Dedicated to the creation and expansion of small businesses, Adrianne Gordon’s current role within a small company, JB Media, lets her put her skills in balancing business growth while maintaining a healthy culture to work.
Adrianne has dedicated her career to the creation and expansion of small businesses. She has a Masters of Business Administration and over a decade of experience training and advising entrepreneurs. Adrianne is particularly skilled in balancing business growth while maintaining a healthy organizational culture that elevates both the business and its employees.
She joined JB Media in 2014, recruited by the Founder to guide the company through its next stages of growth. Since that time Adrianne has helped shape all aspects of the business and currently plays a central role as a member of the leadership team and as the Director of both Finance and Human Resources. Adrianne leads through the lens of the company’s values and has successfully guided JB Media through its most recent stage of growth returning strong financial gains while helping to create an organizational culture that supports each team member in bringing their whole selves to work.
Adrianne led JB Media Group through its B Corp certification process culminating in certification in March 2018. She currently serves as the chair of B Local Asheville + WNC, whose mission is to grow the number of certified B Corps in the region.
3 Key Points
- Stay in touch with your team. Make a one-on-one connection.
- Give teammates opportunities to collaborate at any level of engagement—from moral support to nitty-gritty detail work.
- Schedule in activities you enjoy during daily lulls—tackling a fun task can reenergize you during the post-lunch haze.
Quote
To be an impactful leader, “you have to know yourself [and know] who you’re working with and stay connected with them. But to be fully impactful, you need to step outside of your company.”
What We Talked About
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- 01:08 – Can you tell us a little about JB Media* and your personal consulting?
- 03:06 – How do you see the impact of your work?
- 04:43 – Why is it important to you to be involved in an impactful company?
- 06:26 – How do you cultivate company culture?
- 10:05 – What prompted JB Media to get B-Corp certified?
- 12:40 – Was it difficult to get buy-in from leaders above you to pursue certification?
- 16:36 – Why do you commit time to your local B-Corp chapter?
- 20:30 – How do you define “impactful leadership”?
- 23:40 – What are some ways you have consciously developed your leadership?
- 25:11 – As a woman in an organization, how has your leadership evolved in response to the #MeToo movement and similar cultural changes?
- 27:29 – How have you seen JB Media evolving in terms of the pillars of B-Corp certification?
- 31:40 – On diversity and environmental stewardship
- 37:05 – How do you maintain your energy?
*Adrianne has since left JB Media
Actionable Tips
- Recognize that you don’t have to be a household name to have impact.
- Be honestly willing to learn and adjust while holding onto core values.
- Look hard at your relationships. Consider where connections are weak or lacking.
Resources Mentioned
- JB Media’s website and fill out their contact form.
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Ursula Jorch, Host of The Impact Interviews
Ursula Jorch is a business coach, speaker, and podcaster who shows women leaders how to turn their businesses into profitable agents for lasting change, global impact, and a force for good in the world.
