In the past year alone, Own has raised $240M in new funding, acquired a company, launched new data security capabilities, expanded into new markets, and grown to nearly 900 employees.
To help us continue to grow and take this impressive momentum to the next level, we recently expanded our executive leadership team, appointing Courtnee LeClaire as Chief Marketing Officer and Alyssa Lahar as Chief People Officer.
We asked Courtnee and Alyssa to share more about their background, why they decided to join Own, and what they hope to achieve in their new roles.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Courtnee: I am excited to join Own as the CMO after spending more than 25 years in a variety of marketing roles at some of the world’s greatest brands. I started my career at Apple, and spent more than a decade doing very cool things leading product placement and buzz marketing, launching products we know and love today and creating apps that add value to all of our lives. I then jumped to Disney to rebuild the brand of the Interactive Media Group and launch mobile games. Then onto Intel to launch programs with Levi’s Stadium and FC Barcelona. That led me to become the first ever CMO for the Oakland, and now Las Vegas, Raiders. Most recently I was the CMO for Livongo, a digital health company, which was a wild ride going public then being purchased by Teladoc all within 20 months.
I am a fifth generation Northern Californian, growing up in Lake Tahoe and then attending Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine University in Southern California. I recently left the State and now spend time in Austin (TX), Gig Harbor (WA), and soon to be New Jersey with my partner John while still finding time to spend with our four collective adult children across the country. Yes, lots of airline miles accumulated.
Alyssa: I have 25 years experience in Human Resources, all at tech companies, both public and private. Most recently I was Chief Human Resources Officer at ZoomInfo, a go-to-market intelligence platform for B2B sales. Prior to that I spent 19 years at Dell EMC, where I served in many different HR roles throughout my tenure.
I graduated from Bryant University where I focused on marketing and communications. I was born and raised in Massachusetts and still live here with my husband, three sons (18, 16, and 13) and my 15-year old dog, Lola.
What are you most excited about at Own?
Courtnee: When I met our CEO, Sam, I was captivated by his awareness and passion to further develop the brand and incorporate storytelling into what some might have assumed a typical SaaS company. On the contrary, Own is one of most progressive thinking, fast moving and creative companies I’ve seen.
As we rapidly expand into new products and ecosystems while scaling at the pace we plan, I am thrilled to take a front seat to build our brand and create world class marketing. My deep experience with big brands, creating impactful, meaningful content and experienced leadership will help accelerate our business while continuing to embrace our story.
Alyssa: Own’s growth story is incredible and is something I wanted to be a part of from some of my earliest conversations with the team. The executive leadership team has such a clear vision for the company, which I believe will only lead to more growth.
I also feel like I can leverage my recent experience and success at ZoomInfo and bring value to Own. ZoomInfo was a similarly sized company to Own when I joined. I helped scale that team quickly to several thousand employees, which Is something we plan to do here as well.
Of our five core values, which one resonates with you the most, and why?
Courtnee: All of them? :) I believe that each of the five core values should show up in our every day. However, as a self diagnosed empath, if I were to choose only one, it would be, We care about everything we do. One should always care, whether it be care for a project, another person, or oneself, without care it translates to not being important.
The other that resonates with me is, We’re always driving forward. I see this value as a goal and a team rallying cry. “Fast beats perfect,” and “disagree and commit” were two of the unpublished values at one of my prior companies, and I desperately wanted to rewrite them to remove the negativity and celebrate the teamwork that is required to move the business forward.
Alyssa: One of the reasons I joined Own was because I identified with their core values. As a lifelong Human Resources leader, the one that resonates most with me has to be Culture is as important as results.
A strong corporate culture is such an important differentiator for a company. It can help attract top talent, strengthen employee engagement, and positively influence employee commitment. Plus, from a purely business perspective, fulfilled employees will organically drive better results.
In your new role, what do you hope to achieve?
Courtnee: Whether you market iPhones, mobile games, season tickets, blood glucose meters or data backup, the end goal is to communicate a value proposition which leads to an action. The strategy is not whether you choose B2B or B2C, rather, how can I connect with another human to inspire them to act. For me, this is an exciting opportunity to create emotion with a direct-to-human (D2H) approach.
I look forward to providing great care and leadership for the growing marketing organization and being a champion for the Company. Our future is blindingly bright and we have the opportunity to develop first in class products, create extraordinary content, tell captivating stories, host world class experiences and make people say, “Wow.”
Alyssa: Between the culture and growth potential, Own has so many of the ingredients that make for a great employer. But not enough people know that yet. I want to make sure as many people know what an amazing opportunity this company can provide, and make Own an employer of choice.
