Clarity. Judgment. Leverage.
Leaders are measured by the quality of their decisions.
I’m Steve Taylor, and I work with a small number of CEOs, investors, and senior leaders committed to operating and leading at a higher level.
I serve as an external operator and thought partner. I sit beside my clients as they navigate complex decisions, competing priorities, and moments that require foresight and clarity.
I help leaders think more clearly and decide more confidently.
2× founder.
3× Chief Operating Officer.
I’ve spent my career scaling venture-backed startups, building and leading teams, navigating successful exits, and serving in demanding roles at the White House, Pentagon, and during multiple military deployments. These experiences shaped how I think about leadership, decision-making, and performance under pressure.
The inputs that lead to better decisions.
Clarity
Exceptional leaders must think clearly amid complexity, competing priorities, and constant noise. We build the discipline required to filter signal from distraction and focus attention where it matters most.
Pattern Recognition
Better leaders see what others miss. We develop your ability to recognize recurring patterns across your business, leadership, and life so you can respond early rather than react late.
Judgement under Pressure
The most important decisions rarely come with complete information. We strengthen your ability to process uncertainty, challenge assumptions, and make sound decisions when the pressure is greatest.
Performance Capacity.
We strengthen the physical and mental foundations of sustained performance—sleep, recovery, stress, energy, emotional regulation, and daily habits—so you can think clearly and perform consistently when the stakes are high.
Three ways to work with Talis.
Private Advisory
A highly selective advisory relationship for CEOs, investors, and senior executives navigating consequential decisions. Designed for leaders operating in environments where decision quality directly impacts company trajectory, organizational health, and long-term success. Reserved for a limited number of clients each year.
Executive Advisory
Ongoing advisory support for leaders committed to growing as fast (if not faster) than their company is scaling. Structured engagements focused on strengthening judgment, leadership capability, decision-making, and performance under increasing complexity. Built for executives who recognize leadership development cannot lag organizational growth. Limited availability.
Founder Retreats
We bring together small groups of founders twice a year to exclusive destinations. Attendees are curated, conversations are confidential, and the experiences is designed to give you exposure to how other exceptional leaders think, decide, and lead.
“Steve has been a mentor, a teacher, and a steady source of focus when I needed it most.”
“Steve is able to rewire my brain to bring a different level of thinking and clarity.”
“He has helped everyone on our leadership team become a better leader and manager.”
“Steve helps me look around corners, anticipate problems, and prepare my company for each phase of growth.”
“I’m already a great leader. Steve makes me better.”
“Steve is one of the few people I trust to challenge my thinking, provide an objective perspective, and help me navigate important decisions with clarity and confidence.”