Building the next chapter of thoughtbot
An established consultancy needed new ways to grow and deliver value. As Managing Director, I helped reshape how the Americas business operates, the opportunities we pursue, and the services we offer.
The situation
thoughtbot has built software for clients for more than twenty years, and it has earned a strong reputation. The market around it changed quickly. Clients were asking different questions, AI was changing what code costs to produce, and an established firm needed new ways to grow and to prove its value.
The task was to develop new opportunities while keeping sales, staffing, delivery, and financial performance connected. That meant looking at how we were organized alongside how we positioned ourselves and what we offered.
What I did
Reshaped the organization
I created the Americas and Fusion team structure, so each region could operate and price for its own market, and I oversaw three reorganizations as the business changed. I also established the Delivery discipline, to make sure clients receive what they signed up for and to strengthen accountability across engagements.
Focused the market strategy
I led a focus on regulated industries, including healthcare, fintech, and insurance, where experienced judgment matters as much as speed. I helped develop new enterprise relationships and closed some of thoughtbot's largest deals.
Developed new offerings
I designed a subscription maintenance program to support clients after the initial build and to create recurring revenue for the business. I also helped launch an AI and Product Innovation practice.
Created space to experiment
I created Space Station to organize work between client engagements, along with an experiment framework. The aim was to give available capacity a purpose and a way to test ideas, share what we learned, and produce useful work. I took part too, building a series of tools for my own team.