Executive coaching for founders

You haven't worked this hard to settle for this.

Peak Catalyst is executive coaching for the founders who don't settle.

See the programs About David

5x Founder · Former CRO
Lived experience, not theory

$20M → Half a Billion
IPO. PE investment. Fortune 500 M&A.

30+ Years
Sales leadership from Fortune 500 to founder-led businesses

Why founders settle

It's not because you stopped wanting more.

You started this with a fire. You still have it.

But somewhere along the way, the work changed shape. You drove every relationship, made every call, signed every check. That's how it got off the ground.

Then the strength became the cage.

Now the business runs because you run it. Every question routes to you. Every decision waits on you. Every hire, every fire, every fix.

You're working 50, 60, 70 hours a week. You haven't taken a real week off in years. And the harder you work, the more dependent the business becomes.

That's how settling happens. Not because you stopped pushing. Because you couldn't put it down.

It isn't a strategy problem. It isn't a hustle problem. It isn't fixed by another book.

It's a different conversation. The one this practice is built around.

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How we work together

Two programs. One standard.

Each engagement is built around the same outcome — clarity, focus, and execution that holds up under pressure. Choose the entry that matches where you are.

Bespoke Coaching

One-on-one executive coaching for founders & executives. Private. Direct. Built around your business, your timeline, and the conversations you can't have anywhere else.

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Foundational Journey

Group coaching for earlier-stage founders. Get out of your own way before the bottleneck calcifies.

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Meet David

A coach who's been in the chair you're sitting in.

David McIlwaine has founded five companies, served as Chief Revenue Officer and helped scale a business from $20M to half a billion — including IPO, PE investment, and Fortune 500 M&A.

He's also been a single parent for a decade and is open about the stumbles, falls and resiliency needed to get up in each chapter of life.

The point isn't the resume. David has lived every stage of what you're trying to build. He's sold companies. He's been bought. He's run sales orgs that doubled, shrunk, then doubled again. And he's been the founder who couldn't get out of his own way until someone made him.

That's why the coaching works. Not because there's a framework. Because there's experience behind every question.

Authenticity Growth Adding Value Truth Helping Others

Founded five companies across media, services and advisory.
Former CRO inside a SaaS technology company.
Helped scale a business from $20M to half a billion through IPO, PE, and M&A.
Fortune 500 sales leadership partnering with multiple verticals.
30+ years of lived operating experience — not theory.

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The honest part

This practice is not for everyone.

We know it. You know it. No one is for everyone. We're direct. We're honest. Some people say we're a tad too direct. A tad too honest. Oh well — that's the work.

To be challenged.No coddling here. We push because pushing is what produces the result you're paying for.

To be accountable.Don't do the work, don't get the result. The math is that simple.

To be uncomfortable.Growth lives on the other side of the conversations you've been avoiding. We have those conversations.

To take action.Nobody — and I mean nobody — will achieve your outcome for you. Choose your hard.

Proof, not promises

Real numbers. Real founders. Real engagements.

Every figure below comes from a current or former client. Names withheld where appropriate.

+143%

Construction company year-over-year revenue growth, then a record first quarter the following year.

+152%

In Home Services business: full prior-year revenue achieved in a single quarter, within 26 weeks of starting coaching.

+40%

Creative agency revenue lift in 60 days.

+15%

Business broker transaction value increase, equating to six figures in additional annual revenue.

The founder who left the country during a personal crisis. The business kept running.

That's the test. Not "did revenue grow." Did the business survive without the founder in the chair? Yes. That's the version of your business worth building.

Your numbers will be your own. The founders above showed up and did the work. We can't promise the same outcome for you — that depends on you, your business, and the action you take. What we promise is the coaching. The results are yours to earn.

In the founder's own words

What it sounds like on the other side.

“

Before coaching with David, my mind felt scattered. I was overwhelmed by thoughts, ideas, and desires, and I couldn't put one foot in front of the other. I'd beat myself up about not making the changes I wanted to see — and that set off a spiraling effect. I was stuck in overwhelmed paralysis and doubt.

Adrian R. Owner, HeyRaiseCreative.com — San Diego, CA

“

I have a greater sense of overall calm. The work I've been doing lately is the most demanding of my life, and having a coach has helped me have more confidence, intentional focus, and the ability to overcome obstacles. I won't go without a coach again — we can look in the mirror, but it often takes another person to really see us.

Luke V. Director of Construction — Denver, CO

“

As entrepreneurs you can become overwhelmed when so many things need attention. Knowing the 20% that produces 80% of the results is paramount. Having an executive coach to direct that focus is what I've found with David. If you're looking for the same, I recommend working with him.

Michael Voulgarakis Commercial Real Estate Syndicator — Richmond, VA

“

Thanks to David's guidance, I achieved things I never thought possible. I graduated with honors from a top graduate program, started my own mental health practice, and secured my financial future. If you're feeling stuck, change is possible. It starts with one decision: invest in yourself, break free from your limitations, and open yourself to a life filled with meaning.

Danielle J. Owner, Listen Counseling Center

What we stand for

Three things. Non-negotiable.

Innovation

Fresh thinking on problems most coaches recycle from a workbook.

Integrity

Honesty, even when (especially when) it's hard to hear.

Excellence

Top-tier work, every session. No phoning it in. Ever.

Media & Press

A regular voice on founder leadership and the work of building a business that doesn't need you.

David is regularly invited to share his lived experience on podcasts, panels, and industry stages — particularly on founder bottleneck, leadership identity, and the practical work of building a business that's worth keeping or worth selling.

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Get in touch

Let's see if we're a fit.

Thirty minutes. Direct. No pitch.

Tell us what you're trying to change. We'll tell you whether Peak Catalyst is the right partner for it. If we're not, you'll leave with a referral or at least one thing you can act on this week.

30-minute call — zero pressure, zero pitch.
We'll figure out which program (if any) fits where you are.
You leave with at least one thing you can act on this week.

Or pick a time directly on David's calendar →