Kim Mahan Teams Up with SuccessBooks® to Co-Author ‘Lead with Empathy’ with Chris Voss

Kim Mahan

N. CHESTERFIELD, VA, UNITED STATES, January 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- SuccessBooks® is thrilled to announce an exciting new collaboration with Kim Mahan who will co-author the highly anticipated book, “Lead with Empathy”, alongside world-renowned negotiation expert Chris Voss and a distinguished group of thought leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world.

In a time when trust is currency and human connection

drives success, “Lead with Empathy" explores how today’s most effective leaders use understanding—not as a “soft skill,” but as a strategic advantage—to inspire teams, build loyalty, and achieve sustainable growth.

Kim Mahan learned to read people before she learned to read books. Growing up in an environment where survival meant anticipating emotional shifts, she developed what she calls “operational empathy”—the ability to grasp what people truly need, even when their words suggest otherwise.

This instinct carried her from high school dropout to leading global IT teams at GE and Genworth Financial. A later setback—investing her savings into a startup that never took off—pushed her to ask a deeper question: What does the world truly need, and what am I uniquely equipped to offer?

The answer became MAXX Potential, an apprenticeship consulting firm disrupting the “pay your dues in debt” model of traditional training. Apprentices earn from day one as consultants-in-training, allowing them to build skills without fear or financial burden. Hundreds have gone on to roles at Google, AWS, Capital One, and more—proof that removing barriers unleashes potential.

Kim brings that same commitment to expanding opportunity through grassroots initiatives including the RVA Tech Women’s Conference, the Techsters program for middle school youth, service on the YWCA board, and chairing Richmond’s technology council. For her, these efforts were never résumé builders—they were a way to pay forward the belief others once had in her.

For Kim, empathy is not a buzzword—it’s the muscle that reveals unspoken fears and clears the obstacles holding people back. It has shaped her leadership and fueled her mission to turn individual resilience into collective momentum. Today, she is steering MAXX Potential into the age of AI and automation, not to replace people, but to empower them. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where Irish dance, lifelong learning, and time with her children and grandchildren keep her grounded in what matters most.

Learn more at:
MAXXPotential.com
kimmahan.com

SuccessBooks® is honored to welcome Kim as a co-author of “Lead with Empathy”. The book is anticipated for release in Spring 2026, offering powerful insights from Chris Voss, Kimberly Mahan, and other contributors on how empathy is transforming leadership and driving success on a global scale.