Karla Murphy
Karla Murphy is a former U.S. Marine Corps Officer turned Executive Leadership Strategist, with over 14 years of experience leading people, systems, and strategy in high-stakes and complex environments. She combines her military operational expertise with a deep understanding of business analytics, organizational systems, and AI integration to help founders, executives, and leadership teams scale efficiently and sustainably. Karla has built and scaled a global top 1% e-commerce brand and guided hundreds of entrepreneurs as founder of Founders Forge. Author of Be One of Zero, a leadership operating system drawn from her combined experience in the Marine Corps, as Chief of Staff, and an executive coach, she provides leadership coaching, AI implementation, and systems optimization for organizations across industries. Her approach drives leadership alignment to improve profitability, automate workflows, and achieve measurable results. She regularly delivers the Founders Forge Cohort, targeted workshops, private coaching, and speaking engagements focused on upgrading leaders so they can upgrade their businesses, helping founders restore clarity, reclaim time, and eliminate burnout through proven leadership frameworks. Karla’s career is marked by her commitment to people-first leadership and operational excellence. From managing secure communications and classified systems in the military to building scalable, data-driven business strategies, she brings a unique blend of discipline, strategic vision, and leadership expertise. She continues to expand her impact through executive leadership coaching and AI-driven business transformation, empowering organizations to thrive while scaling with clarity, confidence, and efficiency.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• AAA Accelerator - Consultant Phase
• United States Naval Academy
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
• New York Institute of Art and Design
• Author, Be One of Zero
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the lifelong journey that brought me to where I am today. I grew up with every disadvantage and had every reason to lower the bar, but instead chose to raise it. I truly love what I do. It doesn’t feel like work. My time as a Marine Corps Officer taught me discipline and resilience, and after leaving the service, I found great joy in helping people. Marine Corps leadership taught me discipline and systems thinking, but success came from relentless focus on upgrading myself first, through my Naval Academy foundation, Chief of Staff roles, and building Founders Forge. Saying no to distractions, prioritizing family, and serving founders via Be One of Zero keeps every day purposeful.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received: Honesty is your unfair advantage. In sales, share your real why. With teams, admit gaps. To yourself, own weaknesses. It builds trust that compounds.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Own what only you bring to the table and help others unlock their full potential. When you do they feel valued and empowered which builds meaningful purpose driven leadership opportunities for them and reveals yours too. This leads to meaningful impact and the joy of doing what you love.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the greatest opportunities I have faced in my field is translating the leadership and problem-solving skills I honed in the military into guiding high-growth founders. This empowers them to upgrade their leadership, sharpen their skills, and scale without burnout.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important in my work and personal life are honesty and unimpeachable character. I tell founders exactly what they need to hear, cutting through chaos with clear systems that scale. My word stays ironclad whether coaching CEOs through burnout, doing pro bono work that transforms lives, or showing up unwavering for my friends and family. These values build enduring trust that amplifies impact.
Locations
Founders Forge
Jacksonville, NC 28540