Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in leadership development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with David Kitchen, Founder of Edge Leadership Academy, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Edge Leadership Academy provides workshops to high-performing businesses, teams, and individuals who are looking to improve their leadership skills, culture, and high-performance habits.
Tell us about yourself
After spending a decade as a collegiate coach, I realized many high performers do not have the skills to be leaders. I also learned that leadership is, in fact, a skill that can be built by the commitment to a set of processes and systems. This realization led me to develop a curriculum that would teach the athletes I worked with to become better leaders. This curriculum eventually became the framework for Edge's first workshop. My motivation comes from a desire to impact as many people as possible. I truly believe there is the potential for greatness inside everyone. I use my platform and my business to try and help people find and harness that for themselves.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is simple. It's our clients. When I see teams, businesses, and individuals who have completed our curriculum thriving, I get fired up. I love seeing our clients win.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest thing about being a business owner for me has been transitioning from the "hustler" mindset to the CEO. As our client base has grown, I've had to learn to delegate and be much more protective over my time. This can be difficult for me considering my background in college athletics, where no job was outside your scope, and problems were often solved by just putting in more hours.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My first tip would be to shoot your shot. The information, networks, and resources you need to be successful are at your fingertips. You just have to be willing to go find it and take chances. Send the message, ask the question, and figure it out along the way.
Second, don't limit your potential by being too specific when you start. When you launch a business, you truly have no idea what the potential can be. If you become too rigid in your "end goal," you shut yourself off from opportunities that may lead to a bigger impact. The financial payoff, etc. Say yes to every meeting when you first start!
Finally, get crystal clear on who you are and what you believe. Don't expect everyone to understand. You're going to have long nights, early mornings, and plenty of adversity along the way. People won't understand why you're making the sacrifices you're making, and you have to be at peace with that. Be relentless in your vision, clear in your daily mission, and stay grounded in your values. Business can be brutal. There will be temptations to compromise for quick paydays, nights where you feel like the world is crashing down, and also days where you feel unstoppable. Learn to be consistent and clear in who you are, what you want, and why you do what you do.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.edgeleadershipacademy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachdkitch/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachdkitch
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdkitch/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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