We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Roth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.

Hannah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.

When I started working with Predictive ROI, I was going through a rough patch in my life. I was burnt out from owning and running my own business, and I was at the end of an abusive marriage. I was looking for work that was calm, easy…and sort of mindless. I did some behind-the-scenes work for a while that fit that description. But it wasn’t too long before a series of circumstances put me in a different role — one with more work and more responsibility. I was excited, but also anxious. I was unsure of myself and I had little to no self-confidence. I had some awful experiences in the past with people who took advantage of me, and it cost me dearly. Would this be the same?

Instead of letting me hold myself back because of self-doubt and fear, my boss, Stephen Woessner, catapulted me into a realm of opportunities. He included me in conferences, introduced me to important people, allowed me to teach and get on virtual stages, had me guest on podcasts…the list goes on and on. Stephen publicly elevated and edified me when he didn’t have to. And, instead of trying to fit me into a box that served the business, he recognized my unique skill sets and applied them *to* the business. He valued me as a person, not just an employee.

Stephen is a truly incredible boss who has become a respected leader, colleague, mentor, and a friend in my life. Stephen exhibits all of the qualities of a great leader. He is patient but motivating. Firm but gracious. Wise but not condescending. He elevates everyone around him, and he has helped me become the person that I am today.

Hannah, 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?

My name is Hannah Roth, and I am Predictive ROI’s mad scientist and Director of Strategy. (That is my actual title, by the way). My background as a Fisheries Biologist coupled with my experience as a small business owner has allowed me a unique perspective when it comes to the marriage of data analysis and strategic insights.

I often work in the trenches helping clients define and achieve their business goals, overcome challenges, and find new opportunities for growth. I love solving business problems creatively, and being on the front lines alongside agency owners is where I thrive.

I hold a Bachelor of Science from Valdosta State University and have multiple certifications from Harvard Business School.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think the most important thing I’ve had to unlearn is that being quiet, polite, and agreeable is the only way to exist. For many years of my life, I was willing to sacrifice whatever I could to get the job done and make everyone happy. As a business owner, that often meant working too long, too hard, and too much. I didn’t know how to say, “No,” and I would often lose money on difficult clients or projects. I finally learned that it was ok to have a point of view. It was ok to disagree. And it was ok to say, “no.” It did not make me a bad person or a mean person.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

This story could probably take an entire page, but I’ll try to keep it interesting.

When I graduated college, I felt like I had the entire world in front of me. I moved to the beach with my biology degree determined to make it as a marine biologist.

And I did. I quickly got an internship with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…whew, what a mouthful). And then I started getting research grants from the University of West Florida, as well as a few other notable institutions.

Life was good. I was young, single, had what I thought was my dream job, I lived at the beach, had two dogs, got to work on boats and be on the ocean regularly. But the work environment was less than collaborative. Turns out that government grants and changing administrations cause stress and friction among colleagues. And, when you’re a young, bright-eyed, agreeable woman in a male-dominated field…well let’s just say you do a lot of coffee runs in between the lab work.

I won’t go into all of the details, but working at the lab was not the right fit for me. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, because the rosy image I had of being a marine biologist didn’t turn out to be the reality. I was faced with a difficult and uncertain future. But, like so many reading this piece, I was resilient and smart, if not a little sad and defeated at the time. With the support of good friends and family, I persevered and started my own business. Now I work at a job that has become a career because I absolutely love it.

My advice, don’t be afraid of change. Don’t try to resist it just to stay comfortable. When something isn’t right, move on. Move up. Move forward. Just move.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.predictiveroi.com
• Instagram: hannah.roth.proi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-roth-387a6b223/

Image Credits

AMI