We were lucky to catch up with Heather McLean recently and have shared our conversation below.

Heather, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Swapping my six-figure salary and generous benefits for the unknown wasn’t an easy decision. But after eleven years climbing the corporate ladder, I was burnt out. I spent all day in back-to back meetings and worked all the time. My kids have memories of me working on vacation! The warning signs were clear.

The last year was particularly rough. Projects I poured my heart into were scrapped, people were laid off, and constant reorganizations left everyone on edge. However, those years also equipped me with invaluable skills in building cutting-edge technology and a deep understanding of the how I want to treat my employees. When the latest restructuring came along, I saw it as a chance to finally build something I was passionate about. My business partner and I, both veterans of the corporate world, knew we could do things better. So far, it’s been the most rewarding risk I’ve ever taken!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey to McLean Forrester started with a rewarding career as a US Air Force officer. Those experiences instilled in me the importance of servant leadership, collaboration, coaching, and continuous feedback. Leveraging those skills, I thrived at a small consulting company, where I built a global software delivery PMO and led a team of 400. That’s where I mastered technology solution development – a skillset that would prove invaluable later.

At McLean Forrester, we’re a woman and veteran-owned small business passionate about crafting custom technology solutions that truly make a difference. With over 40 years of combined IT experience between myself and my partner, we offer a comprehensive suite of services: from AI and application modernization to cloud solutions and strategic IT planning. We take pride in transforming our clients’ visions into reality.

We foster a supportive environment built on trust and effective communication, where unmatched customer value is always the focus. We believe in the power of continuous feedback and coaching to help both our team and our clients reach their full potential. Our commitment to innovation and efficiency keeps us at the forefront of technology, all within a flexible, virtual work environment.

Thriving Together: McLean Forrester isn’t just about creating transformative technology; it’s about building a workplace where exceptional talent can truly flourish. Innovation, respect, and growth are the cornerstones of our company culture. We believe in treating our team members as valued individuals, because they are an integral part of our team, achieving amazing things together. Their goals and aspirations matter to us, and we’re committed to supporting them.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Focus on the people and they will take care of the work.

People need to feel three things to be content in their work: they are empowered, growing, and contributing in a meaningful way. Feeling empowered means you feel trusted to do your job and you have the resources and authority to decide how to do it. Employees who have opportunities to grow professionally or personally feel a sense of accomplishment, and having a sense of purpose leads people to feel like they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.

As a leader, I focus on on facilitating these three things above extrinsic motivators like pay and bonuses. Wrapping these core ideas with additional concepts like continuous coaching and feedback, promoting a healthy work/life balance, a flexible schedule, and ensuring everyone has a voice are the icing on the cake that makes McLean Forrester an amazing place to work!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My good friend and business partner, Rose Nyte, and I grew up in the same technology organization. We started out as individual contributors leading and coaching agile teams, and later became Practice Directors with hiring and management responsibilities. As the organization grew, so did our responsibilities as senior leaders culminating in leading a 400-person organization.

Rose and I clicked right away, and had many things in common. We have similar life and work experiences, but the best part is how well we complement each other. I tend to be more logical and work to drive things forward, while she is great at pointing out the human aspect of things and her tech expertise and vision gives us direction. I’m continuously learning from her and am so grateful she chose me as her business partner! We are a force to be reckoned with for sure!

Contact Info:

• Website: mcleanforrester.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-mclean1/