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Helping Teams Thrive with Actionable Strategies and Growth Systems

DMDC Systems is your partner in building clarity, alignment, and impact—without the overwhelm.

 

About Me

I’m Derek MacDonald, a Leadership Enablement Consultant and Founder of DMDC Systems.

My mission is to provide leaders with the tools, systems, and strategies they need to align their teams and drive performance. I’ve built my career at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and growth.

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I'm driven by one core belief: leadership isn’t just about results—it’s about how you get there.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with high-growth organizations, helping leaders and teams achieve measurable results through strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and systems optimization.

How I Can Help

At DMDC Systems, I blend consulting, coaching, and education to meet leaders where they are and guide them to where they want to be. From aligning cross-functional teams to building productivity systems that last, I focus on solutions that balance big-picture strategy with actionable steps to get there.


The DMDC Origin Story

My Core Values

  • Curiosity: Simplifying complexity for better decision-making.
  • Connection: Empowering teams to collaborate more effectively.
  • Progression: Driving results that are both measurable and meaningful.
  • Expression: Leveraging authenticity to invite creativity.
  • Autonomy: Helping leaders thrive professionally and personally.

Fun Facts

  • I’m an outdoor guide who loves trail running, snowboarding, and finding parallels between adventure and leadership.
  • My passion for continuous learning has led me to create resources for high-achievers like you, blending personal development with professional growth.
  • I believe in leading with curiosity—it’s how I’ve built systems and strategies that empower my clients to excel.

Let’s create a roadmap to help you and your team thrive.

 

My Story

Wilderness emergency medicine taught me more about pressurized decision-making than any other aspect of my career. My journey with sobriety taught me more about ownership and prioritization than any job I’ve had.

My story includes winding roads through mental health — stretches of despair, of victory, of loss, and of gratitude. Other patches had no roads at all.

My ability to be effective comes from experiences you won’t see on my resume.

At 19 I studied risk management and effective decision-making in a 3 month, immersive leadership development program. I also started consuming as much information as I could from thought leaders like like Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, Tim Ferriss, Brené Brown, Gabor Maté, Angela Duckworth, Rich Roll, Michael Gervais, Mel Robbins, the Gottmans, and so many more.

It became an obsession.

I've extensively studied high performing athletes, business founders, and psychologists.

My ability to rapidly scale a startup showed me that what I was learning really worked. In my 20’s I guided backcountry expeditions in the Rocky Mountain West, coached big mountain snowboarders qualifying for the Freeride World Tour, and ran the Boston Marathon after recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

  • I rode the waves of depression.
  • I navigated financial insecurity.
  • I climbed out of many pits — some I’d dug for myself, others not so much. I climbed out anyway.

I also worked on the crew of a sailboat in the Caribbean, toured New England as a keynote speaker, and weaved through the service industry in a way that I like to think would make Anthony Bourdain proud. Or, at least, make him scoff a bit.

Life outside of the office has shaped my skill set as much as my professional experiences have.

At work, I build better systems for activating strategies and teams. But, like you, l'm more than my job.

Admittedly, I spend a lot of my time nerding out on sustainable systems and approaches to development. When not training for a marathon or enjoying a sunrise with my snowboard, you can likely find me frequenting local coffee shops and live music venues.

A Massachusetts native, I grew up sliding on snow in Vermont’s Mad River Valley before moving to Jackson, WY in search of big mountains and unconventional approaches to a life well lived. In 2021, I answered the Green Mountain's call and returned to Vermont, where I currently reside.

Outside of work, I have volunteered with Massachusetts HOBY since 2010, developing staffing teams and implementing curricula that inspire young people to become catalysts for positive change in their home, school, workplace, and community.

I've also spent time volunteering for local advocacy programs and coaching freeride snowboard athletes. As a member of the board of directors for Carving The Future, I advised on marketing strategies that empowered underserved youth in Wyoming by providing gear, programs, lessons, and athletic scholarships.

My contributions to Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine and NOLS' The Leader seek to elevate communities and voices who've got this life thing figured out.

Get the Connecting the Contours Newsletter.

When you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get posts straight to your inbox.

Topics will range from digital marketing and business strategy to personal anecdotes, mishaps in the mountains, and lessons in leadership I’ve learned along the way.

This newsletter includes:

  • new posts from me.
  • videos I find interesting from others.
  • podcast recommendations that dive into topics covered here.
  • helpful resources to read from industry experts.

I’m glad you’re here.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

onward.

-dmac

about me.

at a glance.

I build content marketing engines and consultative selling systems. My background is in business strategy, marketing, and sales effectiveness.

The systems I design help overwhelmed tech leaders cross things off of their to-do lists, feel equipped with marketing & sales technology, and use data to drive their teams forward.

the details.

My experience comes from taking an unconventional route. But it’s what makes me exceptional at what I do. Helping people align purpose and process is what I’m most passionate about.

I’ve been able to do that as the:

  • National Enablement Strategy & Operations Leader for a billion dollar benefits and financial services firm.
  • Growth Marketing Manager for Hubspot's Top Solution Partner agency.
  • Operations Manager for an award winning food & bev category leader.
  • Lead Generation Manager for the world's premier leadership development organization.

 

My ability to be effective in most of those roles came from experiences you won’t see on my resume.

Wilderness emergency medicine taught me more about pressurized decision-making than any other aspect of my career. My journey with sobriety taught me more about ownership and prioritization than any job I’ve had.

My story includes winding roads through mental health — stretches of despair, of victory, of loss, and of gratitude. Other patches had no roads at all.

At 19 I studied risk management and effective decision-making in a 3 month, immersive leadership development program. I also started consuming as much information as I could from thought leaders like Michael Gervais, Tim Ferriss, Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, Rich Roll, Adam Grant.

It became an obsession.

I studied high performing athletes, business founders, and psychologists. My ability to rapidly scale a startup showed me that what I was learning really worked. In my 20’s I guided backcountry expeditions in the Rocky Mountain West, coached big mountain snowboarders qualifying for the Freeride World Tour, and ran the Boston Marathon after recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

  • I rode the waves of depression.
  • I navigated financial insecurity.
  • I climbed out of many pits — some I’d dug for myself, others not so much. I climbed out anyway.

I also worked on the crew of a sailboat in the Caribbean, toured New England as a keynote speaker, and weaved through the service industry in a way that I like to think would make Anthony Bourdain proud. Or, at least, make him scoff a bit.

At work, I build better systems for activating strategies and teams. But, like you, life outside of the office has shaped my skill set as much as my professional experiences have. Admittedly, I spend a lot of my time nerding out on sustainable systems and approaches to development.

When not training for a marathon or enjoying a sunrise with my snowboard, you can likely find me frequenting local coffee shops and live music venues.

A Massachusetts native, I grew up sliding on snow in Vermont’s Mad River Valley before moving to Jackson, WY in search of big mountains and unconventional approaches to a life well lived. In 2021, I answered the Green Mountain's call and returned to Vermont, where I currently reside.

Outside of work, I have volunteered with Massachusetts HOBY since 2010, developing staffing teams and implementing curricula that inspire young people to become catalysts for positive change in their home, school, workplace, and community.

I've also spent time volunteering for local advocacy programs and coaching freeride snowboard athletes. As a member of the board of directors for Carving The Future, I advised on marketing strategies that empowered underserved youth in Wyoming by providing gear, programs, lessons, and athletic scholarships.

My contributions to Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine and NOLS' The Leader seek to elevate communities and voices who've got this life thing figured out.

so, what’s in it for you?

I want to help. Truly.

Throughout my career, I noticed a growing trend: emerging tech is outpacing employee learning.

System data shows that employees waste 10+ hours per week on low-value tasks because they can’t find what they’re looking for.

Of what they can find, 60% goes unused.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

That’s why I founded DMDC Systems — to help clients build clear strategies for doing their best work instead of drowning in meetings.

The systems I design help remote workers cross things off of their to-do lists, feel equipped with marketing & sales technology, and use data to drive their teams forward.

get the newsletter.

When you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get posts straight to your inbox.

Topics will range from digital marketing and business strategy to personal anecdotes, mishaps in the mountains, and lessons in leadership I’ve learned along the way.

This newsletter includes:

  • new posts from me.
  • videos I find interesting from others.
  • podcast recommendations that dive into topics covered here.
  • helpful resources to read from industry experts.

I’m glad you’re here.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

onward.

-dmac

get the newsletter.

start building your map with the Connecting the Contours newsletter.

topics range from digital marketing and business strategy to personal anecdotes, mishaps in the mountains, and lessons in leadership I've learned along the way.

get the newsletter.

start building your map with Connecting the Contours.

topics range from digital marketing and business strategy to personal anecdotes and lessons in leadership.

Derek MacDonald
Hiking Teton Pass
Derek MacDonald
JH Snowboarding Mag Feature
Leadership Development Keynote
Wedding Officiant
Backcountry Guiding