Who We Are

David Alison - Founder and Principal Coach

My name is David Alison, and I'm the founder and principal coach for PotensMentor.

With four decades of experience in the technology space, including various executive management roles, I've witnessed a myriad of leadership styles. I've held positions ranging from team management to directorships, senior VP roles, and C-Suite positions. Additionally, I've spent nearly two decades as an entrepreneur and investor.

My personal leadership style has been shaped by a wide spectrum of experiences, from the trials of failed business attempts to the triumphs of successful equity events, and from overcoming personal tragedy to relishing the joys of family and community life. Throughout it all, I've observed that the quality of my journey was deeply influenced by the people in my life.

I've had the privilege to work with many exemplary leaders and have also seen skilled individuals struggle due to a lack of necessary guidance.

It can be challenging to truly understand how your team and peers perceive your performance. Similarly, it's often difficult for leaders to receive the feedback and guidance they need once they've reached the top. A good executive coach fills that gap, and my aim is to provide that service for you.

Schedule some time with me or send me an email, and let's explore if a coaching engagement is what you need to elevate your journey to the next level.

Certified Executive Coach

I received my executive coaching certification in 2019 from the ICF-accredited Center for Executive Coaching program. This program provides training and access to dozens of frameworks for a wide range of coaching challenges.

What People Say

"David was absolutely instrumental to my success during the first six months of my role as CEO. Throughout my entire career, I have been blessed to have the right people step in at the right moments, and David is no exception. David helped me untangle complicated thoughts and emotions, while keeping me calmly focused on my primary objectives, so that I was empowered to navigate a number of difficult and unfamiliar challenges."

"I really cannot say enough positive things about David Alison. He is a very talented technologist, but more importantly, a very insightful thinker that has both practical knowledge as well as big-picture perspective. David has been a mentor to me in many ways. I sincerely credit him with helping me make some critical decisions that have turned out to be fantastic ones."

"There are very few people in my life and career that I have learned more from than Dave. Dave is a true visionary that has an amazing ability to lead and teach while also being an expert in business and technology. What I appreciate most about Dave is his ability to listen. He is able to diagnose problems and make recommendations because he is such a great listener and communicator."

"David recently provided our company with transition services after a senior IT Director left with little notice. He was able to quickly come in, assess the situation, provide guidance on our existing processes and mentorship to our personnel. He also helped revise our position description, conduct interviews and identify a replacement candidate."

"David consulted with our team during a time of rapid product acceleration, and while his contributions to our product have been valuable and extensive, I cannot overstate just how valuable his contributions have been to my management practice as well."

"Dave was always able to help guide and teach me in a gentle but direct way. I truly appreciate his impact on my life, career and passion for photography. Many of his ideas and overall guidance shaped the trajectory for my business."

David Alison, the principal coach for PotensMentor, has four decades of experience in the high technology space, from engineering to senior leadership and founder roles at a variety of software companies both large and small.

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