Rachel Jones (Powers)

A close friend of mine asked me this morning if I know any good "CRO people" for a full-time role his company is hiring for. I don't care how big you are - for me, CRO will always be one of those functions that is never deserving of a full-time head count. That's like driving all the way to the gym to train your triceps. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) should be highly collaborative. Your sales team, product team, and customer success team should all be putting forth ideas for tests, not just marketing. It should be more than running through a backlog list of A/B tests. Scour your competitors. Listen to sales calls. Don't just test the blue versus red CTA button. Don't get me wrong, I think CRO is critical. Especially when you've reached a pivoting point in your demand curve. But in the hands of the right Demand Gen leader the execution is fairly easy. What do you think? What other sales and marketing functions just are not deserving of a FTE?

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✳️Looking Ahead: My Predictions for the Portland IT Hiring Market in 2025✳️ As we near the end of 2024, I’ve been reflecting on the trends shaping the Portland IT hiring market and where I believe we're headed in 2025! Based on current patterns, here are my thoughts: Increased Demand for Cybersecurity Professionals: With the rise in cyber threats, businesses will continue prioritizing cybersecurity. This will result in a higher demand for cybersecurity talent, especially those with specialized knowledge in cloud security, vulnerability management, and incident response. Shift Toward Hybrid and Remote IT Roles: Companies are increasingly open to hybrid and fully remote IT positions. I foresee this trend continuing, especially for roles like software engineers, data analysts, and IT support. This could lead to a broader talent pool as geographic limitations lessen. Growth in Cloud and AI Talent: Cloud technology and AI are taking center stage in 2025. We’ll see more demand for cloud architects, AI specialists, and machine learning engineers to help companies scale, automate, and innovate in their operations. Focus on Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity will remain a key factor in hiring decisions, with more companies looking to create diverse IT teams. This means a continued push for inclusive hiring practices and support for diverse talent pipelines. Shortage of Skilled Talent: The competition for top-tier talent will continue to be fierce, especially for specialized roles. IT departments will need to focus on retention, employee development, and offering competitive benefits to keep their best professionals. What are your predictions for Portland’s IT hiring landscape in 2025? Let’s discuss in the comments!! #PortlandIT #TechHiring2025 #Cybersecurity #AI #CloudComputing #DiversityInTech #HiringTrends

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This month I celebrated my 1,000th Peloton Interactive ride! 🎉    What has 1,000 rides taught me about being a better product marketer? Absolutely nothing! But, it is a key tool in my work from home toolkit.     👀 Having it behind my desk and visible in all my meetings, keeps me riding and my fitness goals on point.   🥳 When I complete a big task and need a celebration, I take a short ride. When I have a frustrating meeting, I take a short ride to decompress.   💬 It's a conversation starter. When I chat with new people, it's an easy, visible question prompt for people. Helps break the ice with anyone new.     What is your favorite tool in your work-from-home toolkit?   

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The best part about getting laid off? It’s like attending your own funeral—except you’re alive and well! You get to hear from your colleagues, teammates, and friends all the incredible things they appreciated about you, your leadership, and your work. While layoffs are typically scary and upsetting, I’m choosing to see this as an opportunity to reflect, recharge, and embrace what’s next. My time at Talent Systems has come to an end, and I’m so proud of what we accomplished together. From delivering transformative projects to growing and mentoring a world-class engineering team, this chapter has been incredibly rewarding. Now, as my family prepares to move to Texas and welcome a new baby in just a few short weeks (!), I’m afforded the gift of focusing fully on what matters most: family, relationships, and this exciting new chapter of life. I’m also thrilled to announce that I’ve joined the talented team at Iverson as their Head of Technology. Iverson is far more than a design studio—we’re your growth partner. Think of us as the Seal Team 6 for creative and technological challenges. From making B2B dev tools go viral to orchestrating multibillion-dollar deals, Iverson tackles the toughest problems to help our partners win. If you’re looking for a design, creative, and technology partner to drive real, measurable results, I’d love to connect. While the next few months will be dedicated to family and settling into Texas, I’m excited to explore what’s next after that. To my network: let’s stay connected. If you’re working on something innovative, inspiring, or just need a sounding board, feel free to reach out. Here’s to new beginnings, exciting opportunities, and cherishing what matters most.

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Hey all, I know it seems rough out there, especially browsing linkedin the last few days. I've seen waves of people looking for work, layoffs at Intuit, Intel, Bungie, and so many others from across tech. The rumors around google, amazon, and microsoft internal memos also point to more coming. Remember that LinkedIn is an echo chamber just like other social platforms. People are here to find work, to network to find clients, and to make money influencing. Just browsing the available jobs there are so many companies hiring and looking for good people like you. Keep your head up. Keep applying. Leverage AI to look at job descriptions and compare them to your resume, then ask ChatGPT, what can I do in this position at this company? What do I lack that they are looking for? and see how your experience applies. If you lack certs or skills, spend half your time applying, spend the other half in linkedin learning or at your library or on youtube learning those skills and fill that gap. Good luck guys!

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Hi everyone - After a year and a half, my run at Fetcher (along with many other talented folks) has come to an end. For the first time in a long while, I'm open to new opportunities and excited for what's next. Taking some downtime to decompress and enjoy the start of autumn with my amazing wife and our ridiculous dogs has been refreshing and energizing. It has also given me the chance to reflect on what truly drives me in my work. Here’s what excites me: ✅ Building transformative brands that move the needle: ▪️ I've been fortunate to lead three successful corporate rebrands and rollouts, including one post-$1B acquisition and another preceding a $100M investment round. ✅ Developing and scaling creative teams that deliver: ▪️ I believe in in-house creativity, having minimized reliance on agencies and grown creative self-sufficiency at every org I've been with. ▪️ I find real joy in mentoring, championing, and elevating junior team members to do their absolute best work. ✅ Working directly with founders, C-suite executives, and board members to align vision with execution: ▪️ There’s nothing more satisfying than turning complex visions into compelling stories and campaigns. ✅ Being in the first impressions business: ▪️ Guidelines, frameworks, and design systems are definitely my jam. I love crafting the narratives and materials that teams (and their products) need to shine in front of customers, prospects, and investors. If you know anyone looking for a brand/creative/content leader (or perhaps something out of left field—I’ve been known to wear many hats), I’d love to connect. And hey, if you’d like to chat, catch up, or grab a coffee sometime, that would be incredibly welcome too! ☕ #OpenToWork

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Here's a quick story about not overselling based on my experience at REI My garage looks like a ski shop. I've got boots and skis in almost every size. They accumulated over the years as our four kids have grown up. Now I'm a resource for local friends who stop by to see if there's something that's a fit. I can get by doing the basics like adjusting the binding din. I can also fit people pretty well. However I'm not doing my own tune-ups. No waxing. No edge sharpening. So I go into REI with three pair of skis, all with rusty edges. I figured they would just recommend I sharpen all of them, and then rack up a nice $250 tune up bill. However that was not my experience. Because I'm a member of REI (cost was $25 I think), they tune skis for way less than other operations. The technician looked at the skis and asked me a few questions. He confirmed that they are for kids who are not racers. Given that they are high intermediate and only doing recreational skiing, no reason to sharpen the edges. The third pair of skis did need a sharpen. I also learned they do the waxing for free. Total cost = $40 What's the lesson of the story? Don't oversell. If I had found out later there was no reason to have the service, it would have left a bad taste in my mouth. Instead I'm posting publicly here about what a great experience it was. I'm also recommending to everyone I know that they become a member of REI for both skis and bicycles. They also have a great bike shop. ------- Have you experienced being oversold in the past? Or undersold like I was? #dontoversell #salesethics #overselling #discovery #sales

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𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 ? As someone in mid-senior management, I’ve been reflecting on how leadership roles are framed. Many job descriptions come with rigid requirements like “7-10 years in the same function or department.” Take a Director of Customer Success role, for example. The JD might demand those years in a customer success function. But can’t someone with adjacent expertise and transferable skills thrive in that role? Here’s my perspective: 1) As a product manager, I’ve mastered storytelling to align teams and bridge gaps. 2) Built strong customer relationships, earning 13+ testimonials in my previous role. 3) Leveraged Design Thinking to empathize, solve problems, and craft customer-centric solutions. 4) Delivered outcomes that directly improved customer experiences. I’ll admit, I might not know all the processes from day one. But isn’t that common? Processes vary across companies. What I bring is the ability to learn quickly, adapt, and often offer fresh perspectives to refine or improve them. Doesn’t this demonstrate the core skills needed for leadership? Yet, by focusing solely on "years in function," candidates like me might be overlooked. Ironically, someone with the required years in a smaller setup might meet the criteria but lack the depth to handle a role in a more complex environment. This raises important questions: 1) Are we missing out on untapped potential and fresh ideas by enforcing such criteria? 2) How can we encourage horizontal growth and bring diverse perspectives into leadership roles? I’d love to hear your thoughts: 🔹 Recruiters – What truly matters in evaluating candidates? 🔹 Leaders – Have you faced similar barriers in your journey? 🔹 Everyone – How do we balance expertise with adaptability in hiring? In a world that values innovation and agility, isn’t it time we rethink how we define readiness for leadership? #MidLifeCrisis #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth #SkillsOverYears #InnovationInLeadership #DesignThinking #Adaptability #Hiring #LeadershipJourney #ProductManagement #CustomerSuccess #JobMarket #FutureOfWork #CareerPath #HorizontalGrowth #TransferableSkills #GrowthMindset

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Hello friends, just thought I’d rant for a moment. Something I’ve noticed in my professional career is how difficult progression really is in the work force. We’re typically incentivized to remain working over an extended period of time just to feel stuck in a position without linear growth. When we finally take that leap of faith and try to move onward and upward, the competitive job market starts to deter us. Switching fields is harder than ever as job requirements care more about years of experience than your education. While many of us get caught in this loop, I think it’s important to remember our values! Don’t settle for less because an opportunity didn’t favor you, as it could be a blessing in disguise. Don’t revert to old habits because you feel lost, any moment can be groundbreaking. Lastly, don’t lose hope!! Everyone’s progression is different, so don’t compare your path to your peers. I hope you’re all having a blessed day, and I’m always open for conversation whenever needed. Love you all ❤️ #LinkedIn #Career #Hope #Growth

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Yesterday was a significant day in my time at Tealium. I had the privilege of unlocking a feature toggle that moved a product from Early Access (EA) to General Availability (GA). This product had many code names, including, but not limited to, TACOS, PersonaLift, Real-Time Data APIs, and API Composer. Today, we call it Moments API, and it's game-changer for our customers. It was fun to create, innovate, and share in the creation of this product with my team in the Visitor and Identity Platform or, as we affectionately call it, "the VIP Team." Fortunately, we had many great customers who helped us along the way who tested the product, riffed ideas with me, and helped make this a real smasher of a product. Now, customers can create unique data APIs that serve up data blazingly fast with a flick of a wrist and a click of a mouse. This is just the beginning, and I'm looking forward to what's next! 🎉 PS: I hope you appreciate the comprehensive release note.

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Hi Guys, What are you doing??? This week, I’m sharing a story, I heard from my mentor nearly six years ago, that really stayed with me. Title: The Power of Purpose - What Are You Doing? A man was walking through a construction site and he asked a worker, "What are you doing?" **The worker replied, "I’m keeping brick, cement, brick." He walked a little further and asked the same question to another worker. **This time, the reply was, "I’m building a wall." Curious, he continued walking and asked the same question to the third worker. **The answer he received was quite different: Worker with Pride said, "I’m helping to build the Taj Mahal. It will be one of the wonders of the world and It will be a masterpiece admired forever, as a symbol of love and beauty." The question was the same, and the task was the same—all the employees were laying bricks, building the wall of the Taj Mahal). But the answers were totally different!!! What does this story tell us? It’s not just about what we do, but Why we do it ? and How we see it, that truly matters !!! Employees who understand their purpose, view their work as contributing to something bigger. Understanding the purpose behind our actions transforms them from mere tasks into meaningful contributions. When we understand "why," we don’t just build walls—we build a meaningful future... Stay tuned for my next post with new information, new strategies to engage your team and self learn for moving toward success. To know more: read my blog: https://lnkd.in/g2skAceE #PurposeDriven #Leadership #GrowthMindset #Mentor #Motivation #ProfessionalDevelopment #SelfAwareness #CareerGrowth #Vision #Teamwork #PurposeInAction #Mentorship #Vision #Inspiration #EmployeeEngagement #MindsetMatters #WorkplaceCulture

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Automation and AI are great when they create value on their own or add enormous value to the recruiters and hiring managers so that they can scale and close deals like never before. Hirefly enables both.

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Remote work nails the perks, but it still can’t quite match the magic of in-person collaboration. Especially for those of us who thrive on the connective energy of a team, the daily digital-only interactions don’t quite capture that same creative spark. There’s a unique kind of collaboration that comes from being in a room together, sharing ideas in real-time, and building off each other’s energy. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to join a few folks from my team for an in-person strategy workshop in Utah. And what a difference it made! The workshop wasn’t just productive; it was invigorating. Collaborating face-to-face, we broke down complex challenges, mapped out ambitious goals, and had the real-time brainstorms that are so critical in setting a strong course forward. I came away from the day reminded of how important it is to create these in-person moments whenever we can, even within a remote-first environment. Yes, remote work brings flexibility, and that’s something I love, but nothing replaces the power of human connection. Excited to keep the momentum from yesterday going and bring these ideas to life - whether we’re in the same room or connecting from a distance. Jared Casper | Gary Brown | Richard D. Davis | Michael Storrs | Deric Hughes | Paul Bernard

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One of the things that I've come to strongly value in my time at Roundtrip is our leadership's recognition of the need to balance work and family obligations, and trust that I'll get that balance right. RTO mandates come with hard costs - not being home when the school bus drops off means that I'd have to sign up for an after-school program. My local YMCA is likely the most cost-effective option, at $138 a week. Add to that the 10 weeks during the summer where we'd need full-day care at $250 a week, and we're looking at $7500 a year. My guess is that my numbers here are at the low end as well - for those of us who have kids that aren't school age yet, these numbers likely double or more. Between that, commuting expenses, and the time spent going back and forth to an office, it's hard not to look at RTO as anything other than a five-figure pay cut.

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🙏 I am proud to be helping talented people like Yves Agbre to build AI skills necessary in today's tech world. AI innovation is happening at a rate we've never seen before and staying on top of the change is the best thing can invest in in 2025. 🤔 If you want to stay on top of AI, join me in these courses with varying length and depth: • ✨[𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘]𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Free 30-min session to give you frameworks to assess if and when AI is the right solution: https://lnkd.in/ekwJm5fd • 𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝟭𝟬𝟭: A great intro to AI technologies and how you discover, build and deliver AI products https://lnkd.in/eMPuh-tD • 𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: In-depth class to build AI product strategy and high-achieving AI teams https://lnkd.in/eyhvjR5k 🔁 Share this with others that want to grow their careeers in AI. 🔔 I post about AI product startegy and leadership tips. Follow me, Derya Isler, for more insights on AI in 2025.

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When I tell friends and colleagues by HOW much we are growing our Engineering, Product and UX, teams they get a little 🙄 . They're curious how we are going to do that, and I say - our team is going to help us get there. Grateful for an incredibly talented and courageous group of folks on our Relay Delivery teams who are building together and also dedicating countless hours to interview and get to know awesome people like Brock Jenken. And thank you Brock for sharing your reason! Let's continue to build! Just another reason to join our dream team! REASON #16: “I get to be part of a values-first Engineering team that prioritizes production stability, code health, and sustainable development.” Brock Jenken, Senior Fullstack Developer#RELAY77REASONS Had your morning coffee yet? ☕ ️Great—here's a Relay Riddle for you.What do you get when you pair:  🍃 An environment where budding developers can learn from experienced team members, with…  🔨 A chance to sink your teeth into impactful work, and…  👥 A team who actively advocates the values of where they work?Stumped? Work here and you’ll figure out the answer real quick.And that note: We're #HIRING  77 roles for values-oriented engineers, marketers, sales professionals, and more!Think that could be you? We hope so. Check out the link below to learn more.⬇ https://lnkd.in/gsMR33fM We pass the baton. You run the Relay.

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Corny LinkedIn post alert: 🚨 In the spirit of thankfulness, I’m pausing this week to reflect on how tough parts of this year were—and where I ended up. Let’s be real: the unknown is terrifying. But somehow, the opportunities that came pouring out of my network on this platform blew me away. Truly, LinkedIn—you understood the assignment. 👏 I’ve got to give a major shoutout to the people I’ve connected with here—not the spammy, “Hi, Caitlin, can I have 15 minutes of your time?” types, but the real connections. The ones who cheer each other on, swap advice, and genuinely celebrate each other's wins. And the best part? Meeting so many of you IRL at events felt less like a first introduction and more like reuniting with an old friend. It’s proof that this whole “relationship-building” thing actually works—if you do it right. Show up authentically, invest in people (not just profiles), and focus on building real value, not quick-hit transactions. As we slide into the holiday season, I’m carrying a huge bucket of gratitude for this community. If we’ve talked, collaborated, or even exchanged a funny GIF in DMs this year—thank you. You’ve been a bright spot. Here’s to more connections, more opportunities, and maybe a little less chaos in the year ahead. 🦃

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Crowd sourcing opinions... What have you historically seen work best? Implement new process first and then explore tools OR implement a new tool to support a new process?

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NPS is broken and doesn't matter if they came up with a new version. Humans will recommend stuff that they don't particularly like themselves because we like to help others and come across as knowledgeable. Has anyone recommended a realtor, a contractor, a [someone else] to you and you're like wtf. I don't disagree that you need to learn who loves your product and who hates it but it's much simpler than what NPS is trying to do. So stop chasing NPS, educate your executive team/board, and build a thing that actually gets you what you need. #productmanagement

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