Dr. Daniel Freeman

Dr. Daniel Freeman earned a degree in sociology from UNC Charlotte and entered the collegiate athletics industry to pursue his passion for sports, coaching, marketing and external relationships as a former student-athlete. Dr. Freeman continued his education with a master’s degree in exercise science and sport management and a doctorate in education with a concentration in global sport leadership. After completing his master’s degree, he moved into higher-education fundraising through athletics and academic channels. During the last decade in higher education, Dr. Freeman has worked with presidents, athletic directors, deans, startup founders, CEOs, nonprofit executives and other C-suite leaders.

Because of the multiple roles Dr. Freeman has held and the individuals he has worked with, he founded FSG Ventures LLC. Dr. Freeman provides philanthropic advising, fundraising training, fractional fundraising leadership, leadership practice and search assistance. His work helps leaders create awareness of their decision-making nature by sitting in the discomfort and thoughtfully challenging their decisions in a way that does not feel judgmental and forces them to reflect and grow. Dr. Freeman then uses an adapted framework to help "uplead" their teams so they understand how to lead and grow from where they are, expand executive capacity, and effectively transition day-to-day work from the leader so the leader can be the strategizer-in-chief.

Dr. Freeman is the school record holder and an NCAA national qualifier in the javelin at UNC Charlotte, where he competed on the track and field team. He is a cook, a DIYer and a nationally known track and field throws coach.

What sets Dr. Freeman apart is not advice or frameworks, but the space he creates. Dr. Freeman’s work is intentionally calm, confidential and unhurried—a place where leaders can talk openly, explore ideas and sort through complexity without performance or politics getting in the way. Conversations are relaxed, human and grounded, even when the issues are serious. Clients often say they do not feel coached or consulted, but genuinely heard. The result is clarity that feels earned, not imposed, and decisions that feel steadier because they were thought through in a space that was both rigorous and welcoming.

Dr. Freeman brings together an uncommon mix of training and lived experience. With a background in sociology and a doctorate in global leadership, more than a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, and years as a former professional athlete, nationally recognized track and field coach, consultant and adjunct instructor, His work is shaped by both academic rigor and real-world pressure. Over the past decade, Dr. Freeman has held thousands of one-on-one conversations with nonprofit executives, Fortune 500 CEOs, founders, athletes and coaches, giving him a deep understanding of how leaders actually think, decide and carry responsibility.

Dr. Freeman is the author of two books, the host of a podcast and a conference presenter.