Be Agile and Focus on the "What" Not the "How" with Julie Thomas

Time To Press Pause - A Podcast for CEOs by CEOs

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In this episode of Time To Press Pause, Ellen Williams interviews Julie Thomas, President and CEO of Value Selling Associates, who shares her journey of career transformation and entrepreneurship. Julie begins by recounting her experience at Gartner, a large IT research and advisory company, where she had a successful career in sales and training. However, in 2002, after a leadership change, her position was eliminated. Following this unexpected turn, Julie decided to pause her career to focus on herself and her family, even spending time playing tennis before reassessing her next steps.

Through career coaching provided by her severance package, she explored entrepreneurship, eventually leading her to take over a business from a friend and colleague. In 2003, she acquired ValueSelling Associates and became its President and CEO, a role she has held for over 20 years. Julie describes herself as an “accidental entrepreneur” and reflects on the challenges of running a small business, emphasizing the importance of agility, strategic prioritization, and empowering her team.

The conversation also touches on leadership insights, including the necessity for CEOs to press pause when clarity is lacking, the value of learning from mistakes, and the importance of prioritizing time effectively. Julie highlights that entrepreneurship involves risk, but it also offers freedom and flexibility, which are particularly crucial when balancing work and personal life.