Michelle Renn
Sometimes when you’re in a position of authority, you get asked to meet for coffee or for an informational interview. Usually, you’ve got a million other things going on.
But you find the time.
That’s how I met Michelle Renn two decades ago. She was a video producer who’d just moved to Seattle. I was creative director at The Garrigan Lyman Group. GLG didn’t have an opening then, but I wish we had because Michelle soon launched a stellar career as a Senior Producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show, executive producer at Birdhouse Creative and Will Hyde’s terrific Superfad, then on to senior PM and studio manager roles at Microsoft, Amazon, and now Compass.
The shoe was definitely one the other foot when I reached out to Michelle to reconnect at Retro Coffee downtown. She had a million other things going on.
But she found the time.
Here’s some of what I took away:
1) Do what gives you energy: Michelle has been a video producer, executive producer, studio manager, and design manager. Whether she’s leading design/creative groups or streamlining workflows, she’s found her energy comes from working with creative people. Not everyone relishes that role, as artists often get the spotlight. But that leadership and logistics are vital for creative artists to thrive. And because Michelle gets energy from all that, she’s thriving too.
2) Empathy bridges the gap: When I asked Michelle her secret for bridging the competing needs of creative artists (“we need more info and more time”) and account/project management (“we need it faster and more efficiently”), she had one word; empathy. That is so true—when each side not only understands what the other side brings but also their FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), both sides can see each other as partners working toward a common goal, which is better work, happier stakeholders, and a greater impact. That simple insight is one reason why Michelle has been a star everywhere she’s been.
3) Even the oldest industries are ripe for innovation: Take residential real estate. The process of buying or selling a home has been going on for centuries, yet the recent rush of tech innovators, such as Compass, shows how disconnected and cumbersome the process still is. After less than a decade in business, Compass has raced to become the largest brokerage in the United States (in terms of closed sales volume) by providing a unified platform that greatly simplifies and improves the broker experience. When Michelle’s personal real estate broker and good friend recently moved to Compass, she knew it was a great place to be.
Michelle, it was so great to see you. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to reconnect. Cheers to you!
#designleadership #studiomanager #leadershipinsights #coffee#thankyou