About Us

About the Effective Leader

Our “Why” is to develop inspiring and influential leaders who grow great companies.
We believe a great deal of what you will need to become an inspiring and influential leader of a great company can be found here. And we are always adding more.
We offer everything we have for free so you can do it all yourself. We also provide personal training for a fee for those who want more guidance, accountability or just want it to go faster.


Our system is designed to go fast and make a big impact from the first step you take. You will not be waiting for months to see it working whether you choose to do it yourself or if you choose our help.

Meet Our Staff

Steve Meisenheimer

Steve Meisenheimer is a serial entrepreneur and has owned nine companies.
He started a commercial tree service when he was just old enough to drive. His early success gave him a passion for business and an appetite for more and faster growth. This led him to start or acquire multiple companies that grew rapidly. It was also a season for him to learn the value and responsibilities of effective leadership as some of his companies grew increasingly larger and more successful and some companies faltered and nearly failed.
In 2004, and after growing wise in the ways of business, Meisenheimer began selling his companies and started a consulting firm called The Effective Leader – an innovative consulting and training program that offers the sort of help he longed for the most when he was growing his companies but never found.
Meisenheimer has a great passion for business and for his clients. Having helped countless business owners through a similar process has given him the ability to help business owners get to the next step, know how long it should take to get there and what they should expect as they grow the company of their dreams.

John Woodside

John worked for two major Global Fortune 500 companies over a 20-year span with a focus on business development for 95 independent dealers in the Western United States. He has also worked in Operations, Service, and Sales Management for several small businesses. His passion is to improve business processes and personnel development.

Woodside joined The Effective Leader in September of 2018 to assist in the development of our business model and is now responsible for client procurement. He is married with four successful adult children all of whom are married with children and cherishes time spent with family and friends.

Brett Andrews

Brett Andrews is a Certified Wealth Strategist® who began his career in 1998 and advanced to Senior Private Investment Manager. In 2011, he founded Fortress Financial Strategies, a firm specializing in an advanced level of comprehensive integrated planning known as Private Wealth Management.

His mission is to help business owners reach their goals through risk management, expense reduction, eliminating unnecessary tax losses, key man retention, employee benefits and planning for business continuity.

Brett also helps clients plan their exit. As a Certified Exit Planner™, he facilitates the transition to management, family, or sale to third parties and ensure the exit is on their terms and that the clients’ future is secure as they enter the next phase of their life.

Securities are offered through First Allied Securities, Inc. A Registered Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services are offered through First Allied Advisory Services, Inc. A Registered Investment Adviser.