The Story Behind the Lab

My promotional journey started in 2014. SAM Officer. Then Lieutenant in 2016. Captain in 2020. Assistant Chief in 2024. Each promotion required real preparation — and I was fortunate early in my career to have an incredible coach and mentor who helped me understand the assessment center environment before I walked into my first process. I am still close with that mentor today because of the impact he had on me both personally and professionally.

That relationship changed my career. And I have never forgotten it.

I have spent the last 10 years on the other side of the process — as an assessor for my department and for regional fire departments across the area. I have scored hundreds of candidates. I have seen what works, what doesn't, and what genuinely talented firefighters and paramedics get wrong when they walk into the room unprepared.

Three years ago I started informally coaching fire and EMS professionals preparing for promotional processes. I have helped many individuals finish in a promotional position or improve their scoring position. Not because I gave them answers — but because I helped them understand the room they were walking into and develop the leadership identity and communication skills that assessors are actually trained to score.

TPS Coaching Lab is the formal version of what I have been doing informally for three years. I built The Promotional Standard platform to make assessment center preparation accessible to every candidate everywhere. I built TPS Coaching Lab for the candidates who want to work directly with someone who has been inside the room — on both sides of the table.

A long time ago someone invested in me. I would love to do the same for you.