Guiding Business Leaders Through Critical Transitions
Helping founders and leadership teams align their people, prepare successors, and protect what makes their business great.
The Authentic Impact Mission is Simple
Our mission is to guide both founders and next-generation leaders through times of transition.
Change is never easy—especially when it requires letting go of old habits, redefining roles, and building new ones that take the business to the next level. Transitions challenge even the strongest leaders because they require personal change, not just organizational change.
We help founders capture the “magic” that built their business and pass it on with clarity, and we help rising leaders step into confidence, authority, and accountability.
Through the Authentic Impact Method™, founder Penny Schlyer, CEPA equips leadership teams to strengthen communication, build alignment, and develop successors who can carry the company’s vision and values forward.
Every business owner deserves a team they can trust. Leadership shouldn’t rest on one person’s shoulders forever.
Clarity creates confidence. When people understand their roles and share the same vision, everything moves forward together.
Legacy is built to last. The true measure of success isn’t just what you’ve achieved—it’s what continues after you.
Our Values
Integrity
We do what we say we’ll do. Transparency and honesty guide every interaction, because trust is the foundation of lasting business and leadership.
Empowerment
We believe every leader can grow. By equipping people with confidence and practical tools, we unlock collaboration, accountability, and long-term success.
Courage
We believe growth begins with courage. We inspire our clients to look inward, challenge old patterns, and have the conversations that move people and businesses forward.
Accountability
We hold ourselves—and the leaders we coach—to high standards. Progress is measured by actions, outcomes, and the willingness to take responsibility.
Balance
We believe businesses should serve people, not the other way around. When leaders and teams are aligned, they gain the freedom to succeed at work and thrive in life.
The Story Behind
Authentic Impact
Certified Focal Point Business and Executive Coach
For more than 25 years, Penny has worked in team leadership, communications, and marketing. Now she puts that corporate and entrepreneurial experience to work, guiding organizations from manufacturing to healthcare through growth and transition.
She knows what it feels like to be stretched thin, to wonder if the business can thrive without you, and the struggle between protecting what you’ve built and letting others lead it forward.
Those experiences inspired her to create Authentic Impact Business Coaching—a coaching practice built around helping founders and families navigate that tension with honesty, strategy, and hope.
Today, Penny partners with business owners and rising leaders to build stronger communication, clear systems, and a culture of trust that endures for generations.
In addition to her work with founders and family businesses, Penny also leads Grit & Grace, a coaching collective for women balancing growth, leadership, and life.
The Authentic Impact Method™
A proven 4-step framework to protect your legacy and prepare leaders who carry out your vision.
The Right Balance of Curiosity & Expertise
Penny’s clients describe her as a trusted advisor who challenges them to think differently. She blends the curiosity of a coach with the pragmatism of a strategist—helping founders and rising leaders gain clarity, communicate effectively, and focus on what truly drives progress.
Whether she’s facilitating a leadership audit, coaching a next-gen executive, or speaking to industry leaders, Penny’s approach remains grounded in one guiding belief:
Every person has the capacity to make an impact. My job is to help them see it, shape it, and sustain it.
Speaking & Workshops
Penny is a sought-after speaker for associations and leadership groups across a wide range of industries—including the North American Steel Alliance, the Association of Women in the Metals Industry (AWMI), the Northwest Indiana Influential Women’s Association (NWIIWA), and Business Networking International (BNI).
Her keynotes and workshops are known for their clarity, practicality, and humor—challenging leaders to think differently and lead with greater intention.
She equips business owners and leadership teams to:
- Build alignment in family-owned and founder-led businesses
- Develop confident next-generation leaders
- Lead transitions that protect legacy and strengthen culture
- Communicate with confidence and accountability across every level
Let’s Talk About Your Legacy
Whether you’re planning for succession, developing your leadership team, or preparing to step back, Penny can help you create a plan that honors what you’ve built—and positions your business to thrive for generations.
Actionable insights for leaders navigating growth and transition.
THE IMPACT BRIEF
Subscribe for practical tools on alignment, leadership, and sustaining success—delivered straight to your inbox each month.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. We'll add you to the list of successful business owners who are want to gain clarity in and develop growth strategies for their business!
In the meantime, we offer a complimentary discovery call where you can speak directly with Penny Schlyer to learn about her and the ways she can help your business. Schedule a discovery call by clicking this link.
