Evidence-Based Performance Coach for Founders

I help good people,

build great companies.

I also write, podcast, and coach.

Subscribe to my free, weekly newsletter to follow

my exploration of the science of entrepreneurship.

Hi! I'm Gerrit.

I can barely draw a circle and pretty much suck at music, so my creative outlet has always been business and the stories that give them life. I’ve built four companies in four countries, served as interim CEO to four others, raised millions from investors, and had a few modest exits. Now, when I’m not building companies, I’m helping others build theirs – having advised 1000+ ambitious founders who have built game-changing startups, created thousands of jobs, and raised billions in venture capital.

As a lifelong athlete, I’m also obsessed with the science of human performance, so much that I took a mid-40s sabbatical to do PhD research on entrepreneurial flow. During that time, I hosted one of Europe’s leading entrepreneurship podcasts, founded a startup accelerator, and served as a peak performance coach for Steven Kotler’s Flow Research Collective.

Today, I coach high-growth founders to perform and feel their best while traveling the world with my family and creating educational content about evidence-based entrepreneurship through my podcast and newsletter.

Gerrit McGowan - Evidence-Based Entrepreneurship Coach

Here's how I help.

Evidence-Based Performance Coach for Founders

Founder Coaching

Find you entrepreneurial flow.

Together we’ll create the mindsets, heuristics, and tools you need to perform and feel your best in both business and in life – equipping you to better illuminate blindspots, navigate challenges, make decisions, and create the entrepreneurial life of health, wealth, freedom, purpose, and impact you dream of.

Schedule a Coaching Consultation

Investor Readiness

Unleash your inner storyteller.

I offer an intensive, 6-week coaching program to help founders raise the capital they need to scale their venture to new heights. This one-on-one coaching program isn’t just about crafting your investor pitch (although that’s part of it). It’s about finding and filling the gaps in your business that help you go from “no” to FOMO.

Learn More About the Program

Educational Content

Turn science into strategy.

Each week I write about evidence-based entrepreneurship and peak performance in my free, weekly newsletter. Or check out my upcoming podcast to learn from groundbreaking scientists and scholars exploring the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and entrepreneurship (beginning October 1, 2024).

Subscribe to my Free Newsletter

Here's what my clients say.

“
Namik AbdulzadeCofounder of Wunderkind
“I highly recommend Gerrit as a peak performance/startup coach. Gerrit's mentorship has been pivotal for me both professionally and in fitness. His empathetic approach and insight into peak performance make him an invaluable coach.”

“
Ren Yi HooiFounder of Lightning Reach
“Gerrit has a genuine empathy and care for founders he works with, and encourages us to think about life and health in a more holistic way. I always look forward to our conversations and take away learnings from them.”

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Roberto ArroyoFounder of Construex
“Gerrit has great experience working with founders, and he deeply understands the process to build a solid VC backed venture. I would recommend any founder to work with Gerrit. The startup journey is filled with challenges and its great to count with him as an adviser.”

“
Frederik SteensgaardCofounder of BeCause
“Gerrit draws upon his rich tapestry of experiences to offer a learning environment fostered to be both challenging and nurturing. If it wasn't for my fear of having to share Gerrit with too many other people, there wouldn't be a limit to how highly I would recommend him as a coach.”

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Lance JohnsonCofounder of Scale Advanced Biocomposites
“Writing a recommendation for Gerrit is difficult, because the recommendation can't live up to the man. He is genuine, sincere, passionate, and will put every bit as much into coaching as you do into your business an amazing resource and human to have on your side.”

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Alex FreemanCofounder of Stance Fitness
“Gerrit is an extraordinarily intelligent, perspicacious and thoughtful man with boundless energy and drive. He's one of those people that operates in a higher intellectual gear and has the ability to translate thoughts into articulate and persuasive arguments.”

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Maanas MedirattaCofounder of Bridged Media
“Gerrit is a truly exceptional coach and I can't emphasize enough how I‘ve benefited from his
guidance. He excels in laying out various perspectives and helping you think critically about each
one, providing the guidance needed to make informed decisions without imposing his own bias.”

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Paul AppelCofounder of ECO2GROW
“Gerrit is an absolute powerhouse entrepreneur and mentor, and a great human being with never
ending creative energy to discuss ideas or potential milestones for a venture. His straight forward
feedback and perspectives are helpful and often beneficially cleansing!”

“
Harry NgFounder of GiveShop
“Gerrit brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his personal experiences as a founder and investor. This allows him to understand the unique challenges a founder faces, and provide the relevant advice to navigate through them. He’s invaluable and what every CEO needs. We just need to figure out how to clone him.”

“
Marco DassistiCofounder of Qualimero
“I had the pleasure of working with Gerrit, over multiple years across two ventures. His guidance in scaling our early-stage ventures was invaluable and his advice played a crucial role in our fundraising success. Gerrit is a true asset to any startup looking to make a significant impact.”

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