Boundless: The only membership community for newly-promoted leaders
The founder believes investing in leadership development doesn’t just benefit individuals—it strengthens corporations as a whole.
After spending 24 years climbing the corporate ladder at Clayton Homes, David Schwall reached a pivotal moment. He had accomplished more than he had dreamed of at a world-class company in the corporate sector—pioneering marketing strategies, managing digital campaigns, and guiding teams through the evolving landscape of digital growth. His distinct leadership at Clayton was highly respected both internally, and externally (see features in the Harvard Business Review, KNS 40 Under 40). But despite his successes, Schwall felt it was time for a change.
“I led many different teams and projects, so I managed different personalities from various departments working on collaborative projects,” Schwall said. “It was always a passion of mine to mentor team members early in their career and in mid-level management roles.”
Schwall’s first entrepreneurial endeavor was the creation of TravL, a mobile app designed to streamline the organization of student field trips and mission trips. The platform allowed parents, students, and teachers to stay connected and in sync throughout their trips, offering a central point for communication and scheduling.
The innovative concept earned TravL a spot in the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s “What’s the Big Idea?” pitch competition, followed by participation in the 2023 cohort of “The Works” Accelerator.
“It was a great experience because I’m a big ideas person—I love creating things and bringing them to life,” Schwall said. “But over time I realized that working alone came with its challenges. I missed the energy of working with people and acting as a mentor for others.”
That insight sparked Schwall’s next venture, Boundless—a project that allowed him to return to his core passion: leadership development. Launched just a few months ago, Boundless is a highly vetted membership community designed for newly promoted managers, directors, and supervisors in middle management.
“Boundless is about providing emerging leaders with a space where they can access the tools, resources, and community they need to grow,” Schwall said.
The Boundless platform offers a wide range of resources, including interactive discussion spaces, personality assessments, and a trusted peer support network. Members are automatically subscribed to the Boundless weekly newsletter and podcast filled with leadership advice and expertise. They’ll also have access to our online events and guest speakers for a deeper exploration of leadership development. Boundless plans to offer leadership courses for members further enhancing their growth and skill development.
Schwall plans to grow Boundless in two ways. First, a free membership that allows leaders to join the community individually, driven by their own motivation to grow as a leader and advance their career. But his larger vision is to engage companies directly, encouraging them to enroll their aspiring new leaders in Boundless as a cost-effective solution for leadership development.
“My goal is for businesses to onboard their emerging leaders onto the Boundless platform for a monthly cost that’s affordable and delivers tangible impact. This approach allows companies to partner with us to provide ongoing leadership development at a fraction of the cost of running internal training programs,” he said.
This premium membership also provides access to a Certified Leadership Coach and a Personal Board of Directors made up of professional peers in the network. Members meet monthly with their coach and peers, receiving tailored guidance and ongoing support in addition to the resources already available through Boundless. These mentors and certified career coaches help leaders navigate their professional journeys through personality assessments and tailored guidance aimed at improving communication and leadership effectiveness in the workplace.
“Being at Clayton for so many years, I didn’t experience how other companies approach leadership development,” he said. “When you realize 83 percent of CEOs know leadership development is crucial but only 5 percent follow through, it’s eye-opening. There’s a huge disconnect but it’s understandable – it’s a big undertaking and often falls outside of their core business focus. I’m learning a lot about this need for leadership support among middle-management.”
Schwall believes that investing in leadership development doesn’t just benefit individuals—it strengthens corporations as a whole.
“I experienced first-hand what happens when companies invest in their employees at all levels; those employees, in turn, invest back in the company,” he said.
As Boundless continues to grow, Schwall is optimistic about its potential to improve company culture, increase employee retention, and boost productivity across industries.
Click here to join the Boundless community!
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