The LeaderReps Team
We know leadership.
Together, Jeff, Cristina, and Ryan have over 60 years of leadership experience. We have worked with startups, enterprises, family businesses, coaching firms, and nonprofits. We have led product, operations, sales, and customer success teams in industries ranging from marketing to technology to construction. We have built teams from the ground up and have coached and developed first-time and experienced leaders. We believe in the impact that great leaders can have on their teams and on the world.
Jeff Pierce
3 things you should know about me:
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I'm a dad of 6, so leading through chaos and finding joy in growth is part of my daily life.
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The outdoors fuels me - walking, hiking, camping, fishing, or playing a game with my kids.
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​I love helping people and overcoming challenges. It drove me as a sales rep and as a sales leader, and drives me now as an entrepreneur.
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Training for my first management role:
My first "management training" was a 1-day seminar. Helpful, but it left me to piece together the rest through trial, error, mentors, and lots of books.
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Hardest part of learning to manage:
Learning how to deliver feedback in a way that motivates instead of discourages takes time to learn. Once mastered, I got more out of my team than I thought possible.
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Favorite part of managing a team:
Seeing my team members promoted after killing it in their roles. That never gets old.
Cristina Stensvaag
3 things you should know about me:
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One of my greatest joys is to support and love my daughter as she experiences life and grows into the person she's meant to be.
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My sourdough starter is named after my great-grandmother.
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After a career in product management and operations, my next calling is developing leaders, with a focus on bringing our authentic selves to leadership roles.
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Training for my first management role:
I went to a one-day training class that included a lot of talking and not much practice. I walked away with little confidence that I could put what I learned into action. When I got back to my job, I filed the notes away and forgot everything by my next meeting. I learned by reading, and from the great, the good, and the not-so-good managers I've had.
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Hardest part of learning to manage:
Conquering the imposter syndrome telling me that I wasn't ready.
Favorite part of managing a team:
I love seeing my team members find their passion. I find such fulfillment in being a resource for my team, helping to guide them in their career growth. A bonus is when one of my team members gets better at something than I am. Success!
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Ryan Yeoman
3 things you should know about me:
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I'm a proud husband and father. I have an amazingly supportive wife and two young men who are ready to be positive influences in the world.
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I'm an Obstacle Course Racer (Spartan Racer). I love obstacles and truly believe they make us stronger.
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I'm an Entrepreneur. I've been fortunate to have worked with fantastic people building teams and companies. Some have been successes, others have been great teachers. LeaderReps is my latest adventure.
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Training for my first management role:
I was given a desk in the copy room and the responsibility for leading a brand-new team at the company. My boss said: "You'll figure it out. I'm sure you'll do fine." All my training occurred over the next 2 years during car rides between locations, listening to people like Patrick Lencioni, Ken Blanchard, and Stephen Covey.
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Hardest part of learning to manage:
That I wasn't a player anymore. I was the coach. I was responsible for the score, but the team was doing all the work. I tried to micromanage and control everything at first. It was counterintuitive to me that I had to let go in order for the team to play with freedom, and ultimately succeed.
Favorite part of managing a team:
Though painful, I love it when a team member is offered an amazing opportunity somewhere else to go lead their own team. I think a leader's job is to help launch other leaders.
