CEO + leadership team coach | tech startups and scale-ups | Cambridge | UK | Worldwide
Is your team laser-focused…
or just feeling around in the dark?
Is your organisation a well-oiled machine…
or constantly grinding its gears?
Does it feel like you’re driving huskies…
or herding cats?
Scaling a tech business is hard.
It can be frustrating, puzzling, stressful and occasionally, terrifying.
But it doesn’t have to feel like that.
You’ve read plenty of books, and taken courses on leadership skills.
But every organisation, team and leader is different. So you have to identify the skills and structures to cultivate your own leadership.
And then pull it all together.
We’re here to help.
We don’t tell you what to do – because we don’t believe there’s a playbook, and we know that the short-cuts are the easy bit. Instead, we bring emotional intelligence, systems thinking and years of operational experience together, to help you, and your organisation grow.
We give you the tools – but more importantly, provide the coaching and support to make them really work.
Why work with Gareth Marlow?
He has bucket-loads of strategic and operational experience
Gareth is the former COO of Red Gate Software, based in Cambridge, UK. He’s launched and scaled new products, grown revenue and headcount, hired, developed and occasionally fired scores of people, and acquired, integrated and divested companies. At one time or another he’s managed every part of the business – from HR to sales, product development to marketing, finance to IT. He was part of the team which was placed in the Sunday Times Best Companies lists for seven consecutive years.
He’s a geek who’s good with people
Gareth believes that the hardest thing about technology is people. He’s built high-performance teams, and has developed productive, fun and fulfilling working environments – but also made plenty of mistakes along the way. He’s at his happiest and most effective helping bright, creative, innovative people work together to solve difficult problems.
He’s an engineer
Gareth has an MA in Natural Sciences and an MEng in Chemical Engineering. Before Red Gate he ran IT at DAMTP, Stephen Hawking’s department at the University of Cambridge; managed operations at an education scheduling startup, and started his career as a systems administrator at a college. Although his hands-on tech work is now limited to using Raspberry Pis for home automation, he applies his technical knowledge to developing high-performance cultures in science and technology-led organisations. He has an engineer’s scepticism of senior management, HR bullshit, and marketing bollocks.
He’s an experienced consultant and coach
Every leader, team and organisation is different, so Gareth builds relationships quickly and creates a bespoke approach. All of his clients are repeat customers, and almost all new clients come from referrals. Gareth is a graduate of the Meyler Campbell Mastered Programme, accredited with the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.
Client projects
Aligning the team
Finding his mojo again
Dysfunctional team
Locating the Pole Star
Finding success with a new product launch
Removing bottlenecks to scale engineering
A bright but inexperienced leadership team were struggling to stay focussed.
We helped them to identify their key opportunities and challenges, so they could create objectives for the business that they all bought into – and then provided a framework to hold themselves and each other to account for results.
A CEO had been running his software business for several years, but following a difficult year had lost his motivation.
We helped him to get the bottom of the issues which were holding his company back, build his team to overcome them – and rekindled his passion for his work.
Great demand from the market for their technology, but the engineering management team was broken. Trust was non-existent; every single issue was escalated to the COO for resolution.
We coached the team to understand the effect of their behaviours on each other, and helped them to create more effective management processes.
A team had created some incredible technology and were having some success in the market, but it didn’t feel as if they were meeting their potential
We helped them to identify and communicate their true purpose. With vision and mission in place, figuring out a strategy to deliver became straightforward.
A CEO had just closed a funding round. Expectations from investors were high, the product and team were great, but they’d been operating in R&D mode for several years.
We helped them to develop and execute a go-to-market strategy for their product – and developed a customer-focused culture along the way.
A problem of success. This company was achieving great commercial success, but the Engineering Director was the bottleneck.
We helped him to develop himself, his team leaders and his organisation structure so they were able to scale to meet demand.
Client projects
Aligning the team
A bright but inexperienced leadership team were struggling to stay focused.
We helped them to identify their key opportunities and challenges, so they could create objectives for the business that they all bought into – and then provided a framework to hold themselves and each other to account for results.
Finding his mojo again
A CEO had been running his software business for several years, but following a difficult year had lost his motivation.
We helped him to get the bottom of the issues which were holding his company back, build his team to overcome them – and rekindled his passion for his work.
Dysfunctional team
Great demand from the market for their technology, but the engineering management team was broken. Trust was non-existent; every single issue was escalated to the COO for resolution.
We coached the team to understand the effect of their behaviours on each other, and helped them to create more effective management processes.
Locating the Pole Star
A team had created some incredible technology and were having some success in the market, but it didn’t feel as if they were meeting their potential
We helped them to identify and communicate their true purpose. With vision and mission in place, figuring out a strategy to deliver became straightforward.
Finding success with a new product launch
A CEO had just closed a funding round. Expectations from investors were high, the product and team were great, but they’d been operating in R&D mode for several years.
We helped them to develop and execute a go-to-market strategy for their product – and developed a customer-focused culture along the way.
Removing bottlenecks to scale engineering
A problem of success. This company was achieving great commercial success, but the Engineering Director was the bottleneck.
We helped him to develop himself, his team leaders and his organisation structure so they were able to scale to meet demand.
As COO and board member of Red Gate Software, Gareth played a key, hands-on role in defining and implementing product and company strategy. In particular, he excels at creating and nurturing high performance teams that can crack hard problems. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Gareth – his integrity, honesty and thoughtfulness are second to none.
Neil Davidson co-Founder and board member Red Gate
Gareth has helped me work through a number of organisational development challenges. As well as structured process he brings relevant start-up experience, insight and objective challenge. That experience comes through in his understanding of the particular needs of an early stage and growing business, and the people leading it. But rather than just pass on his ideas he has real enthusiasm and energy for helping us develop solutions. It has been effective, efficient and fun to work with him. I’m sure there will be more in future!
Rowena Sellens CEO Econic Technologies Ltd.
My boss recommended I get some professional coaching and I came to it somewhat sceptical as to how it would help me! Gareth completely changed my viewpoint. I have been very surprised by the positive impact it has had on my confidence in particular, but also on helping me identify my career direction and pathway. He also gave me some very useful and practical tips on managing teams, time and motivation. I highly recommend Gareth as someone who can help you draw out where the problems really lie and work to address them in a straightforward and constructive way.
Naomi Kingston Head of Programme UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Gareth gives clear articulate explanations as to why starting a software business isn’t just about building some good software, putting up a slick website, and waiting for customers. His focus on helping you to determine what the customer needs and why they need it by talking to them, establishing the values and beliefs behind the way you want to run your company, and that building a business/marketing/sales strategy can be done in a rational and scientific manner, are all backed up by steps and actions that you can actually take. If he wrote a book, I’d buy fifty copies and give one to every EVP, CTO and CEO I met. The two days I spent being coached (and occasionally berated) by him are the best and most mind expanding two days I’ve ever spent.
Keir Finlow-Bates CEO and founder Chainfrog Oy.
Gareth is that rare talent – a great understanding of how companies work, the systems and processes that create value, plus a deep understanding of how to build and really lead teams to create that value. When I was working for him, I saw this at first hand – one of the best teams I’ve ever worked in, and certainly a manager that really understood me, and coached me to expand my horizons. Working alongside Gareth on the board, I’ve seen him deftly steer his department, and us as a team towards great decisions. He’s also then done a great job of following through and implementing those decisions, bringing large numbers of people along with him – true leadership.
Ben Rees CMO Red Gate Software
I can happily state that Gareth is the best manager that I have ever worked for. Gareth inspires and nurtures individuals to find their own greatness and he does all of this in a very interesting and open way. He is a great deal of fun to work with as he attacks problems with intelligence and smatterings of humour, he helps to break down complex problems into much smaller and more manageable chunks. I have learned a huge amount from Gareth over the years, asking him to remain as a mentor to me long after I left his direct management, and also after I moved companies. When the chips are down and I have a business problem to solve, Gareth is one of the first people I think to call.
I’d relish the opportunity to work with Gareth again and can’t recommend him highly enough. If you want a people focused leader who gets shit done in the right way, then Gareth is your man.
Angus Chudleigh Commercial Director Thoughtriver
We recently went through a rapid growth phase and felt that we needed to re-work our Vision & Mission statement to create greater clarity. Through a number of workshops Gareth helped draw out the salient themes that motivated the leadership team. Starting with some industry examples, guiding principles and the occasional nudge from Gareth we were able to identify several motivators that laid the foundation for word smithing the Vision & Mission. Gareth was very helpful as he identified the different personas quickly and was able to structure conversations & workshops to meet the different working styles.
Benedikt von Thüngen CEO Speechmatics
As COO and board member of Red Gate Software, Gareth played a key, hands-on role in defining and implementing product and company strategy. In particular, he excels at creating and nurturing high performance teams that can crack hard problems. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Gareth – his integrity, honesty and thoughtfulness are second to none.
Neil Davidson co-Founder and board member Red Gate
Gareth has helped me work through a number of organisational development challenges. As well as structured process he brings relevant start-up experience, insight and objective challenge. That experience comes through in his understanding of the particular needs of an early stage and growing business, and the people leading it. But rather than just pass on his ideas he has real enthusiasm and energy for helping us develop solutions. It has been effective, efficient and fun to work with him. I’m sure there will be more in future!
Rowena Sellens CEO Econic Technologies Ltd.
My boss recommended I get some professional coaching and I came to it somewhat sceptical as to how it would help me! Gareth completely changed my viewpoint. I have been very surprised by the positive impact it has had on my confidence in particular, but also on helping me identify my career direction and pathway. He also gave me some very useful and practical tips on managing teams, time and motivation. I highly recommend Gareth as someone who can help you draw out where the problems really lie and work to address them in a straightforward and constructive way.
Naomi Kingston Head of Programme UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Gareth gives clear articulate explanations as to why starting a software business isn’t just about building some good software, putting up a slick website, and waiting for customers. His focus on helping you to determine what the customer needs and why they need it by talking to them, establishing the values and beliefs behind the way you want to run your company, and that building a business/marketing/sales strategy can be done in a rational and scientific manner, are all backed up by steps and actions that you can actually take. If he wrote a book, I’d buy fifty copies and give one to every EVP, CTO and CEO I met. The two days I spent being coached (and occasionally berated) by him are the best and most mind expanding two days I’ve ever spent.
Keir Finlow-Bates CEO and founder Chainfrog Oy.
Gareth is that rare talent – a great understanding of how companies work, the systems and processes that create value, plus a deep understanding of how to build and really lead teams to create that value. When I was working for him, I saw this at first hand – one of the best teams I’ve ever worked in, and certainly a manager that really understood me, and coached me to expand my horizons. Working alongside Gareth on the board, I’ve seen him deftly steer his department, and us as a team towards great decisions. He’s also then done a great job of following through and implementing those decisions, bringing large numbers of people along with him – true leadership.
Ben Rees CMO Red Gate Software
I can happily state that Gareth is the best manager that I have ever worked for. Gareth inspires and nurtures individuals to find their own greatness and he does all of this in a very interesting and open way. He is a great deal of fun to work with as he attacks problems with intelligence and smatterings of humour, he helps to break down complex problems into much smaller and more manageable chunks. I have learned a huge amount from Gareth over the years, asking him to remain as a mentor to me long after I left his direct management, and also after I moved companies. When the chips are down and I have a business problem to solve, Gareth is one of the first people I think to call.
I’d relish the opportunity to work with Gareth again and can’t recommend him highly enough. If you want a people focused leader who gets shit done in the right way, then Gareth is your man.
Angus Chudleigh Commercial Director Thoughtriver
We recently went through a rapid growth phase and felt that we needed to re-work our Vision & Mission statement to create greater clarity. Through a number of workshops Gareth helped draw out the salient themes that motivated the leadership team. Starting with some industry examples, guiding principles and the occasional nudge from Gareth we were able to identify several motivators that laid the foundation for word smithing the Vision & Mission. Gareth was very helpful as he identified the different personas quickly and was able to structure conversations & workshops to meet the different working styles.
Benedikt von Thüngen CEO Speechmatics
Contact Us
If you think we can help, we’d love to grab a coffee, have a call, get on Skype or FaceTime. Contact details below.
