MCP087 From Biologist to People-First Leadership w/ David Carr

Today’s #MeetCoolPeople episode features David Carr, founder of Steward Your Business and someone I connected with through the Success Champions Network. We unpacked how David went from biology and environmental consulting into mentoring technical leaders and business owners. Focusing on those who want to become confident, people-first decision makers.

David explained how many technical experts get tossed into management roles without training or guidance. His approach centers on helping leaders understand themselves, get clear on their values, and play to their strengths instead of trying to be everything for everyone. He’s all about building real relationships, not just workstreams. David shared how this mindset shift helped a client organization grow from 25 to 80 employees, empower their technical staff, and expand their services.

I also asked David to give us some nuggets around the pitfalls many solopreneurs encounter: taking on too much alone, neglecting to document their processes, or ignoring personality differences on their small teams. 

We also talked about introversion, leadership burnout, and the importance of intention in business. 

Key takeaways:

• People-first leadership is a learned skill: introverts and technical folks can absolutely thrive here
• Self-awareness comes before strong leadership: know your own style so you don’t sabotage yourself or your team
• Start documenting what you do, even if you’re solo or just have a VA: it makes growth much smoother
• Proactive communication and understanding personality types will save you from team drama and burnout
• Get clear on your “why” before chasing the “how” - it saves you time and frustration

Be sure to connect with David:

• Find out your own Leadership Voice here: https://stewardyourbusiness.com/5voices
• Connect with David on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwcarr/

----

Want to see how my team and I can help you convert more casual connections into clients? Grab my FREE 8-part audio mini-course at ConvertMoreClientsNow.com/fum and discover the step-by-step flow I help clients with in their email follow up machine!