A partner who's actually been there
I've spent 25 years in B2B technology — as a CTO, product manager, and marketing leader — and the last seven building my own independent practice. I know what it feels like to make the leap, and I know what good marketing leadership looks like from the inside.
That experience is what I bring to the people I work with.
Call it coaching, mentoring, or advisory — the label matters less than what it does: gives you a trusted, experienced, straight-talking sounding board who's actually been where you are.
What this is and what it isn't
I don't run cookie-cutter programs. I don't put you in a cohort. I don't have a fancy worded workbook or some science-backed mindset framework I've been waiting to squeeze you into.
What I have is a method of working: asking the questions that matter, drawing on what I've seen across dozens of executives and businesses, and pushing you — gently but honestly — toward your goals and the clarity you probably already sense you need.
The method is mine. The agenda is yours.
Who I work with
- Senior marketing leaders - CMOs, VPs, and heads of marketing who want a trusted, experienced thinking partner — someone outside the business who can help them think more clearly and lead more confidently.
- Executives going independent - Experienced professionals making the transition from corporate to building their own practice or portfolio career, and who want to do it with a clear head and a practical plan.
How it Works
- One to one, always - Your time with me is yours. I work with a small number of people at any one time — this isn't a group program.
- Regular conversations - We meet consistently with space between sessions for you to think, act, and come back with what's real.
- No fixed syllabus - I bring structure and experience. You bring the agenda. We work with what's actually in front of you, not what a module says should be.
A little context
I've mentored CMOs through high-growth phases, advised founders on their first marketing hires, and supported leaders making the move from corporate to independent. I've made that transition myself, and I've learned as much from the things that didn't go smoothly as from the things that did.
"I couldn’t have done all of this without you Ian! I really mean it." - a LinkedIn comment from Thomas Peham, former CMO Storyblok as he transitioned from CMO to entreprenuer.
Alongside my client work, I'm a mentor in the prestigious Institute of Directors (IoD) Peer Mentoring Program — working with directors on go-to-market strategy and the transition from corporate to independent leadership.
Let’s start with a chat.
If any of this resonates, the right first step is a straightforward 30-minute call — no pitch, no agenda beyond understanding where you are and whether I can genuinely help. If it's not a good fit, I'll tell you, and I might be able to point you somewhere that is.
"When it's working, good coaching feels slightly uncomfortable. You already know the answer — you just needed someone to make you say it out loud."