Dino Tartaglia is a mentor and coach who moved from electronics engineering and the oil & gas industry into business transformation. He helps founders and small-business owners diagnose the human and process issues behind repeated failures, then build businesses that fit who they are — profitable, humane, and sustainable. His approach puts people first, and his work has helped clients rewire their thinking, solve long-standing problems, and return to steady, meaningful progress.
Q — How did you get into coaching and mentoring?
A — I sort of fell into it. My background is electronics engineering and troubleshooting hardware for oil & gas, but I noticed the breakdowns were rarely technical — they were people and process issues. Over time I became adept at diagnosing those human problems and helping leaders plug the gaps between where they were and where they wanted to be. That curiosity about why people do what they do — and why they avoid uncomfortable but necessary actions — led me into mentoring and coaching.
Q — What pushed you from corporate work to helping small businesses and founders?
A — I realised the same human dynamics exist at every scale. Once I started applying the principles — looking at systems and the people inside them — the shift to supporting small teams and solo founders felt natural. It’s about engineering success: turning haphazard effort into measurable, repeatable progress.
Q — What were the biggest challenges when you were establishing yourself?
A — I built a business that was someone else’s blueprint, not mine. It didn’t fit my personality, values or nervous system. The trick was converting that blueprint into a flexible framework — the principles, not the paint-by-numbers — and adapting them to who I actually am. That shift allowed me to build a business that both delivers impact and supports my life.
Q — What milestones are you most proud of?
A — The everyday wins with clients: when someone says “I get it” and you can see their thinking change. Concrete milestones matter — I’ve just completed my first book, Misaligned, which explores why misalignment traps businesses in yo-yo cycles and offers a primer for getting out. But the real pride comes from seeing clients transform as people and business owners.
Q — Do you work solo or with a team?
A — I’m essentially a solo practitioner supported by a small outsourced team. I also run a joint venture called Success Engineers with a longtime colleague who’s a world-class sports psychologist; we collaborate where our skills align.
Q — What’s your perspective on women in leadership today?
A — Women are incredibly strong and often far more resilient than people assume. Many come to coaching after being let down by toxic dynamics in supposed “safe” spaces. My work focuses on creating a non-judgmental environment where radical transparency is possible. When women can honestly share their starting point, they can see the real gap to where they want to be — and then they flourish. I also encourage self-compassion and practical boundaries so they avoid the burnout that comes from serving everyone else first.
Q — How do you define success — personally and professionally?
A — I learned from Jim Rohn: success is steady progress toward what matters most. It isn’t planting a flag and stopping; it’s the ongoing journey, the small wins, and staying aligned with your true north. If you make daily progress toward meaningful goals, that’s success.
“Success is steady progress toward what matters most — define your true north, and keep moving.” — Dino Tartaglia
Connect with Dino Tartaglia
Dino Tartaglia | LinkedIn
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