Maya van de Velden

Why this persona fits the audience

She is a solo product consultant for early-stage startups and records weekly update videos, feature demos, and bug-context clips for founders and engineers. Her current workflow mixes macOS screen capture, shared notes, and occasional competitor-style screen recordings from other team members.

• Age: 35
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Independent product consultant
• Income: €88,000 EUR/year equivalent
• Education: Master’s degree in Business and Technology
• Company size: N/A (solo consultant)
• Years in role: 5

““Clarity in communication isn’t just about sharing information; it’s about building shared understanding and driving forward momentum, especially when you can’t be in the same room.””

Born and raised in Utrecht, Maya van de Velden developed an early fascination with how technology could streamline processes and connect people. Her Master’s degree in Business and Technology from the University of Amsterdam provided a strong foundation in both strategic thinking and technical application. After a few years working as an in-house product manager at a rapidly scaling tech company, Maya recognized a critical gap: early-stage startups often struggled with effectively communicating product direction and progress to their distributed teams and investors. She saw the inefficiency of endless meetings and fragmented documentation. Driven by a desire for greater impact and autonomy, she transitioned to independent consulting five years ago. Maya now focuses exclusively on advising seed and Series A startups, specializing in establishing robust async communication workflows. Her core offering involves creating clear, concise video updates, feature demos, and bug reports tailored for founders and engineering teams. This approach leverages her skills in product strategy, user empathy, and digital tooling. She recently decided to standardize her recording process, investing in better microphone equipment and exploring more integrated screen recording solutions to reduce post-production time, aiming to deliver high-quality context-sharing assets even faster. Maya views time as her most valuable commodity, both for herself and her clients, and money as a tool to enable freedom and further her professional goals, rather than an end in itself. Status, for her, is derived from the tangible progress and success she helps her clients achieve.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Maya's typical weekday begins around 7:00 AM with a strong espresso and a quick scan of overnight client messages and industry news. By 8:00 AM, she’s typically recording a short Loom video explaining a new feature iteration for a SaaS client or documenting a critical bug discovered during testing. She dedicates blocks of time to deep work, often involving user flow analysis or competitive research. Client calls are scheduled for the late morning or early afternoon, interspersed with periods of documentation and content creation for her weekly updates. Evenings are reserved for unwinding, perhaps a bike ride or catching up with friends, before planning the next day's priorities. She aims to disconnect by 8:00 PM.

Lifestyle

Maya thrives on structured independence. Her days in Amsterdam are a blend of focused work and vibrant city life. She enjoys early morning runs along the canals before diving into her consulting work. Evenings often involve meeting friends at a local 'bruin café' or exploring new restaurants. She’s mindful of her finances, investing a portion of her income and prioritizing experiences over excessive material possessions. Her loft apartment is minimalist but functional, reflecting her preference for order and clean design. She values her autonomy and seeks work that aligns with her desire for impactful contributions.

Work life

As a solo consultant, Maya’s workday is intensely self-directed. She juggles client calls, deep-dive product analysis, and the creation of async communication materials. Her primary focus is enabling early-stage startups to articulate their product vision and progress effectively. She relies heavily on her MacBook Pro, using tools like Loom for screen recordings, Notion for documentation, and Slack for client communication. The pressure comes from managing multiple early-stage clients simultaneously, each with unique challenges and urgent needs, demanding constant prioritization and clear, consistent output. Coworkers are non-existent beyond her clients, making her own discipline paramount.

Relationships

Maya maintains close ties with her parents and a few university friends who have also entered the startup world. Her professional network on LinkedIn is substantial and actively managed. She often exchanges advice and commiserates with a small, informal group of fellow independent consultants, finding support and shared understanding in their asynchronous digital interactions.

How they decide

Maya approaches decisions methodically. She gathers information from multiple sources, weighs pros and cons, and often seeks to understand the underlying mechanics of a problem before committing. She values clarity and evidence, preferring to make informed choices rather than acting impulsively. While she can be persuaded by strong logic and demonstrated value, she takes her time to ensure alignment with her core principles of efficiency and effective communication.

How they sound

Her speaking cadence is measured and clear, with a slight Dutch accent that becomes more pronounced when she's excited or emphasizing a point. She uses professional but accessible language, avoiding overly technical jargon unless necessary and explaining it when she does. She tends to frame her points logically, often starting with a summary of the situation before delving into specifics. She avoids hyperbole and prefers direct, honest assessments. Her tone is generally optimistic but grounded in reality.