Me meeting Mary Claire (MC) was serendipitous. I was doing some LinkedIn outreach to a select group of CEOs, who I did not know, and MC replied that she would love to learn more. We met, hit it off and I introduced her to my group. She fit in perfectly with this high-performing group and is now an integral part of the team!
I asked MC a series of questions in an endeavor to get to know her better. I am sharing my notes here so you can get to know her as well. She is a bright, curious, kind, delightful and endearing lady.
MC is CEO of Vennli, a data, research, and analytics company for marketers at midsize organizations who need deeper customer insights to make better decisions to grow but lack time, people, or experience to ascertain that information on their own. Vennli’s streamlined, agile research process, technology, and unique methodology focuses on why customers make choices, delivers fast and easy-to-understand insights about why customers believe you win, why you lose, and your opportunities to win more.
MC is married to Garrett and they have two little boys—Gage (2-1/2) and Charlie (1).
I asked MC to walk me through her leadership journey. She has an interesting path to reaching the top of Vennli. Here it is in her own words: Professionally, I’ve always been a part of smaller, younger organizations. That has always afforded me the opportunity to have more responsibility more quickly. That was the case working abroad, working for a solar start up, and then eventually working for Vennli. Vennli, hired me as its first sales person, though I had little sales expertise. We succeeded by working hard and hustling, with a great team doing our best figure it out as we went along. This is often the case in young companies. Vennli has always been blessed with people who really care about its clients and teammates. I think that culture of hustle and care is what endeared me to Vennli. We do great work for and with great people.
After sales, I was fortunate to lead our client success and account management teams. I then moved to an interim-President role. The opportunity arose to take on the CEO role, and I was fortunate to be offered the position. If I have learned one thing in leadership, it’s that I need people smarter, quicker, wiser than I in order to build effectively . I have that and am so grateful! We are learning every day as a team and that same team is helping me to learn how to manage, execute, and lead. I am forever grateful for them and look forward to welcoming more folks who are smarter, quicker, and wiser! J Go Vennli Go!
MC, what is the favorite part of your work? I get the opportunity to build with a great team! Build a business, products, culture, values, strategy, build up people, build our presence, etc. Like many things in life, it’s not perfect or easy, but it’s incredibly meaningful!
I also love that we get to interact with so many different types of organizations – manufacturers, higher ed, technology, insurance etc. The list goes on. There is incredible diversity to our client base but the many of the same problems exist throughout. It’s really enjoyable to stand by your clients in earnest, to learn about their businesses, then support them as they try to build their own business just like we are.
What do you value most about your Vistage membership (by the way, I love her answer!)? First, it’s shockingly relevant. What we learn in each session or the topics that come up seem like they are right on time for the challenge or opportunity I am facing.
Second, leading and building an organization takes the whole person, so when we come together as a Vistage group and team, we are bringing our whole selves whether we realize it or not. Topics of family and balance come up just as much as topics of growing topline, hiring, operating etc. It’s an opportunity to be real about all of the joys and opportunities as well as challenges that come with leading a company.
What book are you currently reading? Everybody Always by Bob Goff
What do you like to do for fun? Husband and Kiddo time! We like to be outside with the kids at parks, playgrounds, beaches, walks, bike rides – all the normal stuff with young ones. I also love being in our yard. It allows me to have some quiet time, be productive, and try make something look pretty ;). In another life I enjoyed golf and fishing. That’ll happen again one day, but for now, I am enjoying being outside in other ways with the family.
If you could have lunch with any one person, living or dead, who would it be? I’d love to have lunch with both my grandmothers. One passed before I was born and the other passed when I was pretty young. They were both amazing women and getting to know them would be like getting to know a part of my parents even better. I’m blessed with incredible parents, and I’m sure I’d see a lot of their wonderfulness in these two incredible women.
I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know MC a little better. I hope you did as well!