When I became President of a record label in the early 2000s, Napster and the iPod rewrote the rules of the music industry overnight. My career trajectory could have been derailed. Instead, it taught me a lesson I’ve carried into every market since: disruption doesn’t wait for you to be ready.

What got me through wasn’t luck — it was a process. Spot the gap in the market. Find the right talent. Build a best-in-class team. Launch, monitor, pivot, repeat. At the time, I thought that was just survival. Looking back, I see it for what it was: business strategy in its purest form.

And the fuel behind it all? Collaboration. Creativity. Critical Thinking. Those aren’t soft skills. They are competitive advantages. They build cultures where people feel empowered to contribute, innovate, and grow — and that’s what drives market share.

That’s the work of culture coaching: helping executives harness the creative intelligence of their teams so that disruption becomes an opportunity, not a threat.

“I retained Don to help bring to focus our latest initiative called "Imagine House." His work proved exceptional, insightful, collaborative, and creative. His warm spirit, tenacity, and enthusiasm provided the wind in our sails we needed to succeed!"

Mike Fernandez, Dean, Lipscomb University, Arts and Entertainment

Technology will always advance, and so must you!