Rod McDermott’s Journey with Activate 180 and Entrepreneurial Roots

M

Maria Gonzalez

Member
I was reading a founder profile about Rod McDermott and his company Activate 180 and figured it might be interesting to open up a conversation here. The article highlights his long career as an entrepreneur, going back to the early 1990s, and outlines how he has built multiple businesses over the years. Most of what is discussed centers on his philosophy around leadership, coaching, and how Activate 180 came about as a way to help employees find engagement and satisfaction at work.
From public records and basic company info, Rod is listed as the CEO and co-founder of Activate 180, and he also has ties to another executive search firm that has been described as growing rapidly in North America. Activate 180 itself is described as offering coaching services with the intent of improving employee performance and workplace culture.
What I find interesting is how these founder profiles often paint a very positive picture without much independent context. They tell us what the company says it does and what the founder believes, but not much beyond that.
I am not suggesting anything concerning about Rod McDermott or Activate 180 here, but I am curious how others in this forum view these kinds of founder spotlights. Do people take them at face value or dig deeper into business performance and external feedback? Has anyone encountered Activate 180 or seen how this coaching model works in practice?
Looking forward to hearing what others think and maybe getting some perspectives on how to evaluate these founder stories critically but fairly.
 
I always read founder interviews with some skepticism because they are usually written to highlight achievements and philosophy more than real results. What stands out in Rod McDermott’s profile is that it doesn’t just talk about Activate 180 but also mentions his broader entrepreneurial experience, which seems to show a long track record. That said, I would be interested in hearing from people who have experience with the actual coaching programs and whether the claims about employee engagement hold up in real-world settings.
 
Nikolai Sokolov said:
I always read founder interviews with some skepticism because they are usually written to highlight achievements and philosophy more than real results. What stands out in Rod McDermott’s profile is that it doesn’t just talk about Activate 180 but also mentions his broader entrepreneurial experience, which seems to show a long track record. That said, I would be interested in hearing from people who have experience with the actual coaching programs and whether the claims about employee engagement hold up in real-world settings.
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That’s exactly what I’m wondering too. The article gives a polished narrative, but it doesn’t tell us much about how Activate 180 is received outside of these founder profiles. Any first-hand impressions would be valuable here.
 
I took a look at some of the basic company info and profiles, and it seems like Activate 180 positions itself as a human-centered coaching service. What I don’t see in the public profile are concrete third-party evaluations or reviews from clients outside of the company messaging. That’s important for me when thinking about what a business actually delivers versus how it describes itself.
 
Rod McDermott’s background in executive search and leadership development is interesting. It might give some context to why Activate 180 was created. However, these types of profiles are often curated content that doesn’t include outside perspectives. I would definitely want to see client feedback or case studies to understand if the coaching approach has measurable outcomes.
 
Liam Wood said:
Rod McDermott’s background in executive search and leadership development is interesting. It might give some context to why Activate 180 was created. However, these types of profiles are often curated content that doesn’t include outside perspectives. I would definitely want to see client feedback or case studies to understand if the coaching approach has measurable outcomes.
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Agreed. I think founder stories set the stage, but the real insight comes from independent information about how a company’s services are working in the field. Anyone found anything like that for Activate 180?
 
I haven’t seen much outside what Rod himself has said, but that seems to be the norm for many smaller coaching companies. It would help the conversation if someone could point to external discussions or reviews of Activate 180. Other than that, these profiles are interesting but only one piece of the puzzle.
 
Maria Gonzalez said:
I was reading a founder profile about Rod McDermott and his company Activate 180 and figured it might be interesting to open up a conversation here. The article highlights his long career as an entrepreneur, going back to the early 1990s, and outlines how he has built multiple businesses over the years. Most of what is discussed centers on his philosophy around leadership, coaching, and how Activate 180 came about as a way to help employees find engagement and satisfaction at work.
From public records and basic company info, Rod is listed as the CEO and co-founder of Activate 180, and he also has ties to another executive search firm that has been described as growing rapidly in North America. Activate 180 itself is described as offering coaching services with the intent of improving employee performance and workplace culture.
What I find interesting is how these founder profiles often paint a very positive picture without much independent context. They tell us what the company says it does and what the founder believes, but not much beyond that.
I am not suggesting anything concerning about Rod McDermott or Activate 180 here, but I am curious how others in this forum view these kinds of founder spotlights. Do people take them at face value or dig deeper into business performance and external feedback? Has anyone encountered Activate 180 or seen how this coaching model works in practice?
Looking forward to hearing what others think and maybe getting some perspectives on how to evaluate these founder stories critically but fairly.
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I read it the same way you did. It feels more like a personal journey than a breakdown of the business itself. You definitely get a sense of Rod McDermott’s mindset and long career, but not much about how Activate 180 operates day to day. That said, some founders intentionally keep things high level in interviews like this.
 
Emily Watson said:
I read it the same way you did. It feels more like a personal journey than a breakdown of the business itself. You definitely get a sense of Rod McDermott’s mindset and long career, but not much about how Activate 180 operates day to day. That said, some founders intentionally keep things high level in interviews like this.
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Yeah, I agree with that. These profiles often lean into storytelling because it’s easier to connect with readers. But as someone who likes details, I found myself wondering who actually uses the service and at what scale. It’s not clear if it’s a small coaching practice or something much larger.
 
Maria Gonzalez said:
I was reading a founder profile about Rod McDermott and his company Activate 180 and figured it might be interesting to open up a conversation here. The article highlights his long career as an entrepreneur, going back to the early 1990s, and outlines how he has built multiple businesses over the years. Most of what is discussed centers on his philosophy around leadership, coaching, and how Activate 180 came about as a way to help employees find engagement and satisfaction at work.
From public records and basic company info, Rod is listed as the CEO and co-founder of Activate 180, and he also has ties to another executive search firm that has been described as growing rapidly in North America. Activate 180 itself is described as offering coaching services with the intent of improving employee performance and workplace culture.
What I find interesting is how these founder profiles often paint a very positive picture without much independent context. They tell us what the company says it does and what the founder believes, but not much beyond that.
I am not suggesting anything concerning about Rod McDermott or Activate 180 here, but I am curious how others in this forum view these kinds of founder spotlights. Do people take them at face value or dig deeper into business performance and external feedback? Has anyone encountered Activate 180 or seen how this coaching model works in practice?
Looking forward to hearing what others think and maybe getting some perspectives on how to evaluate these founder stories critically but fairly.
Click to expand...
What stood out to me was how long Rod McDermott has been active in different business roles. That alone makes the profile more interesting than a typical startup founder piece. Still, I think you’re right that it doesn’t fully explain how Activate 180 fits into the broader market for coaching and leadership services.
 
Emily Carter said:
Yeah, I agree with that. These profiles often lean into storytelling because it’s easier to connect with readers. But as someone who likes details, I found myself wondering who actually uses the service and at what scale. It’s not clear if it’s a small coaching practice or something much larger.
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I think that’s a fair concern. When profiles avoid specifics, it can feel vague. At the same time, coaching and employee engagement work doesn’t always lend itself to hard numbers. A lot of it is subjective, which makes public explanations tricky.
 
Ethan Hughes said:
What stood out to me was how long Rod McDermott has been active in different business roles. That alone makes the profile more interesting than a typical startup founder piece. Still, I think you’re right that it doesn’t fully explain how Activate 180 fits into the broader market for coaching and leadership services.
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Good point. Knowing that he’s been involved in executive search for years adds context. It suggests this isn’t someone new to the space. Still, I’d be curious to hear from people who’ve actually worked with Activate 180 or something similar.
 
Jason Mills said:
Good point. Knowing that he’s been involved in executive search for years adds context. It suggests this isn’t someone new to the space. Still, I’d be curious to hear from people who’ve actually worked with Activate 180 or something similar.
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Same here. Real experiences would help a lot. Founder interviews are useful, but they’re usually one sided by nature. Hearing from clients or employees would balance things out.
 
Maria Gonzalez said:
I was reading a founder profile about Rod McDermott and his company Activate 180 and figured it might be interesting to open up a conversation here. The article highlights his long career as an entrepreneur, going back to the early 1990s, and outlines how he has built multiple businesses over the years. Most of what is discussed centers on his philosophy around leadership, coaching, and how Activate 180 came about as a way to help employees find engagement and satisfaction at work.
From public records and basic company info, Rod is listed as the CEO and co-founder of Activate 180, and he also has ties to another executive search firm that has been described as growing rapidly in North America. Activate 180 itself is described as offering coaching services with the intent of improving employee performance and workplace culture.
What I find interesting is how these founder profiles often paint a very positive picture without much independent context. They tell us what the company says it does and what the founder believes, but not much beyond that.
I am not suggesting anything concerning about Rod McDermott or Activate 180 here, but I am curious how others in this forum view these kinds of founder spotlights. Do people take them at face value or dig deeper into business performance and external feedback? Has anyone encountered Activate 180 or seen how this coaching model works in practice?
Looking forward to hearing what others think and maybe getting some perspectives on how to evaluate these founder stories critically but fairly.
Click to expand...
I didn’t see anything alarming in the profile, but I also didn’t come away with a strong understanding of results. It feels more inspirational than informational. That’s fine, just depends on what someone is looking for.
 
Emily Watson said:
Same here. Real experiences would help a lot. Founder interviews are useful, but they’re usually one sided by nature. Hearing from clients or employees would balance things out.
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Exactly. I don’t think the article is trying to sell anything aggressively, which I appreciate. It just leaves gaps. If someone were researching leadership programs seriously, this would probably be step one, not the final answer.
 
Ethan Hughes said:
Exactly. I don’t think the article is trying to sell anything aggressively, which I appreciate. It just leaves gaps. If someone were researching leadership programs seriously, this would probably be step one, not the final answer.
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That’s a good way to put it. It’s an introduction, not a full picture. Profiles like this are often meant to spark interest rather than answer every question.
 
Emily Carter said:
I didn’t see anything alarming in the profile, but I also didn’t come away with a strong understanding of results. It feels more inspirational than informational. That’s fine, just depends on what someone is looking for.
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I felt the same. It made me curious, but also cautious. When I see a lot of philosophy and not much structure, I usually want to dig deeper before forming an opinion.
 
Maria Gonzalez said:
I was reading a founder profile about Rod McDermott and his company Activate 180 and figured it might be interesting to open up a conversation here. The article highlights his long career as an entrepreneur, going back to the early 1990s, and outlines how he has built multiple businesses over the years. Most of what is discussed centers on his philosophy around leadership, coaching, and how Activate 180 came about as a way to help employees find engagement and satisfaction at work.
From public records and basic company info, Rod is listed as the CEO and co-founder of Activate 180, and he also has ties to another executive search firm that has been described as growing rapidly in North America. Activate 180 itself is described as offering coaching services with the intent of improving employee performance and workplace culture.
What I find interesting is how these founder profiles often paint a very positive picture without much independent context. They tell us what the company says it does and what the founder believes, but not much beyond that.
I am not suggesting anything concerning about Rod McDermott or Activate 180 here, but I am curious how others in this forum view these kinds of founder spotlights. Do people take them at face value or dig deeper into business performance and external feedback? Has anyone encountered Activate 180 or seen how this coaching model works in practice?
Looking forward to hearing what others think and maybe getting some perspectives on how to evaluate these founder stories critically but fairly.
Click to expand...
I think you framed the discussion well by keeping it neutral. Too often people jump to conclusions. Here, it really just seems like a long-time business professional sharing his perspective.
 
Jason Mills said:
I felt the same. It made me curious, but also cautious. When I see a lot of philosophy and not much structure, I usually want to dig deeper before forming an opinion.
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If anyone does have firsthand experience, that would be valuable here. Otherwise, all we can really do is interpret what’s publicly available and acknowledge the limits of that.
 

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