CLIENT PRAISE

“Originally, we were in search of an executive coach for Directors within Ooyala; our goal was to provide one-on-one coaching, with an outside expert, to help grow the skills of these incredibly capable but time constrained individuals. Everything from developing their individual leadership styles, to discovering their purpose and communicating it, to setting and measuring goals with their teams. We needed it all, and with Chris we found it in spades!

Our connection grew in short order and before I knew it we were brainstorming a Leadership Development Program that would ultimately impact 24 of our brightest leaders across all departments and geographies. It was a year long program designed to bring together senior leaders to learn and grow together, but also to connect people that didn’t normally work together. At the start, we imagined a skills based program but it quickly blossomed into something more. A program that fostered deep relationships and allowed us to tackle real business problems across all functions at once! The largest of those problems was a lack of focus on our customer experience. Together the teams bonded and built a Customer Focus program that launched to all employees and carried the potential to contribute to the retention of millions of dollars in revenue and many, many customers.

I’m a huge fan of Chris’s personal style, unwavering ability to dive right into the heart of issues and guide individuals and teams to resolution. She works with the utmost integrity and expects the same of her mentees. I look forward to my next opportunity to work with her!”

– Michelle Wagner (Vice President, Human Resources)

“I decided it was time to find a career coach and was fortunate that a friend of mine referred me to Chris Mrena. I liked Chris right off the bat – she was very approachable, had a deep understanding of corporate structure, and possessed real-world experience relevant to my situation. Most of all, her focus on me – my personal brand, my challenges and successes, and my overall career path – never wavered. Through her expert counsel, I was able to identify and articulate my personal brand, zero in on a personally satisfying career path, and make decisions that created opportunity for the growth I desired. When, less than a year later, I found myself ready to “make the next move” I was offered not one, but two, promotions in the space of a week, one with my existing company and another with a new company. It was one of many “wins” that Chris celebrated with me, and the lessons I learned in our weekly sessions are still serving me well in my new role today.”

– Kim Shinmoto (Director, Global Internal Communications)

“I’ve known Chris Mrena for more than 10 years, and first hired her when I was leading Operations for a networking startup, Topspin Communications.  Chris played a key role in helping me shape my supply chain strategy and operational model, which included designing and implementing an integrated order management system with our outsourced manufacturing partner.  This kind of supply chain capability enabled the company to manage cash efficiently, win and execute several large OEM (HP, Dell, IBM) business contracts, and eventually become acquired by Cisco.  Chris is one of those rare consultants who combines great strategic insight and clear thinking, with no-nonsense practical application experience. She has a unique leadership style that mixes humility, competence, and humor in a way that accelerates trust and collaboration – while maintaining a laser focus on achieving results.”

– John Jacobson (Vice President, Global Supply Chain)