An accomplished growth strategist David Miller, former PeachCap chief executive officer, now drives operations as the CEO at Alchemy of Scale, an executive coaching business that he established in 2023. In this position, he supports entrepreneurs and executive leaders in areas of business growth. His strategies are specifically tailored to achieve strategic, purposeful growth without sacrificing organizational performance or efficiency. His growth models yield exponential growth, as well as personal transformation and operational optimization. David Miller utilizes an array of tools while supporting clients, ranging from Scaling Up software to CapEx planning tools.
David Miller balances his work at Alchemy of Scale with his endeavors as the chief strategy officer and board member at FlowGardens. The company has earned several industry awards under his leadership.
Before establishing Alchemy of Scale, David Miller spent 15 years as the chief executive officer and chairman of the board at PeachCap, an Atlanta -based family office financial company focused on wealth management for small businesses and high-net-worth families. A few of his past positions include sales manager at American Express and portfolio analyst at TVA in Knoxville. He is also the author of Wealth Kryptonite, a book that explores the relationship between emotional intelligence and wealth accumulation.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My days begin with intention. I typically rise early, center with journaling at my desk or in nature, where I set my energetic focus. Mornings are sacred — I protect that time. Afternoons are more fluid. Productivity, for me, is alignment through thoughts, words, and actions. If those are aligned, I’m productive.
How do you bring ideas to life?
The right ideas bring themselves to life. Ideas that have meaning and power tell me to act. I utilize patience to allow less meaningful ideas to fade. The right ideas merit action—they hit with clarity and urgency like an internal compass guiding me forward. I trust that momentum completely, whether developing a new program or refining strategies, while letting weaker ideas fade naturally. It’s about disciplined intuition: acting decisively on what matters, without forcing what doesn’t resonate.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The rise of regenerative business — companies designed to heal, not just scale. We’re finally moving from extractive models to integrative ecosystems. That excites me because it aligns profit with purpose and calls entrepreneurs to evolve into stewards.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Weekly energy mapping—auditing what fuels versus drains me, rather than only tracking tasks. I structure my weeks around high-energy activities (like coaching sessions or connecting with colleagues) and batch low-energy work (like admin) to optimize performance. This approach transforms energy into a strategic asset, ensuring sustained impact to avoid burnout.
What advice would you give your younger self?
You’re not crazy — you’re early. Because those “out there” ideas you doubted can became your greatest differentiators. Learn from critics, but never let them dim your conviction—sift through the emotional feedback for truth without compromising your vision. And surround yourself with people who both challenge and champion you; because purposeful growth happens when ego takes a backseat to collaboration.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe exits — selling your business — can be more of a spiritual act than a financial one. Similar to leveling-up emotionally. Done consciously, they become rites of passage. Most people treat them like transactions. I treat them like transformations.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I enjoy “thinking retreats” – completely solo, unplugged, and agenda-free time to step away from the daily grind. These retreats create space for deep insights to surface, whether it’s a business breakthrough, a personal realization, or just renewed clarity. Every leader I coach sees benefits here because the busier one is, the more one needs intentional pause. You’ll hear your true self loud and clear when the noise is gone.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I pause to ground myself – taking deep breaths while asking “Why is this emotion happening?” Rather than resisting discomfort, I welcome it to self reflect how I’m out of alignment with my priorities or values. This approach transforms overwhelm from a obstacle into an opportunity for course-correction and self awareness.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Radical transparency has been a powerful accelerator—I don’t sell certainty, I sell clarity. By openly sharing both my experience and the lessons I’m still learning, I help foster trust that enables others to self realize their path. This approach has attracted top-tier CEOs and clients who value authenticity over hype. They recognize the nuance between telling someone what to do vs giving them direction. It’s not about having all the answers, but about creating a space where honest dialogue drives meaningful progress.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I once over-capitalized a company too early and collapsed under the weight of expectation. I overcame it by returning to basic financial and leadership principles: who are we serving, what’s our unique genius, and what’s the simplest way forward? The lesson: confusion doesn’t scale in business. Clarify before you amplify.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A global retreat network for high-performing founders that combines CrossFit, astrology, sacred site travel, and CEO hot seats. Think of it as Davos meets Burning Man meets YPO. I’ll attend — someone else can build it.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Whoop has been pivotal in optimizing my time—it goes beyond basic fitness tracking to give me insights into my recovery, strain, and sleep performance. I use its analytics as a daily compass to optimize my energy levels, ensuring I’m operating at peak mental and physical capacity for high-stakes coaching conversations and strategic decisions. By monitoring trends in my biological age and stress resilience, I adjust my routines to sustain long-term performance.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Two resources have profoundly shaped my thinking: Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist remains my compass book. Its lessons about following omens and persevering through setbacks mirror an entrepreneur’s journey to fulfill their purpose. For modern wisdom, I consistently recommend The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, where raw conversations about leadership psychology and business realities cut through the hype. Together, they offer a nice balance: timeless principles about destiny from Coelho and Bartlett’s actionable insights about building resilient organizations and mindsets in today’s world.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I’ve been fascinated by House of the Dragon – it’s not just fantasy entertainment, but a brilliant study of how nepotism and power corruption inevitably manifest in hierarchical systems. The show’s portrayal of succession politics mirrors real-world organizational dynamics I see in family businesses and corporate leadership structures. What makes it compelling is how it reveals universal truths; even with the best intentions, systems tend to prioritize influence over merit, and personal ambitions can undermine collective progress – lessons every leader should examine.
Key learnings
- Productivity starts with energetic alignment; task completion is a bi-product.
- Business exits are transformational when treated as spiritual milestones so you can find your next mountain to climb.
- Radical transparency is a multiplier for impact.