Peter Dudley, PCC

Peter in a sweater with transparent background

I help people make a difference.

Where I came from

Life has thrown me a lot of challenges (the kind we don’t post on Facebook), and if there’s one true thing I’ve learned, it’s that a new life lesson is always just around the corner.

I’m a Gen Xer. My parents divorced when I was too young to understand. I grew up in suburban Connecticut with summers in Las Vegas—two very different worlds and worldviews, both of which left their imprint on me.

I got my degree in Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley and then kicked off a career that has wound its way through technical writing, marketing, product management, communications, human resources, employee engagement, corporate responsibility, and nonprofit leadership. I’ve worked in startups, nonprofits, and Fortune 100 companies. I’ve started a few companies, including this Gray Bear brand.

Between that first job and my pivot to professional coaching in 2022, I was laid off three times, left three jobs voluntarily, built a national reputation in corporate responsibility and employee engagement, got married and divorced, raised two kids through college, published four novels, traveled extensively both inside and outside the US, managed dozens of people, raised a half billion dollars for charity, volunteered as soccer coach and scout leader and crossing guard, parented a transgender teen through a suicidal period, and a lot more. I’ve lost people close to me to ALS, cancer, and suicide. I’ve mentored amazingly talented people and been treated to some impactful training. I’ve been quoted or published in lots of places including US News and World Report, Reader’s Digest Online, Money Magazine, PR Daily, Ethical Corporation, Authority Magazine, and even The New Yorker (2nd place in the cartoon caption contest… twice).

My career and my life have not always followed a straight line. They’ve not always gone according to the script in my head. Being flexible, resilient, positive, and opportunistic have all served me well at times. At other times, I should have been more conservative, skeptical, or cautious. Most of the time I figured it out on my own through journaling, introspection, and other tools I learned along the way.

PCC Certified Coach

I hold a Professional Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation. I’ve coached more than 200 people in 1,000-plus sessions since 2023, and I’ve facilitated dozens of workshops and groups.

My areas of focus

While I’m not afraid of any topic you want to bring to me, I focus my coaching in three areas.

Executive and Leadership Coaching

I help effective managers grow into extraordinary leaders. I’ve built and led high-performing and highly engaged teams for over 30 years in startups, nonprofits, and huge companies. With over 20 years in social impact and employee engagement, and another decade in tech startups, I’ve been through almost every business situation you can throw at me. Go ahead. Bring it.

Life Coaching

Who doesn’t want to live a fulfilling life with courage and intention? You don’t know how long you’ll live, but you know it won’t be forever. Live life the way you truly want, in a way that honors your core values, enhances the relationships that are most important, and sets future-you up for fulfillment and contentment. There’s no better day than today to start.

Book Coaching

Less than 3% of people who say they want to write a book actually start, and less than 3% of those who start actually finish. If you think you’ve got a book in you, it’s time to finally get it out and into the world. Let’s do this.

More about me

If you want to learn more about me, the books I’ve published, the jobs I’ve held, or anything else, please visit my personal author website, view my YouTube videos, or hit my LinkedIn. Or, just contact me and we can have a conversation.

Here are a few of the places I’ve been published or quoted: