A Career at the Intersection of Marketing, Operations & Technology
Hey there – it’s Jourdan with a “u” Hathaway. Why is there a “u” in there? I don’t know. To this day, my mom doesn’t have a great answer for that outside of a dreamy French pronunciation that crossed her mind in 1979 (note: we are not French).
Ok – enough about that, here’s my professional background:
Pretty much everything about me as an executive is covered in this show
Ep127: Courageous Leadership: Take Risks 4 Massive Wins w/ Jourdan Hathaway | LinkedIn. Watch my episode of The Executive Appeal Podcast with Alex D. Tremble (CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions & KeynoteSpeaker). He’s awesome BTW and instrumental in my career.
Senior Executive & De-Dabbler
I’m a senior executive with expertise in developing and scaling organizations for growth, with a focus on meaningful digital transformation. I’m also a master de-dabbler – that necessary body of work that analyzes all of the tools, processes, service offerings, and investments that creep up over the years to determine if there are a whole bunch of ‘things’ that need to be stopped to make way for more strategic focus and prioritization. I’ve come to really appreciate that growth also requires a healthy dose of pruning along the way – sunsetting low-ROI initiatives that are sucking capital, time, and resources to fund better bets. Something else I’ve learned time and time again – none of the above matters if you don’t have a motivated team. At the end of the day, it always comes down to people. I’m fixated on the power of human connection.
Industry, Agency, and Corporate Background
I have demonstrated success in multiple divisional leadership roles with P&L accountability over operations, marketing, enrollment, retention, product, and change management. Over the years, I’ve racked up a proven track record of delivering results in matrixed organizations (remote, in-person, and hybrid models). I’ve also racked up a few fails too (learning opportunities if you don’t repeat the same mistakes). I’ve worked in small, mid-size, and large companies (public and private) and have collected a powerful combination of industry, agency, and corporate backgrounds with deep expertise at the intersection of marketing, operations, and technology. Last, I’m well-experienced in M&A having led through it 6 times from both sides (acquirer and seller) – lots of operational due diligence and post-close integration in my career.
What if we tried it this way? Does that workflow or system suck less? Is our customer happier? Do our employees find this better?
I’m naturally curious and have a knack for quickly connecting the dots. My roles always seem to focus on translating business opportunities into scalable strategies and technologies that drive efficiency, performance, and revenue growth. I oversee customer acquisition and lifecycle delivery services, along with related technology-enablement, across a continuum of today’s customer journey needs. I concentrate on driving measurable business results and the orchestration of data-driven solutions—with a deep commitment to fostering a positive customer and employee experience along the way.
- P&L: Oversight of the investments that drive profitable growth and figuring out when it’s time to -scale and/or sunset business initiatives and capabilities based on ROI and product-market fit
- Talent Development: 20 years of experience hiring and developing talent across a wide range of disciplines
- Change Management: Extensive experience managing organizations through change, including re-orgs, M&A, and the creation of new business sectors
Tactical job stuff aside, being a good human is in my personal and professional remit. People like to work with good humans. I try to be one.
Where I’ve Worked and What I’m Doing Today
After cutting my teeth as a marketer on the agency side for half a decade, then taking a leap of faith to join some software developers in the aughts (who had a hunch e-commerce websites and e-learning would be a thing), I then transitioned to EdTech spending 12 amazing years at Wiley University Services in various executive roles like VP of Marketing and SVP of Operations. Right before the 2024 new year, it was time for my new chapter – this time focused on upskilling and reskilling solutions to addresses the global tech skills shortage. I’m currently the Chief Marketing Officer at General Assembly leading the the global marketing organization. This includes brand, product marketing, growth and demand gen, performance, journey nurture, and revenue operations for GA’s product portfolio of bootcamps, short form courses and workshops. This role allows me to blend my expertise in marketing, operations, and technology along with my passion for shaping the future of work. I’m excited to work at General Assembly, long known as a pioneer in the space, and to help shepherd the business into its next phase.
Investing in People and Culture
I’m passionate about talent development and creating a culture that encourages innovation and collaboration, recognizing that success rests in the power of a motivated and inspired team. I strive to be known as an authentic, transparent, empowering and kind human in addition to delivering business results with good instincts.
Drive, Ownership & Accountability
Let’s see….what else? I was born with an innate sense of accountability; the kind of kid that did all their summer reading in the first two weeks without being asked. It’s translated nicely for my managers over the years and those who depend on my work. I’m quite comfortable in front of a large audience (global town halls anyone?) as well as in one-one-one meetings to address a sensitive colleague issue. I enjoy leadership and motivating my incredible team to execute solid solutions. I also take mentoring up-and-comers very seriously – I once was one and was fortunate enough to be mentored by incredible leaders who were generous with their time.
Jourdan Marie Hathaway 