Meet Dave Dargatz
A successful 30-year career in Management Consulting with IBM allowed me to help my clients solve their most challenging business issues. I had a passion for developing relationships with my clients and understanding their needs, allowing me to lead my teams to develop creative solutions that solved the problems facing my clients. As a leader with IBM, managing delivery teams of as many as 75 IBM staff, I quickly realized that coaching and mentoring my junior staff was a significant part of my responsibilities. During my career I have coached and mentored hundreds of junior level staff at IBM, not just helping them grow their technical skills to deliver solutions to our clients but also coaching them on how to grow professionally. I took the time to understand their professional and personal goals and did everything possible to help staff members realize those goals. There were many times that I would release a project member for my team to transition to a new project, knowing that it would be difficult to replace that team member but knowing that allowing that person to move to a new project would help them achieve their goals. It gave me immense joy to see staff I worked with get promoted, knowing that my coaching helped them be successful.
I loved my career in Management Consulting and thought that is where I would retire. But in early 2023 a significant personal issue arose that caused me to reassess my life and take a deeper look into how I defined success. I realized that taking control of my life and finding a path that would allow me the freedom to be present with my family was my priority. I was ready to leave the corporate lifestyle and work for myself. This issue also made me realize that there are so many people who are unhappy in their professional lives and are looking for a path to achieve happiness while maintaining their current lifestyle. I explored the opportunity to become a Career Ownership Coach with The Entrepreneur’s Source and I knew right away this opportunity would allow me to achieve my professional and personal goals. I am focused on helping everyone I work with find success and happiness in their lives.
A Little Bit About Me
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh (Go Steelers!!) and graduated from Upper St Clair High School. After graduation, my family moved to Central Ohio, where I thought I would live for a few years and then move somewhere else to start my professional career. After all these years I am still a resident of Central Ohio and love living here. I met my incredible wife Mandy here and we will celebrate 25 years of marriage in December 2024. We have two children, our daughter Paige who will be a junior at the University of Kentucky in the fall and our son Alex who will be a junior in the fall at Olentangy Berlin High School. Our 2-year-old black lab Luna completes our family.
My undergraduate degree is from The Ohio State University in Accounting, and I also graduated from Duke University with an MBA. I love to travel with my family, cooking (especially on the grill on my patio) and reading but my passions are sports and time with family. I have been fortunate to combine those two passions by being involved in the youth sports organizations where both my children are active. I have coached baseball, softball, and football but my favorite is hockey. I coached my son on the ice for years and I am a certified Level 4 Hockey Coach through USA Hockey. I have held many positions in youth hockey in Central Ohio and have made countless friends through hockey, leading some of my friends to refer to me as “The Mayor of the Rink.” We also attend as many professional and college sporting events as possible, including the Super Bowl, College National Championship Game, Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, World Series games and the US Open (golf).
I would like to help you realize both your professional and personal goals:
If you have reached a point in your career where you realize there is something better out there that would help you achieve a more fulfilling life, I would love to connect and learn about your goals to achieve your dreams. I can help you explore and understand different career possibilities that will allow you to realize your goals.