Hello, I'm Peter, a thought partner for leaders navigating complexity.
Hello, I'm Peter, a thought partner for leaders navigating complexity.
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Are you a leader in need of a thought partner?
You're building something that matters, in conditions that keep shifting. The decisions that look clear at first get murky fast: how to position, when to change direction, whether to take the offer, how to stop well if stopping is the right move.
You're building something that matters, in conditions that keep shifting. The decisions that look clear at first get murky fast: how to position, when to change direction, whether to take the offer, how to stop well if stopping is the right move.
I'm the person you call when you need to think it through with someone who's been in that chair, has no agenda beyond your success, and will tell you what they actually see.
I'm the person you call when you need to think it through with someone who's been in that chair, has no agenda beyond your success, and will tell you what they actually see.
Why leaders work with me
Why leaders work with me
I'm a repeat founder, operator and investor who has traversed the full startup lifecycle: from day-one ambiguity through fundraising, scaling, acquisitions on both sides of the table, and structured wind-downs.
Culture Amp
Culture Amp
First exec hire outside the founders. Partnered with the CEO on their first raise and led strategic growth through to a multi-billion dollar valuation.
booki.sh
booki.sh
Co-founded an open ebook platform that took on Amazon, Apple and Google. Led the acquisition by OverDrive, where the tech has since been used to read over 3 billion library books worldwide.
modo
modo
Founded a category-defining mindful productivity app, raised $850k at a $5m valuation pre-code, then made the difficult call to wind it down and return capital.
Investor & mentor
Investor & mentor
Active angel and LP across Startmate (voted top-5 mentor), Techstars, Giant Leap, Co Ventures and Advance VC, with three profitable angel exits.
My sweet spot is the stretch from earliest stage through to sustainable growth. I work with venture-backed startups and bootstrapped or organically-growing ventures alike; the common thread is leaders navigating genuine complexity, not a particular funding model.
Talk to me about
Talk to me about
Most of my clients are founders or founder-CEOs. Some are non-founder CEOs running established businesses, senior operators with P&L responsibility, or leaders of mission-driven organisations. What they share is weighty challenges that don't fit neatly into their existing advice network.
Whatever your role or stage, these are the conversations where I most often add value:
Clarity on hard calls — pivots, M&A, "should we keep going?", and big decisions no one else will sit with you on honestly. I'll help you clarify options, weigh risks, and surface blind spots, so you land on a decision and next steps that work for you.
Positioning, packaging & pricing — tightening who you're for, what you sell, and how you charge. Culture Amp work, repeated many times since. Often the fastest way to unlock growth at any stage of business.
Partnerships & bizdev — JVs, strategic partnerships, referrals and integrations. Built at Culture Amp, booki.sh and OverDrive. Often the unlock to reach more customers and deliver more value without hiring a bigger team, if you can navigate the pitfalls.
Acquisitions — evaluating options, preparing to acquire or be acquired, and navigating the integration that determines whether the deal actually pays off.
Structured wind-downs — the rare specialism. When, how, and the mechanics of ending well: for you, your investors, your colleagues and your team.
Sustainable leadership — building a healthy relationship with your work, in a way that fits your wiring. I'm neurodivergent and care about leaders who want to do this without breaking themselves or their teams.
What leaders say
What leaders say
“What sets Peter apart is his genuine curiosity, insightful perspectives, and flexible approach. Our conversations enable me to make breakthroughs on hard decisions."
“What sets Peter apart is his genuine curiosity, insightful perspectives, and flexible approach. Our conversations enable me to make breakthroughs on hard decisions."
—Managing Partner, VC fund
“Peter draws out unparalleled insights and practical guidance that transform the way you see the world. Having Peter is having a competitive advantage.”
“Peter draws out unparalleled insights and practical guidance that transform the way you see the world. Having Peter is having a competitive advantage.”
—Founder & CEO, B2B SaaS startup
“Peter has been a lifeline. I’ve thrown many vague and complex situations his way, and our conversations give me a safe space to find the clarity I need to move forward.”
“Peter has been a lifeline. I’ve thrown many vague and complex situations his way, and our conversations give me a safe space to find the clarity I need to move forward.”
—Founder & CEO, Digital health startup
“I am a better leader because of Peter. Knowing he’s in my corner, I feel confident I can tackle whatever challenges lie ahead.”
“I am a better leader because of Peter. Knowing he’s in my corner, I feel confident I can tackle whatever challenges lie ahead.”
—COO, Global human rights org
“Peter provides clarity that cuts to the core. He has been instrumental in my professional and personal development.”
“Peter provides clarity that cuts to the core. He has been instrumental in my professional and personal development.”
—Sales Leader, B2B SaaS scale-up
“Peter is an incredibly versatile and talented thinker with a sound ethical framework. His range of skills is extremely valuable but rare in combination.”
“Peter is an incredibly versatile and talented thinker with a sound ethical framework. His range of skills is extremely valuable but rare in combination.”
—CEO, National aged-care provider
How we work together
How we work together
Before any engagement, we have a free 30-minute call. It's not a sales pitch. Bring a real question or decision you're wrestling with and we'll dig into it together. You should leave with at least one useful perspective or next step, whether or not we decide to work together further.
If we both want to continue, we typically commence a 3-month cycle that includes:
Wayfinding Session. We dedicate 2-3 hours at the beginning to reflect on your situation, celebrate what's working, and jointly define our focus for the cycle.
Regular Focus Time. You have an agreed amount of my undivided attention each week. Use it for video calls, collaboration, or anything else that supports your needs.
Continuous Contact. I'm always here for you. Offload thoughts, ask questions, request help, or simply chat. I'll respond to your Slack messages within a business day.
Percolation. I'll think about your problems between sessions. Sometimes I'll sprinkle my thoughts, but I can also share a downpour when asked.
Each cycle concludes with a decision: start the next cycle to maintain momentum, pause to rest and recalibrate, or move on freely. It's up to you.
Throughout our work together, we cultivate a safe space for honest reflection, clear intentions, mutual accountability, direct feedback, and ethical standards around confidentiality and boundaries. These are my ways of working. I look forward to hearing about yours and seeing how we can integrate them.
For more on cycles, pricing and how engagements are structured, see Services.
How is this different from traditional coaching?
How is this different from traditional coaching?
Imagine you're scaling a mountain.
A coach would be your seasoned guide, providing a predefined route, training you with specific exercises, and pushing you to build your strength. Valuable, but the focus is on following an established path.
A thought partner is your fellow adventurer. They're just as excited as you about the climb ahead but will explore alongside you, trying new modes of travel, adapting to unexpected terrain, and celebrating what you discover together.
Both have benefits. Some leaders find value in both.
The boring but important bits
The boring but important bits
Companies or individuals? I'm happy to coordinate engagements through companies and send invoices accordingly. But I only work under the instruction of the leaders I partner with.
Video or in-person? I'm flexible. Video calls work effectively anywhere in the world, and remote working helps me capture things as we go so we don't drop any golden threads. If we're within easy reach of each other, I'm happy to mix in face-to-face, especially for human connection and collaborating on gnarly problems.
Platforms. I'll meet you where you're comfortable. My defaults are Google Meet for video, Slack for back-and-forth, email for deep long-form messaging, and Notion or Google for documents.
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