Describe an event or experience that defines you as an Operator:
Our leadership team recently agreed on a strategy. However when it came time to execute, we made little progress. Rather than force the issue, we sought to understand why. After gathering data, we ended up restructuring responsibilities on the leadership team and reframing our strategic objectives. The new objectives and role definitions were in better alignment, and we are now making impactful progress.
A time when OG offered value:
We got a fantastic referral for a strategy consultant. I sought referrals from several sources, and the one from the OG is the one that proved the most valuable by far.
What drives you?
I’m driven by the desire to build the kind of company I would want to work at – one that is equitable, harnesses the superpower of every employee, and does ethical work with impact. I’ve been in engineering roles nearly all of my career, and moved into an Operations role formally a few years ago now – turns out engineering and operations have a lot in common. My superpower is systems thinking, and translating that to real systems people can easily use.
Your top actionable tools or processes:
Strategy is an interpolative process involving building up a body of artifacts and understanding over time rather than a one-shot deal. The best resource/framework I’ve found for this is the book Scaling Up by Verne Harnish. Aside from the strategy section, that book also contains much valuable and actionable wisdom on finance and company operations.
Recommended Solutions:
- The Clean Sell – consultants to help you build your sales capability (small consultancy, but genius at sales)
- Citrin Cooperman – CPAs and financial experts who do everything from taxes to audits, targeting those in the government contracting business. Smart, capable, highly competent, and can scale with your business
- Allegory, Inc. – executive/leadership coaches. Genius model based on habit change over time. Will work with individuals or teams. Deeply respect their founder, Christina Harbridge
Recommended Reads:
- Book: Scaling Up
- Book: Good to Great, plus the post hoc monograph, Turning the Flywheel – this latter piece has been some of the highest return on investment reading I’ve done in a long while
- HBR article: The Five Stages of Small Business Growth (old, and surprisingly still relevant)
Experience profile
What are your hobbies/interests?
I love to snowboard, hike, garden, cook, sing, play piano, and especially dance.
Connect with Jen
Find her on LinkedIn or Twitter. You can also visit her Company website here.
