About

Fieldstone Advisors

I’m a seasoned executive committed to helping leaders improve their business performance while simultaneously reducing stress and achieving dramatically greater levels of happiness, contentment, and meaning in their lives.

My executive coaching work focuses on building on existing strengths while addressing limiting beliefs, unproductive patterns, and ineffective behaviors for dramatic improvement.

When desired, I also serve as a trusted advisor and experienced management consultant to support senior managers in improving critical areas of their businesses. I seek to support senior leaders in cultivating strong mental fitness, inspirational leadership, mindfulness, and effective execution while meeting each interaction with empathy, presence, and integrity.

I’m passionate about building trusting and productive relationships with my clients based on high integrity, deep empathetic listening, broad business competency, and a focus on results and personal growth and happiness.

Brian Degen

I approach my work as a former senior executive and seasoned operator with over 35 years of leadership experience across a wide range of industries and business segments. My versatility as an executive coach and management consultant was developed by working at all levels of organizations within large multinational enterprises, mid-stage growth companies, and early-stage start-ups. This diverse background enables me to quickly identify with my client’s most challenging situations and work collaboratively to strengthen leadership capacity, solve problems, and build an inspired workforce.

I began my career with six years in high tech manufacturing at Data General Corporation and successfully launched operating divisions at Fidelity Investments and IDC. I’ve served as CEO, CFO, and Lead Board Director of an IoT water tech start-up, CFO or COO of multiple growth stage or start-up businesses, Partner of a buy-side private equity advisory firm, and Founding Managing Director of a small private equity firm.

These roles span nearly every functional area of a comany including strategic and business planning, financial planning and management, capital raising, board governance, product management, R&D, business development, eCommerce/digital media strategy, manufacturing and operations, sales and marketing, and customer service.

I earned a BS degree in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) and an MBA, Strategic Marketing – both from the University of Michigan. In addition to my professional pursuits, I continue in my volunteer service as a director of the non-profit Open Hearth Community Center I founded over twenty years ago, enjoy adventurous outings in the mountains of the Northeast and beyond, and devote myself to daily mindfulness and meditation practices.

Professional Development
& Certifications

EXECUTIVE COACHING

  • Executive Leadership Coaching – Mastery Session, Harvard University Division of Continuing Education

  • Positive Intelligence Coaching Program, Positive Intelligence, Inc. Positive Intelligence Coach

  • The Power of Embodied Transformation and Somatic Coaching, Coaches Rising & The Strozzi Institute

LEADERSHIP AND PRIVATE INVESTING

  • ACA Leadership Workshop, Angel Capital Association (ACA)

  • Navigating the Boardroom, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation & The Angel Resource Institute

  • The Fundamentals of Private Equity, Private Equity International

  • Seed Investing for Entrepreneurs, National Association of Seed & Venture Funds

Non-Profit Leadership & Volunteering

  • Founder, President, Treasurer, and Board Chair
    Open Hearth Community Center, Inc.     
    Non-profit organization dedicated to supporting youth and families with quality multi-generational programs and recreational facilities. Key initiatives have included after school programs for two local elementary schools, youth mentoring, art, music, dance, theater, karate, ballet, and children’s playgroups. Constructed children’s playground and contributed to skateboard park renovations.

  • Co-Founder, President, and Board Chair
    Kevin Degen Memorial Foundation, Inc.     
    Non-profit organization formed to help special needs children find freedom and independence through athletic endeavors. Primary focus was on providing adaptive bikes for special needs children.

  • Head Soccer Coach for boy’s and girl’s elementary school soccer teams over a total of 17 fall and spring seasons.

  • Volunteer Phone Worker for Contact Crises Hotlines

My Guiding Philosophy

My philosophy is grounded in a deep respect for the skills and talents of the whole person and the united contributions of all diverse members of an organization.

In my work with clients and in my personal life, I am mindful and actively supportive of our collective transition from dualistic “separateness” – with constant comparisons and judgements of ourselves, others, and situations – to an evolutionary unification of opposites toward wholeness that integrates:

  • Analytical left brain and intuitive right brain

  • Integration of mind, body (somatics), and spirit

  • Intelligent thinking head and empathetic feeling heart

  • Western intellectualism and eastern philosophy

  • Individual ego identification and nature/the divine

WHY FIELDSTONE CRAFTSMENSHIP?

I have long held great admiration for the craftmanship and hard work exemplified by the best dry-stone wallers.  Their masterful creations provide inspiration and context to my work with clients helping them build balanced, durable, and well-integrated businesses – one stone at a time.

“The quality of the harmony among shapes that you build into your wall, stone by stone, is directly responsible for its beauty and a major contributor to its longevity.”

—Kevin Gardner, The Granite Kiss

Stone wall along a hilly field with a large tree by the wall and trees in the distance.

  • Brian has been our business advisor performing everything from building our financial plan, consulting with us on our investor pitch, and assisting us on major financial decisions. Brian is extremely detailed, highly knowledgeable, and creative as a financial adviser and business consultant. We highly recommend his services.

    Founder & CEO, Consumer Products Company

  • Brian is a diligent, resourceful leader. He asks great questions and listens thoroughly. He’s highly analytical, tireless, an accomplished fundraiser, and a community leader. It's always a pleasure to engage with Brian.

    President, Aviation Health Monitoring System Company

  • Brian has done an outstanding job guiding the company through numerous challenges to get it to the point of product launch. One of the most notable challenges included having to raise significant amounts of capital on numerous occasions to overcome unexpected technical challenges. Brian did all of this with grace and poise not often seen by someone under such demanding circumstances. For that reason, I hold Brian in high regard.

    Investor in water-tech firm where I was CEO, CFO, and Lead Board Director