I can teach you how to make it better.

I can help you grow as a leader.

I can help you get back to doing the things that make you feel happy AND energized AND fulfilled.

"I've been enrolled in private coaching for the last 14 months. Here are the top 5 improvements in my leadership that are directly related to working with Mark:

Lindsay, Head of School, Iowa

"Working with Mark has truly transformed my approach to leadership. His guidance has not only streamlined my responsibilities but has also boosted my confidence and helped me recognize my own value. I now feel like a stronger and more capable leader, all thanks to Mark's support. 

Mark's extensive experience and dedication to staying updated on the latest practices in communication, organizational leadership, and community service have been invaluable. His insights have made me a more effective and self-assured leader.

We all understand the challenges that come with leadership roles, but having someone like Mark in my corner who truly understands, listens, and acknowledges my efforts has been invaluable. He has helped me refine my daily approach, from prioritizing tasks to managing my time more effectively through email scheduling. As a result, I feel more focused and productive than ever before.

This positive change hasn't just impacted my professional life; it has also spilled over into my personal life, making me a happier and more balanced individual. I now realize that I can excel as a leader while also being my best self in all aspects of my life. Working with Mark has been a game changer, and I'm incredibly grateful for his guidance."

Steve Springer, Associate Head of School, Santa Monica, CA

"I am profoundly grateful for the transformative impact Mark has had on my professional journey. With his unwavering support, I've experienced a remarkable shift in my work-life balance, approaches to leadership, and overall wellbeing as a school leader.

Mark helped me cultivate a deeper understanding of my priorities and boundaries, empowering me to reclaim control over my schedule and prioritize self-care without compromising my effectiveness as a leader.  By challenging me to explore new perspectives and approaches, Mark has empowered me to unlock my full potential and lead with clarity, purpose, and authenticity.

I wholeheartedly recommend Mark to anyone seeking to elevate their leadership journey and cultivate a more fulfilling and balanced life as a school leader."

Chandini, Head of School, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

"I think one of the most powerful characteristics of effective leadership is the presence of self-awareness. Saying yes to Mark's coaching sessions means one is willing to lean into the value of self-awareness. Leadership requires continued reflection, development, education, and in all honesty, transparency and hard truths. Mark's coaching sessions provide these things and more. The intangible part of his coaching comes in the form of weekly intentional conversations reassuring you that you are not alone in this difficult, but important work.

I have held various administrative roles in independent schools throughout the years— Dean of Students, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, and most recently, Head of Upper School— Mark's guided practice and intentional questioning have provided me with perspective and understanding; relatable to each and every position I have been blessed to hold. Mark provides: tips on managing the work/home parallel; strategies to organize your daily calendar and workflow; and 'how-to' resources and tools for building collegial and personal relationships with healthy boundaries. All of which I call adjacently possible to the current challenges and obstacles that we face as private school leaders. 

Prior to my sessions with Mark, I felt reactive more than proactive, but as he continued to walk alongside me on the adventure, I welcomed new moments of contentment, self-affirmation, and validation. My work has become intentional. What we do is hard, but it's made possible with mentors like Mark. I encourage you to say, yes."

Sarah, Head of Upper School, Lafayette, Louisiana

"Administrative life and family life often can come into conflict. Mark provided me with some simple, yet powerful tools for reclaiming time at home that too often I was using for work rather than being present with my wife and kids. 

Through the coaching sessions I learned that it is OK to open up about my needs and frustrations. School leaders hear a lot of vents, it is good to be able to vent yourself sometimes! 

I also picked up some powerful tools that make a huge difference for managing small “rocks.” Small adjustments in scheduling my day, managing personalities, and thinking forward can have exponential returns when consistently applied.

Lastly, I gained confidence from talking through specific situations and contexts with a veteran school leader like Mark. His decades of experience provided an assurance that is invaluable. 

My coaching sessions with Mark helped center and refocus me and I am already seeing daily benefits. My time with family is more rewarding and I don’t carry the same guilt I used to when giving my family dedicated time and attention. 

My school is doing more “leading itself” as I have started to implement needed processes. Mark’s coaching helped provide perspective on those processes and instilled the confidence to then step back and let them work."

Mark, Principal, New Mexico

"The main challenge I had when I started coaching was a feeling of not quite knowing how to prioritize ALL of the elements of this very demanding job. 

Taking back my “white space” and being a visible and active leader were my two biggest lightbulb moments in coaching with Mark. I feel like Mark gave me the tools and the permission to get out from behind my desk and be on the campus and in the classroom.

I'm feeling confident that our school year is starting in a good place. I have excited teachers and happy families."

Sarah, Head of School, CA

"I set aside time today in my calendar to write this testimonial! This was just one of the many practical tips that I learned in our coaching sessions.  I am not the most organized person, but I have learned how to lean into my strengths as a leader and use tools I learned from Mark to support my areas of weakness.  A very good listener, Mark really set me up for success going into my first summer as Head of School to best prepare for the upcoming school year."

James, Principal, Greensboro, NC

"Mark provided me with some simple, yet powerful tools for reclaiming time at home that too often I was using for work rather than being present with my wife and kids. My time with family is more rewarding and I don’t carry the same guilt I used to when giving my family dedicated time and attention.

I LOVE being a private school leader. I also knew that I could not maintain the crazy long work hours trying to complete an exhaustive to-do list while feeling like I was accomplishing nothing on time. That's where Mark came in! He has helped me learn to be much more strategic with a must do list, to take control of my calendar, and to claim time for working towards future goals for our campus! 

This is my third year as a private school leader, and I felt more relaxed at the start of the year than ever before. My daughter recently commented to me that she has been so excited to see me be more present with family. School brings me so much joy! I have also found a renewed joy for my hobbies without feeling guilty or fearing that I was letting down my school."

Michelle, High School Principal, Arkansas

"I found myself drowning in the multitude of responsibilities that came with being an Assistant Head of School.  I felt little joy in the day to day. It bled into every single aspect of my personal life in ways I was entirely unaware. I had no "work/life balance"; that term felt foreign, unattainable and the concept laughable.

A fellow Assistant Head of School referred me to Mark. I was skeptical about his ability to help me make the sort of grand change I believed needed to happen in order for me to stay in the field of independent school leadership. Furthermore, I was skeptical about what a white man might possibly understand about my personal struggles as an Asian leader of a private school. 

Mark was gentle, kind, and listened deeply before offering any solutions. A father of three daughters, he was empathetic to my experience. I felt he intuitively and compassionately understood.  Session by session, he helped me  organize my schedule with a fine-tooth comb and reframe my thinking about work and my self worth. These powerful insights and changes led to small alterations in my day- which then led to transformational change thereafter. It is only in small changes that one can step back and see the ripple effects of them. 

He reminded me, week by week, of what I've accomplished, and why I deserve what I have earned. 

I now have a restored sense of passion for my job- not always and everyday- but certainly more than enough to continue on my educational leadership path for the foreseeable future."

Maria, Assistant Head of School, Los Angeles, CA

"This is my 4th year as the principal of a PK-12 grade school. We've gone through a lot of changes as we have grown in the last few years, and to meet the challenges created by the growth, I just took on more and more responsibilities, to the point where I felt like I was doing so many different things but none of them well. 

Mark has helped me to identify and prioritize tasks to focus on as the leader, as well as those that need to be delegated to others. It's made such a difference in how I feel about and approach my daily existence as a private school leader. Our coaching sessions have also helped me to define and re-affirm healthy boundaries for my work, and allowed me to gain perspective on appropriate expectations for work-life blend in the leadership position I hold. 

As a principal, I am surrounded by tons of people, but few understand the weight of leadership, especially in a private school. Mark has years of personal experience and hard-earned wisdom to draw from, so his advice is highly practical and super helpful!"

Vanessa, Principal, Minnesota

“As a private school leader with 28 years experience as a high school principal, it is the now dual role of Executive Director/Principal that challenges me to develop new leadership skills and enhance existing skills in order to effectively lead a school with Montessori through Grade 12 students, faculty, and administrators.  In order to help broaden my vision and create a leadership toolbox, Mark Minkus provided me with strategies that I have implemented in what has been the best start ever to the school year.  His coaching is invaluable to not only the new administrator but the veteran as well.”

Pam, Executive Director/HS Principal Kentucky

“This isn't an easy job but your wisdom really has made a difference in the way I am structuring my daily tasks and in dreaming about the impact that I can have as a servant leader in my school.”

L.L., Superintendent, Iowa

“I have appreciated your authenticity and how relatable you are as a leader. It helps so much to know that I am not alone in this.”

Sara, Director of Early Childhood Education, California

"The private school administrator clan is small and unique, and not everyone understands the pressures, but you clearly do, and I appreciate the time you are investing in us!"

Mike, Administrator, New Hampshire

"I want to thank you for your honesty and vulnerability in sharing what so many leaders feel, but don’t know what to do with."

R.S. Preschool Director, Florida

"Mark Minkus helped me tremendously with this transition, and mentored me through my first year in this new role. His support and guidance have made all the difference in my success with my new position. Mark was critical to my success in my first year in this new role, and I highly recommend him as a mentor for anyone entering or currently working in a leadership role."

Emily, Learning Innovation Director, Pennsylvania

“Your advice around naming/defining your “why” and….. on Productivity Hacks have honestly changed the way I do my job.”

Kevin, Principal, Rhode Island

"As a new private school leader, I want to say thank you. We don't have mentors but you have been my virtual mentor."

D.G. Superintendent, Florida

"Mark helped me reflect and discover the areas of my leadership and work that I could improve on. He helped me focus my efforts on listening and motivating teachers to reach their goals. He worked with me to develop a healthier work/life balance, and to better manage my time and feel more in control of my schedule. These changes made me feel stronger both emotionally and physically, and made me ready to tackle the challenges of each day with a positive and excited attitude."

Emily, Learning Innovation Director, Pennsylvania

You may be convinced that a coaching package is for you. You also may not have the ability to pay for this 1-on-1 coaching. If that's the case, I encourage you to check with your Board President or Head of School to see if your school's PD budget can cover this expense to help you get what you need to lead your school. (If it is helpful, I can send you an invoice as a pdf.)

I first learned about Mark through his podcast "The Private School Leader." Mark's creative and insightful explorations of private school leadership topics immediately resonated with me. His practical experience clearly established validity while his genuine nature instilled a deep confidence. When I learned that Mark offered individual coaching sessions, I was immediately interested. I found myself in a lonely place, facing challenges that called for collaboration but required confidentiality. Overwhelmed and in need of a sounding board, my decision to hire Mark saved my summer! I found practical, responsive, and wise counsel that transformed the way I thought about my work. He helped reconnect me to my purpose while filling my tool belt with ideas I could implement immediately. After completing three sessions with Mark, I now have a plan, a few new habits, and a new outlook on the upcoming year. At a time when I needed an objective, trustworthy voice, Mark walked me out of the wilderness and helped me find a path forward. Thank you Mark!

Brad, Principal, Kentucky

“Mark's personal coaching was transformational for my practice as a school leader. Larger than just my scope of work, Mark helped me reshape my personal life. He helped me recognize that despite my reluctance to face it, my relationships were being adversely impacted by my work life. Mark gave me the permission to take care of myself, and in doing so take care of those around me, making me a more effective, happier, inspired school leader.”

Adam, Head of Lower School, Colorado

“I appreciate all of your advice, insights, and encouragement throughout this last year. I did four observations last month and made my daily notecard first thing this morning, so you helped me build habits that I find extremely useful. Thank you!”

Kate, Principal, Washington, DC

“Through Mark’s private coaching, I am more intentional and productive with my time during the school day. Mark has given me specific strategies which I have implemented from PreK 3 to 7th Grade which are helping transform the culture of my school. I have also found a renewed sense of joy and enthusiasm as a school leader through Mark’s coaching.  My overall quality of life at home with my family and my effectiveness as a school leader have both greatly improved.” 

Thomas, Principal, Louisiana

"I have learned so many great strategies from your wise words. It has been such a buoy and is so validating to hear the common struggles, and ways to grow toward success."

Melissa, Principal, Houston, Texas

“Sometimes your words challenge me to be better.  Sometimes your words give me something to think about.  Sometimes I receive new insights and ideas that I want to put into practice immediately. Sometimes I see myself in you when you speak about how your life used to be in the beginning years of your leadership.  I see that in myself right now and I am worried that I will burn out.  I want to be in this vocation for the rest of my life, God willing, but I know I need to change if I am going to be able to do so in the future!”

Keith, Principal, Rhode Island

“Truly, if I had not reached out I would not still be in this office today. Still lots to do both at home and at work, but it is more manageable because of you. Very blessed to have worked with you and have you in my corner.”

A.C., Head of School Texas

"Mark Minkus has been a lifeline for me at times. I’m 5 years into the job and I still feel like his advice and resources are useful, relevant and crucial to leading in a private school of this century. 

Mark has a way to validate my feelings as a leader and has inspired me to move past my doubts to achieve greater things! The part where he said ‘you said yes to this job, this very exhausting and beautiful job’ had me in tears.

He’s extremely personable and patient and doesn’t mind going the extra mile for you. Mark is an inspirational leader who will be leading many leaders that are raising up amazing generations to come!"

Eman, Head of School, Florida