
Trust Builders: The Key To Thriving Communities
by Amy Holloway
Trust Builders started with a simple question:
Why do communities with similar attributes have very different outcomes?
The answer, again and again, is trust among local leaders.
This exciting new book includes Amy's interviews with 31 local leaders from
across the country who share lessons on how trust is built, repaired, and sustained. And how that trust has led to game-changing progress in
their own communities.
Inside, you’ll find:
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The 8 Trust Builder Strengths
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Practical, everyday actions leaders can take to strengthen relationships and accelerate results
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Real stories from communities bringing big projects to life because of trust among their local leaders
Trust doesn’t require more funding. It requires more intention.
If you’re leading in a community—formally or informally—this book is for you.

Meet Amy Holloway
Amy Holloway is the president of Aha!—an economic development consultancy specializing in strategic planning—and a practitioner-in-residence with Harvard Kennedy School’s Reimagining the Economy Project.
Over a 30-year career, she has helped more than 200 places design strategies for long-term economic growth and community prosperity.
A retired partner at Ernst & Young and leader of the firm's national economic development practice, Amy previously founded and led Avalanche Consulting, one of the nation’s leading strategic planning firms.
With her upbeat, welcoming style, she brings local leaders together through conversations that spark “aha!” moments and shared action. Trust Builders is the culmination of Amy's career-long belief that trust among local leaders is the single most powerful force shaping thriving communities.
Amy lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband and two tenacious terriers.

Speaking and Workshops
Trust Builders™ keynote speeches and workshops reveal how trust becomes a competitive advantage, amplifying resources, forming stronger partnerships, and creating better outcomes. Audiences leave with clear actions, an understanding of their individual Trust Strengths, renewed confidence, and a shared language for building trust where it matters most.
Inquire here about inviting Amy to speak at your next event, team meeting, or retreat.



Share your Trust Builder story
Have you seen trust among local leaders spark change in your community?
Selected submissions will be highlighted in future interviews or on the Trust Builders podcast.


Upcoming events
March 26, 2026
April 28, 2026
Columbus, OH
April 30, 2026


