top of page
Michelle, CEO at Digital Transformation Platform Company: Advize Career Interview
This interview with a CEO at a Digital Transformation Platform Company reveals a fascinating career journey, starting from retail and finance roles at Intel, to founding startups, and finally, leading a company focused on organic growth and acquisitions.
The CEO emphasizes the importance of soft skills and financial acumen in stitching a leadership team together and navigating the fast-paced world of digital transformation, where a typical day involves strategic deal meetings, coaching, and removing roadblocks for key projects.
Their passion for the industry stems from the impact of AI and the opportunity to guide customers through adoption with a focus on creating a work environment where people enjoy working.
This highlights the importance of prioritizing personal time and strategic delegation, and addressing disrespect to grow as a leader, where foundational college experiences like international business electives and balancing work with stress-relieving activities like skiing had a huge impact.
Ultimately, it's a path that involves constant learning and impact, offering both the entrepreneurial spirit and the resources to achieve ambitious goals.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michelle Tinsley
CEO
Digital Transformation Platform Company
University of Oregon
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Finance, Marketing
Technology
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Greek Life Member
Watch all of this Advizer's videos below
Career Path of a CEO at Digital Transformation Platform Company
Michelle's career began with a foundation in retail at Fred Meyer, progressing from floor staff to assistant manager, which sparked an interest in the retail process. This initial experience, coupled with financial roles such as treasurer for a sorority (managing a "$250,000 budget") and later at Intel for 18 years, ultimately led to a role as a general manager and sales leader before founding three startups and eventually becoming CEO at a Digital Transformation Platform Company, aiming for substantial revenue growth through organic expansion and acquisitions.
Main Responsibilities of a CEO at a Digital Transformation Platform Company
As CEO, one of Michelle's main responsibilities involves being "the glue that kind of stitches the leadership team together," requiring constant context switching between sales, HR, finance, and technology, and ensuring alignment with the company's charter. Ultimately, success in the role hinges on motivating and exciting the team, highlighting the importance of soft skills and leadership in driving the digital transformation platform company forward.
A Day In The Life Of A CEO At A Digital Transformation Platform Company
Michelle, the CEO of a Digital Transformation Platform Company, starts Mondays with triaging emails and reviewing weekly indicator files, followed by a staff meeting focused on problem-solving and removing roadblocks to quarterly key projects and deliverables. The afternoon is dedicated to individual work, customer engagement, team coaching, and now increasingly, "deal meetings where [they're] reviewing potential target companies" for acquisition, reflecting the company's growth and strategic direction.
Most Important Skills for a CEO at Digital Transformation Platform Company
As a CEO, a handle on company financials is crucial, especially understanding cash flow and profitability, going beyond just the P&L which Michelle honed after transitioning from a corporate finance role at Intel. Equally important are soft skills, like "listening" and having "a front door conversation" to understand and address challenges faced by leaders, employees, and customers, fostering strong relationships through tough times.
Favorite Parts Of Being A CEO At Digital Transformation Platform
Michelle enjoys the constant learning and growth opportunities in the CEO role, drawing parallels to a 26-year career at Intel where "no two years were the same," and now relishes learning about private equity and creatively strategizing with the team to achieve ambitious goals. There is a love of having impact and the entrepreneurial spirit afforded by the position, but with the resources to "swing a lot bigger bat" than in the startup world.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A CEO At A Digital Transformation Platform Company
As CEO of a digital transformation platform company, Michelle's biggest challenge is effectively managing time, especially amidst "a lot of urgent requests". The key is prioritizing personal time allocation and strategic delegation, ensuring employees use their time efficiently by providing guidance on whether a task requires "five minutes or five hours".
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Digital Transformation Industry As A CEO
Michelle, a CEO in the digital transformation platform industry, enjoys the relevance of the work, highlighting how AI is no longer just a buzzword but is impacting every industry, even traditionally physical ones like construction. She appreciates guiding customers through the adoption of AI technology by providing "bite-size chunks of the work" instead of overwhelming them with large consulting engagements.
What A CEO At A Digital Transformation Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Industry
Michelle, a CEO in the digital transformation space, wishes someone had emphasized the challenge of differentiating in a crowded market; after realizing the difficulty, Michelle led a strategy reset to focus on creating a workplace where people "really love working with us" through simple yet impactful actions like showing genuine care and respect, as this fosters loyalty and ultimately sets the company apart from being "same old, same old."
Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Business Intelligence Analysts
Michelle suggests that entry-level candidates with business degrees explore "BI roles" involving data reporting and dashboard implementation to help clients, while technical roles, often appealing to those with hybrid degrees in computer science and business, are also valuable within the digital transformation platform space. Moreover, Michelle notes that operations and technical recruiting roles at the SA headquarters can also be viable entry-level opportunities.
How College Helped a CEO at a Digital Transformation Company Succeed
To prepare for a successful career as a CEO, Michelle strategically incorporated "a nice kind of breath of fresh air" into a challenging academic schedule by taking diverse PE classes like tap dancing and skiing, which provided stress relief and fostered a lifelong love of skiing that extended to teaching their children. This illustrates the value of balancing rigorous academics with activities that promote well-being and personal growth.
How Identity Has Influenced a CEO's Career at a Digital Transformation Company
As a woman in tech, Michelle found herself "usually one of 10 people in the room, the only finance person in the room, and usually the only female," and initially dealt with being called "kiddo" and later being mistaken for an admin while being the CFO; this experience led to focusing on the best interests of the company and addressing disrespect head-on, sometimes with humor, to avoid internalizing frustration, ultimately leading to a CEO role where such incidents are less frequent.
How to Become a CEO at a Digital Transformation Platform Company
While at WP Carey, the most impactful experience for Michelle was an international marketing elective that involved touring businesses across five European countries, from John Deere to DuPont, to learn about workplace differences, which turned them into an international business leader who could leverage "that international experience, not just for other work assignments, but for managing employees that were in different countries." It also allowed Michelle to make "a life memory" by celebrating New Year's Eve in Paris on the Champs-Élysées.
Advizer Personal Links
bottom of page