I’m the President of Jennifer Maxson & Associates, a leadership development and coaching firm that specializes in helping professionals become more effective leaders and communicators. Our company provides consulting services and customized programs focused on leadership development, team and individual coaching, communication, networking, and public speaking throughout the United States and internationally.
Company: Jennifer Maxson & Associates
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Jennifer Maxson: I’m the President of Jennifer Maxson & Associates, a leadership development and coaching firm that specializes in helping professionals become more effective leaders and communicators. Our company provides consulting services and customized programs focused on leadership development, team and individual coaching, communication, networking, and public speaking throughout the United States and internationally.
As a Certified Professional and Team Coach, an Everything DiSC® Certified Facilitator, and an Accredited Facilitator for The Five Behaviors®, I’m passionate about empowering leaders to reach their full potential. Our approach combines proven methodologies with customized solutions to meet each client’s unique needs. I’m proud to say that our work has been recognized in the Grand Rapids business community, where I was honored as one of Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan and received the ATHENA Award in 2018. As a GVSU alumna, I believe strongly in giving back to our community and helping develop the next generation of leaders.
What sets our company apart is our comprehensive approach to leadership development. Whether we’re working with executives through one-on-one coaching, facilitating team development sessions, or delivering dynamic presentations on topics like “Be Bright. Be Brief. Be Gone.™ ” or “The Business of Networking,” we’re committed to creating lasting positive change in organizations and their leaders.
If you were in an elevator with Warren Buffett, how would you describe your company, your services or products? What makes your company different from others? What is your company’s biggest strength?
Jennifer Maxson: Jennifer Maxson & Associates transforms good leaders into exceptional ones. What sets us apart is our highly personalized approach to leadership development and our proven track record of helping organizations build stronger, more effective teams.
Our biggest strength lies in our comprehensive yet practical methodology. We don’t just teach leadership theory – we provide actionable tools and strategies that leaders can implement immediately. Through our certified expertise in DiSC® and The Five Behaviors®, we help leaders understand both themselves and their teams better, leading to improved communication, enhanced decision-making, and stronger business results.
Think of us as leadership architects. Just as you look for companies with strong foundational elements when investing, we help organizations build solid leadership foundations that drive long-term success. Whether it’s through our dynamic facilitation, one-on-one coaching, or team development programs, we specialize in making complex leadership concepts accessible and actionable.
What makes us different is our ability to customize our approach for each client while maintaining consistent, measurable results. We’ve successfully worked with diverse industries and leadership challenges. Our clients stay with us because they see tangible improvements in their leadership effectiveness and team performance.
Just as you believe in investing in value, we believe in investing in people – because strong leadership is the cornerstone of any successful organization.
Quiet quitting, The Great Resignation, is an ongoing trend causing many businesses to struggle to keep talent engaged and motivated. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued, and misunderstood in the workplace. In your experience, what keeps employees happy? And how are you adapting to the current shift we see?
Jennifer Maxson: I’ve observed that employee satisfaction and retention often come down to three fundamental elements: effective leadership, meaningful communication, and a culture of engagement. Through our work with clients, we’ve found that employees stay when they feel genuinely heard and valued. This is precisely why our coaching and training programs emphasize “Dynamic Facilitation” and “Leadership and Leading Change.” We help leaders develop the critical skills needed to create an environment where team members feel empowered and understood.
One of our core teaching principles is “Be Bright. Be Brief. Be Gone.” This isn’t just about communication efficiency – it’s about respecting people’s time and contributions. We teach leaders how to create meaningful interactions that build trust and credibility. In today’s rapidly changing workplace, this skill is more crucial than ever. The solution to quiet quitting isn’t about implementing more policies or procedures – it’s about transforming how leaders engage with their teams. Through our customized programs and coaching, we help organizations create cultures where people want to stay and contribute their best work.
When leaders invest in developing their communication and coaching skills, they’re better equipped to create the kind of workplace culture that naturally retains talent. It’s about building genuine connections and understanding that every team member needs to feel their voice matters and their contributions are valued.
Online business keeps on surging higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for the year to come and how are you capitalizing on the tidal wave?
Jennifer Maxson: We recognize that the surge in digital business isn’t just a trend – it’s a fundamental transformation in how organizations operate and how leaders must engage their teams. Having worked with diverse organizations from regional and community banks to data analytics teams in health care organizations, we’ve seen firsthand how this digital shift affects different sectors. Our response has been to evolve our service delivery while maintaining the high-touch, personalized approach that defines our brand. The key to success in this evolving landscape isn’t just adapting to technology – it’s understanding how to maintain human connection and effective leadership in a digital world. Our programs are designed to help leaders navigate this balance, ensuring they can build strong, productive teams regardless of physical location.
We see the digital transformation not as a challenge to overcome, but as an opportunity to help organizations develop more flexible, inclusive, and effective leadership approaches that will serve them well into the future.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Jennifer Maxson: The real challenge right now centers around navigating digital transformation while maintaining human connection in business relationships. While many companies are racing to adopt AI and automation technologies, we’re seeing a critical need to balance these advancements with genuine human-to-human interactions that build trust and drive meaningful partnerships.
The true obstacle isn’t just implementing new technologies – it’s doing so in a way that enhances rather than replaces the human element of business. Our clients are looking for partners who can help them navigate this complexity, providing both cutting-edge solutions and the deep understanding that comes from personal relationships.
Additionally, workforce evolution presents a significant challenge. The shift in working patterns, employee expectations, and the need for new skill sets requires us to fundamentally rethink how we develop and retain talent while fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability.
I see these challenges as prime opportunities for companies that can successfully blend technological advancement with human-centered business practices. The organizations that will thrive are those that can harness both digital efficiency and authentic human connections to create sustainable growth.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Jennifer Maxson: I have found that the most underestimated aspect of running a company is managing the delicate balance between maintaining strong company culture and driving rapid growth. Many leaders focus heavily on metrics, market expansion, and revenue targets, but underestimate how scaling can fundamentally impact the organizational DNA that made the company successful in the first place.
What made this particularly challenging was that traditional metrics weren’t capturing this cultural shift. Our financial performance was strong, client satisfaction remained high, but we were at risk of losing the entrepreneurial spirit and close-knit environment that had been key to our success.
We had to take a step back and invest significant time and resources into reimagining how to scale our culture alongside our business operations. This meant rethinking everything from our onboarding processes to how we structured teams and facilitated cross-departmental collaboration. It was a valuable lesson in how culture isn’t just about having stated values – it’s about actively designing systems and processes that reinforce those values as you grow.
This exemplifies how the soft aspects of running a company often require as much strategic thinking and investment as the hard metrics, yet they’re frequently underestimated in business planning.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Jennifer Maxson: I would select Information Technology as my business superpower. I am sure my team is chuckling right now. With the wave of new technology and use of AI, my goal would be to make sure that all technology systems, platforms, and apps are integrated so that we can create efficient and seamless activities within the organization. Second, we would focus on enhancing the technology used in our programs and services to elevate and create new ways to support personalized learning for our clients. (Maddie, I read this question as what don’t I currently have that I would select as a business superpower. Let me know if I have misread the intent of this question.
What does “success” in 2024 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision
Jennifer Maxson: Success in 2024 is about achieving transformative growth while staying true to our core values and commitment to excellence. At the business level, success means more than just hitting financial targets – it’s about creating lasting impact across three key dimensions:
First, deepening our strategic partnerships with clients. Success means being not just a service provider, but a trusted advisor who helps navigate complex business challenges. We aim to consistently deliver solutions that drive measurable value and help our clients stay ahead of market changes.
Second, investing in our team’s development and fostering a culture of innovation. Success means building an environment where our people can grow, take calculated risks, and develop new capabilities. We’re focused on empowering our teams to think creatively and adapt quickly to emerging opportunities.
Third, expanding our market presence thoughtfully and sustainably. Rather than pursuing growth for growth’s sake, success means identifying and capitalizing on opportunities that align with our strengths and allow us to deliver exceptional value to our clients.
On a personal level, success means maintaining a healthy balance between driving business excellence and investing in personal growth and relationships. It’s about leading by example, mentoring the next generation of leaders, and continuing to learn and adapt in this rapidly evolving business landscape. Ultimately, true success in 2024 will be measured by our ability to create a positive, lasting impact for our clients, our people, and our broader business community.
