CLIENT PRAISE

“Chris is truly fantastic. Real world “been there” smarts, fully supporting no matter where you’re at, and deeply tuned into you as her client. All of this allows you to dig deep so that you can focus, prioritize, and get results you have targeted…and more importantly, ignore what may be taking you off-target. That is what a great coach like Chris can do for you…help you to plan, create, and implement the changes you need to achieve the goals you desire.”

– Randy VanderVaate (Vice President of Agronomy)

“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)

”Chris Mrena gives consultants a great name. I have known Chris for over ten years. We both worked at Sun Microsystems for many years. When I moved on to SunPower as head of Supply Chain, and faced many operational challenges due to explosive growth, I hired Chris as a consultant to assist in ERP and business process optimization. Chris has over twenty years of deep operational experience. More importantly she has (uncommon) common sense, excellent practical problem solving skills, collaborative teamwork skills, and an incredible work ethic. She has an operational savvy that easily links strategy and tactics and is only possible through deep experience in many companies and industries. She quickly applies that knowledge to contemporary challenges. In a similar situation, I would hire Chris in a minute.”

– Joe McGrath (Vice President, Global Supply Chain)

“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)

“My good friend recommended Chris when I was deciding on my next big career move. With Chris’ help, I was able to get very clear on what my next company and role should include and target my efforts and decisions based on those priorities. She was incredibly helpful to me in preparing for the interviews with insightful suggestions and coaching on how to respond to questions with great stories.  After I secured my new job, I wanted to have an immediate positive impact and hit the ground running. Chris helped me develop a successful 90 day goal plan and a Leadership Playbook. I loved working with Chris because she marries the experience of a seasoned tech executive with dedication and superior coaching expertise.  Anyone who is looking for an executive coach who can help them succeed and get to the next level should hire Chris.”

– Margaret Echerd (Vice President, Corporate Controller)

“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)

“Chris Mrena is great at listening to her clients and asking the right probing questions that help them improve their career focus, hone leadership skills, and enhance credibility among colleagues and management. She also provides valuable perspective as a former Silicon Valley executive. I am convinced that her coaching contributed to a raise and eventual promotion that I received at my last company. I often think “what would Chris do” when dealing with certain situations in the workplace.”

– Noel Bilodeau (Corporate Communications Professional)