LEAD the business you you’ve built.
Leadership by Design.
A nine-month programme for founders who now have a team around them and want to lead it well. It’s focused, practical support to move you from doing everything yourself to leading people with confidence, so the business can grow without you holding it all together.
Leadership coaching for founders
You’ve already built a team
(You didn’t plan to become a manager, but here you are.)
But you can feel that leading them is now the hardest part of the job.
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Your team is growing, but too much still runs through you
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You know you should delegate more, and it never quite sticks
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Roles have grown organically and nobody is quite sure who owns what
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There’s a conversation you’ve been putting off for months
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You’re good at what you do, but leading people is a different job that nobody trained you for
A way to stop drowning and start leading - as a leader and not an employee
If you nodded to 2 or more of those, Leadership by Design was built for you
What if leading felt lighter?
You’re no longer:
the person every decision comes back to
redoing work you’ve already delegated
putting off the conversation you know you need to have
holding the culture together on your own
scrabbling in the business when you know you need to be working on it
Instead, you’re:
clear on who owns what
delegating in a way that sticks
having difficult conversations early and well
leading a team that moves the business forward without you in every detail
Having regular “ceo” time because he scaffolding in your business can hold it
Your business starts to grow through your team, instead of through you.
(By Design…you might even say!)
“I have more time to plan, think strategically and lead the team and business forward and grow in the right way, the way I want it to.”
“Litsa finds out pretty quickly in the first session how your business works and helps you to streamline, plug the gaps and get time back.”
Caroline Boardman, CBC.
“The plan is not a ‘one size fits all’, it’ll be bespoke designed for you and I can promise you it’ll work, if you do the work Litsa recommends.”
Introducing
Leadership By Design
A nine-month programme for founders who lead a team, combining 1:1 support with a small group of founders facing the same leadership questions. It brings together the two sides of my work: twenty years of leading teams in corporate, and the mentoring I now do with founders. It isn’t a course, and there are no generic templates
“I’m really starting to build my confidence. I’m thinking about a future with Aura instead of being unsure of what lies ahead. I do feel like I’m transforming how I run Aura and putting in structure so that it doesnt all run through me anymore”
What you get inside Leadership By Design
By Design combines 1:1 support, small-group perspective, and built-in structure — so you’re not just planning what to do next, you’re actually doing it.
1:1 Leadership Support
A 90-minute kick-off, two further 60-minute 1:1 sessions and your Everything DiSC profile.
Group Support (max. 6 founders)
nine monthly 90-minute group sessions and a private Slack space.
Tailored mini video trainings from Litsa as themes emerge
Co-working & Accountability
Weekly Focus & Fly coworking (Mondays, 1:30–2:45pm)
Opportunity to grab up to 10 minutes of input or direction during each session
In-Person Connection
Three optional in-person meet-ups in Wilmslow, Cheshire to reflect, plan, and connect
“Working with Litsa hasn't just changed my business...it's had a huge impact on my LIFE! I'm in a completely different position to where I was 4 months ago, I've gone from feeling like an employee to my clients, reshuffling my whole diary/calendar around to work for other people (and not me!), lack of clarity around my services and finances to the complete opposite. I'm able to make strategic decisions around my business because I actually understand my numbers now, I'm now in control of my calendar and have a new scaffolding / weekly framework in place which means I can plan ahead and not work every hour of the day, and have brilliant working relationships (including clear boundaries and ways of working!) with my clients too.
“I can't quite believe the difference in myself and my business - it's been a complete game changer!”
Abigail Withey, Social+ With Abi
What we’ll work on together
Nine monthly sessions, each focused on one part of leading a team business:
From founder to leader
Knowing yourself as a leader, with Everything DiSC
The business model for a team business
Building the right team and role clarity
Delegation that sticks
Culture by design
The conversations you’re avoiding
Leading growth
Future-proofing and leading forward
Bring your team in
From £250 + VAT an hour, £450 + VAT a half day or £750 + VAT a full day
DiSC profiles with a coaching debrief at £250 + VAT per person
A DiSC team workshop from £1,200 + VAT for six
At any point during the programme you can add a facilitated session with your own team, at your premises or with me, at founder rates.
“Litsa is someone who enables you to take a step back and view things from a perspective you never had before. She offers potential solutions that are pragmatic, but gives you the space to consider them and decide for yourself which you want to go with.
She supports you and knows exactly when that support needs to be in the form of a pep talk, an eye roll, a pointed look or a kick up the bum (done with a smile).”
Emma - MTW Fitness
Your investment
£400 +VAT per month for 9 months (£3,600 + VAT total)
How it works
Nine months, March to November 2027, with no break in August.
A small group of a maximum of six founders.
Monthly group sessions
Three in-person days
Your 90-minute kick-off in March, in person or online. The two further 1:1s can be booked at any point during the programme.
Key Dates EXAMPLE — Sep 2026 Cohort
Group Calls — Tuesdays at 10am
Tues 22nd Sep 2026 — Intro & Kickoff (60 mins)
90 Minute sessions, Tuesdays: 6th October 2026, 3rd Nov 2026, 1st Dec 2026, 5th Jan 2027, 2nd Feb 2027
Wrap up call Tuesday 23rd Feb 10am
In-Person Meet-Ups — Wilmslow, Cheshire: Thursday 1st October, Thursday 26th November, Thursday 21st Jan
Focus & Fly — Weekly Online Coworking: Every Monday 1:30–2:45pm (school holidays go ahead if I'm in the country!)
Your 1:1 Sessions:
initial 90 min 1:1 kick off sessions: to be booked in (first come first served on timings) Slots available in person at Jackson House, Sale or online- in September - time arranged with you
remaining 2 × 60 min 1:1s Book anytime from October through to the end of Feb 2027.
Is it right for you?
This is for you if you:
you run an established business with a team around you, whether that’s employees, associates, contractors or a mix
you’ve become the bottleneck and want to lead instead of just manage
you can commit to a monthly session and some thinking time between sessions
It’s not for you if:
you don’t have anyone working with you yet (By Design is the better fit)
you’re looking for someone to manage your team for you
you need HR or employment law advice
“Opening yourself up completely to someone can be scary and I felt a little vulnerable at first. Having no prior knowledge or experience of running a business I knew I was out of my depth and it almost felt embarrassing to admit that initially. But Litsa is so reassuring and completely non-judgmental that I felt totally at ease discussing all aspects of the business with her.
She is so approachable and personable and she knows instinctively if you're not 100% sure about something and will be kind and patient at all times.”
Helen Reid - Helen Reid Tuition
What changes when you lead By Design?
Everyone knows what they own, and you stop being the default answer
Delegation sticks, so you get time back for the work only you can do
Difficult conversations happen early and go well
The culture is one you’ve chosen on purpose
Your team grows the business alongside you
Client success stories
"You work in a down to earth and friendly manner but demand/expect commitment and focus from your clients to be able to deliver the results you know they can achieve. You provide a laser-focus strategy used by big businesses and make it achievable and relevant to small businesses." - Helen
"Litsa really can channel your creative energy in the right places to grow your business. Some of the simplistic tweaks have had the biggest impact on my business. She makes things happen and if you are an action taker like me, it's a winning combination. A lot will get done in her sessions but you also leave confident that you can continue to deliver the actions you have agreed as they are realistic." - Anna
Meet Litsa - Business mentor & coach in Manchester
I’m Litsa — business mentor, strategist and coach, working with founders across Manchester, Cheshire, the North West and beyond.
Before starting Work With Litsa, I spent over a decade in corporate leadership roles at L’Oréal, THG and Warner Bros, where I learned how to create focus, develop teams, and solve the real operational challenges that hold businesses back.
Today, I bring that experience into my work with founders who want more clarity, better systems, and a business that feels easier to run — with practical guidance, accountability, and support that actually helps you move forward.
By Design came from working closely with founders who all said a version of the same thing:
“I’ve outgrown how I used to work. I want to do things more intentionally — but I can’t figure it all out on my own.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and you don’t need to keep muddling through.
FAQs
How is this different from By Design? By Design is about the business itself: your model, offers, systems and direction. And it’s mostly focused around solo founders who might have a bit of freelance support. Leadership by Design is about leading the people in it. If your biggest challenges are about your team, this is the one for you.
My team is small. Is that enough? Yes. Even one or two people, or a group of regular associates, brings the leadership questions this programme covers.
Does my team need to be involved? No. The programme is for you. You can bring your team in for a facilitated session if you’d like to, but it’s optional.
Can I do both programmes? Not at the same time but many founders will benefit from starting with by Design then as the team grows moving into Leadership By Design. Book a call and we’ll work out the best order.
Do I need to attend everything live? no - but you will get more out of it if you do :)
How much time will it take? A 90-minute group session each month, your 1:1s and some time between sessions to put things into practice.
What happens after nine months? You move into the alumni community, and you can join The Inner Circle if you’d like ongoing support.
You’ve already built a team. Now lead it by design.