The Work Matters
I’ve supported a number of federal agencies and organizations over the course of my career. Each had a unique mission, and each experience gave me a new perspective. Whether I was an analyst for the Business Transformation Agency (BTA), a technical writer for the State Department, or an IT project manager supporting the Department of Defense (DoD), there was always a sense of purpose that pervaded the organization that was unlike anything I’d ever known before. Put simply, the work mattered.
Eventually, I parted from GovCon and made the jump into the world of Silicon Valley tech. Working over the last few years with a variety of cybersecurity product vendors—spanning IoT, endpoint, and cloud—has provided meaningful perspective on the ‘art of the possible’ when it comes to modern, innovative solutions. While public sector remained my primary focus, the transition introduced distance from the mission that I previously supported. I’m proud of the work I’ve done and the progress I’ve influenced in the private sector, but I’ve also realized that I truly missed the world of direct mission support.
Shift5 provides a unique set of solutions and capabilities that can directly support critical agency and department missions. The belief in supporting the warfighter is a cultural philosophy that spans the company—something that is often aspired to within a company, but rarely attained. And the passion and dedication to supporting Shift5’s federal customers inevitably carries over to our commercial customers as well. The work Shift5 is doing matters, and I’m proud to play a role in bringing transformative technology to the aviation, rail, and defense industries and help keep the mission moving forward.
The People Matter
It’s one thing to be able to bring together a group of smart, talented, and driven people. It’s another thing entirely to unite the same level and quality of people and drive them forward towards a common goal. From my earliest conversations with the leadership team, I was equally impressed with the strategic rigor and genuine care and concern for both the customers we support as well as our employees. It can be easy to get caught up in the various business aspects of running a company. But instead of just thinking about commercial and government organizations as entities, and employees as personnel, there’s a very real humanization of our customer base and an intentional connection with supporting team members.
The Story Matters
The other top driver in my decision to join the company is simply the opportunity as a marketer. Having led several public sector marketing teams, I’m acutely aware of the challenges involved in taking a product to market. What’s different about Shift5 is the opportunity to come in early, embrace uncertainty and unknowns, leverage lessons learned, and build the go-to-market strategy, messaging, and brand from the ground up. Rather than combat preconceived notions in the market about the product or follow prescriptive approaches to marketing that may or may not work for a particular vertical, there’s an opportunity to establish the brand and tell the company’s narrative in a fresh, data-driven way. Marketing isn’t just about following best practices, principles, and tactics—the core science of marketing. It’s just as much about the art—telling a compelling story that resonates and drives action. It’s the careful combination of both that really matters.
I’ve been fortunate in my career to have worked for many inspiring leaders. Each of these leaders provided routine, reliable examples of how to lead and grow a business, build relationships, empower others, and drive outcomes and action. I’m eager to bring some of those career lessons to Shift5, while also learning and adapting as we influence the market and bring critical solutions to our customers.