Build What Lasts
Aaron R Marshall
CLEAR. BRAVE. PRESENT.
Practical Systems for Sustainable Leadership
Fractional COO & Strategic Advisor | 4x Founder, 2x exits | eMBA + PhD
Bio
Aaron helps leaders, teams, and organizations grow with intention, so they can show up whole at work and home.A founder, advisor, and coach, he brings over two decades of experience guiding startups, nonprofits, and cultural institutions through seasons of growth, transition, and transformation. Across his ventures, Aaron’s work centers on clarity, culture, and sustainable systems that help people and organizations flourish.Through Grounded & Growing, he provides fractional COO support, executive coaching, retreats, and strategic advisory for leaders and teams. Through Autism Embrace, he resources families and supports organizations creating more inclusive spaces for neurodiverse individuals. And through CSC Strategic Consulting, he strengthens CPG and mission-driven brands through marketing strategy, social planning, and execution.Aaron’s LinkedIn Learning courses on leadership culture and executive habits have reached more than 240,000 learners worldwide. His academic background (PhD, MBA, and MA in Philosophy) shapes a formation-based approach that blends systems thinking with deep human insight.He’s also the author of the Storykeeping Series for middle-grade readers, a collection of adventure novels that explore virtue, courage, and imagination through story.Married since 2004, Aaron and his wife are raising three teenagers who keep them busy with sport, activities, and travel adventures. Most weekends, you’ll find them chasing sunshine, laughter, and good conversation somewhere near the water.His writing and teaching invite leaders to slow down, build rhythm, and grow what lasts.
Fractional COO & Strategic Advisor | 4x Founder, 2x exits | eMBA + PhD
Current Work
Grounded & Growing
Executive advising and strategic systems for leaders building clarity, culture, and sustainable growth.
Autism Embrace
Supporting families navigating neurodiversity through expert-guided community and courses.
CSC Strategic Consulting
Marketing strategy and brand clarity for CPGs and impact-minded entrepreneurs.
Tools for Rhythm, Clarity, and Growth
Featured Offers
Aaron has led in startups, nonprofits, and complex institutions.From the C-suite to the classroom, he’s walked with leaders, teams, and families pursuing what is Good, True, and Beautiful—and the systems that help those values take root.His work lives at the intersection of clarity, culture, and character. Whether coaching a founder, guiding a retreat, or shaping a brand platform, Aaron helps people and organizations build rhythms that last.Each offering below is designed to create space for reflection, clarity, and growth—simple, practical frameworks that help leaders and teams grow on purpose.
🎯 Clarity+Roadmap – Course. 9-part self-paced formation journey to clarify your values, audit your energy, dream forward, define your why, build a 90-day roadmap, and design rhythms to stay grounded.
📖 STOP FLOATING (thru life) – Mini-Course. Free reflection journey designed to help you pause the noise, name your current patterns, and begin the journey of alignment.
💬 AE Membership – Finally, real support for parents navigating autism. Clarity, expert guidance, and a community that gets it.
🧠 CSC Capabilities Deck – Available by request
StoryKeeping
The Storykeeping Series—four middle-grade adventure novels for courageous kids learning to live what’s Good, True, and Beautiful.These stories are rooted in courage, character, and the quiet power of choosing what’s right—no matter the cost.
books
Habits for Leaders Grounded & Growing
How do you balance everything on your shoulders and still stay sane? How do you lead your organization to success & stay healthy at the same time?This book offers practical steps for you to establish 20 key habits that will help you flourish as an executive leader:
habits to keep you grounded,
stay disciplined,
handle your relationships, and
become a more discerning thinker.
Best of all, these habits can easily be integrated into your life, starting today.
Build a Thriving culture
LATE 2023
If your organization is like most, you’ve watched culture just happen. Like a garden left unattended, workplace habits and practices develop on their own. With or without your attention, culture grows.Tend the garden - prepare the soil, provide sunlight and water, prune properly, pull weeds at the right time - and you’ll end up with more fruit and less thistle. Imagine what that would mean for your team? How could a thriving culture improve your business?In twenty-five chapters packed with practical next steps, I unroll a blueprint for growing thriving culture.
**Even heroes need help **
Age: 7 and up | Grade: 2 and up
My name is Riles, and I’m a hero. I don’t have super speed, x-ray vision, or super strength. In fact, I’m a pretty normal fifth grader in every way except one – I’m a Story Keeper.
Box Set | 1 Books with all 4 StoriesThe Night I Became a Hero
The Night I Met a Dragon
Secrets Beyond the Nile
Dark Water Pirates
articles
posts
Growth Opportunities
How do you want to grow?
Coaching for Individuals
Consulting for Organizations & Teams
Courses
20 Habits of Executive Leadership
There are thousands of books and entire workshops on the high-level strategies of executive leadership. But what about the daily minutiae of leadership?How do you achieve a balance between quality of life and leading your organization to success?
In this course, I offer 20 manageable and beneficial habits you can build into your life to help you flourish as an executive leader - habits to keep you grounded and habits to help you stay disciplined, habits for handling your relationships, and habits to become a more discerning thinker.And best of all, these habits can easily be integrated into your life, starting today.
CLARITY + ROADMAP
7 days. 7 steps. Get clear about what matters to you & build a plan to make it happen.The exact coaching exercises I use with executive clients, repackaged for you to complete on your own, for $21.
Each day for the next week, you'll receive an email inviting you to that day's exercise. With each day, you'll stack a small win, take a step forward, and discover more about who you are and what you really want.These exercises are about health, grounded identity, & leaning in to big dreams. In the end, you'll have the clarity & roadmap needed to go after what matters most to you.
Coaching
Get unstuck & step forward
Engage through one-on-one strategic sessions that equip & resource you to scale your impact. Grow your executive presence or emotional intelligence. Regain clarity & focus. Stay grounded. Build a plan & work it. Watch your impact grow.
Clear goal(s) & work plan
Regular coaching sessions
Training (as needed)
360 Review (when applicable)
Assessments (when applicable)
Quick Calls for critical moments
Adventure is more fun with a guide
Executives & founders shoulder unique responsibility, including countless distractions & frequent isolation.I've advised leaders like you toward increased executive presence - shoring up confidence, emotional intelligence, and personal health, while fighting through challenges like imposter syndrome, loneliness, and lack of clarity or focus.I've worked with founding teams to improve communication, hone efficiencies, and navigate the challenging dynamics of transition and scaling.My goal? Help you develop practices and habits to thrive.Become more grounded and self-aware, more courageous and empathetic, more focused and disciplined with your goals and time.These transformations require support, accountability, & practice.Let's adventure together - your future self will thank you!Through regular coaching sessions & additional support for those occasional emergencies that need immediate support - helping you zoom out, reframe, and find the right language or solution to move forward in the moment - I offer a strong coaching program for folks ready to grow.Whether you're at the proverbial trailhead, climbing out of the "solo-preneur zone," or scaling to the summit - it's resilience and systems that keep your business moving, one foot in front of the other, steady toward the goal.When self-awareness, discipline, and resilience grow, they empower clarity, focus, and an actionable plan. When you get clear & focused, when you build an actionable plan, you become an unstoppable entrepreneur.
What clients say
"I appreciate how Aaron worked with me to assess our position, clarify direction, and take tangible steps to achieve that vision." Jamie, NPO Founder
"Change is always a challenge. Aaron helped us develop a clear path forward. Now we understand each other and have tools to work toward shared goals." Lacey, VP
"Aaron's style feels relaxed. He has a knack for asking penetrating questions and moving you to action." Sarah, Sr. Director
"I have really enjoyed Aaron's feedback. It's been great to gather practical tips for maximizing my strengths." Ashley, Director
"Our training strengthened team relationships and invited us to collaborate in new ways." Justin, VP
"I applaud Aaron for running 3 great workshops. The team building was outstanding. Kudos for keeping it fun, upbeat, and interactive." Dean, Executive Director
Mastermind
the skinny
Get unstuck & build momentum with a braintrust of like-minded, like-stage entrepreneurs & executives. You'll go further faster.Each group meets monthly for a live, interactive session, driven by actual challenges participants face. Outside of group meetings, participants will engage reading and connect through Slack.
the expanded
Build momentum with collective wisdom.Entrepreneurship can feel like a lonely road. I hear from clients all the time – “I’m disconnected,” or “I need folks to bounce ideas off.” Coaching is great, but sometimes what we really need is a whole team of support.Our crew mastermind is just that – an opportunity for you to engage with tight group of like-minded entrepreneurs.Crew entrepreneurs foster momentum for each other. We wrestle with hard problems, and talking through them together. We share our collective insight and best practices, because the rising tide really lifts all boats.Join the mastermind to get focused on the right things – develop and maintain the right mindset, build the systems and teams you need to scale, and do all of it in a community of high support and high challenge. You'll get the insight, accountability, and resources necessary to stay on course.Sound about right?Apply now to learn more.
About Aaron
the skinny
I'm family guy trying to live life to the full. When I'm not with my fam, I'm COOing at my favorite zoo, coaching leaders, or teaching undergrads.
the expanded
I'm an entrepreneur & C-suite executive with over a decade of experience advising & coaching leaders to get clear, strategic, and focused so they can scale their impact.
My brilliant wife Janay & I have three children. As often as possible, you'll find us enjoying life together - hiking, biking, paddling, skating, or surfing - in Santa Barbara. That whole "they grow up way too fast" thing is painfully real.
My academic journey - in character formation (MA, Philosophy), experiential learning (PhD, Education), and Executive Leadership (eMBA) - blends nicely with my practical business experience across sectors - as a brick-and-mortar entrepreneur, digital entrepreneur, NPO Founder, & Zoo COO.In addition to zoo work & coaching, I enjoy speaking, teaching for Westmont College, serving as affiliate faculty at Penn State's Kurt Hahn Consortium for Values & Experiential Learning, and sitting on several local boards.
