Bleeker AKA True Advance
The Role
As the Director of Operations, I was hired to turn complexity into order for several Bleeker programs and initiatives including mentoring, coaching, and community -building programs. As of January 2022, the Operations Team grew beyond being a department of one. It has been a dream working with my direct reports who are organized, proactive and efficient. Because of their incredible contributions to the department, we were ably to truly build out a clear framework of who we are:
Some of the most exciting and impactful projects include:
Swiftly adopting nifty.pm in June of 2021 in response to Basecamp’s unsupportable company culture - leading to a substantial reduction in internal emails and more streamlined company-wide communication.
The Bleeker Report - a quarterly survey and report that creates internal cultural transparency holds the entire company accountable to following the Bleeker Way in terms of Trust, Teamwork and Impact.
Piloting the 4-day workweek, and using this benefit as a motivation to increase company wide efficiency in terms of meeting standards and task automation.
Doing in-depth departmental audits to identify issues of quality and efficiency.
After November 2022, Bleeker downsized due to economic turmoil. This was another interesting time since my role turned into being a full on generalist. I assisted in Product Development, Customer Service/Account Management, IT, HR, Legal and Finance functions. Every day was interesting because I was doing something different and filling the gaps. Throughout 2023, we were focused on keeping the business alive while working through the process of getting acquired by True and eventually rebranding to True Advance.
Additional Thoughts / Learnings
When I learned about Bleeker, I immediately felt like it is where I belong. The team was so gracious, self-aware and operates on a high level of integrity.
I am grateful to have learned about all the different kinds of leadership.
I am grateful to have learned how to cultivate a growth mindset.
I am grateful to have learned the productive ways to approach conflict.
I am grateful to have learned how to collaborate.
I am grateful to have learned that nothing is ever broken.
I am grateful to have learned to bring my authentic self to work.
Teal Case Study - Proposal Framework
As Director of Operations at Bleeker, I recognized that I needed to shift my focus to strategic leadership and create space for the team to take ownership of day-to-day operations. I introduced a proposal framework that helped team members clearly express the purpose behind their ideas, outline their plans, and share steps and timelines with the people affected. This transparent approach made it easier for stakeholders to give feedback, offer guidance, and participate in decisions. The team gained confidence in leading operational improvements, and new processes were adopted quickly because people understood the intent, felt informed, and could contribute meaningfully. It strengthened self-management across the team and created a more distributed, collaborative way of working.
