Build a business you're
on top of, not buried in.

I help founders, business owners, and technology leaders clarify what they actually want - then build the teams, trust, and systems to get there. Not with a textbook. With twenty years of real experience and a coach who's comfortable going off-piste.

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🎯

Find Clarity Through the Noise

Get clear on what you actually want from your business - not what the standard coaching playbook says you should want.

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Build Trust-Led Leadership

High-trust teams outperform. I help you build the culture and the people that make this real.

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Bring Balance to Life and Business

Your business should fund the life you want - not consume it. Smart systems, automation, and the right tools exist precisely to give that time back. We build for both.

Dave Spooner paragliding over the British countryside
20+
years in tech
and leadership
About Me

Real-world experience.
No fluff.

I'm Dave Spooner - a tech leader, coach, rock climber, and paraglider based in Bristol. Over two decades I've built and scaled engineering teams, led digital transformations across four continents, and helped organisations ship products that millions of people use every day.

I've helped both individuals and 100+ person teams - working with everyone from mad inventors shooting lasers at cows, to building government payment systems. But some of my most rewarding work has been outside the corporate world - coaching a brewery owner, helping an artist turn her lino printing studio into a thriving full-time business, and guiding a marketing consultancy into the lifestyle business its founder always dreamed of.

I coach from experience, not a textbook. When I challenge you, it's because I've been there myself, and I know hard decisions need to be made. That's what going off-piste looks like - leaving the marked runs behind and finding the route that's actually right for you.

Facilitated tech leadership workshops at Just Eat - one of the world's largest food delivery platforms, serving 98 million customers across 20+ countries
Key enabler to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Mojaloop project - open-source payment infrastructure built to reach 2 billion unbanked people globally
Built and led teams across multiple self-funded and VC-backed startups - from early-stage to structured scale and exit
Advocate for AI tools, automation & smart systems as practical business levers - not just for tech companies
Rock climbing coach, paraglider, outdoor adventure enthusiast
Who I Work With

The best people rarely fit the mould.

I work with a range of people - all motivated, all doing something that matters. I have a particular soft spot for founders and leaders working on causes with a genuine positive impact on the world. If you want a coach with a laminated framework, I'm probably not your person. If you're mission driven and you want someone who can help you identify what you really want, and how to get there, get in touch.

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Founders & Small Business Owners

You've built something real but feel trapped in the day-to-day. You're ready to step up, get out of the weeds, and build a team that doesn't need you for everything.

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Technology Leaders

You're a brilliant engineer or technical lead stepping into people management. You want to lead with confidence, build high-trust teams, and still love what you do.

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Scaling Businesses

Revenue is growing but the organisation is creaking. You need culture, process, and the right people in place before the wheels come off.

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Side Projects Going Full-Time

You've got something with real potential but aren't sure how to make the leap. I've helped others do exactly this. If budget is the barrier at this stage, let's talk - I'm open to lower-cost or alternative arrangements to enable motivated people to do great things.

✦ Flexible pricing or free short term engagements available
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Leadership Teams

Your team is capable but not quite clicking. Friction, misalignment, or lack of psychological safety is slowing everything down. I work with teams as well as individuals.

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Leaders Seeking Clarity

You're successful by most measures but feel like something's missing. Maybe you're burning out, or you've lost sight of why you started. Let's reconnect you with your purpose or clarify your direction.

Off-Piste Philosophy

Autonomy, trust, and
getting out of the way.

After twenty years in technology and leadership, I've seen one pattern repeat itself across every successful team and organisation: when people feel trusted, they do their best work. The leader's job is to create the conditions - not to micromanage the output. That's not the standard playbook. But standard playbooks produce standard results.

"The best businesses I've seen don't have founders running themselves into the ground. They're run by a leader surrounded by great people, with the right culture, working towards a shared goal."

I also believe that a thriving business and a thriving life aren't opposites - they're complementary. My years of rock climbing, paragliding, and time in the mountains have taught me as much about leadership, risk, and focus as any boardroom ever could. I bring that whole-person perspective to every coaching relationship.

I embrace the pragmatic application of frameworks, systems, and assessments; philosophy without implementation is just talk. OKRs and similar goal-setting frameworks can surface priorities, personality tests can understand how your team actually ticks, communication models build psychological safety, and smart processes remove friction. These aren't buzzwords; they're practical levers that help translate trust and autonomy into real results.

Trust First

Build psychological safety. People do extraordinary things when they're not afraid to fail.

Right People, Right Seats

Hiring and structuring well compounds over time. Getting this wrong compounds even faster.

Work On, Not In

Build a business that runs without you - through the right people, smart processes, and the right technology. Automation isn't just for tech companies.

Life Beyond Work

Sustainable success requires rest, adventure, passions, and identity beyond your career. Non-negotiable.

Off-Piste Coaching Programmes

How we can work together

Every engagement is shaped around you - these are examples of how people typically work with me, not fixed packages. If something here feels close but not quite right, we'll work out an arrangement that fits.
Everything starts with a free 30-minute discovery call.

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Foundation
Foundations Programme

Ideal for small business owners and early-stage founders who want structure, accountability, and a clear roadmap.

£550 /month
  • 2 × 60-minute 1:1 sessions per month
  • Async support via WhatsApp/email
  • Goal-setting & accountability framework
  • Business clarity assessment at kickoff
  • Access to resources

✦ Flexible arrangements can be made for start-ups and side projects

Get Started
Most Popular
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Growth
Growth Partnership

For business owners and leaders ready to scale - building teams, systems, and a culture that sustains momentum.

£1,100 /month
  • 4 × 60-minute 1:1 sessions per month
  • Unlimited async support
  • Team/hiring strategy sessions
  • Culture & leadership diagnostics
  • Accountability check-ins between sessions
  • Introduction to my network if relevant
Apply Now
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Executive
Executive Leadership

Deep, strategic coaching for senior leaders and executives navigating significant transformation or growth.

£1,600 /month
  • Weekly 90-minute 1:1 sessions
  • Priority async access 5 days/week
  • 360° leadership assessment
  • Strategic planning & OKR facilitation
  • Stakeholder & board communication support
  • Team personality assessments and culture workshops
  • One full-day in-person intensive (UK)
Get In Touch
🔍

Clarity Session

A focused 2-hour deep-dive to get unstuck. We'll identify what's holding you back, get clear on your priorities, and leave with a concrete action plan. Perfect as a standalone or before committing to a programme.

£350 · Single session
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Defining Organisational Strategy

A two-day intensive workshop to clarify your business strategy, priorities, and direction. We'll define your vision, identify your strategic priorities for the next 12-24 months, create a detailed roadmap that everyone understands and is aligned on, and build implementation plans.

From £3,000 · Two days
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Company Culture & Ways of Working

A half-day or full-day facilitated session with your team to define or refine your culture, values, and operating principles. We'll surface what's working, address friction points, and create clarity around how your team works together.

From £1,500 · Half or full day
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Speaking & Workshops

Available to speak on high-trust leadership, scaling engineering teams, founder mindset, and bringing adventure principles to business. Suitable for company events, conferences, and leadership away-days.

From £800 · Enquire for details

Not sure where to start? All programmes begin with a free 30-minute discovery call. No pressure, no pitch - just an honest conversation about where you are and whether working together makes sense.

Book Your Free Call →
How It Works

Simple, focused, and built around you.

No complex onboarding. No cookie-cutter frameworks.
The route we take is yours - not a well-worn path I've taken others down before.

1

Discovery Call

We talk honestly about where you are, what's not working, and what you're trying to achieve. Free, 30 minutes.

2

Clarity Kickoff

We map your current state vs. where you want to be, define your outcomes, and build your roadmap together.

3

Coaching Sessions

Regular, focused sessions with real accountability. We tackle the hard stuff - not just the comfortable topics.

4

Progress & Evolution

Regular reflection on what's working. We adapt as you grow, so the coaching always serves where you actually are.

From Our Clients

Real transformation

"Dave came highly recommended at a pivotal point in my life, when I was deciding whether to accept a promotion or leave my job entirely to take my creative business to the next level. His superpower lies in helping you see the value that already exists in your business and then crafting a clear, actionable strategy, complete with a realistic two-year plan for scaling up.

Beyond his strategic expertise, Dave created an incredibly safe and supportive space to express the fear and anxiety that come with making such a significant life change. He was patient, compassionate, and genuinely invested in my success, making it clear that there are no "stupid questions."

Dave guided me through the process of leaving my 9 to 5, providing a structured plan to run alongside the transition and offering the reassuring, validating guidance I needed. He gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time printmaker.

Thanks to Dave's business acumen, I quickly realised that the sky is the limit and I achieved five-figure months just three months into full-time self-employment.

More importantly, my life now has a level of freedom and flexibility it never had before. I can head to the mountains or wander a coastal path when I feel the pull, visit my parents at will, spend time with the people I love, or enjoy rare sunny days in the UK instead of being tied to an office.

I wholeheartedly recommend Dave to anyone looking to organise their business, clarify their strategy, and build a freedom-driven life. I am forever grateful for his guidance in helping me design and execute my own 'freedom plan.'"

R

Rosie

The Wild Print Studio

📣 Marketing Consultancy · Lifestyle Business

"I wanted freedom, not just revenue. Dave helped me redesign my business around my life rather than the other way around. I now work fewer hours and earn more."

Issy, Marketing Consultant · Spain
💻 Engineering Manager · Career Transition

"Working with Dave was a transformative experience and made me view my career differently. His calm, thoughtful perspective helped me navigate my toughest professional challenges with newfound confidence. He is a rare mentor who truly balances strategic wisdom with hands-on support, making a genuine commitment to my growth, and delivering results, that has been instrumental in my success."

Tim, Head of Engineering · London
Beyond the Boardroom

Why the mountains make better leaders

When you're 300 metres up a rock face, or reading thermals as you soar along a ridge, there's no room for distraction. You're fully present, making real-time decisions with real consequences.

The best leaders I've met have that same quality. Not recklessness - but clarity. The ability to assess a situation, trust their team, commit to a decision, and adapt when the conditions change. That's not just climbing. That's leadership.

I believe that time in nature, physical challenge, and stepping away from screens isn't a reward for hard work - it's part of how you do your best work. I'll encourage you to protect it.

FAQ

Common questions

I work best with founders, business owners, and technology leaders who are ambitious, self-aware, and ready to do the work. You don't need to have everything figured out - you just need to be honest about where you are and genuinely open to being challenged. Whether you're just starting out or running a 50-person organisation, if you want to lead better and build something sustainable, we're likely a good fit.
Not at all. While my background is in technology, the principles of great leadership, trust-based team building, and sustainable business design apply everywhere. I've coached a brewery owner, an artist, a marketing consultant, and I'm currently working with someone in the healthcare and nutrition space. The principles transfer - the specifics are always yours.
All regular coaching sessions are delivered remotely via video call, but it's nice to meet in person if possible. I've been coaching distributed teams and individuals remotely for over a decade - it works extremely well.
Coaching is about helping you find your own answers - I ask the questions, challenge your thinking, and hold you accountable to what you say you want. Mentoring is about sharing experience and giving direct guidance. In practice, I do both, depending on what you need in any given moment. Sometimes you need a question; sometimes you need someone who's been there to just tell you what they'd do.
Most clients feel a shift in clarity and focus within the first few sessions. Meaningful structural change - building a better team, redesigning how you work, breaking the patterns that are holding you back - typically takes 3–6 months to fully embed. Coaching is an investment in compounding returns, not a quick fix. That said, many clients find that even a single Clarity Session changes the way they see a problem.
Yes. The free Discovery Call gives you a real sense of whether we're a good match before anything is decided. If you want to go deeper before committing to a programme, a single Clarity Session (£350) is a great way to experience the coaching and come away with immediate value - with no obligation to continue.
Get In Touch

Let's have a
real conversation

If anything on this page has resonated - even a little - I'd love to talk. The discovery call is genuinely free, genuinely useful, and genuinely no-pressure.

Tell me a bit about where you are and what you're trying to figure out. If I think I can help, I'll say so. If I don't think I'm the right fit, I'll tell you that too.

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Bristol, UK · Working with clients worldwide
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linkedin.com/in/davidspoonernz
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Discovery calls available Mon–Fri, flexible hours

Book a Free Discovery Call

30 minutes · No obligation · Just an honest conversation