About the Name: Linchpin Resources

Linch-pin:

noun

  • a person or thing vital to an enterprise or organization.

  • a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel in position.

Why Linchpin?

In every system, there’s one small piece that holds the rest together. Remove it, and the whole thing collapses. That piece is the linchpin.

That’s the role I keep finding myself in—again and again. Whether deploying tens of millions in philanthropic capital, navigating crises in real time, advising policymakers, or helping mission-driven leaders sharpen their message, I am not just in the room—I am the connector, the strategist, the force multiplier.

So when it came time to name this consultancy, it wasn’t a metaphor. It was muscle memory.

Linchpin Resources exists to be exactly what the name implies—the pivotal resource that aligns people, purpose, and momentum. We bring clarity to complexity, traction to vision, and movement to mission. Whether it’s a message, a moment, or a market, we find the pressure point—and move it.

The Person Behind the Name

I’m Damon Gardenhire—a strategic communicator, former philanthropic exec, and longtime builder of big ideas with real-world stakes. For years, I played the role of “the guy behind the guy behind the guy.” Now, I help leaders write their own next chapter—faster, smarter, and with more staying power.

And because personality tests are a window and a mirror (and occasionally a punchline), here’s a snapshot:

  • Birkman: Entrepreneurial thinker. Creative force. Relentless doer. I move fast, think big, and don’t wait for permission. I’m at my best in high-stakes, high-complexity environments that require rapid decisions, bold vision, and crisp execution.

  • Myers-Briggs: I toggle between INFP and ENFP, which means I’m either your deeply reflective advisor—or your high-octane brainstorm partner. Usually both.

  • StrengthsFinder: Strategic, Ideation, Communication—imagine a whiteboard, a war room, and a podcast mic had a baby.

  • Enneagram: Type 8 with a 9-wing—decisive, but diplomatic. Warm, but wired.

Bottom line?

I’m here to help leaders cut through noise, move with purpose, and make things that last.

Because in a world built on shifting sands, a linchpin doesn’t just hold things together.

It moves them forward.

Let’s build.