Colby Leachman and Full Swell Consulting
Colby Leachman is an entrepreneur, business strategist, investor, and advocate known for helping innovative companies navigate growth while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability and social impact. Based in Santa Monica, California, Leachman has built a career that spans enterprise technology, startup development, healthcare, emerging industries, and business consulting. Throughout his professional journey, he has remained focused on one core belief: successful companies can create both economic value and positive societal change.
Today, Colby Leachman is best known as the founder of Full Swell Consulting, a strategic advisory firm that works with founders, startups, and growth-stage organizations seeking to scale responsibly while creating meaningful impact. Through Full Swell Consulting, he has helped companies develop growth strategies, build commercial organizations, improve go-to-market execution, and align business objectives with broader sustainability and social responsibility goals.
Building Full Swell Consulting
Full Swell Consulting was founded on the idea that growth and purpose should not exist in separate conversations. While many consulting firms focus exclusively on revenue, operations, or profitability, Full Swell Consulting takes a broader approach. The firm works with entrepreneurs and leadership teams to build organizations that can achieve commercial success while contributing positively to their industries, communities, and stakeholders.
Under Leachman's leadership, Full Swell Consulting has developed expertise in working with emerging companies operating in rapidly evolving markets. The firm specializes in helping businesses navigate complex growth challenges, particularly those connected to sustainability, technology innovation, regulated industries, and social impact initiatives.
The company's philosophy centers on responsible growth. Rather than pursuing expansion at any cost, Leachman encourages founders to build durable organizations with long-term value. This includes creating scalable business models, strengthening sales and operational processes, identifying market opportunities, and developing leadership teams capable of sustaining growth over time.
Through Full Swell Consulting, Leachman has become a trusted advisor for companies seeking guidance on business strategy, organizational development, revenue generation, market positioning, and commercial execution. His work reflects a belief that modern entrepreneurship should serve both shareholders and society.
A Career Rooted in Innovation
Leachman's professional journey began in the technology sector, where he developed expertise in business development, enterprise software, and startup growth. In 2014, he accepted a position that ultimately relocated him from Massachusetts to California, placing him at the center of one of the world's most dynamic innovation ecosystems.
His move to Southern California coincided with the rapid growth of Silicon Beach, the region's thriving technology and startup community. Surrounded by entrepreneurs, investors, and emerging companies, Leachman quickly immersed himself in startup culture and became increasingly involved in technology-driven business solutions.
One of his earliest experiences in the startup world involved mobile payment technology, where he gained firsthand exposure to the challenges and opportunities associated with scaling innovative products. This experience sparked a long-term fascination with entrepreneurship and laid the foundation for his future work helping companies grow and evolve.
Over the years, Leachman has worked across a diverse range of industries, including enterprise software, healthcare, financial technology, cannabis technology, and emerging innovation sectors. His ability to adapt to rapidly changing markets has made him a valuable resource for companies operating in highly competitive environments.
Leadership and Business Development
A significant portion of Leachman's career has been devoted to building and leading high-performing sales and business development organizations. He has consistently demonstrated an ability to generate revenue growth while mentoring teams and developing future leaders.
Throughout various leadership roles, he has managed sales organizations, trained professionals, coached emerging talent, and developed systems designed to improve performance. His leadership style combines accountability with collaboration, helping organizations create cultures that support both individual achievement and collective success.
Colby Leachman has developed a reputation for understanding the intersection between strategy and execution. While many leaders focus exclusively on vision, he places equal importance on implementation. This practical approach has allowed him to help organizations transform ambitious ideas into measurable business results.
His experience spans both startup environments and established organizations, giving him a unique perspective on how businesses evolve through different stages of growth. Whether working with early-stage founders or mature leadership teams, Leachman focuses on building sustainable systems that can support long-term success.
Experience in Emerging Industries
Since 2018, Leachman has been actively involved in growth initiatives connected to the cannabis industry, where he has supported projects focused on retail technology, operational efficiency, compliance solutions, and customer engagement.
The legalization of adult-use cannabis in California created significant opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. Leachman recognized the industry's potential early and became involved in initiatives designed to help cannabis businesses leverage technology to improve operations and better serve customers.
His work has included supporting technology platforms used by cannabis retailers, cultivators, and brands while helping organizations navigate the unique challenges associated with operating in a highly regulated environment.
These experiences strengthened his understanding of emerging industries and reinforced his interest in helping businesses adapt to evolving regulatory, technological, and market conditions.
Entrepreneurship with Purpose
Beyond business growth, Leachman is deeply committed to advocacy and social impact. His professional philosophy is rooted in the belief that entrepreneurship should be a force for positive change.
This commitment is reflected in Full Swell Consulting's focus on organizations working within sustainability-driven and environmentally conscious sectors. Leachman believes that businesses have an important role to play in addressing societal challenges and creating opportunities for future generations.
His advocacy efforts include support for criminal justice reform initiatives and organizations working to address the consequences of outdated cannabis laws. He has been a supporter of the Last Prisoner Project, an organization dedicated to ending cannabis-related incarceration and helping individuals rebuild their lives after release.
Leachman is also a supporter of environmental conservation efforts through organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund. His interest in sustainability extends beyond business and reflects a broader commitment to protecting natural resources and supporting long-term environmental health.
Community Leadership and Mentorship
In addition to his professional work, Leachman has spent years investing in his local community through mentorship and youth sports. As a YMCA youth soccer coach, he has helped young athletes develop confidence, teamwork, discipline, and leadership skills.
Coaching provides an opportunity for him to contribute to the development of future generations while reinforcing values that have guided his own career. He views sports as a powerful teaching tool that can help young people build resilience, accountability, and perseverance.
His commitment to mentorship extends into the business world as well. Through Full Swell Consulting, Leachman frequently works alongside founders and emerging leaders, helping them navigate challenges and develop the skills needed to lead successful organizations.
Life Beyond Business
Outside of work, Leachman maintains a variety of interests that reflect his curiosity and appreciation for lifelong learning.
An avid reader, he enjoys exploring literature that challenges conventional thinking and offers new perspectives on human behavior, philosophy, and society. Among his favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut and Robert M. Pirsig, whose works continue to inspire reflection and intellectual growth.
He is also an enthusiastic surfer who embraces the sport as both a physical challenge and a form of mindfulness. Surfing allows him to disconnect from daily demands while remaining connected to nature and the present moment.
His passion for surfing has led him to explore destinations throughout California, Alaska, Nicaragua, and New Zealand. These experiences have provided opportunities not only for adventure but also for cultural exploration and personal growth.
Looking Ahead
As founder of Full Swell Consulting, Colby Leachman continues to work with entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies that are shaping the future of their industries. His unique combination of business development expertise, startup experience, leadership skills, and commitment to social impact has positioned him as a trusted advisor to organizations seeking both growth and purpose.
Whether helping companies scale, supporting justice reform initiatives, advocating for sustainability, or mentoring future leaders, Leachman remains committed to building a future where innovation, responsibility, and opportunity work together. Through Full Swell Consulting and his broader professional endeavors, he continues to demonstrate that business success and positive impact are not competing goals—they are most powerful when pursued together.
