Dale Fairclough

About Dale Fairclough

I help engineers, technical leaders, and founders navigate complex, consequential career and business decisions—often at pivotal moments where the direction they choose will materially shape what comes next.These are highly capable professionals who have reached a crossroads: evaluating a transition, stepping into expanded leadership, weighing multiple opportunities, or deciding whether to pursue a new venture.Technology shifts, organizational change, and economic pressure have raised the cost of missteps. At this level, the challenge is rarely capability—it’s clarity.Through structured thinking, disciplined decision support, and real-world perspective, I help experienced engineers, senior technical leaders, and founders move from uncertainty and decision risk to clear direction and confident action.I serve as a strategic advisor—helping clients structure their thinking, evaluate options rigorously, and move forward with confidence.When decisions extend into entrepreneurship or technically demanding ventures, I often continue alongside—supporting strategy, pressure-testing direction, and translating decisions into practical next steps.Clients leave our work with:• clear direction• a defensible decision• a structured plan• confidence in how they’re positionedWith nearly three decades of experience across engineering, project leadership, and technical strategy—and perspective from both sides of the hiring table—I bring structured thinking, clear perspective, and steady guidance to decisions that matter.CredentialsPE | PMP® | Certified Professional Coach | Certified Neurodiversity Coach | Certified MentorB.S. Chemical Engineering — University of PennsylvaniaCornell Certificates in Financial Management & Business LeadershipHydrogen Technology and Project Development Expert LocationBased in the Lehigh Valley, PA — serving clients across Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey, the NYC metro area, and nationwide. Ready to move from Stuck to Strategic™?Message me or book a complimentary conversation through the link in my profile.

Experience

1. Founder & Chief Strategist

   Achieve Coaching And Consulting

   Jan 2010 — Present · Allentown, PA, US

   Achieve Coaching & Consulting helps engineers, technical leaders, and founders move from Stuck to Strategic™—making clear, well-reasoned decisions in their careers, leadership roles, and ventures. The work integrates engineering rigor, structured decision frameworks, and technical advisory to navigate consequential transitions and opportunities.Core Focus• Advise engineers, technical leaders, founders, and organizations on complex career, leadership, and strategic business decisions• Guide clients through transitions, opportunity evaluation, and execution planning across career and venture pathways• Provide strategic and technical advisory on project development, capital initiatives, and growth opportunities within energy and industrial marketsClient Outcomes• Clear, defensible strategic direction and decision frameworks• Confident career transitions and leadership advancement• Structured pivots into new roles or entrepreneurial ventures• De-risked project development pathways in complex technical environmentsCore SkillsStrategic Decision-Making • Strategic Navigation • Career & Technical Strategy • Business & Venture Advisory • Project Development • Feasibility & Techno-Economic Analysis • Technical Leadership • Entrepreneurship • Consulting

Education

• Groton School

  Diploma, Magna Cum Laude, General Studies

  1988 — 1992

• University of Pennsylvania

  Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Chemical Engineering

Skills

• Work Process Development
• Process Simulation
• Project Planning
• Proposal Writing
• Customer-Focused
• Chemical Engineering
• Distillation
• Commissioning
• Customer Service
• Energy
• Cryogenics
• Technical Project Leadership
• Engineering Management
• Gas
• Delivering Technical Training
• Leadership
• Project Scope Development
• Technical Writing
• Engineering
• Business Strategy
• Process Engineering
• Hydrogen
• Personal Coaching
• Process Safety
• Continuous Improvement
• Estimating
• Process Improvement
• Industrial Gases
• Petrochemical
• Career Development Coaching
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Aspen Plus
• Project Coordination
• Project Management
• Plant Operations
• Project Engineering
• Product Management
• Management
• Team Building
• Personal Development