Most service-based founders didn’t start their business to run spreadsheets, chase team issues, or babysit backend chaos.

But that’s where they end up—wearing the COO hat, buried in operations, and stuck running a business they never meant to build.

That’s where I come in.

I work hands-on with founders to:
- Plug profit leaks
- Create clarity with cash
- Build simple systems that scale
- Reclaim time, margin, and control

My 8-week Profitable Growth Accelerator™ is built for service businesses doing $300K–$2M who are ready to grow on purpose, get paid properly, and stop the chaos—without adding more hours.

📊 We start with your numbers
📈 We fix what’s broken
🧠 You get your business—and your life—back

If that sounds like the kind of help you’ve been hunting for, DM me or visit the link above.

Damien Foglio

Meeting with a prospective client yesterday, one thing became apparent: 
He had great revenue ($1M+), was even making 5%+ profit, but had no cash flow to float payroll. 

Truth is, every small business owner wants steady cash flow, 
but not all of them have it. 

Start with this fact: 
The biggest reason small businesses struggle to keep the lights on is because they don’t have enough profit.

Sounds simple, right? 

But here’s the kicker: 
Even if you’re making a profit, you’re not necessarily staying afloat. 

Why? 

Because most business owners are spending that profit right away:
Debt payments, owner draws, bonuses, or just plain old overspending.

If you want to build predictable cash flow, you need to control what you’re extracting from your business.

Here’s my advice: 
Review your monthly financials like a hawk. 

Understand where every dollar is going.
If you’re not doing that already, you’re flying blind.

Profit isn’t just an end-of-month number. 
It’s the fuel that keeps your cash flow alive.

Stop spending your profit like it’s Monopoly money. 
Reclaim your financial clarity, and your cash flow will follow.

Are you ready to take control? 

Do this, starting today: 
1️⃣ Start by reviewing your numbers weekly.
2️⃣ Review your P&L's by percentage (in accordance to revenue) monthly. 
3️⃣ Make decisive actions to improve the outliers. 

Because no matter how busy you are, 
if your profit isn’t growing, your cash flow isn’t either.

Let’s get real about your numbers. 
Your business depends on it.

undefined undefined

Cash Flow Freedom - Dec 1

Workshop

📌 On Monday, January 19th at 7 pm EST I am hosting a 1-hr workshop: Profitable Gameplan helping business owners get a jump start on achieving their 2026 goals. 

https://calendly.com/coach-damien/workshop

It's only $25 to join. 
Includes bonuses and a replay.


Hands-on help for $300k-$3M Service Owner-Operators to ditch the COO hat, fix their cash flow, and build a route to profitable growth - and finally get paid | All Inside the 8-Wk Profitable Growth Accelerator™

One of my favorite follows here on is Blake Harber. 
Building a business from scratch, while sharing his journey along the way. 

But he recently asked a question that I love answering: 
How do you set up your week on Sunday? 

Here's my answer with a little more detail: 

Every Sunday afternoon, I take 1-2 hours and plan out my week: 

1️⃣ Confirm and schedule all personal items with my wife: Work schedules, pickups, drop offs, dates, following weekend plans, etc. 

2️⃣ Schedule all my client coaching appointments in my calendar and notebook. (I love analog). This is my "working" schedule for the week and must make times. 

3️⃣ I then plan all my workouts (4 x /week, 40 min ea) around those items. Day 1 through 4. With what I am going to work out and when. 

4️⃣ With the remaining time I build in my "business building" hours. 

I choose 3 strong objectives (My big 3) each week to accomplish by Friday afternoon. 

I then do 3 small tasks (My Little 3) each day to accomplish them - and schedule that time around all of the items above. 

5️⃣ And finally, I set out my clothes, grind all my coffee, and food prep for week (even though I work from home). 

Doing this every Sunday gets me motivated to get out of bed and start tackling everything every Morning. 

Do you have a Week prep routine? 
If so, let me know what works for you!

I build GTM teams for early stage founders | GTM Partners for Founders

Last week I sat on a call with a client and his brand-new admin.

He’d just had to move on from the previous one.
Clean break. Fresh start.
And one big problem:

The admin wanted to do a great job.
The client had no idea where to start.

So instead of training task-by-task...
or dumping a massive SOP doc on them...

We focused on just three things.

Not forever.
Just to get momentum.

Here’s what we did:

Defined the start of the day
What does “a good day” look like the moment they log in?
Clear tasks. Clear ownership. No guessing.

Defined the end of the day
Before signing off, what must be done for it to count as a win?
This alone removed 80% of the anxiety.

Prioritized the middle
A simple list of the best use of time in between.
Not everything. Just what matters most.

That’s it.

No micromanaging.
No overtraining.
No “let’s cover every edge case.”

And here’s the result:

The admin was up and running by day 2.

Not perfect.
But confident.
And moving.

This worked because most people try to train for completeness…

When what people actually need is clarity.

Clarity creates confidence.
Confidence creates momentum.
Momentum buys you time to refine later.

If you’re onboarding someone right now:

Start with the bookends.
Then fill in the middle.

What’s the first thing someone should own when they start their day?

—

If this was useful, say 👋 or steal the framework.
I share real behind-the-scenes moments like this often.

Being married to a business coach is not always a smooth ride. 

I sometimes think that living with someone who talks about goals, habits, and growth every day would be inspiring. 

But honestly? Sometimes it can be exhausting. 

Imagine waking up each morning to reminders to "review your goals," "track your progress," or "stretch outside your comfort zone." 

It’s like living with a personal development seminar 24/7. 

Some nights, I just want to binge-watch Netflix without a "what did you learn today" quiz. 

And then there’s the constant push to "be better," "do more," or "get uncomfortable." 

It’s inspiring, sure. But it can also be draining. 

Because growth isn’t always a straight line. 

Sometimes, it’s just about surviving the day without feeling like you’re under a microscope. 

So if you’re married to a coach, here’s the truth: 

Yes, they’re dedicated to helping others grow. 

But they’re also human. 

They get tired. 

They forget that sometimes, a good nap is a better goal than a new habit. 

And that’s okay. 

Because at the end of the day, the real growth comes from understanding each other—not just the goals we chase. 

Now, tell me—what’s the most surprising thing about living with someone obsessed with growth? 

I’ll start—some days, I feel like I’m married to my personal coach. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

But sometimes, I just want a break from the growth talk. 

And that’s the real lesson: balance. 

Even the most passionate coaches need to step back and breathe. 

Because growth isn’t just about pushing forward—sometimes, it’s about enjoying the ride. 

What’s your take?

Hands-on Implementor for $300k-$3M Service Owner-Operators to ditch the COO hat, build a route to profitable growth...so they can finally get paid what their worth | All Inside the 8-Wk Profitable Growth Accelerator™

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I say a lot of things on LinkedIn, but never did I expect something I said to turn in to a "mini-viral" moment.   At least in my small world.  

But apparently my post on Sunday struck and nerve and invited new people into the conversation of leadership.  

In this case, an employee was asked by the owner of the company (his dad) to perform a client request, to which the employee (the son) refused to do. 

The requested service was well within the scope of work and the owner felt it was helping a long term client out.  The employee felt it was a waste of time.

So, who is right in this situation?  

I might argue that as long as the work order and service request is within the scope of work the company provides, the employees are to do what is requested of them.  

That's what this conversation is all about.  

However, part of what I learned from this post is that context matters.  
And I completely agree with that.  

Without context there is a cliff hanger.  A desire to know more. 

But then the question is: 

With more context would it have gotten the response that it did?  
Did the fact that my post lacked context create the curiosity to join the conversation?  

Not really clear, but one more thing I learned: Keeping up with a post like this, providing context and responses to every single comment is a lot.  

Almost overwhelming, but worth it.  

Here is the link to the original post: 
https://lnkd.in/g-x5QhwM

One of my favorite new perspectives on life and learning is from Alex Hormozi. 

In one of his older podcasts, he mentioned that only reads books to solve a specific problem or challenge. 

Or in other words: his next biggest constraint to his goals. 

As a business coach, for me that might be: 
+ Lack of leads
+ Low sales conversion
+ Improvement in my program
+ Long term growth

And as small business owners, it could be similar: 
> Lack of consistent revenue and profit. 
> Low cash flow and no system to manage it. 
> Hiring and retaining the best people. 
> Leadership and building a long term business. 

Or whatever it might be. 

We all have limited time - only so much available per day. 

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲? 

The answer to that question is how I spend my available time and energy. 

I watch YouTube videos on it during my lunch break. 
I fill any social media feed with people that solve that challenge. 
I read books at night before I go to bed on how to solve it. 
I join workshops to help me accelerate my learning. 

I don't stop until I solve it. 

And, when I do, I find my next biggest roadblock. 

Curious – What are you currently reading? 
And how do you choose which book to read next?

Founder Acquisition.com, Co-Founder Skool.com. Get your free scaling roadmap👇

I don't sit around waiting for life to happen.

From my understanding, there are three kinds of people:

1. Those who wait for something to happen.
2. Those who wonder what happened.
3. Those who make it happen.

I'm the third: Always making it happen.

Set my goals.
Build my plan.
Take steps day by day.

But I've learned two big lessons from this way of living:

First, sometimes you need to hit pause to stay on course.
Second, rest isn't a luxury. It's part of the plan.

Going 16 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year? 
That kills momentum long term.

So I schedule rest. 

Not because I'm lazy, but because I get energy from tinkering, thinking, moving.

Balance keeps me moving forward, keeps my momentum alive.

No shortcuts, no burnout. 
Just steady progress. 
That's how you make things happen.

What type of person are you? 
where do you find your energy?

Let me know in the comments!

Most owners obsess over the big numbers: 
Clients, revenue, net profit. 

I used to do the same. 

Then I learned the real power isn't in the top line. 
It's in the denominator. 

For me, it was 'per hour'. 

'Revenue per hour' 
'Gross profit per hour' 
'Cost per hour' 

Why? 

Because I used to bid my work per hour. 

When I added a 100-hour contract, I knew instantly what it would bring in revenue, profit, and costs. 

That denominator "per hour" became the engine. 

Scale it, and everything else moves. 

For plumbers, it's per job. 
For consultants, per project. 
For you, it's whatever makes your model tick. 

What's the one number that drives your business? 

Figuring that out can change everything. 

If you want help finding it, shoot me a DM. Tell me about your business, and I'll help you identify that key number for free. 

Stop chasing totals. Focus on what truly moves your engine.

If you are anything like me, you have planned your future as if it is guaranteed. We save for the obvious, set fixed goals, but often forget one critical thing...the unknown. 

My wife and I do this every year on our family planning trip. 
We ask ourselves: 

What are we not seeing? 
What surprises might come our way? 
What unexpected opportunities or challenges could pop up? 

It's the biggest reason folks miss out on game-changing moves. 

- Buying that house down the street to rent out 
- Investing in a friend's business just about to take off 
- Handling a health scare without freaking out 
- Weathering a job loss and keeping the lights on 
- Taking time for yourself and your family without guilt 

Your future isn't guaranteed. 

But why do so many plan for a future they can't predict, 
yet leave the unknown unaddressed? 

What if we started prepping for the unexpected? 

Over the past 6 weeks, my wife and I experienced this firsthand, taking over a family home to turn into a part-time vacation rental. 

We weren't planning for anything like this. 

But because we focus on preparing for the unknown, we were ready when opportunity knocked. 

Think about it. 

How are you preparing for what you don't see coming? 
Because the right preparation today can unlock a world of possibilities tomorrow. 

Don't wait for the surprise to hit , start planning for the unknown now. 
Your future depends on it. 

What's one thing you're doing today to prep for what's coming next?

Many service-based business owners are scared to bring me into their business. They fear being judged for a messy business — no clear financials, no clear direction, and no clear goals. 

I’ve talked to many owners who are nervous — almost scared — about what I might discover when I dig into their books and systems.

Here’s the truth: 

That mess? It’s exactly where I thrive.
That chaos is a goldmine.

It’s where the real story lives — the hidden leaks, the missed opportunities, the profit leaks buried in the clutter.

And here’s a secret: Just because the data looks bad doesn’t mean the business is bad.

Problems are honest messengers.

They tell us where we need to fix things, where to tighten margins, where the profit leaks are hiding.

The key isn’t solving everything at once — it’s starting with ONE thing, the biggest challenge, and knocking it out.

Like pushing snow downhill, solving one frustration snowball makes everything easier moving forward.

So, if your business feels like a mess, remember — that’s where growth begins.

Tackle the biggest pain first, and watch how momentum builds.

Ready to turn your chaos into clarity? 
Let’s start cleaning up those profit leaks today.

"Will growth always be like this?" 
He doubled his business in 2 years. 

On paper, that's a win. 
But behind the scenes? 
He was drowning in questions, requests, and frustrations. 

Every day felt like chaos. 
Staff issues. Client demands. Fire drills. 

Growth doesn't have to feel like chaos. 

It can be structured. 
Predictable. 
Even freeing. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 
𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 

Growth becomes manageable, not maddening. 

Ask yourself, has your growth felt like freedom or friction? 
If it's friction, you're missing the systems that make growth sustainable. 

Stop the chaos before it stops you. 
Build for scale, not chaos. 

It's a choice. What's yours?

Last week I was looking at a client’s numbers and had to pause.

Not because they were flashy.
But because of how quiet the growth was.

In 2023: $160k revenue | $60k pay/profit

In 2024: $652k revenue | $130k profit

This year? On track for $800k with $200k profit.

Same business. Same market. No hype.

So what actually changed?

We didn’t add more chaos. 
We removed it.

Here’s what we did:

1️⃣ Restructured pricing
2️⃣ We stopped winging it.
3️⃣ Built a firm pricing list.
4️⃣ Then increased it intentionally each year. 

No apologizing.
No custom quotes for everything.

Focused on the most profitable services
Not the busiest ones.
The repipes that actually made money.

If it wasn’t profitable, it stopped being a priority.

Changed how talent was paid
Instead of bloated fixed costs,
we paid a fixed % per job.

Cheaper access to great talent.
Costs stayed predictable.
Margins stopped getting crushed.

That one shift did two things at once:

More jobs completed per week

Cost per job finally stayed under control

This worked because most businesses try to grow revenue first...

When the real unlock is structuring profit before scale.

Revenue is loud.
Profit is quiet.
But profit compounds.

If you doubled revenue tomorrow, would your profit double too — or disappear?

—

If you want help tightening the engine before pushing harder, say the word.
I share what’s actually working behind the scenes.

Part of me wants to raise daughters who are great team players and dependable employees: self-aware, responsible, respectful, and willing to go above and beyond.

But another part of me dreams of raising entrepreneurs.

Ones who push boundaries, question things to better understand, and aren't afraid to forge their own path.

Honestly, either path works for me, as long as they are happy.

Every Thursday night, on the way to hip-hop dance class, my 11-year-old Harper and I talk about the business she wants to build.

It's become our weekly ritual, reviewing her "business plan," updating it, and figuring out what's missing.

And since I promised to be her first investor and biggest supporter, it's crucial we build that investor-entrepreneur relationship early.

Right now, we are building "Fit & Fashion" where local ladies can gather, purchase Alo quality items at Rack prices, while joining in fitness classes. 

The real question: are we empowering her to chase her dreams or just teaching her to follow orders?

Either way, I know one thing , what she learns now will shape her future.

And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

What about your kids? Do you want them to follow a well-trodden path or blaze their trail?

Let's talk about it in the comments.

This week was... loud.

Multiple client calls.
Same issue. Different employees.

People asking for more money —
using every tactic in the book to get it.

Market rates.
Past titles.
What their friend makes.
What they feel they deserve.

So here’s how I look at it:

Compensation = the value the position brings to the company.

That’s it.

Your prior experience?
Relevant to getting hired — not getting a raise.

Your prior pay or title?
Relevant to your resume — not your compensation here.

Other companies paying more for “the same role”?
Then that role might make sense... at that company.

Titles, responsibilities, leadership, expectations —
they vary too much for pay-by-comparison to mean much.

So what’s the real goal?

Stop playing their game.
Play your game.

The one built around:
1️⃣ Profit
2️⃣ Growth
3️⃣ Sustainability

If someone materially contributes to those —
work to keep them.

If they don’t —
don’t take the easy road and pay more for the same value you already had.

When I evaluate compensation, I come back to two questions:
1. What would it cost to replace them in their current role?
2. Knowing what I know now, would I hire them today at the pay they’re asking for?

Those two answers solve a lot of future problems.

One more thing most people don’t like hearing: When someone worked for me, compensation was discussed once per year.

That’s it.

Not open-ended.
Not ongoing.
Not emotional.

Because compensation should:

1️⃣ Align with responsibilities
(As clearly defined in the job description.
If responsibilities change → comp gets reviewed.)

2️⃣ Scale with growth
Every role should have a clear formula for what growth with the company looks like.
When compensation is tied to revenue and/or profit percentages,
most “raise conversations” disappear.

Clarity beats negotiation.
Structure beats pressure.

Curious — how do you think about compensation when emotions enter the room?

Saturdays are my favorite days of the week. 
But not because I don't do much, in fact, quite the opposite...

My wife and I are very intentional about planning our weekends in advance. 

And one thing we have been more focused on lately is planning weekends with nothing - completely open. 

To work around the house, clean things up in the garage, and be prepared for our next adventure. 

Today is one of those days. 

These days very much look the same: 

Wake up later than normal, usually around 8:30. 
Make a big pot of coffee. 
And plan out my day - Even on my weekends, I am spending time writing out my To-do List. 
Start at the top of the list. 

This season I am focusing on having everything I need ready for Spring to ensure I get a good jump on my yard, the house, and items, so we can have more time and weekends away, enjoying the summer. 

But, no matter what, my goal is to have everything completed by 4 pm on Saturday, to rest and Sabbath till 1 pm on Sunday. 

Curious – What do your Saturday's away from work look like?

The great Sunday reset. 

Our preparation today is going to make a great Monday. 
And a great Monday makes a great week. 

We make our momentum and follow it. 
We push through our comfort and seek our goals on the other side. 
We plan our time rather than wondering what happened. 

We grow personally. 
We grow professionally. 
We grow our closest relationships. 

By this time next week we will be that much closer to our goals. 
We will be one week further from last weeks troubles. 

Planning our 3 strategic objectives for the week. 
Planning our 3 daily task each day to ensure they are done. 

Who's with me?

The grind of growing a small service business is real. 

When I took over the branch office of my family's business, it felt like a mountain too high to climb. 

Sure, it had revenue of $440k annually, but was losing -$50k per year. 

But now, looking back, I wish I knew then what I know now: 
It is much simpler when you have a repeatable system. 

A system that when implemented into the business, followed, and reviewed, changes everything. 

One that is planned annually, built quarterly, monitored weekly, and executed daily. 

One that turns current revenue profitable. 

One that tells cash where to go - Instead of wondering where it is.

One that manages time on the right things. 

One that sets goals and defined the future destination. 

One that provides the exact daily and weekly plan to follow. 

One that retains all current clients, while adding new ones. 

One that ensures the pricing is profitable and competitive. 

One that puts revenue on repeat. 

This is now what I coach to my clients in a 8-week program: 
The Profitable Growth Accelerator. 

If you might be interested in hearing more about this system, please reach out. 

My desire is not to sell you something you don't want, 
but to implement the right system in your business. 

One that makes today the last day your business looks like it does. 

If you want to take a peek, shoot me a DM.

Are you the type to make New Year's Resolutions, or do you skip them altogether?

Honestly, I believe everyone needs at least one goal, because real growth only happens when there's change.

We don't need more information. We need transformation. 

But here's the catch: Change doesn't just happen.
It starts with a clear, measurable goal, a timeline, and a plan.

Whether your goal is to lose 20 pounds or grow your business by 20%, breaking it into 90-day chunks makes it manageable.

Want to drop 20? Focus on 5 pounds every 90 days.
Looking to scale? Aim for a 5% growth each quarter.

It's not about WHEN you start, 
it's about HAVING a goal and a plan to reach it.

Goals for 10 years, 3 years, and 1 year are important.

But the real magic? 
Breaking them down into actionable steps for the next 90 days.

Know where you are now, define where you want to go, and map out your 90-day milestones.

Set your goals today , whether it's New Year's or a random Tuesday.
Grow in every aspect, and make this year different than the last.

One goal at a time.
One 90-day sprint.

Struggling to define your next 90-day goals?
Reach out, I'd love to help you turn big dreams into achievable plans.

Let's make this year your best yet.

PS: My goal is to help 100+ small service-business owners build better businesses in 2026. Improving pay, satisfaction, and profit - all without adding more hours.

My wife and I have started the process of looking for a new family vehicle. 

We simply cannot fit our family of 4 and our luggage (We all have a tendency to overpack a bit.) in either of our two current cars. 

But while talking to sales people and dealerships one thing stood out. 
This dealership 20 min south, does not negotiate. 

They go by a one-price motto. 

I was a bit used to this when purchasing Audi's in my previous life, but for a Toyota? 

But that's it. 

The price they give you in store is the price they sell it. 
Everyone gets the same price. 

Then I started thinking about all of the positives of this...

Eliminates possible discrimination. 
Levels the ground for different levels of negotiations. 
Allows each person to get the same deal, no matter their purchasing power. 

I hated it as a buyer, as I wanted to negotiate. 
I want to feel like I am winning something more. 

But as a business, I love it. 

Too many times, service-based business owners build their price, but are open to negotiation. 

They lower their price to make a customer happy. 
Or provide a discount to help get the sale. 

But this can work in the opposite direction. 
It cheapens the service. 

1️⃣ Build your perfect profitable price for each service. 
2️⃣ Stick to it. Don't negotiate. 

Some of my clients are hesitant to tell clients their pricing. 
When that is the case, we...
1️⃣ Post it to a website or landing page. 
2️⃣ Point every client to that page. 
3️⃣ Have them book a call at the bottom. 

Easy peasy.

(PS: This was last night's sunset from the dealership. God's creation is beautiful!)

I spent this week in a workshop and revisited an old one.

The focus? Building the perfect program for my clients and packaging it in a way that makes the "yes" obvious.

Sounds simple, right? It's not.

That's the real work behind growing my business:

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁.

Because it's not just about the tactics.

It's about framing.
It's about mindset.

And here's what shifted for me this week:
The real game changer isn't just the offer.

It's how I see my value, my impact, and my market.

If I want my business to grow, I've got to believe in what I do , in the impact my services have on business owners and why they should choose me over others.

Clients aren't just numbers. They're partners.

What's the one mindset shift that's changed how you see your business and leadership?

Highly capable leaders don’t stall because they lack effort, intelligence, or ambition.
They stall because they keep applying effort where leverage is required—and the system quietly rewards them for it… right up until it doesn’t.

Early success trains this pattern.

Promotions come from delivering under pressure.
Credibility builds on solving what others can’t.
Influence grows by being the person who figures it out faster than everyone else.

Then scope expands.
And effort stops compounding.

The leader is still performing. Still delivering.
But traction is harder to generate.
Decisions carry more weight.
Influence doesn’t move as easily.
And working harder produces diminishing returns.

That’s the inflection point I work in.

I coach VP–C-suite biopharma leaders in high-stakes, high-visibility roles—leaders whose roles have outgrown the effort-based model that made them successful.

My work helps leaders:

• Relocate where leverage actually lives at senior levels
• Scale influence without burning political capital
• Make high-stakes decisions under ambiguity without over-carrying the system
• Build enterprise leadership—not just functional excellence

This is not about doing less.
It’s about intervening differently—so effort converts into traction instead of exhaustion.

I bring a rare combination to this work: a PhD in neuroscience, McKinsey training, and 20+ years as a biopharma executive, including serving as both Chief People Officer and Head of Medical Staff Affairs.

The result is leaders whose impact scales with their role—without defaulting to over-efforting to prove it.

What senior leaders say:

“25 years into my career, and the 6 months I worked with Angela was a transformative experience.”
— Julie B., EVP, Human Resources

“Angela is a rare strategic thought partner… coaching with her transforms how you think, act, and lead.”
— S.M., Founder & CEO

“I now know I have a rightful place at the decision-making table—and I’m showing up that way.”
— Fiona I., VP, People & Organisation, Global Biotech

“Having worked with several coaches, I can confidently say Angela is top-tier—smart, strategic, and pragmatic.”
— JS, SVP & Board Director

Angela Justice

The first week back, everyone sounds about 10% more sure than they actually are.

I notice it every year.

High-visibility weeks have a way of forcing answers before there’s much evidence yet.

You hear people naming priorities before they’ve tested them.

Making decisions with last year’s data and this year’s pressure.

Saying “here’s the plan” when they really mean “here’s what I think right now.”

It’s not bad judgment.
It’s January.

There’s a quiet expectation to have a position before you’ve had enough exposure to the system you’re operating in.

So things get firmed up faster than they need to.

Sometimes the smartest move this month looks like hesitation.

Not disengagement.
Not delay.

“I’m still paying attention.”

Most of the leaders I work with who make the best calls in Q1 aren’t the ones who decided fastest.

They’re the ones who stayed curious the longest.

Angela Justice, PhD

Executive Coach to Biopharma Leaders | Former Chief People Officer

Angela Justice seated, looking down at her phone with a thoughtful expression, wearing glasses and a navy sweater with white stripes, appearing mid-moment rather than posed.

One of the hardest decisions I made in a senior executive role wasn’t whether to restructure.

It was what I had to carry after.  

The business couldn’t support the roles any longer.  
The decision was necessary.  
The people affected were incredibly talented leaders I cared deeply about.  

And I felt like I had broken an unspoken promise to them.  

Not a promise I’d made explicitly.  
But the one that exists underneath every leadership relationship:  

If you give me your best work, I will protect you.  

And I couldn’t.  

I couldn’t protect them from a business reality I didn’t control.  
I couldn’t make the outcome different.  
I couldn’t even soften it in a way that felt honest.  

What I could do was not make them carry my guilt along with everything else.  

I didn’t apologize in a way that asked them to absolve me.  
I didn’t over-explain to make myself feel better about the decision.  
I didn’t collapse into reassurance that this would all work out.  

I stayed present.  
I was direct about what was happening and why.  
I acknowledged that this wasn’t what any of us wanted.  

And I absorbed the weight of being the person who delivered it -
without needing them to tell me it was okay.  

Because it wasn’t okay.  
It was necessary.  

And that’s the part of senior leadership no one really prepares you for.  

You will make decisions that hurt people you respect.  
You will feel like you’ve failed them - even when the decision is right.  
And you won’t get to offload that discomfort onto anyone else.  

Transparency didn’t erase the pain.  
It just didn’t add unnecessary ambiguity to it.  

Composure wasn’t about hiding how hard it was.  
It was about not making my struggle their burden to manage.  

The privilege of the role is making the decision.
The cost is carrying its weight without asking anyone else to make it feel better.

That’s not coldness.  
That’s what the role requires.  

And it’s the part of leadership that stays with you long after the decision is made.

People tell you to delegate more.
Almost no one tells you how to delegate and still protect the outcome you’re accountable for.

You step back.
You hand the work to your team.

Then something breaks — and your name is on the email.
Your credibility is on the line.

So you stay closer than you expected.
You ask questions.
You check in on things you’re no longer supposed to own.

And it gets labeled as micromanagement.

But that’s not what’s happening.

You’re trying to avoid being surprised by something you’ll still be expected to answer for.

Here’s the leadership tension no one trains you for:

You can delegate the work.
You cannot delegate accountability for the result.

That gap is where a lot of senior leaders stall.

Stay close and you look controlling.
Step back and you get asked why you didn’t see it coming.

The real question isn’t
“How do I delegate better?”

It’s
“How do I stay informed without taking the work back?”

What’s helped you create visibility without becoming the bottleneck?

Biopharmas cut 47% more employees year over year.

42,700 people affected in 2025.

That number isn’t shocking anymore.

What is worth paying attention to is when those cuts happened.

Most weren’t panic moves.

They were deferred decisions finally coming due.

Headcount built for a capital environment that no longer existed.

Portfolios kept intact to preserve optionality.

Leadership teams hoping the market would turn before action was required.

By 2025, the buffer was gone.

So the correction landed all at once.

Layoffs at this scale aren’t primarily a people story.

They’re a decision-timing story.

The organizations that held momentum weren’t the leanest.

They were the ones that made hard calls earlier, with clearer context, and less wishful thinking—before the math forced their hand.

2026 won’t be defined by whether companies grow again.

It will be defined by how early leaders are willing to decide when the data is still incomplete.

𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦’𝘴 2025 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴. 𝘍𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.

Bar chart titled “Biopharma Layoffs Made or Projected, 2024 vs. 2025.” In 2024, 156 biopharma companies reported or projected layoffs affecting 29,017 employees. In 2025, that increased to 199 companies and 42,701 employees. The chart highlights a year-over-year rise in both the number of compa

One of the hardest things for senior leaders isn’t making decisions without enough data.

It’s deciding when the data is good enough to act.

Early decisions always feel premature.
Late decisions feel inevitable.

In between is the uncomfortable window where nothing is certain, but inaction quietly becomes a choice.

Most leadership teams don’t miss that window because they’re reckless.

They miss it because waiting feels responsible.

And responsibility is easy to confuse with caution.

The leaders who maintain momentum aren’t the ones who decide fastest.

They’re the ones who know when “we’ll know more later” stops being a plan.

A client sat with a restructure decision for weeks.

Not because she lacked authority.
Not because the need wasn't clear.
Her boss had suggested it months earlier.

But she kept building the case.
Running scenarios.
Testing every edge case she could think of.

When I asked what she was waiting for, she paused.

“I guess I’m waiting to feel certain it’s the right call.”

Here’s what she realized:

She wasn’t waiting for certainty.
She was trying to eliminate every way the decision could break before she had to own it.

And no amount of analysis was going to give her that.

Most leaders like being needed.

It feels good to be the one people come to.
To be relied on.
To know things don’t move without you.

Even when it’s exhausting, there’s reassurance in it.

You’re in the meetings.
Answering the questions.
Making sure nothing goes sideways.

You care.
You’re capable.
You’re good at this.

And over time, that becomes the trap.

Not because you’re doing it wrong.
Because the system starts depending on you instead of growing around you.

Here’s the tell:

When progress depends on your presence,
capacity isn’t expanding — it’s concentrating.

The work keeps moving.
But the role stops scaling.

Being needed feels good long before it feels limiting. Branded quote graphic by Angela Justice, PhD, executive coach.

This is the week where patterns reassert themselves quietly.

You've caught up on the holidays.
Asked how people's time off was.
Your calendar has filled back in.
Meetings are back.

People have started bringing you the same things they did before the break.

Nothing surprising.
Just familiar.

And somewhere in there, you notice yourself responding the way you always have.

Jumping in quickly.
Solving things as they come.
Taking things on without really deciding to.

Not because anything is urgent.
Because it's familiar.

This is the week where patterns reassert themselves quietly.

What you answer immediately.
What you step into without being asked.
What finds its way back onto your plate by default.

There's no crisis here.
No big mistake.

It's just the moment before everything feels normal again.

And sometimes that's the only moment you get to notice
what you're about to carry into the year
without ever choosing it.

The question I keep hearing this month:

“I know what I need to do. Why aren’t I doing it?”

This is one of the quieter pressures January creates—decisions made before roles, capacity, and authority have fully settled.

These are leaders who’ve already decided.

They set priorities.
Blocked time for strategic work.
Said they’d delegate more, stay at the right altitude, think longer-term.

And then the day starts.

Something urgent comes in.
Someone needs a decision.
A meeting runs over.

By 4pm, the strategic work didn’t happen.
Again.

It’s not that they don’t know what to do.

It’s that knowing what should happen
and making it possible for it to happen
are different skills.

There’s a story I tell in this Talent Therapy episode that still makes me wince a little.

I brought a plan to the board that made perfect sense.
The logic was sound.
The savings were real.

And I completely missed what it would cost my peers to make it work.

Not from me.
From them.

That moment changed the question I ask now — before I bring a plan forward.

If you’ve ever been surprised by resistance after “doing everything right,” this conversation with Chris Tamburrini will feel familiar.

Principal & Founder @ RonanVance - Biotech & Pharma Executive Search

In this episode, executive coach Angela Justice, PhD of Justice Group Advisors breaks down why technical mastery alone is no longer enough at the VP and C-suite level, and how leaders must fundamentally change how they think about value, influence, and decision-making.

Making the transition from functional expert to enterprise leader is one of the most challenging—and least understood—leaps in an executive career. 

The conversation explores the role of curiosity in effective enterprise leadership, highlighting how successful executives develop a deep understanding of the interconnectedness between functions, teams, and long-term business goals. Angela shares why delegation, team development, and intentional capacity-building are not optional, but essential to scaling both personal impact and organizational performance.

The episode also tackles the realities of failure, burnout, and work-life balance at the executive level.

Listen to the full episode here:

YouTube - https://lnkd.in/e4uWSPkA
Spotify - https://lnkd.in/eEi-y4Zt

January is when leaders overwork their goals.

Not the doing of them.
The setting of them.

The right number. The right framing. The version that won't need explaining in March.

So goals get debated. Adjusted. Smoothed. Rewritten.

And teams feel it.

Not because the goals are too ambitious.
Because they're being treated like they're already locked.

You see it in how long goal-setting takes.
How many drafts get circulated.
How much justification gets built in upfront.

All to avoid looking like you got it wrong later.

But goals set in January rarely survive contact with February.

The strongest leaders I'm watching right now aren't setting perfect goals.

They're setting clear enough goals —
and making it obvious that adjusting them isn't failure.

If no one can say what’s stopping, your 2026 goals are already compromised.

Not because they’re wrong.
Because subtraction never happened.

Wrote about what that costs—
and who absorbs it—in a BioSpace piece coming out later this week.

If your goals felt easy to approve, they’re probably hard to execute.

That’s what shows up when the planning process feels smooth.

Everyone nods.
No one pushes back.
Priorities cascade without friction.

That should feel like alignment.
It’s often a warning sign.

The market still feels uncertain.
People are focused on doing solid work, staying heads-down, and not becoming the person who complicates the plan.

So nothing gets challenged.
Work doesn’t get debated.
It gets absorbed.

Execution rarely fails all at once.
It strains — slower decisions, blurred ownership, work that keeps moving but never quite lands.

Quality slips.
Energy thins.
And the people carrying the most quietly become the bottleneck.

This strain often gets misread as a performance issue.
It isn’t.

It’s a capacity issue.

The real question isn’t whether your team can do the work.
It’s whether they can do it and everything that never explicitly came off their plate.

I wrote about this for BioSpace — why this planning moment makes subtraction harder, and more necessary, than ever.

Before you add one more priority, pause and ask:

What’s actually stopping?

If workloads aren’t adjusted as needed, the company’s priorities are already compromised. Executive coach Angela Justice, PhD explores what happens when goals move forward without removing unnecessary work and what to do about it.
#goals #biopharma #biospace
https://hubs.li/Q040NFJh0

Open article: Subtraction Before Addition: A Smarter Way To Set and Execute Goals by hubs.li

Subtraction Before Addition: A Smarter Way To Set and Execute Goals

What actually makes governance good — regardless of sector?

I’m heading to the AGB (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges) conference in San Diego this weekend to sit with that question.

Most of my board work has been in biopharma, and I also serve on the foundation board of Minnesota State University, Mankato. The governance fundamentals feel consistent across sectors. The operating norms don’t.

I’m curious to see what translates cleanly between higher ed and healthcare — and what clearly doesn’t.

If you’ve been to AGB before: What’s one session or conversation that genuinely changed how you think about governance?

The shift usually shows up in meetings first.

Not in what leaders say—
but in what they stop doing.

They stop filling every silence.
They stop mistaking involvement for leadership.
They let the team do the work they were hired to do.

From the outside, it just gets easier to work with them.

Work moves faster.
Fewer handoffs stall.
Decisions land where they should.

Not because the leader is everywhere—
but because everyone else can finally do their job.

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