Hi, I'm JDS

Consulting

As a growth strategist, I help mission-driven start-ups launch new products and markets, and increase their revenue and reach. I am a natural community builder and leader who cares deeply about the people and organizations I work with.Some of my awesome clients include: OMGYES, Nearpod (acquired), Edmit (acquired), DonorsChoose, Level, Braintrust Tutors, Find Your Grind, College Aid Pro, eGrove, Reverb, Woken, Social Construct Films, Giant Leaps Learning, and NexusEdge.I am also a mentor and advisor to founders in several accelerators including: Techstars, StartEd, Transcend Network, and EdInno.I can help your organization find product-market fit, develop go-to-market strategies, expand to new markets, optimize your pricing strategy, build the best team, scale efficiently, communicate a compelling brand story, and create new revenue opportunities.

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feedback

"Jen was has been invaluable in helping NexusEdge scale to where we are today. She was able to get up to speed quickly and add immediate value to our team. She is adept at building genuine relationships with educators and corporate partners. In the year since we met, she has consistently been enthusiastic and willing to help with any challenge, big or small. She has also shown initiative in developing additional learning materials for our platform and in scaling the NexusEdge network. She is an absolute pleasure to work with, incredibly organized, and a great leader. She has impressed many with her wonderful adaptability and great entrepreneurial spirit, everyone from educators to internal team members love working with her"-Eddie Lin, Founder, NexusEdge

"Jen has been an amazing source of knowledge and mentorship for us. She has helped us think through negotiation, pricing, contract terms and so much more. She has been hugely supportive and empowering in all our meetings with her, and we could not have gotten better advice."-Tao & Dacod, Co-Founders, Foondamate

"Jen has been an amazing business coach and growth consultant for our company Social Construct Films. Over the past few months since we've been working together she's helped me outline and implement an effective growth strategy. She's an inspiring person and a pleasure to work with. I strongly recommend her as an excellent collaborator and advisor."
-Zak Kilberg, Founder, Social Construct Films

"Jen and I worked together in consulting capacities focused on go to market. Jen was a pleasure to work with and brought both keen market insights and a roll-up-the-sleeves approach to every interaction. In the early stage of growth, these are exactly the traits that you want in an advisor. I also appreciated that Jen was able to keep one eye on the business and another on the mission at all times. In edtech, we are double-bottom line focused so we need to drive both student/educator impact as well as business growth and optimization. Jen understands this dynamic intuitively from her past experiences leading edtech teams and brought this essential mix to the Edmit team"
-Kirby Salerno, Chief Revenue Officer, Edmit

"I've had the pleasure of working with Jennifer for five years. I truly feel incredibly lucky to have worked under her lead. She is a world class leader who empowers her team and is fully of integrity. There is no mountain that is too big to climb for Jennifer. For example, she seamlessly managed a whole entire country (Canada) while also managing all of the West Coast along with a large part of the East Coast. She has proven ability to flawlessly manage a large number of competing priorities. Her time management, prioritization, decisiveness, adaptability, and EQ are second to none. On top of this, she radiates positivity and has an incredible her sense of humor. As a leader in any capacity, Jennifer earns my highest recommendation."-Caitlin O'Connor, Director, EVERFI

"JDS collaborates with a kind of generosity I've rarely seen in my career. She's not the type to rest on tradition, and instead is driven by a genuine curiosity to find the best way. She'll inspire you to want to be more kind in your work. JDS is the kind of consultant you'll want to turn into your friend."-Noele Flowers, Community Manager, Teachable

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Thought leadership

Advice to Ed-Tech Start-UpsFive Biggest Misconceptions in Ed-TechTherapy at WorkGetting a Job in Ed-TechHow Learning From Teachers Made Me a Better ManagerSix Lessons From Therapy That Will Make You a Better Leader

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Coaching

Between my MBA and my 10 years of experience scaling organizations, I have had the opportunity to teach a leadership course for university students, deliver workshops for managers at start-ups, and coach dozens of founders and career-switchers.Over that time, I developed my own frameworks to help early career managers bring out the best in every team member and to help people who feel like something is missing in their life find their Ikigai.I genuinely love helping others feel empowered to reach their full potential and find meaningful work. I invite you to work with me to crystalize what you want to accomplish and the impact you want to have so you can make the most of your limited time.

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feedback

"Jen leads with positivity and heart -- she cares for her teams and wants what was best for everyone, professionally and personally. Through this, she helps mitigate stress, and helps keep things in perspective throughout the year. She is a huge support!"-Jessie, OR

"Jen's kind, yet authentic attitude meshed well with my own personality. She has a sense of urgency and drive that I admire. She always looks for ways to help the team find wins, and encourages them when they are struggling all while being realistic and straight-forward. I will miss working with her tremendously."-Amanda, NJ

"I had the pleasure of working with Jen through her role as a strategic growth advisor for Edmit. She hit the ground running with both a deep respect for the work that had come before and great ideas for what we were trying to achieve going forward. Jen's always got a pulse on the larger vision while also being able to quickly execute on the smaller details. She's thoughtful in her approach, data-driven, and adapts to fit the style of each individual and team she works with. On top of all that, she's a lovely person to work with! Any team would be lucky to have Jen."-Beth, NH

"Jen has been more than a manager to me! She's been a great mentor, friend and someone who holds me to high standards. Working with Jen has been the best part of {company} for me personally."
-Swara N., Toronto

"Working with and getting to know Jen has been a privilege. She is one of the kindest, most conscientious, thoughtful and dedicated people I've ever known. The true care she has and shows for all of us will certainly be missed."
-Jess B., D.C.

"JDS always knows how to make you feel valued and heard in all interactions"
-Jess G., Phoenix

"JDS has a calm about her unlike anyone I have ever met. Her coolness under pressure, ability to lead without saying anything, and her kindness will always stick out to me as some of the many qualities that make her unforgettable."
-Laura A., Atlanta

"From the moment I met JDS it was clear she was one of the kindest most special humans on the planet. Regardless of how crazy things were, she always took the time to check in with me and see how I was doing. She genuinely cares about every single person on the team, and their well being."
-Allison M., D.C.

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Thought leadership

How to Get Your First Paid ClientsYou Know It's Time for a Career Change. Now What?What I Learned from Testing 12 Careers in 12 MonthsLooking for a Career You Love? Follow These 7 StepsWhen Our Jobs Expect Us to Be Someone We're NotWhy I Broke Up With My Dream Job

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