About The Profitability Coach™
When a Business Is Successful– But Still Feels Heavy
Many business owners reach a point where growth no longer brings clarity. Revenue is up, complexity is higher, and decisions feel heavier, not lighter. Cash flow feels tight when it shouldn’t. Profit doesn’t reflect the effort. And stepping away feels risky, not freeing.
This isn’t a work ethic problem.
It’s a design problem.
Most owners were never trained to be financial leaders. They built great companies, but the business evolved faster than the financial architecture behind it. As a result, they operate with partial visibility—making important decisions without full confidence in the numbers that matter most.
That’s where we come in.
At The Profitability Coach, we serve as private financial advisors to business owners who want clarity, control, and optionality. We help owners understand how money truly moves through their business—and how to redesign it so growth converts into profitability, cash flow, and freedom.
We work one-on-one, privately and confidentially. No peer groups. No templates. No noise.
Our work helps owners:
- See the financial truth of their business
- Make confident, well-timed decisions
- Improve profitability without more effort
- Build a business that supports their life—not consumes it
Profit is a result.
Profitability is direction.
And clarity changes everything.
If that resonates, a conversation is the right next step.
Meet Bill McDermott: The Profitability Coach™
It was the Great Recession of 2009. I was at the peak of my banking career when, one Friday afternoon, the CEO stepped into my office and told me my position was being eliminated. In a matter of minutes, my income went to zero.
That moment forced a clear decision. I founded The Profitability Coach to take ownership of my time, my income, and my future—but more importantly, to do work that mattered. After three decades in banking and thousands of conversations with business owners, I had seen the same pattern repeatedly.
Owners weren’t failing because they lacked effort or ambition. They were failing because they were trapped inside the business, unable to step back and see it clearly. The architecture was wrong. Growth increased complexity, but not profitability. Value leaked quietly, year after year.
Most owners were never trained as financial leaders. There is no on-the-job education for CEOs, and without financial fluency, decision-making becomes guesswork.
I believe profitability is not about working harder—it’s about better design. Profit is a number; profitability is direction. It is shaped by five forces: people, process, strategy, execution, and cash.
Today, we serve as private financial advisors, helping owners gain clarity, redesign their businesses, and—when the time is right—exit on their terms, with maximum value and control.
Meet Peter Faser
Peter Faser brings more than 30 years of experience advising commercial, corporate, and investment banking clients on complex financial and strategic decisions. A graduate of Washington and Lee University, Peter began his career at Trust Company Bank through its management training program, where he managed a middle-market commercial portfolio across Georgia and led teams of junior bankers.
Over the next 16 years, Peter held senior leadership roles in the depository space, covering banks, credit unions, broker-dealers, and asset managers. As Group Head at Truist Securities, he led teams serving more than 2,000 clients nationwide, advising on balance sheet strategy, income statement optimization, and capital solutions including senior debt, equity, M&A, and debt capital markets.
In 2017, Peter was selected to launch a new national financial wellness initiative for Truist Securities’ corporate and investment banking clients. Over seven years, he grew the platform from concept to a portfolio of more than 300 mid- and large-cap companies, leveraging deep expertise in financial analysis, deal structuring, and profitability strategy.
Today, Peter works alongside his former teammate, Bill McDermott, at The Profitability Coach, applying his experience to help business owners become stronger financial leaders and plan strategically for the future.
Outside of work, Peter teaches through the Georgia Bankers Association, and enjoys running, golf, church involvement, and time with his wife and two children.
Meet Christal McNair
Running a business or nonprofit can be isolating. The decisions are high-stakes, the numbers matter, and leaders are often expected to have answers without a clear financial roadmap.
That’s where Christal McNair comes in.
For more than 30 years, Christal has advised small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations, helping leaders make confident financial decisions that support sustainable growth, strong cash flow, and long-term stability. Her work is not theoretical or transactional. It is grounded, practical, and focused on clarity.
Christal spent decades in commercial banking, working closely with entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders across diverse industries. She understands how lenders think, how financial partners evaluate risk, and where organizations most often lose momentum. Clients rely on her to help them prepare, position, and navigate banking relationships with confidence and precision.
As a business owner herself, Christal also understands leadership from the inside—the weight of responsibility, the tradeoffs between growth and risk, and the challenge of making decisions with imperfect information. That perspective shapes her advisory approach: disciplined, pragmatic, and results-focused.
Through her work with The Profitability Coach, Christal helps organizations improve profitability, strengthen cash flow, and build financial systems that support mission and impact. She brings a particular passion for nonprofits, helping leaders steward resources wisely so they can focus on what matters most.
Christal is a member of the Rotary Club of Marietta and serves on the board of Rescuing Hope. Her work is driven by a simple belief: financial clarity creates confidence, freedom, and enduring value.
Profitability Coaching™, Podcast Host, Speaker
Check out the ProfitSense Podcast with Bill McDermott
Speaking Availability on Critical Financial Issues for Business Leaders
Testimonials
I would highly recommend Bill McDermott for any financial solution. He is a highly skilled consultant that was able to help our medical practice obtain a rather large loan ($700k) in order to refinance debt and equipment and also provide working capital. He made the process effortless and was a pleasure to work with. His many years of experience in banking made dealing with the rigors of an SBA loan rather easy. We certainly recommend him without hesitation and look forward to working with him on an ongoing basis.
The Profitability Coach has advised both me and Permatherm for 16 years. They strengthened our financing arrangements, sales process, customer development, and financial reporting. Their involvement in our strategic sessions and quarterly plan reviews has kept us aligned and on plan. They stay connected to the broader Southeastern business
community and ahead of business trends. As a CEO, I’ve always found their guidance to be a voice worth listening to.”
Bill helped my business tremendously! Before, I felt so overwhelmed and disorganized, and the direction the business was headed is still scary to think about. We’ve worked together for almost two years now. His consistent focused and caring services were the perfect medicine for the pain my business (and I) was experiencing. I highly recommend Bill McDermott and his team!!
