Testimonials
Because of our unique specialization, we are able to consistently deliver extraordinary value to our clients. With the occasional exception, we focus our work almost entirely on mission-driven, technology-enabled companies (both for profit and nonprofit) across the education lifecycle – including K-12, higher education, and workforce development. Our clients include industry leaders driving innovation and sustainable positive impact in financing models, curriculum development and delivery, AI-driven student success and wellness, and career exploration.
But don’t take our word for it, see what our clients have to say…
What They Say About Wheelan Advisory Group Engagements
Mainstay
“Working with Pete the last two years has changed me and Mainstay. Through ups and downs, Pete has been a reliable source of support and guidance, always prioritizing my well-being, supporting my decision-making process, and helping me grow through my mistakes. Together we’ve turned barriers into milestones and tapped into resilience during challenging times. I am grateful for Pete’s commitment to my development and Mainstay’s success.”
– Andrew Magliozzi, Co-Founder and CEO
Roadtrip Nation
“Pete is the Obi-Wan Kenobi of executive coaching and team development. He is one of the few leaders I’ve met who is fluent in both short term tactics and bigger picture vision-setting. He has been absolutely invaluable in bringing our teams together, helping us set (and stay focused on) our longer term vision, and guiding us in how best to manage our own personal energy along the way. We are so grateful that he’s been with us on this journey.”
– Mike Marriner, Co-Founder and President of Roadtrip Nation
Kaleidoscope
“Pete is a superb advisor, mentor and coach. He brings a rare ability to combine decades of executive experience and quick wit to provide immediately relevant and practical advice for even the most challenging situations. His authentic style and genuine passion for team-building helped us unlock potential in our organization that would not have been possible without him.”
– Greg Dehn, Founder and Former CEO of Kaleidoscope
Upswing
“Pete is great at making his coaching customized to the needs of the person with whom he’s working. When I first began working with Pete, I wasn’t sure what to expect from coaching services. But he has walked me through both professional and personal hurdles, and helped me to think about things in a perspective that is invaluable to any first-time entrepreneur. What I like most about working with Pete is that despite all his experience and accomplishments, he doesn’t make me feel dumb for not being there yet, or for even having doubts about whether a suggestion might work. Too often as a first-time entrepreneur, you receive feedback that is given via a series of absolute truths. Even the slightest hesitation with accepting can be seen as a reflection on your leadership. Pete’s approach allows me to benefit from his experience while also asking the types of questions that help me understand why it makes sense for my particular situation.”
– Melvin Hines, Co-Founder and CEO of Upswing
Beam
“Pete has been an unbelievable partner in helping me, and our leadership team, navigate the hairy inflection point of scaling from a true start-up to a more mature organization. As an operator who has himself lived through many of these challenges himself, Pete approaches every conversation with empathy, focus, and pragmatism — all while still centering big picture goals related to building a leadership team that will deliver the needed results over time. Most importantly, Pete genuinely cares, and his ability to build rapport and connect is perhaps his greatest skill. Pete has been an invaluable strategic resource, and has been a big part of facilitating my own professional development and enabling our ability to get to a Series A milestone.”
– David Helene, Founder CEO of Beam
n2y
“While I have been a CEO for numerous years and have had success in different industries, I knew I could benefit from working with a high-quality CEO coach. I was hoping to find someone that could help me see clarity in an otherwise complicated set of situations. Pete has been a trusted advisor and invaluable sounding board for me. His guidance and insight have helped me navigate a uniquely challenging period of growth and transition for n2y and I am confident that his expertise will continue to be of value in our next stages of maturation.”
– Ed Holmes, CEO of n2y
cael
“The coaching with Pete has been really rewarding! I have learned how to communicate clearly with my team and to reflect on my leadership skills. Pete is very flexible and helpful in every way. He has a great sense of humor, and some of the phrases he uses to help my understanding will stay with me forever. I have grown more confident in my role being able to look at different approaches, and then to focus on taking action.”
– Earl Buford, President of CAEL
What They Say About Pete Wheelan
“Pete is a dynamic and transformative leader. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with him as fellow CEO’s in a new and evolving environment. Pete led his company through critical changes and built a lasting enterprise that is impacting hundreds of thousands of students every year. His strong operational and financial acumen, as well as his team building and attention to culture, strengthened our parent organization as we replicated many of his initiatives and qualities.”
– Bill Hansen, General Partner, Green Street Impact Partners, and former CEO, Strada Education Network
“Serving on the board of a company led by Pete was a great experience. Pete attracted high-quality talent and built a highly functioning leadership team as the company matured and scaled. Tough decisions were made and communicated to the team with the appropriate level of process and respect. As a member of the board of directors, I was given the appropriate data and analysis ahead of all major decisions and the post-decision execution was timely and well reported back to the board. Finally, Pete sourced and led an efficient exit transaction that was a positive experience for employees, customers, and shareholders. I’m hoping to work with him again in the future!”
– Tom Peterson, General Partner, El Dorado Ventures and former InsideTrack Board member
“It was a real pleasure working with Pete during his time as the CEO of InsideTrack. Pete had the challenge of coming in as a new CEO hired from outside the company, but he did a terrific job quickly building trust and loyalty among the various stakeholders and instilling his infectious energy into the organization. Pete was a thoughtful and methodical leader and managed his team effectively through engagement and influence rather than command and control. As an investor and Board member, I also really appreciated the spirit of transparency and collaboration that Pete brought to working with his board of directors.”
– Jim Pavlik, Partner at Baird Capital and former InsideTrack Board member
“Blurb was at a stage where we were growing so fast it seemed impossible to put the brakes on long enough to strategically manage our growth effectively. Thankfully Pete was our COO; without his process, policy and organizational skills we would have been at risk of stalling out. Pete was a godsend – he hires A players, is a clear communicator, thinks long-term and is also just a great human being. I highly recommend Pete to any Founder CEO who is struggling with their own early stage freight train; he can help you think strategically about where to place your bets, supported by the right processes and people – and just the right amount of structure.”
– Eileen Gittins, Founder and former CEO and Board member, Blurb
“There are some people in the world who are so natural in listening, sharing wisdom, connecting dots, and providing guidance. Pete is one of those people. There are also people in the world who have built knowledge and capability throughout their life from their different experiences – from being a dad and a husband to being in start-ups, to changing 50 year old organizations like Lonely Planet, to advising others and to supporting CEOs like me through turbulent times. Pete is one of those people and has so much to contribute to others.”
– Judy Slatyer, Former CEO, Lonely Planet Publications and Australian Red Cross
“Pete was integral during Strada’s formation working with our affiliate companies. His expertise related to growing entrepreneurial organizations by focusing on their most important asset: people, was critical to us and a real differentiator. I would recommend Pete to any organization, for profit or non profit, that is seeking to make the transition from start-up to grown-up.”
– Tom Dawson, President, Strada Collaborative
“Pete and I first worked together over a decade ago. From our first interaction, I was impressed with Pete’s ability to get straight to the heart of the matter. Years later, I referred him for a CEO role and watched him build a high performing team and amazing company culture dedicated to employee engagement. Pete is an incredible leader, coach and business partner for anyone looking to build a great business. I can’t recommend him enough as a coach and thought partner.”
– Robert Glazer, Founder, Former CEO and Chairman of the Board, Acceleration Partners
“As a longtime business partner of Pete’s, we were always amazed at how effortless it was to collaborate. Pete is able to quickly identify opportunities, create actionable strategies and communicate clearly to all stakeholders, building consensus. That allows his teams, partners and stakeholders to unify their approaches and bring ideas into action.”
– Munir Haddad, Founder CEO, Kiosk
“Pete is a strategic leader who understands the unique challenges of high growth businesses. He is exceptional at creating organizational clarity with executive teams that drive performance. He is insightful when coaching and guiding executives to be more effective leaders, build stronger teams, and create healthy company cultures. Pete’s first-hand experience as a CEO and building businesses makes him a trusted partner to any leader.”
– Chris Jenson, Principal Consultant at The Table Group
“I can think of few professional colleagues or friends who have had a greater impact on me than Pete. He has an authenticity that engenders trust from the very first interaction. Pete also has an uncanny ability to detach from the emotions of a situation – be it work, family or health – and view the world in an intellectually honest, results-oriented, empathetic yet analytical manner. His approach is impressive, and actually quite calming. While his skills apply to organizations of all sizes, Pete has found his true passion in helping earlier stage growth companies reach the next level of scalable success.”
– Jeff Kinder, EVP Design and Manufacturing, Autodesk, and Co-Founder (with Pete), AdventureSeek
“He’s really a wonderful boy.”
– Betsy Wheelan, Mother of Pete
“I’m so appreciative that Pete has others to coach and guide, rather than me.”
– Julie Wheelan, Wife of Pete
