Max Needle, Founder of Diamond Arc Legacy had already lived the typical “high achiever” story. As an executive in a large private equity (P.E.)-backed company, he lived with a packed calendar, a relentless pace and a mind that was constantly spinning.
Like many executives, Max carried what he called “productivity anxiety”– the belief that every hour had to be filled with visible progress.
As a father and husband, he was clear: stepping into entrepreneurship couldn’t mean repeating the same cycle. He wanted to succeed as an entrepreneur and cultivate a sustainable, enriching life where was showing up fully values-aligned in every role.
Why Coaching, Why Emily
Coaching was Max’s bridge between his corporate chapter and the entrepreneurial one he was building and it was important that his coach had real operating experience to bring thought partnership into the coaching process.
“The combination of Emily’s entrepreneurial and P.E. operating experience is such an asset. It means you get a coach… but also a thought partner who has actually been there and understands the stakes of your work” – Max Needle, Founder, Diamond Arc Legacy
The Work We Did
Over four months, we built habits designed not to squeeze more out of him, but to release what wasn’t serving him to create space for the next chapter:
- Values Reset- Max revisited his core values for this new season of life, redefining what success actually meant as both a founder and a father. This created a compass for decisions, so his next chapter was rooted in who he is today rather than repeating old patterns.
- Thought Partnership- Exploring how to approach deals and founder relationships in a way that felt both differentiating and true to himself, not repeating the expected cookie-cutter playbook.
- Whitespace Practice- We challenged his impulse to fill every gap with “productivity.” We coined the phrase “just fold the laundry,” a reminder that he didn’t need to stack productivity on every moment, even something as simple as folding clothes.
- Strategic Simplicity- Each week, Max committed to his “Big 3” priorities, the three most strategically important tasks. This helped him drive forward the areas that had biggest impact and walk away from lower ROI “busy work.”
Through the accountability of coaching commitments, Max tested new rhythms, evaluated what worked and adjusted in real time.
The Transformation
The results weren’t about doing more. They were about operating differently:
- Creativity from Quiet- With less grinding, Max created more space for clarity and big-picture ideas.
- Freedom from Proving- He no longer felt like he had to earn his worth through constant output.
- Trust in His Own Style- He began to see his unique, authentic approach to the acquisition sourcing process as his edge.
- Guilt-Free Rest- Instead of being haunted by downtime, Max built tools to navigate guilt, renew energy and reclaim presence.
Want to break free from productivity anxiety and build a sustainable success path? Let’s talk!
Book your 20-minute discovery call here.
