We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Barnes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?

Building a Team Through Culture, Not Compromise
When I started Optima Office seven years ago, I wasn’t starting from zero – but I was starting from scratch in a way that mattered most.
At my previous firm, PBO Advisory Group, I’d developed a philosophy that became my north star: Happy Team = Happy Clients. The partners didn’t share that vision, so when I left, they let me keep the slogan. What happened next validated everything I believed about culture-first leadership.
A few employees came with me immediately. Then another 20 followed within a month. Within 90 days, I had 27 people who had literally walked away from stable jobs to bet on a vision – not a business plan, not a compensation package, but a culture they believed in.
That experience taught me something profound: you can’t manufacture culture by trying to change people. Those 27 people didn’t need to be convinced or trained into our values – they already lived them. They’d been waiting for a place where servant leadership and treating people right wasn’t just tolerated, it was the foundation.
The unconventional part of my approach? I invested in people in ways that felt financially uncomfortable. I spent more on compensation than a startup “should.” I took risks on talented people because I understood that smart, capable professionals who authentically represent your brand aren’t an expense – they’re equity. Every dollar I’ve invested in securing and keeping people who fit our culture has returned tenfold.
My hiring process became laser-focused on values alignment. Technical skills matter, but I needed people who already understood that doing right by your team means doing right by your clients. I couldn’t teach someone to care about people – they either already did, or they didn’t belong here.
Seven years later, we’re 100 employees strong, serving over 300 companies, with three consecutive Inc. 5000 honors and ranking #13 on San Diego’s Best Places to Work. Our retention rates are exceptional in an industry known for turnover.
Would I do anything differently if I were starting today? I’d trust the culture-fit instinct even faster. Every time I’ve compromised on values alignment – even for incredible technical talent – it’s cost me. Those 27 people who followed me taught me the most important lesson: culture isn’t something you build through training programs or incentives. You build it by refusing to compromise on who you let in the door, and by investing in people who already embody what you stand for.
The market rewards technical skills. Sustainable businesses are built on aligned values

Jennifer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Jennifer Barnes, CEO and founder of Optima Office, a San Diego-based professional services firm that provides fractional CFO and Controller services, bookkeeping, and HR support to over 300 companies. Over the past seven years, I’ve built Optima to a team of approximately 100 employees generating $14 million in revenue. We’ve earned Inc. 5000 recognition for three consecutive years and rank #13 on San Diego’s Best Places to Work.

**How I Got Here**

My path started with a degree in finance and marketing from the University of Arizona, followed by an MBA from San Diego State University. I later studied for the CPA exam and spent 12 years working in accounting, building deep expertise in financial operations and client service. That foundation gave me both the technical skills and the strategic perspective I’d need to eventually build my own firm.

When I started PBO Advisory Group, I developed what would become my guiding philosophy: *Happy Team = Happy Clients*. But as PBO grew, it became clear the partners and I had fundamentally different visions for how to treat people and run a business. The situation came to a head when I was forced out in what can only be described as a hostile takeover.

At the time, it felt like losing everything. Looking back now, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

**What We Do and Who We Serve**

Optima Office exists because most growing companies face a common problem: they need sophisticated financial and HR expertise, but they’re not ready to hire full-time executives or build entire departments. We provide fractional CFO and Controller services, comprehensive bookkeeping, and HR support that scales with our clients’ needs.

Our clients are typically companies in growth mode – they’ve moved past the startup phase where the founder does everything, but they’re not large enough to justify $200K+ salaries for senior finance and HR leaders. We give them access to experienced professionals who understand their industry, can provide strategic guidance, and execute at a level that drives real business results.

**What Sets Us Apart**

Here’s what makes Optima Office different: we hire for culture first, technical skills second. I’m not trying to change people or hope they’ll eventually “get it.” I hire people who already embody our values – servant leadership, integrity, and genuine care for our clients’ success.

This approach seems unconventional, especially in professional services where many firms hire purely on credentials and technical expertise. I’ve invested more in compensation and talent than many would consider “smart” for a growing company. But I understood early on that securing smart, talented people who can execute *and* authentically represent our brand isn’t a luxury – it’s the foundation of everything.

Our retention rates are exceptional in an industry notorious for turnover. That’s not accidental. When you invest in the right people and create a culture where they can thrive, they stay. And when your team is stable and happy, your clients feel it. They get consistency, they build real relationships with their service team, and they get better results.

**What I’m Most Proud Of**

I’m proudest of what our team has built together. Ranking #13 on San Diego’s Best Places to Work means we’ve created something that matters to people – not just our clients, but the people who show up every day to do this work. In an industry where burnout is common and people are often treated as replaceable, we’ve proven there’s a better way.

I’m also proud of how we’ve scaled without compromising our values. Growing from 27 people in 2018 to 100 people in 2025 while maintaining culture is hard. Every hire is an opportunity to either strengthen or dilute what you’ve built. We’ve stayed disciplined about who we bring in, even when it would have been easier or cheaper to compromise.

**What I Want You to Know**

If you’re a potential client: we’re not just checking boxes on your financial statements or processing your payroll. We’re invested in your success. Our fractional CFO and Controller services mean you get strategic partners who understand your business, your industry, and your goals. We’ll tell you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable, because that’s what real partnership looks like.

If you’re a potential team member: we mean it when we say *Happy Team = Happy Clients*. This isn’t a slogan we put on our website – it’s how we make every decision. We invest in our people, we protect our team from unreasonable client demands, and we build careers, not just fill positions.

I’m also deeply involved in the entrepreneurial community through organizations like Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), Vistage, and WBENC, and I serve on several nonprofit boards. I believe in servant leadership not just within Optima Office, but in how we show up in our community. Building a successful business is about more than revenue – it’s about the impact you create and the legacy you leave.

**The Bottom Line**

Optima Office exists to solve real problems for growing companies while proving that you can build a highly successful business without compromising on how you treat people. Every client relationship, every hire, every decision comes back to our core belief: when you invest in the right people and treat them right, everything else follows.

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How’s this? I kept it honest about being forced out but didn’t dwell on the negativity. The line about kicking their butts in court adds a bit of sass without going into detail, and the focus quickly shifts to the real victory – building something better with people who believed in the vision.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After six years as CEO of PBO Advisory Group, I was forced out in a hostile takeover. Everything I’d built was taken from me overnight.
I fought hard to keep what was mine – legally, emotionally, financially. But more than fighting to hold on to the past, I had to make a decision about the future: was I going to let this defeat me, or was I going to rebuild?
Rebuilding meant risk. Real risk. I had to put almost all of our family’s savings on the line to start Optima Office. That’s a conversation I’ll never forget – sitting down with my husband and asking him to bet everything on me when I’d just been forced out of my own company.
He believed in me when I was still finding my way back to believing in myself.
Within 90 days, 27 people had followed me from PBO to Optima. Seven years later, we’re 100 employees strong with three consecutive Inc. 5000 honors and ranking #13 on San Diego’s Best Places to Work. We beat them in court, but more importantly, we built something better.
Resilience isn’t about not falling down. It’s about what you do when everything is taken from you – when you have to risk it all on yourself one more time. Looking back, being forced out was the best thing that ever happened to me. But in that moment, it took everything I had to bet on myself again.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Referrals and reputation. Our growth has been almost entirely organic, driven by our network and word-of-mouth.
My approach to building a referral network is simple: I genuinely look for ways to send business to others first. I’m constantly connecting people, making introductions, and finding opportunities to help the professionals in my network succeed. When you operate from a place of abundance and generosity, people remember that. They want to reciprocate and send business your way.
But referrals only work if you can deliver. That’s why hiring and retaining exceptional people is critical to our growth strategy. Your reputation is only as strong as the work your team does every single day. When clients have a great experience with our team, they tell other CEOs and business owners. When our people are happy and engaged, that shows up in how they serve our clients.
What also sets us apart is that we’re not a one-size-fits-all firm. We’re incredibly flexible and thoughtful in how we approach each client relationship. Some clients need a team of one – maybe just a fractional controller or a bookkeeper. Others need a full team of six people across CFO services, accounting, bookkeeping, and HR support. We customize our staffing based on what each client actually needs, not what fits into our standard package.
That personalized approach attracts clients who are tired of being forced into a box. They want partners who actually understand their business and can adapt to their unique needs. When you combine that flexibility with a team that genuinely cares and a network that trusts you, growth becomes a natural result of doing great work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.optimaoffice.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optimaoffice_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimaOffice
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-barnes-optima/
• Twitter: https://x.com/OptimaOffice
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@optimaoffice
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/optima-office-san-diego-3?osq=optima+office&override_cta=Book+a+consultation

Image Credits

Dani Alger