Karlie Cremin is a co-founder and managing director of DLPA, an organisation dedicated to empowering leaders and teams to thrive through bespoke development programs. With a career spanning construction, government and not-for-profits, Karlie brings a wealth of experience in crafting versatile strategies and business models that deliver exceptional results.
Karlie’s passion for business sustainability and profitability is rooted in her belief that people are the key drivers of organisational performance. This insight led her to establish DLPA as a trusted source of bespoke leadership development programs. Recognising that engaged and capable teams are essential to achieving strategic goals, Karlie champions initiatives that enhance workplace culture, drive meaningful growth and equip leaders with the skills to thrive
Company: DLPA – Dynamic Leadership Programs Australia
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Karlie Cremin: I am the co-founder and Managing Director of Dynamic Leadership Programs Australia (DLPA), an organisation dedicated to empowering leaders and teams to thrive through bespoke development programs. My career has spanned construction, government and not-for-profits.
DLPA specialises in bespoke leadership and business development programs designed to unlock the potential of current and emerging leaders. At its core, DLPA embraces a tailored approach to learning and development, ensuring that its solutions align with each organisation’s unique values, goals and cultural needs.
Since 2016, DLPA has empowered over 1,100 leaders and businesses to create high-performing workplace environments through its diverse range of events, workshops, and courses. Whether through one-on-one coaching, group programs, or hybrid solutions, DLPA is committed to driving sustainable change and helping organisations thrive.
What are your top personal and professional goals for 2025, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Karlie Cremin: The key goal for DLPA in 2025 is to grow our recent partner, Crestcom. By the end of the year, we aim to have active cohorts in six Australian cities and be in a position to launch in New Zealand in 2026. From a growth perspective, we are targeting 60% overall.
Personally, I’d like to have a little more work-life balance which means being able to spend more time with my children, who are aged 18 months, four and seven.
Looking back at 2024, what was the biggest lesson you learned, and how will it influence your approach in 2025?
Karlie Cremin: To always keep your eyes on your mainstream business case. We realised we needed to be consistently and concretely evidencing to other businesses when it came to reasons for them to invest.
We are now keeping this central to every business conversation and aiming to ensure our clients understand that what we are offering is of qualitative benefit, and making sure the program we craft will deliver this early so they see the value.
What trends or innovations do you predict will significantly impact your industry this year?
Karlie Cremin: AI is already impacting everything and changing what it is to be an employee. We are pushing around the edges of it now to figure out where we land but it is an exciting time to be doing what we do. It’s also a time to pay attention to the soft signals and lead indicators, otherwise we will be left behind.
The global economy is really going to impact us as well, and we are paying close attention to it.
How do you approach goal-setting and maintaining focus throughout the year?
Karlie Cremin: We use the sprint methodology – starting with long-term goals and then breaking them down into pieces. We do six-week sprints to make sure we are on track and create the opportunity to change. You need to be able to change quickly and not stay wedded to your goal as the marketplace is completely shifting so we take an agile approach and this works well.
What advice would you give to other leaders and entrepreneurs looking to make 2025 their best year yet?
Karlie Cremin: There is never a right time. Remember that there is an opportunity in every market and it’s just about finding it.
Don’t wait for inflation to come down, for the currency to be better, for your mortgage to be paid off. You have to make it the right time and find the place where you are going to thrive. This is more important this year than any year in recent times, I think.
