We've been in your shoes. That's what makes us different.
Core Acceleration was built on a simple belief: invest in people and everything else follows.
It's a question our founder Max Olson couldn't stop asking: what becomes possible for people and organizations when training is actually done right?
He saw the answer firsthand at College Pro, where he trained and coached hundreds of franchisees — watching great training turn first-time business owners into confident leaders and successful entrepreneurs. What struck him most wasn't just the business results. It was what happened to people when someone invested in their development. He decided to make that his life's work.
That belief sits at the heart of everything we do. We build training that actually works — for the people going through it, and for the organizations they work for.
Our Team
What makes Core Acceleration different isn't just our methodology. It's who we are.
Every member of our team has led organizations, managed P&Ls, hired and developed teams, and made the kind of high-stakes decisions your leaders face every day. We're not training specialists who study organizations from the outside. We're operators who've been in the trenches — and who now bring that experience to every diagnostic, every roadmap, and every training program we build.
We know what great looks like because we've built it, fallen short of it, and learned from both.
Max Olson
Founder & Managing Partner
Max's career began at College Pro Painters, where he owned and operated a franchise as a student at the University of Washington before joining the corporate team. He became the first US General Manager to achieve $10 million in sales, eventually overseeing the Western USA as Vice President, running the P&L, leading recruiting, and consistently hitting his objectives.
In 2015 Max moved into the VP of Innovation & Learning role, where his passion for developing people and designing training systems found its fullest expression. As a member of the PALM Committee at College Pro's parent company FirstService Brands, he helped select and implement a cross-platform LMS across a system that includes brands like California Closets, CertaPro Painters, and Paul Davis.
He founded Core Acceleration in 2019 and has been a trusted partner to associations, franchise systems, and scaling companies across North America ever since.
Outside of work, Max is an avid runner. 14 marathons and counting. He lives in Chapel Hill, NC with his wife and two kids.
Scott Shaw
Partner
Scott has spent his career developing leaders and driving performance in growing organizations. He has led teams, managed P&Ls, and coached senior and mid-level leaders responsible for running and improving their businesses, bringing a practical, results-first perspective to everything he does.
Since 2010, Scott has also served as an Examiner Coach within the FirstService Brands network, supporting the development of leaders and businesses across their franchise systems. That experience gives him a rare combination of frontline operational credibility and deep expertise in leadership development.
At Core Acceleration, Scott's focus is on helping leaders apply what they learn in ways that actually move the needle, on team performance, on execution, and on business results.
Scott lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife and three kids. He's a classic car enthusiast, an Assistant Scoutmaster in a Scouting America troop, and someone who considers outdoor adventures a family requirement.
Sandra Storoschuk
Partner
Sandra brings more than twenty years of experience working with entrepreneurs, franchise organizations, and leadership teams. A Certified Executive Coach (PCC) and Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), she has spent over a decade coaching business owners and leaders across a wide range of industries.
Sandra's career began as an entrepreneur at twenty-one when she launched her own painting business, an experience that shaped her deep appreciation for what it takes to build something from scratch. She went on to hold multiple Vice President of Operations roles within franchise organizations, leading teams and supporting business owners in driving performance, developing leaders, and strengthening the systems that support long-term growth.
At Core Acceleration, Sandra designs and implements learning systems, develops leadership programs, and helps organizations ensure their training translates into stronger leadership capability and measurable frontline execution.
Sandra lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Outside of work she loves travel, outdoor adventures, music festivals, and spending time with people she cares about.