Jen Grace Baron is an organization development leader with a track record of success leading large-scale initiatives in companies such as eBay, Hewlett Packard, and Johnson & Johnson. From both academic and applied perspectives, Jen enjoys asking new questions and connecting ideas in novel ways to innovate on how teams and organizations can grow faster and be stronger through inspiration. Jen lives for the experience where she partners with an organization to scale the next level of meaning, performance, and fulfillment then stands with them to catch the waves of positive impact that result. As the cofounder of InspireCorps, she creates and executes on inspiring partnerships that produce the greatest impact.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
- Janet Kraus Co-Founder Peach Inc
- Julia Balfour
When business started difficulties overcame:
“the first time you break 1 million it’s the hardest thing ever. Because not only is it new and you are learning about how to be that leader that you need to be as an entrepreneur but you are also having to quickly evolve a product or service and line up how to get it out in the world. So, it is true baptism by fire. So, I would say one of the most challenging parts several years ago in the first year or two of our business was around thinking through how we were going to scale. That was really the challenge. We knew we had something awesome and we knew that we could deliver what we wanted to deliver but how to scale it really had to keep pounding on”…[Listen for More]
Favourite Books:
- Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life Book by Anne Lamott
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know Book by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Favourite Quote:
“find a career you would sacrifice your life for”[…because you will] – Morgan W. McCall
Recommended Online Resources:
Center For Creative Leadership – Leadership development can transform individuals, teams, and organizations
Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“my best advice to other entrepreneurs is to not be afraid to reach out to anyone… So, I would say get over it, just jump in at the deep end of the pool, reach out to people who you think you can serve and there could be some mutual benefit from the connection and amazing magical things can unfold”…[Listen for More]
More About Jen Grace Baron:
Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky
Other Quotes From the Chat with Jen Grace Baron:
- “this is my maybe biggest lesson and it is do not be afraid to reach out and go for what you want. Do not be afraid to reach out to individuals, do not be afraid to reach out to other organisations. If you see something that you want to learn about, if you see an organisation that you think is a great prospective client… I spent too long on our journey being reserved and even a bit shy about tooting our horn and putting us forward and going after it. So it’s really taking some good coaching and lots of practice. Six years in am not afraid to reach out to anyone and confidently provide them with value that I figure out how to do”
- “clearly defining success and for us it really is… Are we building an organisation that we are wildly proud of that changing the lives of the people that we employ? We can’t go out and do this in the world and claim to be experts if our house isn’t the best one. And so I think defining your success and measuring it regularly and really looking against that regularly”
- “I do not try to keep up with change, I think that’s futile… I try to lead change for myself… If I tried to keep up with change, I think I would just feel bad all of the time because things are changing around me all the time and I can’t keep up. But what I can do is I can decide how I so change and what’s important to me to change”
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