to Speak
You want to feel essential again.
You want a life that’s truly yours.
But right now? You feel invisible and quietly afraid your best years are behind you.
I GET IT, I’VE BEEN THERE TOO.
I’m Ellen Funk. For 25 years, as a management consultant, I helped everyone from scrappy startups to Fortune 500s do one hard thing… turn a vision into reality.
Then my own Third Chapter arrived. I pivoted an entire business to do the work I was actually put here to do. I rebuilt my finances from the ground up after real hardship. I ended a 27 year marriage. And I started dating again after three decades, which turned out to be an adventure I could do a stand-up routine about.
None of it was easy. I made a ton of mistakes. That led me to develop the systems that I teach. Proven strategies that actually work.
I hold an MBA from the University of Chicago and am a Certified Life Coach. But what really qualifies me? I’ve done this for organizations, for clients, and for myself.
But here’s what really matters – I don’t stop at the vision. I help you build the real, everyday life you want, whatever that looks like. No starting over. No going it alone. Just a clear plan and someone who’s done it, walking beside you.
How We’ll Do It
Three steps. One designed life.
1 · Discover
We get clear on where you are, what you want, and what’s been holding you back.
2 · Design
Together we map your Third Chapter, a plan built on everything you already are and where you want to go.
3 · Build
We make it real, step by step. I walk beside you the whole way.
Ways to Work Together
It all starts with a conversation.
Book a Third Chapter Strategy Call
First, you’ll fill out a short questionnaire.
Then we’ll spend a complimentary 60 minutes getting clear on where you are and where you want to go.
You’ll leave with an actionable strategy, whether we work together or not.
Third Chapter VIP Day
Get clear on what’s next and leave with a personalized plan for your Third Chapter.
Third Chapter Transformation
Six months, working together, to rediscover your purpose and build the Third Chapter you truly want to live.
What My Clients Say
I would highly recommend working with Ellen! I hired her when I had nothing more than an idea for a business, and she helped me turn that dream into the profitable enterprise I run today. What sets Ellen apart is the way she coaches you. She brings real business experience to the table, but more than that, she believes in you, asks the questions that unlock your thinking, and gives you the clarity and confidence to keep moving forward. Step by step, she helped me build something real. Her coaching has been truly transformative, and I never could have gotten to where I am today without her.
I started working with Ellen when I was struggling with direction and assertiveness and ready for something new. Very quickly, she helped me create my path toward the second career I had wanted for years. I know I would not have landed my dream job and be thriving in it if it were not for Ellen’s guidance. She arms you with the tools to move yourself forward, self-belief and the ability to reassess your thoughts, dreams, and ambitions. Starting this new chapter was the best decision I’ve made, and I would not hesitate to work with Ellen in the future.
My coaching sessions with Ellen Funk over these past months have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Her penetrating insight, thoughtful listening, and spot-on observations and guidance have opened up real opportunities for change, personal and professional growth, and a concrete plan of action for what’s next. She helped me see this season as a new beginning, not an ending. My only regret is that I didn’t know her, and her program, back in my 20s.
Bring Ellen to Your Stage
Signature Talk
THE BEST 20 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE START HERE
Creating a Meaningful Life You Are Excited to Live
For women facing a major life transition such as retirement, an empty nest, a shift in identity, the close of one chapter can feel like the beginning of the end. Ellen flips that script. She shows them their best years are still ahead, and gives them the courage and the plan to build their most meaningful chapter yet.
Keynote
YOUR GREATEST CHAPTER
Purpose, Joy and the Power of What’s Next
For women facing the end of the roles that defined them, this keynote is equal parts rallying cry and invitation. Ellen makes the case that purpose and joy aren’t behind us, they’re what give the next chapter its meaning. Audiences leave lifted, hopeful, and ready to claim what’s next as their greatest chapter.
Want to book Ellen?
Let’s talk about your event, your audience, and which keynote fits best. I’d love to be part of what you’re creating.