
I help senior leaders win at the highest level.
The best leaders never stop getting better. I work with CEOs, founders, and senior executives who want to widen the gap -- and with organizations that understand leadership is worth protecting. My Leadership 360 gives clients a clear picture of how they're landing with the people around them. For leadership teams, the Relational Intelligence Assessment surfaces how the group communicates, builds trust, and gets things done.
ACC Certified Coach
I work with founders and owners who are building something real and need a thought partner with actual operational experience. Strategy, execution, organizational design, the hard decisions that don't come with a playbook. I take fractional and advisory engagements selectively -- when the fit is right and the stakes are high. I also build custom tools and frameworks from real client work -- diagnostic tools, assessments, and structured approaches that I put to work for the next client who needs them.
Most executives are dabblers. They get inconsistent results from AI and assume that's just how it works. It isn't. The Leash and the Lightning™ is my framework for teaching senior leaders to use AI at full power without losing their voice, their judgment, or their edge. Handlers get results. Dabblers get noise.
For directors and above who are navigating what's next -- whether that's a new role, a bigger seat, or an inflection point they didn't see coming. The Trajectory™ Diagnostic maps eight career domains to show where your momentum is strong and where a few focused moves would make the biggest difference.
Most coaches bring a methodology. I bring a methodology and a growing set of proprietary tools built from real client engagements. The Business Health Diagnostic. The Leadership 360. The Relational Intelligence Assessment. The Trajectory™ Diagnostic. The Leash and the Lightning™ framework. These weren't pulled off a shelf -- they were built because a client needed something that didn't exist yet. That's how I work.
I spent 25+ years in local media, starting as a journalist and eventually leading the east region of a major U.S. station group -- roughly 15 television markets, 2,000+ employees, and ~$600M in annual revenue. I integrated acquisitions, built digital and B2C ventures from scratch, and led through the kind of ambiguity that doesn't come with a playbook.
That operator background is the foundation of everything I do now.
I work with CEOs, senior executives, and leadership teams who are navigating growth, transition, or complexity -- and need a thought partner who has actually sat in the seat. I don't coach from theory. I work from experience, high candor, and a genuine belief that most leadership problems are solvable when you name them clearly and act with discipline.
ACC Certified Coach | Certified Business Coach | Certified Career Coach

Leadership is lonely. Navigate the complexities with the confidence and support of a trusted advisor.
One of the differentiators Dave brings to his coaching is his practical business experience. He has started and ran businesses. He has experienced the challenges and felt the emotions of what his clients deal with on a daily basis. Too many think that just by asking some meaty questions or by offering catchy examples from their own lives, they are coaching. Dave’s approach is to get to the heart of what matters to the person he is coaching, and to help that person find meaningful ways to move forward. Working with him is safe, judgment free, and productive.
Dave has a true talent for coaching and has impacted me in so many ways. His coaching helped me work through mental roadblocks that have been hindering me for months! He is truly a good listener and makes you feel heard while also tailoring his responses to your specific needs. It is amazing how big of a difference it makes. Also, attending a workshop led by Dave gave me so many action steps for growth in my business along with a positive energy to bring into everything I do!. In every meeting, you leave with a new perspective and skills you can effectively apply. I would highly recommend Dave if you are trying to work through specific roadblocks or if you are looking at taking your business to the next level.
I turned to Dave Peterson for guidance on an important decision making meeting. Dave's ability to listen and understand the nuances of my industry immediately stood out. Rather than espousing generic advice, he actively listened and helped clarify my objectives to two powerful questions: "What do I want to know?" "What do I want to leave them with?"
Dave's coaching style is directly connected to his innate ability to listen. With each question Dave asked, we built a solid and actionable plan. His guidance empowered me to get to the key information required to make meaningful progress on the project, as well as build a toolkit for future meetings. I highly recommend Dave to anyone looking to grow their decision making and leadership abilities, especially in complex workplaces.
I was fortunate enough to have a coaching engagement with Dave and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dave does a great job of first identifying what the pain points are in your professional life. Once we had established that, he let me talk about my pain points and was an excellent listener. Being able to talk through these issues not only helped me see what my role in my organization is but also helped me realize how I should deal with the obstacles negatively impacting my performance. Since our session, I have taken Dave’s coaching to heart and begun to improve on the what was holding me back. He provided a framework that was perfect as a reference to the coaching we had and is something I refer to at least once a week.
Gruntled Leadership was a great avenue for discussion of my career growth and plans without the constraint of specific roles. Dave asked questions that helped me to focus on areas I could build on and areas I could reevaluate from a different angle. The method of active listening and asking thought-provoking questions guided me toward a direction that would be right for me and not jsut solutions that could be used for anyone.
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