Writer: Abby Lindenberg
I didn’t set out to build a media company.
I set out to build connection.
More than a decade ago, I founded Capital Analytics — now caa — with no investors, no safety net, and no roadmap beyond my own conviction. What I had was New Jersey grit, a deep curiosity about how regional economies actually work, and a belief that business leaders were hungry for something more than surface-level data.
They wanted insight.
They wanted context.
And they wanted to be in the room with one another.
Ten years later, caa operates across 18 U.S. markets, producing annual Invest: business reviews, hosting leadership summits, and convening thousands of executives, investors, and public-sector leaders each year. I’ve had the privilege of sitting across the table from governors, mayors, CEOs, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the economic future of their regions — from New Jersey and Florida to Texas and the Midwest.
But the most important lessons I share on stage didn’t come from titles or milestones.
They came from building something from the ground up — while life was happening.
In the earliest days of caa, we were in the red for just three months. I remember that period vividly, because when you bootstrap a company, every dollar matters, every decision matters, and every person matters. I also remember knowing — deeply — that what I was building was resonating. Business leaders wanted cutting-edge information. They wanted to understand what their peers were thinking. And they wanted meaningful, in-person connection long before it became a buzzword again.
Still, success didn’t silence self-doubt.
Even after contracts were signed and revenue was coming in, I had moments where fear took over. I vividly remember sitting in my car after a meeting one day, crying, frozen by the belief that I was failing — despite all evidence to the contrary. It was my father — who I lovingly call my CLO, my Chief Life Officer — who reminded me that growth often feels uncomfortable precisely because it’s real.
Midway through this entrepreneurial journey, everything was tested at once.
I had to move my life to Minneapolis so my daughter could undergo a bone marrow transplant for a rare genetic disease. I was living in a hospital, watching chemotherapy destroy her cells and take her hair — while still leading a national company. During that same period, my Vice President of Business Development quit, leaving me without the person who ran our entire sales operation.
That chapter reshaped me as a leader.
It clarified what matters.
It deepened my resilience.
And it strengthened my belief that leadership isn’t about control — it’s about endurance, clarity, and trust.
Today, my daughter is more than two and a half years post-transplant and thriving in ways I once couldn’t imagine. And caa didn’t just survive — it grew.
That parallel journey — building a company while navigating personal crisis — is central to what I speak about.
When I’m invited to address companies, institutions, and leadership teams, I speak candidly about:
– Founder-led leadership and bootstrapped growth
– Decision-making under pressure
– Building trust, credibility, and culture without shortcuts
– The power of connection — and why in-person relationships still matter
– Navigating self-doubt, disruption, and change
– Resilience in leadership when personal and professional worlds collide
As a moderator and keynote speaker, I’ve led conversations on global stages including the World Strategic Forum and Dealmakers Forum, and facilitated high-level discussions with public- and private-sector leaders across the U.S. and internationally. My approach blends data, storytelling, and strategy — because insight only matters if people can act on it.
At my core, I am a connector.
I believe business is better when we build it together. I believe relationships are stronger when they’re built face to face. And I believe leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about creating the right rooms, asking better questions, and bringing people forward with you.
That belief is what powers caa.
And it’s the heart of every conversation I lead from the stage.
About Abby Lindenberg
Founder, President & CEO, Capital Analytics (caa)
Speaker | Moderator | Connector
Abby Lindenberg is a founder-led CEO, national business strategist, and sought-after speaker who brings together leadership, resilience, and real-world economic insight in a way few can. As the Founder, President & CEO of Capital Analytics (caa), Abby built a national media and intelligence platform from the ground up — without investors — expanding from one market to 18 U.S. regions in just ten years.
Her work sits at the intersection of business intelligence, leadership, and connection. Through caa’s Invest: reports, leadership summits, and executive interviews, Abby has convened thousands of CEOs, investors, and public-sector leaders, and has moderated conversations with governors, mayors, and top executives shaping regional economies across the country.
But Abby’s credibility on stage extends far beyond titles and scale.
Midway through building caa, Abby relocated her life so her daughter could undergo a bone marrow transplant for a rare genetic disease — all while running a growing national company. During that same period, she lost her Vice President of Business Development, forcing her to lead through personal crisis and professional disruption simultaneously. Today, her daughter is more than two and a half years post-transplant and thriving — and caa emerged stronger.
This lived experience shapes Abby’s speaking approach: honest, grounded, and deeply relevant to leaders navigating uncertainty, growth, and change.
Why Audiences Connect
Abby doesn’t speak in theory — she speaks from the arena. Her style blends data, storytelling, and strategy, offering audiences both perspective and practical takeaways. At her core, Abby is a connector who believes business is better when it’s built together — and her talks reflect that conviction.
Read more of her insights here.
