A Different Approach

• Listening first. Every leader, team, and business has a unique story. I want to hear yours before offering solutions.

• Actively co-create. I don’t present a solution in search of a problem. I build plans with your team, not for your team and deliver what actually works.

• Test + Adapt. It is rare to get it all right the first time. I will ask you to try new things and observe behaviors inside, outside, and around your organization. We will use feedback to inform the approach and ensure your team buys in to the changes that lie ahead.

• Sustainable Execution. Success is only accomplished when you have systems that work long after I'm gone.

Real Impact

I’ve worn hard hats in paper mills, suits in boardrooms, and chef coats at nonprofit fundraisers. These are examples of real challenges BetterGround helped organizations, and their leaders with, and what changed as a result.

Activating Internal Talent

The Challenge: Data Rich, Insight Poor. A 38,000-employee healthcare system was drowning in technology but starved for clarity. Finance, HR, and Operations each had their own systems—and none of them talked to each other. Leadership couldn't answer basic questions about talent: who was ready to advance, where skill gaps were affecting patient care, why good people kept leaving. The data existed. The insight didn't.

The Result: Internal mobility increased 31%. Employee engagement rose 17 points in early-adopting departments. Providers stayed because they felt heard, and patients got better care.

When Technical Excellence Isn't Enough

The Challenge: Great Engineers, Silent Leaders. A Fortune 12 energy company had built its reputation on operational discipline and engineering skill. But when they stayed silent during changing stakeholder environments, others filled the vacuum. The company needed to transform its leaders from technically brilliant operators into strategic influencers who could shape the industry conversation rather than just react to it.

The Result: 300+ senior leaders trained across three years. The program kept getting extended—not because it was mandated, but because leaders saw the value and asked for more.

Transforming Operations While Preserving What Matters

The Challenge: Modernizing a Brand Built on Nostalgia. For this $3B restaurant and retail icon (600+ locations), "old-fashioned" wasn't just the vibe—it was the business model. But facing activist pressure and shrinking margins, the company couldn't afford to stay frozen in time. The mission was a paradox: reinvent the operational backbone—overhauling everything from inventory systems and real estate footprints to staffing kitchens and retail stores—without the loyal guests ever realizing the "Old Country" feel had changed.

The Result: 16% ROI on $90M investment. New store opening costs dropped 25%. Sales per labor hour rose 19%. The transformation happened behind the scenes—visible in the financials, invisible in the dining room.

Hi. I'm Colin.

I used to sit in boardrooms. Now, I prefer the 'messy' middle where change actually happens. From stakeholder pressure and complicated mergers to team dysfunction or personal growth. My goal is to help you navigate uncertainty without losing your team, your soul, or your margin.