I took the long way here.

My career started in defense - complex programs, high stakes, no margin for error. I was good at the technical leadership. And then I made a choice that surprised everyone, including myself.

When I transitioned to manufacturing, I didn't try to land another management role. I stepped back to the frontline. Started over as an engineer. Learned a new industry from the ground up.

Some people thought I was crazy. But I knew something they didn't: real credibility comes from understanding the work, not just managing it.

From that reset, I rebuilt. Frontline engineer to supervisor. Supervisor to department manager. Manager to director. Each step intentional, each transition harder than the last - not because of the technical challenges, but because of the human ones.

That's what I coach now.

The skills that engineering school doesn't teach. The stuff you're supposed to figure out on your own: how to lead people, how to build relationships, how to read a room, how to influence when you don't have authority.

I learned these skills the hard way. I help other engineers develop them faster.