Katie Leimkuehler is an Executive Coach and founder of the Executive Leadership Center. With a background in storytelling and entrepreneurship, she began her journey in 2015 after launching her first business, Leimkuehler Media. Over the years, she transitioned into executive coaching with a mission to help professionals solve business and career challenges through strategic guidance and action planning. Katie holds the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation and is passionate about empowering leaders to reach their full potential.
What sparked your journey as a coach/entrepreneur? Was there a moment, challenge, or person that pushed you to take this path?
I never planned to be a coach or an entrepreneur, and honestly, if you’d told me that would be my path, I wouldn’t have believed you. Back in 2015, I was listening to an entrepreneurial podcast by Peter Voogd every day during my drive to work, thinking I’d write about entrepreneurs—writing being my first career. I’ve always believed that you become what you consume, and this podcast sparked my journey into entrepreneurship.
After listening for a while, I began to wonder, “Why not try starting a business myself?” I had nothing to lose and so much to learn. Not long after, I launched my first business, Leimkuehler Media—a social media consulting company I ran for several years. That venture laid the foundation for everything that followed, including my current focus on executive coaching and leadership development.
Tell us a bit about what you do! What’s the purpose behind your business, and how does it make a difference in people’s lives?
My business, the Executive Leadership Center, focuses on helping professionals solve problems in their business and career—whether this is how to level up into a new role, making a career transition, learning how to motivate your team, or getting started on building out your business. My focus is to be a strategic thought partner who can help you create an action plan to reach your goals.
Thinking back to the start of your career, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced in establishing yourself as a coach/entrepreneur? How did you work through them?
The biggest challenge I faced was figuring out where to begin. I knew I wanted to run a coaching business, and I understood that serving my clients and adding value were the most important goals. What I didn’t realize, however, was all the foundational work required to get there. It wasn’t an overnight process. Building a marketing presence, establishing relationships with partners for referrals, and growing a client base all took time. Looking back, I wish I had a coach of my own to guide me through the process. The way I worked through these challenges was by learning everything I could from experts in the field—reading books and listening to podcasts to gain as much knowledge as possible to launch my business.
Is there a milestone or achievement you’re really proud of that you’d like to share?
One achievement I’m proud of is earning my Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation. Earning this credential took 60 hours of coach-specific training, over 100 hours of client coaching experience, 6 hours of mentor coaching, and passing the ICF ACC exam—which has equipped me to provide an even higher level of service to my clients.
Women are making big moves in workplaces around the world, leading alongside their male counterparts. What are your thoughts on women in leadership today?
Women leaders have more opportunities than ever to advance and make their mark. Women are natural leaders, with innate instincts that guide them in how to lead effectively. Their ability to empathize, collaborate, and bring diverse perspectives to the table makes them invaluable in any leadership role. Today, more than ever, women are breaking barriers, challenging traditional norms, and showing that leadership is not defined by gender but by vision, skill, and determination. While there is still work to be done to ensure equal opportunities and support for women leaders, the progress we’ve seen is both inspiring and empowering.
What advice would you give to future women leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs?
The best advice I can give to women leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs is to just start. There will never be a perfect plan. There will always be things to learn. The key to success in my experience has been action. Action builds momentum. Action builds energy. And action leads to results. What you don’t know, you’ll learn along the way. There will be roadblocks, there will be challenges, but the most important step–is to just start.
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