About Maria
I'm a fractional advisor and AI trainer with a background spanning international law (UN, European Union), global operations at Procter & Gamble, and early-stage startup leadership.
Today I work at the intersection of AI and business — helping founders and companies cut through the noise and build what actually works.
I deliver workshops and keynotes on AI applied to business (Claude, practical tools, no fluff), and advise founders with corporate backgrounds on go-to-market, offer design, and lean AI-powered operations.
I've been on both sides of the table — corporate ladder and solo founder. I bring that into every engagement: direct, strategic, and immediately useful.
Based in Lisbon, available globally. I work in English and Spanish.
English
Native or bilingual
Spanish
Native or bilingual
French
Conversational
Portuguese
Conversational
Basque
Native or bilingual
Can work on-site
Madrid (up to 20km), Bilbao (up to 50km), Barcelona (up to 50km), A Coruña (up to 50km)
Experience
- MARIA GARAISpeaker & Trainer | AI Applied to Business · Claude · Future of Work · EntrepreneurshipSeptember 2022 - Today (3 years and 9 months)I deliver keynotes and hands-on workshops for companies, leadership teams, and events on AI applied to work, productivity with Claude, vibe coding for non-technical professionals, and entrepreneurial mindset for corporate-to-founder transitions.My specialty is making complex AI concepts immediately actionable, teams leave with tools they can use from day one. Available in English and Spanish.
- Modern Careers ConsultingConsultant for Founders & Startups | Go-to-Market · Strategy · AI SystemsJanuary 2024 - Today (2 years and 5 months)I advise early-stage founders with corporate backgrounds and startups on three areas: offer design and go-to-market strategy, building a digital presence that generates inbound clients (LinkedIn + Substack), and implementing AI systems to operate lean.I've supported 20+ ex-corporate founders in launching and validating their consulting and service businesses. Available for advisory retainers, strategy sessions, and fractional engagements.
- ResponsiblyDirector of Sales And Business DevelopmentSeptember 2021 - September 2022 (1 year)Copenhagen, DenmarkJoined as an early hire at a €2M-funded impact tech startup with the mandate to build the commercial function from zero.Designed and implemented the go-to-market strategy, led a team of 5, and ran the full sales cycle from initial outreach and validation calls through to close.Grew the client base from 0 to 12 clients within 6 months.Also led the digitalization and professionalization of the sales funnel and commercial processes to support investor readiness and scale.
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Education
- Summer Business School, Business Strategy & ConsultingImperial College Business School2021Summer Business School, Business Strategy & Consulting
- European Master´s Degree for Human Rights and DemocratisationEIUC - European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation2016European Master´s Degree for Human Rights and Democratisation