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a life worth living

Angela Ruiter

Independent Strategic Partner
Clarity • Strategy • Operations • Funding
For people and organizations navigating meaningful change.

Wellbeing, personal or organizational mission, positioning, funding, legal underpinnings and operations aren't separate problems. They're parts of a whole.

My role as a Strategic Partner isn't to arrive with the answers. It's to help ask better questions, strengthen systems and create conditions where meaningful work, people and the planet can flourish.

My practice is built around a portfolio of people and projects I want to see thrive. Sometimes I help navigate a particular question or transition in the short term. Sometimes that grows into a longer-term collaboration.

My work is driven by a love of stories and systems, getting to intimately know diverse individuals, environments, projects, and discovering previously unseen, yet powerful connections.

You're at a turning point.

I offer clarity.

Andrey

"My job has been made obsolete by AI. I have ADHD. I want to start my own thing. Is that even possible?"

We reframed the question:
Under what conditions do my family and I thrive?
Through regular sessions for reflection, accountability and experimentation, we explored what kinds of work, income streams, collaborators, environments and patterns fit, so Andrey could confidently set off in a new direction.

Sounding board • Reframing • Clarity

Mike

“I'm a social impact investor reaching middle age. I’ve been living from a scarcity mentality, by other people’s rules. I want to start my next life phase and my next projects on my own terms...but what are those? How do I want to show up in the world?”

We adapted the Holistic Farm Management methodology, which recognizes that a farmer's livelihood and life are intimately intertwined, to explore Mike's past, values and aspirations. From that, we created The Field Guide to Mike: observations, operating principles, permissions, watch-outs, and people and resources to be grateful for. Then we checked in as new projects unfolded to see how it held up in real life.

REFLECTION • SELF-AUTHORSHIP • DIRECTION

You know what you want to build.

I offer strategy. Resources too.

Wendy

“I have a book ready to publish about how we remain fully human in an unraveling world. The publishers want me to grow my online presence. I have years of essays exploring truth, beauty, meaning and resilience. I'd love to serve the world by engaging people in such conversations, but I don't want to spend my days managing online publishing!”

We built an online and in-person content and engagement plan and brought two young professionals onto the team.While securing grant funding, we realized Wendy was actually building something bigger: a replicable, somewhat-anarchist ministry for people to be present for one another in profound and practical ways.I continue to set strategy for the project and mentor the team weekly.

STRATEGY • RECRUITMENT • FUNDING • MENTORSHIP

Emilia

“I have a private psychology practice and pay a lot monthly for a lead generator. I want to ditch them but don’t know how to run ads or update my website.”

We didn’t do ads. What psychologist wants to spend precious minutes of her life managing ads instead of helping people? We clarified her niche, story and value proposition. We designed a direct traffic and word-of-mouth machine. Then Emilia made it happen.

POSITIONING • STRATEGY • CLIENT-LED EXECUTION

You already lead something meaningful.

I offer operations & resilience.

Anna

“Our association has become the custodians of an abandoned vineyard. We want to bring it back to life in a way that inspires people, provides hands-on learning and generates income for the project.”We developed a program of five open weekends across the year, inviting people to learn by doing, contribute to the vineyard's regeneration and make valuable connections as they transition their own lives and projects. We also ran a successful crowdfunding campaign, raising tens of thousands of euros.I remain an active member of the team because this is an experience I want in my life.

PROGRAM DESIGN • OPERATIONS • COMMUNITY • RESILIENCE

Alex

“Over decades I've built a successful design business from scratch alongside a network of self-directed freelancers. It's time to step back a bit and secure my legacy, the organization I've built and the livelihoods it supports.I've brought on internal staff, but I'm struggling. I have little experience managing people. I usually do it all on my own!”

I work with the team week-to-week. I started by observing Alex with his new team members, then gradually stepped into an operations role, coaching the team and establishing better patterns for communication, prioritization and organizational tools.

OPERATIONS • SYSTEMS • LONGER-TERM PARTNERSHIP

What to expect

I don't believe in proposing a detailed plan before I properly understand you and the system around you.We start with a conversation.
Usually a long one. Often over brunch or tea if we're in the same city (I'm usually in Barcelona). I ask a lot of questions, we explore what's really going on, not just the problem you arrived with, and see if we're a good fit.I propose a place to start.
Usually that's a short, focused engagement: enough time to get immersed in your reality, test our assumptions and work toward something useful and concrete.Then we see what we've learned.
Sometimes that's all you need. Sometimes it reveals the next phase. I may take on another focused piece of work or step further in, joining you or your team in a strategic, operational or mentoring role.Immersive. Iterative. Based on reality.

About me

Since 2002 I've been building and managing face-to-face services and digital products across higher education, language learning, theatre, design, regenerative agriculture, ministry, energy, mental health and permaculture.I've worked with multinationals, universities, startups, independent professionals, small businesses, NGOs and other collectives.I've also navigated serious personal change. After 10 years in a stable corporate role, I left without a neatly mapped-out next step, with two children, financial responsibilities and a desire to build a different kind of life.I've spent the years since doing some of the same work I now do with others: experimenting, learning what conditions help me thrive, building new income streams and turning an unclear transition into a life and body of work that increasingly fit.The context changes. My role is consistent:Make sense of complexity.
Clarify what really matters.
Turn strategy into practical action.
Build foundations that are financially, organizationally and personally sustainable.I enjoy working with people who care deeply about the world and what they're building.
I enjoy being a trusted thinking partner who can move comfortably between big-picture strategy, practical implementation and the human side of change.

What clients say

Andrey

It was inspiring to work with Angela!

We did a series of 1:1 sessions on personal strategy, positioning and business planning. She got up to speed remarkably fast, challenged how I see things, and helped me clarify my vision, from how I position myself to the business goals I'm pursuing right now.

She thinks deeply, she is a beautiful, compassionate and very smart human, warm and friendly, and has a rare talent for getting to the true point beneath the layers of context. I truly enjoyed our sessions.

I highly recommended Angela for strategic work with founders. 👍

Emilia

Angela is a life saver when it comes to managing your business. I found marketing myself as a therapist quite stressful before working with her, and now I truly enjoy it.

She is great at helping you figure out your niche, clarifying your message, setting up your personal marketing strategy that feels good to you, and helping you attract the right clients.

She also made the whole process fun and enjoyable. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she brings forth your passion for your work.

Alex

One of the things that’s always impressed me about Angela is her ability to zoom all the way out to see the strategy, then zoom all the way back in to find the one small thing that’s holding a project back.

She asks the right questions early, digs deep to understand the problem before jumping to solutions, and has a real talent for mapping out a path that people can actually execute.

She’s also someone who makes teams better. She naturally creates better communication, stronger accountability, and a sense of camaraderie that makes people want to work together.

Get in touch

Let's start with your voice.

Fill in the form and I'll message you with instructions for sending me a voice note.You'll tell me what prompted you to reach out now and what you'd hope to get from working together.No polished pitch required. Stream of consciousness is just fine.

I’ll use the information you provide to respond to your inquiry and contact you about potentially working together. Your details will not be added to a marketing list. For more information about how I handle your personal information and your rights, please read my Privacy Policy.

© 2026 Angela Ruiter · Privacy Policy · Legal Notice

Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 2026

I take your privacy seriously and aim to be clear about what personal information I collect, why I collect it, and how I use and protect it.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through angelaruiter.com and to personal information you may subsequently choose to share with me while exploring or entering into a working relationship.

1. Who is responsible for your data?
The data controller is:
Angela Ruiter
Self-employed professional (autónoma), Spain
Email: [email protected]
NIF: 60457476K

2. Information I collect when you contact me
If you use the contact form on this website, I ask for:
your first and last name;
your email address;
your mobile number, including country code; and
your preferred messaging platform (WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram).

I use this information to respond to your inquiry, contact you using your preferred method, and explore whether working together may be appropriate.

Submitting an inquiry does not subscribe you to a newsletter or marketing communications.

The legal basis for processing this information is taking steps at your request before potentially entering into a professional relationship or agreement with you.

3. Voice notes and information you choose to share
I do things a little differently when someone is interested in working with me.

After you contact me, I will get in touch through your preferred messaging platform and invite you to send me a voice note. This is intended to give you space to explain, in your own words, what has led you to seek support and what you hope to gain from working together.

You decide what you wish to share. Because these conversations are open-ended, the information you voluntarily provide may sometimes be personal or sensitive.

Please share only information that you feel comfortable sharing and that you consider relevant to your inquiry. Please do not send identification documents, medical records, financial account information or other highly sensitive documents unless we have specifically agreed that this is necessary.

Voice notes may be retained while we are exploring whether to work together and, if we do work together, for the duration of our engagement where they remain useful to our work.

If we decide not to work together, I generally delete voice recordings within three months. If we do work together, I generally delete voice recordings and conversational transcripts within six months after our engagement ends, unless there is a specific reason or legal obligation requiring longer retention.

4. Transcription and AI-assisted tools
I may use technology to transcribe conversations or voice information and to help me organise information, identify themes, structure my thinking and consider how I might best support you.

This may include Granola for meeting notes and transcription and ChatGPT for AI-assisted organisation and analysis.

Where I use AI tools to help structure or develop my thinking, I take steps to avoid intentionally providing personal identifying information where it is not necessary for that purpose.

These tools support my own thinking and work. They do not make automated decisions about whether I will work with you or determine the services you receive.

Please be aware that when Granola is used to transcribe a conversation or meeting, the information necessary to produce that transcription is processed by Granola itself. Where transcription is used during a live meeting, I will inform you.

5. If we work together
If you become a client, I may process and retain information necessary to manage our professional relationship, including:
your contact details;
correspondence by email and your chosen messaging platform;
voice notes you have sent;
notes and transcripts relating to our conversations;
agreements and other documents relating to our engagement;
invoices and payment records; and
working notes and materials relevant to the services I provide.

These records may be stored using services such as Google Drive and Gmail.

Information required for contractual, accounting, tax or other legal purposes may be retained for the period required by applicable law, even after our working relationship ends.

Other working materials are deleted or anonymised when they are no longer reasonably necessary for the purposes for which they were collected.

6. Service providers
To operate my website, communicate with you and provide my services, I use third-party technology providers. Depending on how you choose to interact with me, these may include:
Carrd, for this website and its contact form;
Google, including Gmail and Google Drive;
WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram, according to your preferred communication method;
Granola, for transcription and meeting notes; and
OpenAI/ChatGPT, for AI-assisted organisation and analysis.

These providers process information according to their own services, contractual arrangements and privacy practices. Some providers may process information outside the European Economic Area. Where applicable, data transfers are subject to the safeguards required under data-protection law.

I do not sell your personal information.

7. How long I keep your information
I aim to keep personal information only for as long as it is genuinely useful or legally required.

As a general policy:
Initial inquiries that do not lead to an engagement: contact and inquiry information may be retained for up to 12 months.

Voice notes where we do not work together: generally deleted within three months after it becomes clear that we will not be working together.

Active engagements: relevant information is retained while we work together.

Voice recordings and conversational transcripts following an engagement: generally deleted within six months after the engagement ends, unless there is a specific reason to retain them longer.

Contracts, invoices and accounting/tax records: retained for the period required by applicable law.

I may delete information sooner where it is no longer necessary.

8. International data processing
Some of the technology services I use operate internationally and may process information outside Spain or the European Economic Area.

Where personal data are transferred internationally, I rely on the mechanisms and safeguards applicable to the relevant service provider and required under applicable data-protection law.

9. Your rights
Under applicable data-protection law, you may have the right to:
access the personal data I hold about you;
ask me to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
request deletion of your personal information in appropriate circumstances;
request that processing be restricted;
object to certain processing;
receive certain personal information in a portable format where applicable; and
withdraw consent where a particular processing activity is based on your consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact me at [email protected].

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Spanish Data Protection Agency (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos — AEPD) or, where applicable, another competent supervisory authority.

10. Security
I take reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect the personal information entrusted to me and limit access to information to what is necessary for my work.

However, no internet-based communication or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should therefore avoid sending information that is not necessary for our work together.

11. Children
My services are intended for adults. I do not knowingly offer my services to or collect inquiries from people under the age of 18.

12. Marketing
Submitting an inquiry through this website does not add you to a mailing list.

I will not use the information you submit through the contact form to send you newsletters or unrelated marketing communications unless you separately and explicitly choose to receive them in the future.

13. Website analytics and cookies
I do not currently use advertising trackers or analytics tools such as Google Analytics or Meta Pixel on this website.

If this changes in the future, I will update this Privacy Policy and, where required, provide appropriate information and choices regarding cookies or similar technologies.

14. Changes to this policy
I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as my services, technology providers or legal obligations change.

The current version will always be available on this website, with the date of the latest update shown at the top.

15. Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or about how I handle your personal information, please contact:
Angela Ruiter
[email protected]