MEDIA & SPEAKING
Raising the floor in leadership, culture & human performance
ABOUT DAN
Executive strategist, leadership advisor & world champion athlete
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Dan Spitale is a former Fortune 50 executive, world champion powerlifter, and leadership strategist known for his C.O.A.C.H. framework — Culture, Opportunity, Authenticity, Confidence, and Humility. With more than 25 years of global sales and operational experience, including serving as Vice President of Global Sales & Enablement at UPS Capital, Dan blends corporate expertise with athletic discipline to help leaders strengthen culture and performance. As founder of Raising the Floor Performance Coaching, he equips organizations with practical tools for modern, human-centered leadership. Dan served on Seton Hall University’s Transformative Leadership Advisory Council and is the author of “C.O.A.C.H.: Raising the Floor.”
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Dan Spitale is a former Fortune 50 executive, global sales strategist, and world champion powerlifter whose work bridges leadership, performance, and human behavior. During his career with UPS and UPS Capital, he served in multiple strategic roles — including Vice President of Global Sales & Enablement — where he oversaw nearly $700 million in revenue across 15 countries and led major initiatives to improve customer experience, digital performance, and organizational engagement.
Today, Dan is the founder of Raising the Floor Performance Coaching, where he equips executives, teams, and athletes with practical tools to strengthen culture, build confidence, and improve performance from the inside out. His C.O.A.C.H. framework offers a simple, scalable approach to leadership based on five essential traits: Culture, Opportunity, Authenticity, Confidence, and Humility.
As a six-time National Powerlifting Champion, two-time World Champion, and former World Record Holder, Dan brings the discipline of elite athletics to leadership development. He is a past member of Seton Hall University’s Transformative Leadership Advisory Council and speaks nationally on leadership behavior, burnout reduction, engagement, and performance psychology.
Suggested question:
Why is “raising the floor” becoming a more effective leadership strategy than pushing for higher ceilings? -
Leadership challenges today are more complex than ever: widespread burnout, shifting workforce expectations, and rapid cultural and technological change. Dan Spitale has spent over 30 years at the intersection of performance, leadership, and human behavior — helping leaders and teams rise by strengthening the foundation beneath them.
Dan’s upbringing in Hammond, Indiana shaped his early views on character, discipline, humility, and authenticity. His first professional chapter began in the health and wellness industry at GNC, where he managed 26 stores, coached teams, oversaw P&Ls, and built regional growth initiatives. These experiences developed the people-first mindset that later became the hallmark of his leadership approach.
Dan moved into logistics, financial services, and insurtech through a series of leadership roles at UPS and UPS Capital. Over more than two decades, he served in roles including:
Head of Customer Journey
Head of New Channel Acquisition
Director of Global Sales Operations & Enablement
Vice President of Global Sales & Enablement
In these positions, Dan led global teams, oversaw nearly $700 million in annual revenue, and directed large-scale initiatives in customer experience, digital transformation, and operational strategy. Under his leadership, UPS Capital achieved a 17-point increase in NPS, a 21-day reduction in sales cycle time, major improvements in omnichannel experience, and significant gains in employee engagement.
Parallel to his corporate career, Dan became a world-class athlete. He is a six-time National Powerlifting Champion, two-time World Champion, and former World Record Holder with a 705-lb. squat. He was inducted into the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. The discipline, resilience, and mindset required at this level deeply inform his leadership philosophy: Strong foundations outperform pressure; consistency outperforms intensity; and belief is a skill that can be transferred.
Dan’s experiences eventually led him to create Raising the Floor Performance Coaching, where he now trains leaders, teams, and athletes using his C.O.A.C.H. framework — Culture, Opportunity, Authenticity, Confidence, and Humility. This system provides leaders with clear, practical tools for building trust, improving performance, and creating environments where people feel valued and supported.
In addition to his coaching work, Dan has contributed to leadership education as part of Seton Hall University’s Transformative Leadership Advisory Council. He has also advised Georgia State University’s Risk Management School and supported women’s leadership development programs within UPS Capital.
Whether coaching executives, training athletes, or advising organizations, Dan’s mission remains consistent: help people build the foundations that make confidence, performance, and strong leadership possible — in work, in sports, and in life.
Signature TOPICS
TOPIC ONE
The power of c.o.a.c.h. leadership
How Culture, Opportunity, Authenticity, Confidence and Humility transform organizations and lives.
TOPIC TWO
The Home as the First Culture
Why leadership begins with family, character and legacy.
TOPIC THREE
Confidence That Elevates Others
How great leaders transfer belief, not just authority.
TOPIC FOUR
Athletics, Adversity and Leadership
Lessons from powerlifting, competition and coaching that apply to leadership and life.
TOPIC FIVE
The Future of Work: Human-Centered Leadership in a Tech-Driven World
Why empathy, clarity and connection are now the ultimate differentiators.
Conversation
STARTERS
Here are suggested interview questions that explore the core themes of Dan’s work. Interviewers are welcome to use these as a guide and adapt them to suit their audience and format.
You talk about “raising the floor” instead of chasing the ceiling. What does that mean, and why is it so important in today’s workplace
Burnout is at an all-time high. From your perspective, what are leaders missing about the root causes — and what can they do differently?
Your C.O.A.C.H. framework centers around Culture, Opportunity, Authenticity, Confidence, and Humility. Which of these do you see leaders struggling with the most, and why?
You’re a world champion powerlifter. What lessons from elite athletics translate directly into leadership and organizational performance?
You emphasize that confidence can be “transferred.” How does that work, and what does it look like in practice?
From your experience leading global teams, what separates high-performing cultures from the ones that plateau or fall apart?
You say the home is our “first culture.” How do our early environments shape leadership behavior later in life?
Humility is becoming a leadership differentiator. Why do humble leaders tend to outperform their more traditional counterparts?
How can leaders build trust quickly — especially in fast-moving, high-pressure environments?
What are the simplest daily leadership habits anyone can start using today that produce the biggest impact?
When a team loses momentum or morale, what’s your first move as a leadership coach?
If you could rewrite the traditional leadership playbook for the next decade, what’s the first chapter you’d change — and what would it say?
FEATURED KEYNOTE
HISPANIC CORPORATE COUNCIL OF ATLANTA ANNUAL EVENT
Equipping leaders to elevate people and performance
At the Hispanic Corporate Council of Atlanta’s annual event, held at the historic Fox Theatre, Dan Spitale delivered a keynote to a room of leaders and professionals committed to meaningful progress.
His talk introduced the principles behind C.O.A.C.H. – Raising The Floor, a framework designed to help leaders create environments where people feel seen, supported and empowered to grow. The message resonated beyond the stage, sparking thoughtful conversation and reflection among attendees.
For Dan, leadership extends beyond titles or moments in the spotlight — it’s about cultivating spaces where individuals can contribute at their highest level. This engagement reflects the impact of intentional, people-centered leadership and the kind of transformation Dan brings to organizations and teams.
