Founding Cohort Open Starts August 19, 2026 10 Members Maximum Maxwell Leadership Certified DISC-Certified Coach 8 Weeks. Real Transformation. Live Weekly Sessions NYT Bestselling Book Founding Cohort Open Starts August 19, 2026 10 Members Maximum Maxwell Leadership Certified DISC-Certified Coach 8 Weeks. Real Transformation. Live Weekly Sessions NYT Bestselling Book
Founding Cohort Open August 19, 2026

Build and Become.
The Leader's Mastermind.

8 weeks. One DISC assessment. One NYT bestselling book. One certified coach.

A small-group experience combining the DISC assessment, Ryan Leak's New York Times bestselling book, and a certified coach who ensures you apply every insight. You will leave with a framework for yourself, a language for your team, and a 90-day commitment you authored yourself.

Founding cohort. 10 members maximum. Spots are limited.

Program Overview
Weeks 1-2
DISC Assessment + Live Debrief
Map your style, your blind spots, your team
Weeks 3-6
Book Mastermind
2 chapters per week, live group discussion
Weeks 7-8
Integration + Commitment
Before vs. after debrief. Your 90-day plan.
10 spots total. Founding rate.
Aug 19
94%
of employees stay longer when their company invests in development
85%
of workplace failures stem from communication, not skill gaps
4x
more likely to perform at best with high self-awareness
10
maximum. This cohort is intentionally small.
What This Is

Not another online course.
A guided transformation.

Most leaders know they need to grow. They buy the book. They watch the video. And then life happens, the insights fade, and nothing changes for their team.

Build and Become is different. Every week, your cohort reads together, meets live, and applies what you learned to real situations with real people you actually lead. A certified coach holds you accountable. A small group keeps it honest.

8
Weeks structured for results
10
Members maximum. Every session stays tight.
$149
Value of DISC Assessment included
Standalone retail price
90
Day commitment authored by you at graduation
The Program

8 weeks structured
for results.

Three phases. Each builds on the last. By the time you leave, you will have more than insight. You will have a plan.

Phase 01
Weeks 1 & 2
DISC Assessment + Debrief
Everything builds on what you discover here. Your behavioral wiring, your communication style, your blind spots, and how others experience you.
Maxwell DISC Assessment ($149 retail value)
Full behavioral profile report
Live group debrief with Stephanie
Map your style against the people you lead
Phase 02
Weeks 3 through 6
Book Mastermind
Two chapters per week. Live discussion every session. Real people, real situations, real application. No passive reading.
Weekly chapter discussion
Immediate application exercises
Framework for working with every style
Peer accountability in the group
Phase 03
Weeks 7 & 8
Integration + Your 90-Day Commitment
Before-and-after mindset debrief. Growth reflection. And then the most important part: every member writes a personal 90-day commitment.
Before vs. after mindset debrief
Peer reflection on growth
Written 90-day personal commitment
Community access going forward
Week by Week

Every session has a purpose.

Week 1
DISC Assessment
Complete your profile. Understand your wiring.
Week 2
Live Group Debrief
Map styles, meet your cohort, uncover blind spots.
Week 3
Chapters 1 & 2
Understanding why people are complicated.
Week 4
Chapters 3 & 4
The communication frameworks that actually work.
Week 5
Chapters 5 & 6
Conflict without casualties. Pressure without damage.
Week 6
Chapters 7 through 12
Full application. Bring your real team scenarios.
Week 7
Integration Debrief
Before vs. after. How you have grown. What changed.
Week 8
Your 90-Day Commitment
Every member writes and presents their plan.
Stephanie's Role

You are not reading
this alone.

Real conversations. Real change. Real results. Every week has a human being behind it, not an automated sequence. Stephanie is in the room with you, every session.

Weekly Discussion Leadership
Stephanie opens each session with the chapter, a personal reflection, and a discussion prompt. She reads every response.
DISC Certification + Debrief
Certified DISC consultant. Your results are interpreted for your specific role, team, and challenges, not a generic report.
Live Every Week
Sessions are live, not recorded lectures. You bring real situations. Stephanie coaches in real time. Recordings available if you miss a session.
10 People. That's It.
The cohort is intentionally small so Stephanie knows your name, your team, and your 90-day commitment before week 8.
The DISC Assessment

Not a personality quiz.
A leadership framework.

DISC reveals how you are wired to communicate, make decisions, handle conflict, and lead under pressure. There are no bad profiles. There are only understood ones and misunderstood ones.

D
Dominant
Direct, decisive. Moves fast.
I
Influential
Energetic, people-first.
S
Steady
Patient, harmony-focused.
C
Conscientious
Analytical, needs data first.
Stephanie is a certified DISC consultant. Your debrief is specific to your team and role, not a generic printout.
What's Included

The DISC assessment alone
is worth $149.

The Maxwell DISC Assessment with a full debrief costs $149 when purchased standalone. Inside Build and Become, it is the foundation for everything that follows. Not a bonus. The starting point.

Maxwell DISC Assessment$149
Live Group Debrief with StephanieIncluded
8 Live Weekly Coaching SessionsIncluded
NYT Bestselling Book MastermindIncluded
90-Day Commitment FrameworkIncluded
Circle Community AccessIncluded
Founding Member Rate$299
17
% productivity lift

Average productivity increase when teams prioritize engagement and development. (Gallup)

21%
Profitability increase with engaged teams
2x
More likely to improve retention after structured development
Research-Backed Outcomes

What changes when leaders
actually grow.

Employees stay longer with development investment94%
LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report
Workplace failures caused by communication issues85%
Carnegie Institute
Productivity boost from engaged leadership17%
Gallup
Profitability increase with prioritized engagement21%
Gallup
"You are not reading this alone. Real conversations, real change, real results. Every week has a human being behind it."
Stephanie Byson -- Equip the Leader
Weekly live sessions. Show up, get coached.
Recordings available if you miss a session.
No automated sequences. Stephanie responds personally.
10 people maximum. The group stays intimate.
The Book

The text that drives
every conversation.

How to Work with Complicated People by Ryan Leak
NYT Bestseller Dedicated to John C. Maxwell

How to Work with Complicated People

by Ryan Leak

A practical, human guide to navigating the personalities that make leadership hard. Ryan Leak wrote it for leaders who have tried everything and still find certain people exhausting. The framework works because it does not ask you to change people. It asks you to understand them.

Note This book is dedicated to John C. Maxwell. Stephanie is Maxwell Leadership Certified. That is not a coincidence. It is the reason this book is the one.
What You Leave With

By the end of 8 weeks,
you will have all three.

01
A DISC Framework for Yourself
You understand how you are wired to communicate, decide, and lead. No more guessing why certain interactions drain you.
02
A Language for Difficult People
Not just theory. A working vocabulary for every style you lead. You will know what to say and how to say it.
03
A Written 90-Day Commitment
Every member leaves week 8 with a personal plan they authored. Not a template. Your actual next steps. Your actual team.
Founding Member Rate

Simple pricing.
Serious investment in yourself.

This cohort is capped at 10 people. The founding member rate will not be offered again.

Founding Cohort
Build & Become Mastermind
$ 299
one-time. No recurring fee for founding members.

Everything you need for 8 weeks of real, coached transformation. The founding rate grants full program access and community membership.

Maxwell DISC Assessment ($149 retail value)
Full behavioral profile report
Live group debrief with Stephanie
8 weeks of live coached mastermind sessions
NYT bestselling book mastermind
Personal 90-day commitment framework
Founding community access included
Reserve My Spot →
Alumni Community Access
$ 99
per month. Cancel anytime.

The mastermind ends. The community does not have to. Graduates who want to stay connected, stay accountable, and keep growing can continue at the alumni rate.

Ongoing access to the Circle community
Monthly content from Stephanie
Peer accountability with fellow alumni
First access to future programs and workshops
Learn More →

10 members maximum. Founding cohort starts August 19, 2026.

Keep Growing

The program ends.
The community doesn't have to.

When the 8 weeks close, graduates are invited to stay connected in our private alumni community. Same people, same accountability, same commitment to growth. The conversations do not stop because a program ended.

For those who choose to continue, the community is a place to stay sharp, stay connected, and keep applying what you built. Monthly content from Stephanie. Peer check-ins. First access to future programs and workshops.

Private community space for program graduates
Monthly leadership content from Stephanie
Peer accountability with people who know your 90-day plan
First access to future workshops and programs
Alumni Community
$ 99 /month

A private community for graduates who want to keep the momentum going. Monthly touchpoints, peer accountability, and ongoing access to Stephanie's frameworks and insights.

Cancel anytime. No contracts. Graduates only. Kept small by design. Alumni-only content and early access.
Reserve Your Founding Spot →
What Comes Next

Leaders who go through this
bring it back to their teams.

That is not an accident. The frameworks you build here work in boardrooms, on job sites, and in small business back offices. Many graduates find themselves asking: could my whole team do this?

Team DISC workshops tailored to your organization
In-person book masterminds for corporate teams
Retreat facilitation using the same frameworks
Ongoing implementation coaching for leadership teams
"We can go through books with teams and debrief in person, the same way we do in the mastermind. The only difference is the room."

If you finish Build and Become and want to bring this work to your company or team, Equip the Leader offers custom training engagements. Start with a discovery call.

Book a Discovery Call →
Ready to Begin

10 spots. One start date.
Your 90-day plan starts here.

The founding cohort opens August 19, 2026. Please note that registration closes on August 12th. This gives everyone time to complete their DISC assessments so we can dive straight into the deep work on Day 1.

The rate will not be offered again after this group fills.

If you are ready to lead differently, this is where it starts.

Not sure yet? The discovery call is free. No pitch. Just a real conversation about where you are and whether this is the right fit.