Lissa Appiah transitioned her part-time Ottawa coaching venture, WeApply Canada, into a full-time enterprise after five years of pivoting from the public service, according to reporting by jobflocks.com. Appiah launched the business in 2020 off the side of her desk, eventually scaling her client roster past 20 and tripling her revenue by stepping away from her salaried government role.
Building a Career Strategy Venture From the Government Sector
The journey toward entrepreneurship began early in Appiah’s career when she was passed over for a high-profile government opportunity despite performing much of the background work. According to jobflocks.com, a more vocal colleague secured the role, teaching the self-proclaimed introvert a lesson in self-advocacy. Appiah began speaking up in meetings and sharing her accomplishments, leading to five promotions in less than eight years across roles touching on policy, operations, and human resources.
Recognizing that other introverted professionals faced similar barriers, Appiah founded WeApply Canada in 2020. She initially offered resumé-writing services and career strategy coaching part-time. For two years, she operated a membership program featuring biweekly group sessions alongside one-on-one support. After observing that her introverted clients struggled to thrive in larger settings, she eliminated the group sessions, which ultimately increased her workload and client demand.
Scaling Operations and Overcoming Underpricing
Moving WeApply to a full-time venture required a fundamental shift in pricing strategy. Goran Calic, chair in entrepreneurial leadership and associate professor of strategy at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, notes that underpricing is common among entrepreneurs. According to jobflocks.com, Calic explains that the true value of Appiah’s work lies not just in the coaching sessions themselves, but in the measurable career and financial outcomes they produce for clients.
Since shifting to full-time operations, Appiah has expanded her roster to more than 20 clients and completed her first administrative hire. She aims to eventually onboard other coaches trained in her frameworks. Beyond her coaching practice, Appiah is a LinkedIn Top Voice with over 70,000 followers, utilizing the platform to help clients build personal brands and attract business.
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