Why I Left Advertising to Start On Brand Coaching
People have been asking why I went from ad creative to executive coach.
The short answer? I didn’t want to make ads anymore.
But I also didn’t want to waste the 15 years I’d spent shaping brands from the inside — learning what makes them stick, what makes them stall, and what happens when the story no longer matches the reality.
I entered the industry just as it was pivoting from storytelling to nonstop content. And the more I saw behind the scenes, the more I realized: the real issues weren’t creative. They were structural.
Short-term thinking. Misaligned incentives. Leaders trying to move forward while everything around them pulled sideways.
And that disconnect? It’s everywhere.
From tech giants to nonprofits to classrooms, I kept hearing the same thing: We know what we’re supposed to be. We don’t know how to get there anymore.
Brand as Culture, Culture as Brand
I used to think branding was about language — messaging, tone, campaigns. And I was good at that part. But the deeper I got, the more I saw that brand is behavior.
You can have the sharpest copy and most beautiful brand book in the world, but if the leadership team isn’t aligned in any way, the brand breaks. That misalignment ripples outward:
Teams stop trusting each other.
Innovation stalls.
Strategy becomes reactionary.
People feel stuck, confused, and disconnected from purpose.
These aren’t creative problems. They’re alignment problems. And they show up at the highest levels of an organization, even when the leaders themselves are doing their best with what they’ve inherited.
Because let’s be honest: most leaders didn’t create the disconnect. They’re trying to manage it.
And they’re trying to do it inside systems that reward the opposite of alignment — speed over reflection, individual performance over collective trust, growth over clarity.
I’ve worked with leaders at all levels, and not one of them lacked ideas, awareness, or care. What they lacked was the space and support to step back, realign, and move forward with intention.
Why Coaching, Not Consulting
I didn’t want to become a consultant. I’ve done that work. I’ve pitched the ideas, delivered the strategy decks, and written the words.
As a coach, I get to partner with clients, help them hear themselves, not me, more clearly, and guide them toward their own insight. That’s where the real, lasting change happens.
As a coach, I get to be committed, flexible, and show up fully. I adapt to the human in front of me. I create a space where people can take a breath, look around, and figure out what really matters.
I don’t think corporate leadership is broken. I think it’s burdened. Burdened by decisions made in isolation, incentives stacked against values, and a culture that rarely gives leaders room to breathe, let alone reset.
Coaching, for me, is about offering that space. It’s not about fixing out-of-touch leaders. It’s about helping strong, well-intentioned people reconnect with the energy that got them here — and the brand they want to be known for.
The Vision Behind On Brand
On Brand Coaching is about aligning leadership, culture, and brand from the inside out. It’s for visionary leaders. The kind who see something no one else can, even if they’re not sure how to articulate it.
To be "on brand" isn’t about performance. It’s about clarity. Integrity. Intention. It’s about knowing your values, navigating contradictions, and shaping your outward actions accordingly.
What’s Next
On Brand Coaching is open for clients. I’m working on launching a regular publication and a podcast that explores branding, culture, and leadership in the real world. But right now, I’m most excited to meet the people this work is meant to serve.
If that’s you, or someone you know — book a free 30-min briefing call today — I’d love to talk.