Ph.D. · ACC · TEDx
Lisa D. Foster
Leadership coach for the moment the old way stops working
I coach experienced leaders at their next inflection point — when the visibility, scope, or stakes go up, and the old way of leading stops being enough.
My clients want to be seen as ready for what’s next — stronger presence, clearer decisions under pressure, and the ability to lead other leaders as scale expands.
From classroom to company to coaching
Like most people, I had no leadership training when I started to lead.
I was a high school English teacher when, in 2005, I set out to disrupt the
plastic bag industry by starting a company to sell reusable grocery bags. I had
no leadership training and no business experience—just a purpose and
determination.
My first year in business while I was still teaching, I sold a quarter-million
reusable bags. In year two, I quit teaching and sold 2 million bags. In year three,
I sold 8 million bags. Over the next 12 years, I remained a top supplier and led a
team of 200+.
Then I sold the company, published a book, and gave a TEDx Talk.
The real advantage wasn’t luck—it was a set of practical skills:
building trust and respect, leading with confidence, empathy, and humility, aligning people
clearly, and making decisions with self-awareness to get buy-in from the whole
team.
Those skills are what leadership are all about. They now form the foundation for the Leadership Framework.
For more than 8 years, I’ve coached leaders—particularly in biotech and
pharma—as they step into bigger roles, manage other leaders, and navigate
enterprise-level decisions.
Over and over, I’ve found that what worked for me works for others too. When leaders develop good leadership skills, results follow.
Most leaders stall not because they lack strength — but because one skill lags behind the rest.
Trusted by leaders at
Citi · L’Oréal · Northeastern University · Teradyne · Ginkgo Bioworks · Emergent BioSolutions
Let’s talk about your next level of leadership
Whether you want a conversation about coaching or a clear snapshot of your leadership skills, I’m glad you’re here.