Who we are
Natalie Adams | Principal Consultant & Operations Specialist
As a Chief of Staff with over a decade of experience across tech, enterprise software, and fashion industries, specializing in change management and transformation. My strength lies in executing strategies within complex, real-world business environments.
I blend operational expertise with a people-first mindset, recognizing that effective change requires both strategic thinking and genuine human connection. Excelling at developing nuanced solutions for multifaceted business challenges where one-size-fits-all approaches fall short.
My method emphasizes building trust, using compelling narratives to drive change, and crafting tailored solutions for complex situations. Whether I'm optimizing operations or guiding cultural shifts, I'm committed to delivering results that address the full complexity of today's world.
Matthias de Haan | Principal Consultant & Start-Up Specialist.
Matthias de Haan brings more than two decades of experience as a founder, executive, and advisor across technology, fintech, and investment banking. He works with startups and scaling companies on strategy, growth, and execution, with particular experience in AI, computer vision, energy, climate tech, and other emerging technology sectors.
He has founded, scaled, funded, and exited multiple companies and has worked closely with leadership teams on fundraising, operational scale-up, market positioning, strategic growth, and business transformation. That experience gives him a practical understanding of what it takes to build, refine, and grow a company in real-world conditions.
His approach is hands-on, cross-functional, and grounded in execution. He works closely with founders and leadership teams to clarify priorities, solve difficult growth challenges, and turn strategic questions into practical next steps.
Whether the goal is to raise capital, improve execution, sharpen positioning, or build a more scalable growth strategy, Matthias helps clients move forward with greater focus, confidence, and momentum.
Why We Created IRL
We created IRL Consulting because too many businesses get stuck between vision and execution.
We saw that companies often do not fail for lack of ideas. They struggle because growth creates complexity, priorities become blurred, and the path from strategy to action becomes harder to manage. We built IRL to help founders and leadership teams navigate that complexity with greater clarity, focus, and execution.
Our backgrounds combine startup building, fundraising, operational scale-up, strategic advisory, and organizational transformation. Matthias brings the experience of a founder, operator, and advisor who has built and exited technology businesses. Natalie brings deep expertise in helping organizations manage change, align people, and execute through transition. Together, we bring both strategic perspective and practical operating experience.
We work with startups and scaling companies at critical moments of growth, whether they are preparing to raise capital, entering new markets, refining positioning, improving execution, or building a stronger foundation for scale.
At IRL, we do not believe in one-size-fits-all consulting. Every business has its own challenges, opportunities, and pace of evolution. Our role is to help clients make smarter decisions, focus on the right priorities, and turn complexity into forward motion.
We created IRL to be more than consultants. We are partners in growth, helping ambitious companies move from potential to progress.
