Let’s skip the motivational fluff and get to the truth: I’ve been coaching business leaders, startup founders, and turnaround execs long enough to know that everyone has blind spots. Including me.
Yes, even the guy with the sharp tongue and sharper instincts.
I recently asked ChatGPT to analyze my coaching notes, transcripts, and blog posts to grade me as a coach. So here it is—my AI-driven assessment. No polish. No PR spin. Just the real story of what I bring to the table, and where I occasionally knock over the table mid-session because I’m going too damn fast.
💪 What I Do Better Than Most
1. I Don’t Sugarcoat. Ever.
If you want a coach who’ll tell you your deck is “almost there,” your roadmap is “exciting,” or your dysfunctional leadership team “just needs better communication,” please go hire someone else.
I tell the truth. The actual, uncomfortable, “your baby is ugly and it’s also setting your company on fire” kind of truth. Because that’s what moves the needle. You’re not paying me to be polite. You’re paying me to help you win.
2. I See Patterns Before You See the Problem
You tell me your team is “confused” and “not executing.” I hear: You’ve created five priorities, can’t say no, and secretly like being the hero who fixes everything.
My job is to decode the real issue before you’ve finished your third excuse. I’ve lived through enough boardroom bloodbaths and startup implosions to know how these stories go. I don’t need the whole slide deck—I need the look in your eyes and the lie you tell yourself.
3. I Make You Accountable—With Teeth
A good coach makes you feel seen. A great coach makes sure your calendar and your excuses never get to date each other.
I’m relentless about clarity: what, how, when. If we talk about a plan, you’re leaving with a noun, a verb, and a date. And when that date rolls around, you better believe I’ll be following up.
4. I Ask the Questions You’ve Been Avoiding
You know that question you’ve been dodging—the one that blows up the excuse you’ve been hiding behind for six months? I ask that one first.
Then I shut up and let it land.
😬 Where I Still Screw It Up
Yep, even coaches have their own crap to work on. Here’s mine—raw, real, and occasionally painful.
1. I Can Scare the Sh*t Out of Newbies
I move fast. I talk fast. I coach like we’re on a burning airplane. Which is great for seasoned founders who want direct hits, not hugs. But for newer or less confident clients? I can bulldoze them without meaning to.
What I think is tough love, they sometimes experience as a Category 5 ego hurricane. I’m learning (slowly) to dial it down when the situation calls for it. Still a work in progress.
2. I Default to Action—Even When Emotion’s in the Room
I love a good tactical plan. Let’s fix it. Let’s move. Let’s go. But sometimes a client doesn’t need a plan—they need a beat to feel the weight of a decision. Or the grief of a bad hire. Or the shame of screwing up their company culture.
My instinct is to solve. Their need is to process. I’m getting better at telling the difference.
3. I Sometimes Outrun My Clients
Look, I’m a mental Ferrari. I hit 120 mph before most people have buckled in. That speed is a gift—until it becomes a liability. When I move too fast, I risk leaving clients behind. I start solving problems they haven’t even caught up to yet.
When that happens, I might be right… but I’m also ineffective. Coaching is about them, not about how smart I look zipping down the highway.
🎯 Why I Still Win
I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m more like a shot of espresso with a side of truth serum. But if you’re ready to grow, to be challenged, and to stop hiding behind the polished version of your LinkedIn bio, I’m your guy.
I won’t always be gentle. I won’t always be right. But I will always be in your corner, pushing you to do the work, face the mirror, and lead like it actually matters.
Curious what that feels like?
Let’s find out.
Schedule a free coaching call by pressing the little green doohickey below.
