“Derek is a brilliant coach and friend who has made a tremendous impact on both my professional and personal life. For years while serving in the military, I was under the assumption that I had to check certain boxes to obtain a coveted rank, or that my life HAD to look a certain way in order to be successful. I believed if I didn't check those boxes then I would be a mediocre officer and fail as a leader. Imagine the stress that can add to your life!
After spending time with Derek, he has helped me to look inside myself and determine what MY definition of success is--not how the military or other people around me define success. Since our conversations, my outlook on life and definition of success have changed drastically, stress levels have decreased, and my career path re-vectored to living a life that is best for me and my family, while providing a better quality of life. I've learned I am good at several things that do not align with my original career path but will ultimately enable me to live a happy life where I can still be an impact to others through service.
Derek is a great listener, encourager, and motivator. He will stretch you and truly help you transform your world into an authentic life worth living. If you're feeling stuck in a particular area of your life, I encourage you to invest in a transformation that will propel your professional and personal life. Derek has been an invaluable asset to me and my family. When it comes to coaching, he is truly the best!
Kenda
“Derek shattered every mold and expectation I had in mind. Words like "authentic" and "dialogue" seemed foreign in the work setting, but from day one, Derek committed to a collaborative relationship built on a foundation of constant, honest communication. Some of my peers and subordinates found his passion off-putting; they couldn't see past their own notion of a supervisor's role or were intimidated by his intuition and candor. I can understand their hesitation.
As a coach, Derek demands sincerity, courage, and humility, and he wasn't afraid to challenge my self-truths and status quo. Yet in those moments of discomfort or confusion, he articulated paths to growth and healing which otherwise would have been obscured by self-doubt and fear.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate for the year-and-a-half I was assigned to Derek. I never could've anticipated how deeply the impact of his mentorship would affect my relationship to myself or the world around me.
Angela
“In life, time is one of the most valuable things you have. My time spent working and talking with DK was/is always time VERY WELL spent. Learning from his coaching and mentoring was beneficial in both my personal and professional life.
He is not afraid to ask you tough questions and challenge you in a way the makes you feel cared about, respected, and motivated all at the same time. If you seek DK’s coaching, you will benefit in ways you never thought about or imagined.
I sought his assistance to become a better leader; he has helped me be a better husband, father, leader, and follower. From the moment you sit down to talk to DK, you will immediately feel the comfort of talking to an old friend. I will forever consider DK a great friend.
Zach
“Before working with Derek I was almost 4 years post divorce. I was progressing in my professional life, yet still struggling in my personal life. I had an unhealthy view of myself that was affecting my relationships. I felt as if I was going in circles. I lacked self-confidence and discipline. I had tried counseling in the past but never thought of working with a coach until a colleague connected me with Derek.
Derek offered strategies and new ways of thinking that I had not considered before. Intentional journaling and work done outside of our sessions reinforced the new tools I now have. Though, it never felt like "work" to me.
I was surprised to see how he even helped me shift the way I thought about and behaved towards my former spouse. He helped me feel empowered to be the man I’ve always wanted to be.
In our time together I have grown into happiness and confidence in a way that has allowed me to be fully engaged in a wonderful and healthy relationship with my soon-to-be wife.
Trust me, you need to work with Derek if you’re ready to create a new version of yourself.
Chris FrumkinFirefighter
“Prior to working with Derek, I was in a very dark place. In the immediate months prior, I got divorced, I had two near suicidal events (so near that the gun was in hand, hammer back), contemplated quitting my job, and was drinking often. I knew of Derek’s work and the results he helps his clients get, so I reached out.
This was my first time in a coaching relationship. I didn’t really know what to expect, but what surprised me about working with Derek was how quickly we got to the root of my problems.
Derek is able to be direct in a way that conventional counseling does not allow. He stays on tough topics and guides the discussion where it needs to go, despite the possible discomfort. He likes to say, “Growing can be uncomfortable. Being stuck and unhappy is uncomfortable. If it’s uncomfortable either way, choose the discomfort that makes your life better.”
He has a way of communicating in a powerfully direct and honest way that is exactly what you need if you’re truly seeking meaningful breakthroughs. He is a master at guiding his clients to self-identification and self-actualization.
Derek is bold, caring, direct, nurturing, and exploratory. But I’d say that my favorite thing about working with him is knowing that answers and peace will come my way by staying committed to the process.
Through our work together, I'm operating in a completely different world. Family life is amazing, including a beautiful new marriage, work continues going well, I'm totally sober, and the thought of sucide is non-existent. The darkest days now are brighter than the brightest days in my past life.
Working with Derek has been truly amazing. I only wish I’d met him years ago and saved three years of expensive, fruitless counseling elsewhere.
If you're looking to actually grow and/or heal, then Derek is the perfect coach for you.
Tim GribbleFirefighter, Air Force Officer, Adventure Athlete
“When I first began working with Derek, I was struggling with anger, lack of purpose, and deep depression. At times I even felt hopeless and needed clarity around who I was and where I wanted to go. Derek showed up to support me in an extremely relatable way. The life experiences and wisdom he shared helped me to see that I was not alone in my struggles.
He offered an extremely diverse range of methods and tools to help me navigate my challenges and find out what I truly wanted. He helped me set the necessary goals to move forward, and provided the accountability and support to achieve them. I found Derek’s presence to be one of his greatest strengths as a coach. I felt truly heard when speaking my mind, and his ability to listen and feel into my state provided a powerful space to find what I needed, whether it was practical coaching or emotional support.
Derek shows up with consistency and integrity. And I am now showing up with more consistency and integrity in my own life. Our sessions provided an anchor of unwavering support for me to begin rebuilding my life. I am clear now around my identity, my purpose, the kind of relationships I wish to have, and the kind of life I want to lead.
Matt QuickArtist
“Working with Derek changed my life! Not only did I lack confidence in my abilities, but I lacked the foresight to set bigger goals professionally, and in my personal life. Despite my professional accomplishments, I didn't believe in myself. I had been playing small for so long that the idea of setting aggressive goals felt unattainable. Derek taught me that I had more potential than I had ever considered.
If you are looking to change your perspective, your life, achieve more, and open yourself to possibilities you've never considered, you've found your coach. I can't recommend Derek enough to anyone looking to reach their goals and transform their life.
Aubrey S.Executive Director
“Working with Derek helped bring more clarity to my life than I could have ever anticipated. It helped me build a clear definition of my goals, the person I needed to be to achieve them, what balance and order is to me, and how to maintain them. The level of comfort I had with Derek allowed me to identify strengths that I was blind to and completely reframed the way I perceived my weaknesses. Looking back, working with Derek has been a blessing for my career, as well as my personal life.
Although I felt like my career trajectory was heading towards my ambitious goals, I knew something was missing. My work with Derek allowed me to see that balance and presence were the missing elements. Derek helped me to see value in these elements, what they look like for me, and how they can be achieved and maintained.
Zan HeltonVice President
“Working with Derek has made me look into why things happened and what effect they've had on me. Instead of trying to solve the problem immediately, we went into how I got there and what I need to do to ensure I am prepared for similar situations. He showed me how to respect myself more and helped me see that I deserve happiness.
Derek takes the grueling task of self-work and turns it into a learning session that I look forward to. He gives a very best friend approach to coaching but, like a best friend, he asks hard questions to expose the truth you’re hiding from yourself. Through this approach he gained my trust and helped me get out of the worst spot in my life.He has shown me that my past does not dictate my future. He helped me slow down, take a deep breath, and realize that everything doesn't need to be solved at that moment. You can work things out while still living your life.
What surprised me most is how he was able to lead me down a path to finding my own answers without me even knowing. There will be a lot of "oh wow" and "you are good" moments. His value to me and my goals is more than double or triple what I pay!
I encourage you to bring whatever you are struggling with to Derek. His approach will work for whatever you are working on, and best of all…will help you become the best version of yourself.
If you're looking to finally work on yourself in a meaningful way without any of the bullshit, then Derek is the perfect coach for you!
Andy RothAccount Executive