Trust Builders: Leadership That Creates Change with Amy Holloway (305)

The leadership skill that changes everything

Special guest Amy Holloway explores how trust shapes thriving communities, effective leadership, and long-term economic growth. Drawing from interviews with leaders across the United States, Amy shares the simple but powerful behaviors that build trust, strengthen collaboration, and create meaningful change – whether in organizations, neighborhoods, or entire cities. Together, Amy and Ann discuss the leadership traits that foster connection, the behaviors that erode trust, and why building community starts with intentional relationships.

“Trust-building is within everyone’s power.” – Amy Holloway

Time Stamps for Trust Builders: Leadership That Creates Change with Amy Holloway (305)

00:15 Importance of establishing trust in communities

07:32 Trust breakers vs. trust builders

14:18 Characteristics of effective community leaders

19:52 Insights from interviews with local leaders

25:33 Crisis management and community recovery

About our Guest – Amy Holloway, President of Aha!

Amy Holloway is the president of Aha!, an economic development consultancy specializing in strategic planning, and a practitioner-in-residence with Harvard Kennedy School’s Reimagining the Economy Project. Over a 30-year career, she has helped more than 200 places design strategies for long-term economic growth and community prosperity. A retired partner at Ernst & Young and leader of the firms national economic development practice, Amy previously founded and led Avalanche Consulting, one of the nation’s leading strategic planning firms. With her upbeat, welcoming style, she brings local leaders together through conversations that spark “aha!” moments and shared action. Her new #1 bestselling book, Trust Builders: The Key To Thriving Communities, is the culmination of Amy’s career-long belief that trust among local leaders is the single most powerful force shaping thriving communities. Amy lives in Asheville, North Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, painting, and teaching Pilates.

Resources for Trust Builders: Leadership That Creates Change with Amy Holloway (305)