5 Minutes With

What is your current role?

My focus these days is to work with companies on aligning sales, marketing and support/services; what I refer to as the customer value chain.   That means advising CEOs on how to change their cultures, company structures and develop a clear company strategy, and a company-wide implemented accountability process.

Most recently I was SVP of Marketing of Accept Corporation, the only complete, end-to-end product innovation management software vendor in the market. I spent most of my time on a plane visiting customers across the USA and EMEA or at the Santa Clara, CA based HQ.

Where did you grow up?

Having grown up in Europe, I consider myself a global citizen. Living and working in other cultures has taught me to appreciate our differences, keep an open mind, learn from history and always keep innovating.

What is your favorite road warrior stop?

My favorite city is London. I have many friends who live in the area and when I’m in the UK, you can usually find me on the weekends at the Runnymede in Egham. After London, it’s a tossup between Rome and parts of Canada.

How do you unwind?

Spending time with my husband of 27 years tops the list; he’s my best friend, and our two cockapoos. I unwind by hiking in the countryside on the weekends and hitting the gym during the week. When we can, we like to ‘get away’ to our lake house in Ontario, Canada.

What is your business philosophy?

Success is not accidental; it comes from clear intent and purpose. All actions come from that thoughtful strategy and are focused on achieving clearly defined, measurable goals. Strategy should never be cast in concrete; it needs to be flexible and fluid so the organization can quickly capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Do you have your own 5 rules for business success?

1. Do what’s right; not what’s popular.

2. A leader’s job is to passionately lead with a compelling vision.

3. There are no sacred cows in successful organizations, only persistent reinvention.

4. A manager’s job is to remove team obstacles, keep them aligned with company objectives, and deliver measurable results.

5. People learn more from failure than success; always provide a safe environment for learning.

And as personal rule I believe we all put our pants the same way, one leg at a time.