We started Applied Leadership Partners a little over five years ago, and since then, we've had countless conversations with people who are thinking about getting into this business, especially former military folks who understandably see leadership development as a natural next chapter. The barrier to entry seems relatively low: if you can speak, teach, or coach, you're in, right?
Not exactly.
So I wanted to write something simple, not a comprehensive roadmap to success, just some perspective on what's actually worked for us. Consider this the advice I'd give over coffee to someone thinking about dipping a toe in the leadership development water.
1. Take Business Development Seriously
I've met so many talented people who are confident in their ability to speak, teach, or coach, but are deeply uncomfortable with "selling themselves." I get it. It feels awkward, even disingenuous, especially if you came from a profession where your competence spoke for itself.
But here's the truth: if you're not proactively and professionally working to earn clients, it just won't happen. Regardless of how great you are, your skills won't be put to good use if you don't have customers. And in a crowded marketplace, customers just don't fall in your lap.
At Applied Leadership Partners, we take business development very seriously. We have a standing Biz Dev meeting every Friday. We constantly discuss our current clients and top prospects. And we are absolutely willing to ask for the business. Not aggressively, not desperately, but clearly and directly. This isn't an unfortunate downside of doing the job, it is the job.
2. Have a Perspective
There are countless books, courses, and frameworks available to help you think about leadership. Many of them are wonderful. We don't need to reinvent the wheel, but we do need to step back and think hard about each leadership topic.
Take the time to consider what you really believe about empowerment or accountability or ownership or teamwork. Why do you feel that way? Where did that perspective come from? Are there any clear metaphors or stories that can help you convey this message?
Your content needs to be grounded in solid theory, but people don't respond well to academic overviews. Help them to really see it and feel it. Your perspective matters. If you're just repackaging someone else's framework without wrestling with it yourself, people will sense that immediately.
3. Live at the Intersection of Credibility and Relatability
While it's important to bring a certain level of credibility to the table—resume, credentials, experience—it's equally important to have the same degree of relatability. Clients need to trust that you have the experience and knowledge to help them through their challenges, but they also need to know that you can understand them and their world.
This balance is critical. If you lean too hard on your resume, people may think you're smart, but they won't believe that you really "get" them. If you're too casual or folksy, they may like you but won't trust you with their toughest problems. The sweet spot is right there at the intersection, where expertise meets empathy.
4. Let the Market Speak to You
When we started out, we thought carefully about what we could offer and what kinds of clients we could serve. It gave us a place to start. But once we started talking with people and working with clients, we were able to refine our approach and offerings based on what the market actually needs and wants.
Our philosophy is this: if somebody asks us if we can help them with something, and we believe that we can, we say "yes"—then if we need to, we go into the lab and figure it out. This isn't about being reckless or overpromising. It's about staying open and adaptive rather than rigidly clinging to whatever we thought the business would be on day one.
5. Prepare, Rehearse, and Refine
This may seem obvious, but it's worth stating explicitly. Being deliberate about our preparation allows us to be sharp while we're "on the podium" and demonstrates to our clients that we take them and our work seriously. This kind of preparation also provides us with numerous opportunities to review our content and make any necessary adjustments or improvements.
Even if we've delivered a certain module twenty times, we still make a point of rehearsing. It's always time well spent. Great speakers and teachers don't wing it. They make it look effortless precisely because of the work they've done when nobody's watching.
6. Be Generous
If you come across somebody who claims to have a secret, run away. That kind of scarcity, magic-potion marketing might pique your interest, but it probably won't actually deliver.
From the very beginning, we decided that we wanted to think deeply, discuss openly, and share generously—and that's paying off. Through blogs, podcasts, panels, and private conversations, we've given away far more value than we've charged for, and that's just fine. We want to be a business that overdelivers for our clients and extends value well beyond our paying customers.
Whether it's donating to nonprofits or doing pro-bono work or just offering encouragement, our lives and our business are better when we maintain a posture of generosity. It's not a strategy or a growth hack. It's just a better way to live.
None of this is rocket science. It's just what's worked for us. Your mileage may vary. But if you're thinking about getting into this business, I hope this gives you something useful to chew on.
