Private advisor

Aaron Meder

For accomplished men navigating a season of change.

It isn't a crisis.
It's a call.

You spent the first half of your life doing, achieving, and figuring things out. It's been a success by most traditional measures. Now the questions are higher stakes and more personal. They touch your work, your money, your family, your friendships, your health, and who you are without the title, often all at once. I know that place well, because I've been there.

Our culture calls it a midlife crisis. I've learned to hear it as something ancient and far more fascinating: a call to adventure. To discover what's true for you, and live it in the world.

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Aaron Meder

Aaron Meder, Chicago

About

Who I am.

  • Built an asset management business from zero to $275 billion, and led it for seven years as CEO
  • Responsible for $1.4 trillion in assets as Head of Investment for one of the world's largest asset managers
  • Published research in the Journal of Portfolio Management, the Journal of Investing, and the CFA curriculum
  • Left my CEO role in 2024 to give myself space to consider what I truly want
  • A decade of inner work and a fascination with how people grow, change, and lead

I've sat in your seat. I know what it takes to perform at the top of a demanding field, and I know what it costs when performing is the only way you know how to live. For me, the cost showed up everywhere at once: in my health, my marriage, and my sense of who I was. I left my CEO job with no plan and began working on some really challenging questions I needed to answer to understand who I was and what I wanted. That included the money question: Do I have enough? I reworked my financial and investment plan to fit the life I was choosing. My gift has always been taking something complex and making it simple. This work is where I use that gift now.

Read the full story
My approach

Discover what's true for you,
and live it in the world.

The result is a life more aligned with who you are: clearer about what you want, steadier under pressure, closer to the people who matter, and lighter in how you carry it all. You may still do the same things, but what changes is what it's like to be the man living them.

1

See yourself clearly

Your gifts and what's good in you, what you actually want, and the patterns and defenses that keep you stuck. What is noticed can be changed.

2

Build the capacity to live it

Sit with what you find, face the fears, and make the changes you want to make. Each change you make shows you more of who you are.

3

Let direction find you

From there things get clearer. Meaning and purpose tend to find you, and you stop having to hunt for them.

4

Live it in the world

You bring what you've found into your work, your family, and the people around you.

The work draws on my experience and fascination with adult development research, psychology, contemplative practice, and how the nervous system works.

Working together

One to one, over six to twelve months.

I work with founders, executives, and accomplished men in transition. Some come with a major decision in front of them, such as selling a company, stepping down, leaving a partnership or practice, or deciding whether they have enough. Others come wanting to change a pattern of behavior, or more generally to experience life differently.

Engagements start at $6,000 for six months, paid half at the start and half at the midpoint. The final price depends on how often we meet and how much support you want.

I also mentor one or two young men early in their careers each year at no cost, so write to me if that's you or someone you know.

How we start

The call

This is free. We talk about what's on your mind, and I tell you whether I think I can help. If I'm not the right person, I'll do my best to point you toward who is.

The first session

This session is $500, credited toward the engagement if we continue. The goal is for you to be able to decide if this feels like the right path for you.

The plan

We decide together how long we work, how often we meet, in person or virtual, and what to focus on.

Deeper work

For deeper work, such as retreats and immersive experiences, I help you find experienced people I trust, prepare, and then integrate the insights into your life.

What this is and isn't. I'm not a therapist, and this is not therapy or medical care. It sits alongside both, including medication, which helps many people and once helped me. I'll tell you plainly when something belongs with a clinician, I keep relationships with people I trust to refer you to, and everything you say to me stays between us. If you are in crisis, please reach out to a licensed professional first.

In their words

From men I work with.

"Aaron has had a tremendous impact on my journey through a pivotal point in my life and career. His focus on the transition from doing great things to being great has helped me break through limitations and become a better version of myself, both personally and professionally. With his guidance, I approach life more intentionally and feel a greater sense of purpose."

Richard B., Insurance Executive, San Diego

"Having been in a men's group with Aaron for well over a year, I am constantly struck by his calm, thorough nature. He is an amazing listener who truly thinks deeply before he speaks. He brings people together and makes everyone feel extremely comfortable. When Aaron shares his perspective, it carries immense weight and clarity. If you want a guide who genuinely cares, I can't recommend Aaron enough."

Brian E., Chicago

"Men can have a tendency to bury their emotions. We've been taught that expressing feelings and vulnerabilities will be interpreted as weakness. Aaron has helped show me how ridiculous that is. Real strength comes from being honest with yourself. Aaron listens, and then knows which questions to ask to help you dig deeper. True peace and satisfaction can't come without a willingness to open up."

Joey S., Chicago

"Aaron is an attentive listener who takes the time to really understand your situation and perspective. He challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and drew on his own experience as an executive at a large company to provide practical advice for moving forward. Working with Aaron pushed me to seek out and take on stretch projects that led to a promotion."

Nick A., Investment Management, Chicago
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