The people I've worked with, in their own words.

I've spent more than 36 years as a consultant and coach to large companies and C-suite executives, including 15 years as an advisor to the founder of The Challenger Group. For the past three and a half years, I've worked closely with Jim during his tenure as CEO of National Builder Group and co-CEO of The Challenger Group.

He ranks among the top tier of CEOs I've worked with.

More than once, I watched Jim back a business or an operator when the easier call would have been to walk away. He saw potential others might have missed, built a clear plan around it, and was proven right. One of those businesses went from losing money to becoming one of the most profitable in the network. He has the same eye for people: he recognized that a leader he'd recruited for one role could drive far more change as COO, made the move, and the results followed.

What sets Jim apart is how he builds and motivates teams, especially under pressure. He coaches people through adversity rather than around it. Any CEO who works with Jim will get an advisor who has done the job and knows how to help others do it well.

I had the privilege and honor of working with Jim for almost three entire years early into my founding days of my first venture, Summit Human Capital.

Jim at the time was the CEO of one of the most successful luxury home building companies ever to exist across the United States. Jim was my client at the time. What struck me throughout each and every encounter was just how incredible of a leader he was and is to this very day. The most successful companies in the world have proven that culture must be at the forefront of their operations if they are to have any chance of building a company to last.

Jim somehow scaled a world class culture across half the country. I learned about culture and how to scale culture across multi-state capabilities from Jim more than anyone I've ever served or worked for.

Furthermore, he knows how to help companies expand their services into not only additional geographies, but even into new capabilities and swim lanes as additional revenue sources to expand overall scope and revenue streams.

There are many coaches out there who have not walked the walk.

What you are getting with Jim is a proven enterprise CEO as your coach who won't ask you to do anything he hasn't done himself.

I would argue that you cannot afford not to hire Jim if you are fortunate enough to have him as an extension of your leadership team.

I met Jim when he was co-CEO of The Challenger Group. TCG operates three distinct residential housing companies, each with its own construction management and accounting systems. The company set out to move all three onto a single platform, a major undertaking.

Drawing on his experience with large-scale technology initiatives, Jim recognized that a project of that scale needed stronger IT leadership than the company currently had. He made the case to his co-CEOs for bringing in a fractional CIO and volunteered to lead the search. Rather than go it alone, he engaged a firm specializing in fractional leadership, and I ultimately accepted the role.

From the start, Jim understood the company’s technology needs, and his influence was significant.

Over the two years we worked together, I found him highly competent, personable, and a capable strategic leader.

He contributed extensively to the ERP selection process and implementation plan, and I’m grateful he was on the team.

When Jim told me he was leaving to become a coach and advisor, I was disappointed to see the company lose him but excited for the direction he was taking. Having worked as a fractional CIO and with one of the largest consulting firms, I know what the role demands. Jim has the wisdom, experience, temperament, and knowledge to be a highly successful advisor to owners and CEOs.

I recommend Jim Rosewater without hesitation, not only as an accomplished senior leader, but also as someone with an exceptional ability to coach, develop, and bring out the best in others.

I recruited Jim to lead The Challenger Group’s National Builder Group, and I quickly came to appreciate his ability to see both the big picture and the practical steps needed to move a business forward. He identified gaps in the team, recruited talented people, and established more consistent processes that positioned the business for growth. He also formalized its name and developed its brand, logo, and website.

Jim doesn’t simply point out what needs to change; he takes ownership and gets things done.

I saw that same quality when we later served together as co-CEOs of The Challenger Group, leading the company through the challenges of a difficult homebuilding market. Recognizing the need for stronger technology leadership, Jim recommended, and successfully led, the strategic decision to bring in a fractional CIO to guide the selection and implementation of a new ERP system. Leading a company together requires trust, teamwork, and honest communication, and Jim was the kind of partner I valued having by my side.

Just as importantly, Jim has a genuine ability to help others grow as leaders. He asks the right questions, offers practical perspective, and helps people see possibilities they may not have considered on their own. He combines high expectations with respect for others.

I would enthusiastically recommend him to CEOs, business owners, and leadership teams looking to strengthen their business, develop their people, and navigate their next stage of growth. Jim brings the rare combination of an experienced business leader and a gifted leadership coach.

Creating high-performance work environments, building long-term relationships, and developing strategic partnerships have always been passions of mine. I spent seven successful years doing just that at KPMG Consulting's Silicon Valley office before transitioning into the fascinating world of real estate development in South Florida. Jim Rosewater, a partner on my very first real estate project, Tao Sawgrass with Weitzer Communities, became instrumental in shaping the trajectory of my career in development sales. He helped me understand, refine, and master the many facets of the sales and development process—from design and market research to pricing strategy, inventory management, sales team training and motivation, reporting, and ultimately, closing.

Twenty-one years, 23 projects, and more than 5,000 units later, I consider Jim one of the most influential people in my professional journey.

The knowledge, discipline, and practical insights he shared with me—including the Dave Stone books he introduced me to—continue to shape the way I approach my work every day.

Jim's impact on my career extends far beyond the projects we worked on together. The principles he taught me have become an enduring part of how I lead, build relationships, and approach real estate development sales.

I had the pleasure of working with Jim for more than 12 years at Arthur Rutenberg Homes, now AR Homes. I joined as CEO in 2010, and Jim reported to me. He opened our first office outside Florida, in Charlotte, in the depths of one of the worst housing recessions. Within the first two to three years, he sold and on-boarded 11 new franchise building companies, including one he started himself with an experienced operating partner. The home designs created by the architectural team he assembled and managed were an immediate sales success, and the Charlotte Design Studio he opened became the most successful studio in the AR system.

That early expansion, led by Jim, proved that the AR brand was transportable and that our systems and processes had mass appeal. With those successes, Jim was promoted to Group President and then to COO, which allowed me to spend a year grooming him to take over as CEO.

I heartily recommend Jim as a coach.

He is a very proven player in the homebuilding industry and an exceptional team builder and manager of people.

About 15 years ago, I had the good fortune of meeting Jim Rosewater. After many years in high-volume homebuilding, including the role of Division President for nearly 18 years, I had decided to start my own custom homebuilding company in Raleigh, NC.

At the time, Jim was the Regional VP for the custom home franchisor, Arthur Rutenberg Homes (ARH). In addition, Jim was also a franchise owner and successfully running his own company in Charlotte, NC.

The services offered by ARH, as communicated by Jim, were very appealing to me as I worked to get my new business off the ground. While very familiar with high-volume management, I was inexperienced in the nuances within the custom home space. Jim was instrumental in providing information, guidance, and positive support during the course of developing my own company’s approach.

Jim made several trips from Charlotte to Raleigh in order to provide his thoughts on market strategy, operational tactics, and targeted product design. Despite relatively weak market conditions at the time, Jim and I worked together in a very productive way by looking for opportunities in the Raleigh market and targeting ARH resources.

Within 5 years, my company was awarded Builder of the Year, within a large and experienced builder network of independent companies.

That level of success would not have been possible without Jim’s thoughtful guidance on how to assess market opportunities, how to direct product design support, and how to develop a successful strategy and the right operational priorities.

Over time, Jim’s positive energy, ability to communicate, and successful ideas led him to successive promotions and broader leadership roles within ARH. He was able to leverage his experience, skills, and approach to assist a much broader audience of independent businesses. His successive promotions were well deserved and well received by ARH employees as well as the franchise owners.

I’m very glad to have worked with Jim and the teams he led. Today, my company has grown to one of the top 5 true custom homebuilders within the entire Raleigh-Durham marketplace. That level of popularity would not have been possible without Jim’s collaboration/consultation during the early years of forming the company. I’m very grateful to Jim for his guidance, candor, and positive support.

With his well-rounded and successful experience, I would highly recommend Jim for business consultation and advisory services, which could actually span multiple industries. Like he did for me, Jim’s intelligence, integrity, and positive energy can bring valuable insight and inspiration to any business leader looking to improve their company’s success in nearly any area.

After the Federal Reserve raised interest rates eleven times between March 2022 and July 2023, our homebuilding business stood at a pivotal crossroads. In the rural tertiary submarkets where we were building, market pricing eroded 25%, we were caught with excessive unsold inventory started in the first quarter of 2022, and we suffered severe losses. Jim Rosewater, then CEO of National Builder Group, was instrumental in bringing our partnership together in August 2023, when we decided on a strategic pivot away from median-income single-family housing in tertiary markets to move-up estate homes in more established areas with more resilient demand.

Jim's leadership in guiding our partnership through that shift, with several partners who had different motives, outlooks, and beliefs, was critical. Since making that shift, our business in Northwestern Nevada has been thriving.

We credit Jim for recognizing the market factors at play and for not abandoning the business, but helping bring our partnership together in a direction where our individual talents could lead us out of a difficult situation.

It is a rare opportunity to work with a leader like Jim Rosewater.

Having worked closely with Jim during his tenure as CEO of AR Homes, I can say he is one of the most accomplished and inspiring leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

Jim understands the value of a strong executive team and has an exceptional ability to build a culture of innovation, creativity, and motivation. He helps people accomplish more than they ever thought possible while creating an environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and respected.

His ability to lead through change at every level of an organization, combined with his strategic vision, operational expertise, and genuine commitment to people, is what truly sets him apart. I have tremendous respect for Jim, both personally and professionally, and believe any CEO or organization would benefit greatly from his experience and guidance.

I met Jim during the Great Recession, when I was working to establish my own custom homebuilding company after 18 years as an executive with John Wieland Homes. The market was very tough, and I wasn't sure the business would make it. Jim and I became partners and formed Paragon Homes of Charlotte, an Arthur Rutenberg Homes franchise. Jim put up the capital and I ran the day-to-day operations. He also helped me recruit our first employees, secure our land positions, develop our first model homes, and build the sales team, and he coached me through the early challenges. In the first year after our model home opened, we sold $14 million in homes.

Without Jim's investment and guidance, Paragon would not have launched.

Once the business was established and profitable, I bought his share, and he remained a trusted advisor. More than 15 years later, Paragon is still thriving, and I'm grateful to Jim for helping me get it started.

Jim led AR Franchising from a founder-led company to a professionally managed, modern organization, and grew it well beyond its founder. After our founder passed away, Jim was in the seat and made the tough calls: pivoting away from an entrenched business model and rearchitecting a beloved brand.

He set a compelling vision, rebuilt the leadership team, and kept the culture engaged through the transition and the pandemic. In three years, sales revenue nearly tripled.

Jim also developed me from Group Vice President to Chief Operating Officer, and I now lead AR as CEO.

If your company has outgrown how it’s always been run, Jim will help you turn strategy into execution and execution into results, because he has done it from the seat.

As a seasoned home builder with 30+ years in the industry, I had the pleasure of working with Jim Rosewater as my partner and advisor.

When my business reached a turning point, Jim stood behind me and invested in it himself.

His out-of-the-box thinking and willingness to listen created a space for creative collaboration that helped take my business to the next level. I cherish the time we worked together and greatly value the expertise Jim shared with me.

I first worked for Jim when I was an architectural designer early in my career, and he gave me opportunities that challenged me to grow well beyond just the design work. He was instrumental in helping me develop into a leader, eventually giving me the opportunity to take on the Director of Design role and trusting me to lead both people and product development.

One thing that has always stood out to me is that Jim was willing to push me when my work or leadership didn't meet his expectations, but he did it in a way that motivated me rather than discouraged me.

That experience has carried with me throughout my career and has shaped how I approach leadership and developing the people around me today. I'm grateful for the investment Jim made in me early in my career and for the lasting impact it has had on the way I lead.

Throughout my experience with Jim, he demonstrated a strong ability to build effective teams, recognize talent, and develop future leaders. He recognized that my experience and capabilities extended beyond my role at the time and provided me with an opportunity to contribute in a broader operational leadership capacity as the COO.

Drawing on three decades of experience, his leadership style balances accountability with autonomy, establishing clear expectations while giving people the tools to succeed. His approach emphasizes proactive business decisions grounded in data and sound operational practices, particularly when navigating challenging market headwinds.

As a mentor, Jim is patient, humble, and open to different perspectives, adapting his approach to the individual and their business challenges while maintaining consistent standards.

Jim’s leadership qualities make him a heart-led leader and trusted advisor.