About Kile
Coaching leaders.
Protecting legacies.
I work with three kinds of leaders: first-time founders finding their footing, CEOs navigating the pressure of scaling, and family businesses managing the complexity of generational transition.
At any given time, I’m working closely with a dozen or so founders, owners, and executives on the decisions that define their next chapter — growth strategy, leadership alignment, and the high-stakes calls that don’t come with a clear answer. I do this in partnership with my father, Steve Graves, bringing 35 years of field-tested frameworks and deep experience inside some of the most complex enterprises in the country.
About half of that work is family business consulting — walking alongside multiple generations through succession, ownership transfer, and the relational dynamics that make it all harder than it looks. Family business is deeply personal work for me, as I am currently working alongside my father, Steve Graves, in our family coaching firm — Cornerstone. When these businesses are healthy, the impacts are strong across families, communities, and cultures.
I began my career in Walmart’s leadership development program — a fast-track inside the world’s largest company, where operational excellence is the baseline expectation. I then spent a decade as an entrepreneur, helping build several companies from the ground floor, one of which scaled to $4M in revenue.
In addition, I serve on the board of Immerse Arkansas, helping vulnerable youth find healing and hope across the state. When I’m not working, you’ll find me on a mountain bike, in a river fishing, or chasing my kids around with my wife, Esther.
