Tap into your unique power to create & lead

I help founders and executives hone their personal leadership, drawing on my experience launching 4+ venture-backed startups.

A little bit about me.

  • My first memories of creating are of sitting at the piano as a kid, playing songs with my dad, and of building forts on school camping trips. In many ways I still feel like a kid that is curious about the world - I’m just building things in new and different ways.

    • I joined Lyft as the 20th team member, helping the company grow rapidly from 20 to 2,000 employees.

    • I helped launch Redesign Health, an incubator that has built over 60 health tech companies.

    • I co-Founded Lively (now Jabra Enhance), a hearing aid business that was sold successfully to one of the world’s largest hearing aid manufacturers.

    • I founded and served as CEO for Sagra, a hospitality business connecting guests with sustainable farms. 

  • I love the energy and excitement that comes with creating something new alongside others, and I have also experienced how difficult it can be. I have felt real moments of personal doubt, loneliness, and fear. My own coaches, friends and family helped me grow through it. I am here to offer that same support to others along their own paths of creativity and leadership.

  • I have found that the more I enjoy the process of creating (a business, a project, a family, etc) the better it turns out. It has been a gift to recognize that taking care of myself actually benefits any organization I am a part of, because it allows me to see more clearly and invites others to do the same. In my own life this looks like laughing with my wife, mountain biking in the mountains by my home, playing games over dinner with friends, meditating, and playing music. I look forward to helping you find your own balance and joy in this often hectic world.

Testimonials.

  • “David is exactly the type of coach you want to work with as a CEO and founder. He knows what it takes to win at the highest level with multiple IPOs and M&A events under his belt. At the same time, he’s also seen the darkest and most challenging aspects of founderhood. What separates David from the rest isn’t just the fact that he’s been through it himself and come out the other side to tell the story, but that he’s developed a unique methodology and perspective to help others get the most out of their personal and professional lives.”

    Nick Greenfield (CEO of Candid)

  • "David knows the startup space from all angles. During my time as a startup founder, his experience, coupled with his skills in listening and seeing things from new perspectives, guided me to actionable plans to address the needs of the day, the quarter, and the long term. David also has a special sauce of positivity and a can-do attitude that’s contagious. Working with him is a pleasure."

    Nicole Cadoret (Chief Design Offer at Jabra Hearing, Co-Founder of Lively)

  • "David stands out not just for his intelligence, but also for his genuine kindness — a combination that's rare and invaluable. His deep-seated expertise is matched by his humility, courage, and an infectious enthusiasm that energizes everyone around him. In launching my own business, I've been able to see how David helps guide teams with a steady hand, motivate individuals to push beyond their perceived limits, and uncover their best selves in the process."

    Avantika Agarwal (Founder of Superliminal)

  • "David's greatest gift is his innate ability to listen, empathize, and motivate those closest to him. It is not easy to find someone who is completely present in a fast-paced start-up environment, and I found David had a unique way of slowing down the chaos by untangling complicated issues."

    Max Leinweber (Managing Director at Badlands Hotel Capital)

  • "David is one of the most self-aware leaders I've worked with. As a member of David's leadership team at Sagra, I was fortunate to experience his empathic style firsthand. David is a leader who makes you feel cared for, who cares about the whole person, and the whole business. Using his high emotional intelligence and awareness of the relationships within the team, David was able to create a remote work culture of connectedness - something rare and extraordinary in today's world. David is an expert shepherd, leading from behind to help others rise up, and come into their strengths."

    Dani Wieder (VP of Marketing at Collective Retreats)

Why you’re here.

You are a CEO, founder, or executive who is committed to growth.

You invest in growing yourself and your team because you know it’s what makes your business thrive.

You want to lead in a way that is energizing, effective, and personal.

You are ready to refine your leadership approach so that you can lean on your strengths, drive results, and love your work.

You are looking for a partner to support you in this journey.

You are looking for someone who can help you grow beyond what you know, enabling you and your team to realize your goals.

How I can support you.

  • Your habits have a big impact on how you run your business and live your life, from how you start your days to how you lead meetings. Together, we’ll explore how making changes to your habits can greatly improve the energy and productivity of you and your team.

  • When running an organization, it can be easy to lose track of what you are aiming for among a sea of priorities. The reality is most companies fail because they do too much, not too little. I’m here to help you focus on your priorities, stay connected to your “why”, and help you do the same for others.

  • As a leader, you don’t always see the full picture. You can be unaware of how people experience you, the culture, and the relationships amongst the team. I am here to help you see into the overlooked areas, enabling you and your team to more easily create better results.

  • When leading you are often so focused on celebrating the accomplishments of the business and the team that you rarely get to witness or appreciate your own growth. I am here to help you recognize and mark your important milestones, keeping you motivated and inspired to move foward.

FAQs

  • I have found that the coaching structure below best helps clients get what they need from a coaching relationship.

    • During our kickoff call we will explore what initial areas you would like to focus on and we will start a document that will help us save what you have learned, reflected on, and are practicing after each session.

    • We will meet for 1 hour a week via Zoom or phone (you can of course reschedule as needed).

    • I work with clients on a 6 month minimum commitment, as that allows us to get into a rhythm together and see real growth.

    • In between sessions I am available as needed (within reason) via email, text, and phone to support you.

  • A wise friend told me early on in my career that whenever I felt off I should use that as an invitation to look inside myself. The heart of my coaching approach focuses on helping clients hone their personal leadership approach by looking inward. With a strong inner confidence clients can flourish as creators and leaders because they become their own strongest allies.

    I believe that each client’s needs are unique and change over time. For that reason, I draw on a range of coaching techniques and resources that I have been trained on and have used myself.

    I play the role of a curious and supportive resource who walks alongside you in your journey. I am not here to offer advice, but rather to help you get clear on what questions you are asking, what you want, and help you learn to find your own answers.

  • I work with founders, CEOs, and leaders of for profit and nonprofit organizations who are looking to grow through their work. This typically means clients typically resonate with the statements below. If this sounds like you let’s connect!

    • You are working towards bringing a vision to life or are already doing so (a business, a project, a team, etc).

    • You find yourself trying out or being interested in non-traditional leadership styles.

    • You want to continue to grow personally because you realize that the more you know yourself the better you can collaborate with others. You are eager to see your blind spots.

    • You recognize that your personal life and professional life are deeply linked. You are excited for the growth you experience within your business/job to ripple across all other aspects of your life.

    • You realize it takes a village to build anything, and for that reason, you are looking for a coach to support you. You are excited to build a relationship with a trusted confidant who knows you deeply and can be with you in the ups and the downs.

    • You are excited about helping your team members grow personally and professionally.

  • My coaching fee varies based on the type and amount of work we do together, but you should expect to budget at least $2,500 per month. When I was a CEO/leader working with a coach, I viewed this as one of the most valuable investments I could make in my business (and it often cost less than hiring one entry level employee).