James Laws
CEO, advisor, and framework thinker. Building systems that scale with people — not against them.
Vision sees potential.
Leadership makes possible.
How I Work With Leaders
Advisory
Strategic counsel for founders and executives navigating growth, transition, or complexity. A thinking partner who's been in your seat.
Coaching
Executive development focused on leadership presence, decision-making frameworks, and building teams that don't need you.
Fractional Leadership
Part-time executive presence for growing companies. The strategic depth you need without the full-time commitment.
A Few of My Mental Models
Fulfillment Theory
Three questions define fulfillment for your team members: Do I love the work? Does it matter? Can I see the impact? Leaders influence the answers through clarity, collaboration, and connection.
Elevation Framework
Your to-do list is lying to you. This framework helps you discover what work deserves to be elevated — and what to delegate, automate, or eliminate.
Spheres of Influence
Your life is represented in concentric circles — from self, to family, to work, to community, to world. Your control shrinks as you move outward. A reminder to invest your best attention where you have the most influence.
A Little About Me
I'm an entrepreneur and a builder. I think in systems, push into AI, and lead best when I set direction and trust people to deliver.
I run Saturday Drive with my partners Kevin Stover and Jeremy Moore — software, coffee, wellness, and whatever else catches our interest. Twenty-five years of building companies taught me that the best organizations aren't optimized for efficiency. They're designed for people to do their best work.
I like to experiment. Play with what's possible. I build frameworks because I need tools for my own thinking. When others find them useful, I share.
What I Believe
The best leaders build systems, not dependencies. They create environments where people can do their best work — then get out of the way.
I believe in frameworks over rules, clarity over complexity, and warmth over efficiency. Technology should amplify human judgment, not replace it. The organizations that thrive aren't the ones with the best tools — they're the ones where people feel capable and empowered.
What my team says
"It's rare to see someone who has a strong vision be able to both motivate folks to pursue that vision without needing to control every detail about implementation."
"He puts people first — that care translates to actions for every member of the team."
"You balance the unique characteristics of empathy and authority extremely well."
"The ability to gather key people together around a vision — a leadership skill that allows him to attract different kinds of people and get them focused in a direction."
"You are a visionary who can see how to take ideas and turn them into movements. You can visualize one hundred different paths of getting there and you aren't afraid to try as many as it takes."
"Your ability to inspire action and willingness to jump into a thing are what I think of as your difference factor."
"Processing a topic from an unusual number of angles — often able to see something from a perspective others have missed or not fully considered."
"The unmistakable differentiation that is James Laws is his approachability and inclusiveness."
"He makes you feel like your ideas matter — even when he's the one who set the direction."
Let's think together.
Whether you're navigating a transition, building a team, or just need a thinking partner — I'd like to hear from you.
Let's connectLet's think together.
Whether you're navigating a transition, building a team, or just need a thinking partner — I'd like to hear from you.