Jenny Estevez-Cray’s Post

Today is my 13 year anniversary at my company. It’s a bit of a tradition for people in my org to get an email of congrats for them sent out to everyone for the team to say “Hey great job”. I haven’t gotten one of these in 5 years. I casually mentioned this to my leadership a few years back and was told “Well we always thought you were above idle praise. “, and don’t get me wrong there’s a bit of a truth to that. However, as someone who has worked on both sides of the coin as a leader and as a direct report, my advice is to let that person decide that. Give them the praise and then let them tell you “Hey you don’t have to do that. “ The reason is because so many times our direct reports can feel unseen, or under appreciated. There’s a ton of times where there’s maybe something personal going on and they as people feel unseen or under appreciated. It’s not up to us as leaders to decide that for them, it’s up to us to let them make that choice and it’s up to us to understand that sometimes situations change. Praise your people when you can and where you can and let them know they’re valued for the investment they put into YOU and your company. They’re the lifeblood of what makes you look good, so if a 3 minute email is what you can do to make them feel valued, that’s a 3 minute investment worth it every single time and anything beyond that time is just better and better. That said, my favorite part of being here for 13 years has been the chance and opportunities to meet incredible people and in my learning and development role show my appreciation for the dedication and talent everyone I meet brings to the table every single day. It pushes me as an employee, a leader, a person to be my best self every single day. If I’ve interacted with you at my company, THANK YOU. Even for the smallest of time, because it reminds me of why I’m here and the fantastic company I keep. I can’t wait to do more and see where this ride takes me. Skal.

🎉 Celebrating 2 Years at jemmic! 🎉 On May 2nd, I reached my two-year anniversary with Jemmic, and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some key lessons and experiences that have shaped my journey: 1. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥: At jemmic, being open and honest with colleagues and clients isn't just encouraged; it's a way of life. The open-minded culture here allows for genuine conversations where you can speak from the heart and truly be heard. 2. 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬: Mistakes are part of the process. What matters is how we learn from them and turn them into opportunities for growth and improvement. 3. 𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫: Great developers are also great problem solvers. Understanding the business context behind the code is crucial. It adds value to our work and helps us create more effective solutions. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐞𝐲: If you see room for improvement, think about it and suggest a solution. Spot a potential issue? Raise it early so we can address it head-on and avoid surprises. 5. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡: I've learned so much from my colleagues, both in terms of hard skills and soft skills. Their patience and willingness to share knowledge are inspiring. At the same time, they are open to learning from me, despite my junior status. It's a truly collaborative environment. I see many opportunities for growth here at jemmic, and I'm grateful for the chance to work with such a talented and supportive team. Here's to many more years of learning, growth, and success together! 🍾 Cheers!

Today, I’m excited to mark my second year work anniversary with Lorven Technologies Inc. I feel incredibly grateful for the growth, challenges, and achievements that have shaped my journey. A heartfelt thank you to my colleagues and mentors for your guidance and encouragement. Looking forward to contributing to more milestones and shared successes in the years ahead! #WorkAnniversary #TwoYears #ProfessionalGrowth #Gratitude #CareerMilestone #ProfessionalJourney #CelebrateSuccess #CareerGrowth #EmployeeExperience #TeamSuccess #CareerDevelopment #AchievementUnlocked #MilestoneMoment #WorkMilestone #ThankfulForTheJourney #ProudMoment #CorporateLife #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipJourney #GratefulHeart #SuccessStory #ContinuousImprovement #WorkLifeBalance #ProfessionalGrowth #OnwardAndUpward #EmployeeRecognition #ReflectAndCelebrate #LookingForward #CelebratingSuccess #GratefulForOpportunities #CareerAchievements #InspirationAtWork #PositiveWorkCulture #CareerJourney

16 years goes by so fast. Last month, I celebrated my 16th year anniversary with Connecting Point. I think it's unique to work for the same small business for 16 years, but through that period of time, I've held different positions, I've reported to several different people and have had the opportunity to be a part of the evolution of the business. The common thread is change. As an employee and as an owner (I've been CEO since 2019 and President since 2020), you have to be comfortable with change and you have to be able to add value as change happens. Only by embracing change to you grow personally and professionally. I also think I've adopted a posture of patience, which in this day and age, is something that is hard to do. We live in an instant gratification world, so being patient is unique. There were several points in my history at Connecting Point where I had the opportunity to go different places or do different things, but ultimately, embracing future opportunities and being patient proved to be valuable. I also think it’s important to note how thankful I’ve been to work around such incredible people who have shaped me personally and professionally. From my first boss (Kyle DeBord), to working with my dad, to now working alongside my brother Andy (and there are a handful of other people who have had a huge impact on my life and career), I truly feel lucky to be where I’m at. #LeadershipJourney #FamilyBusiness #ProfessionalDevelopment

"Grateful for an incredible year of growth, learning, and collaboration at Circles.Life! 🎉 Celebrating my 1st work anniversary, and I couldn't be more excited about the journey ahead. Here's to many more milestones, achievements, and shared successes! 🚀 #WorkAnniversary #Growth #Teamwork #CirclesLife"

The 90-day point of a new job is a critical milestone. I like to think of it as the "Affirmation Milestone". It's just enough time to reflect on your enjoyment and understanding of the role, integration into the team and culture, etc. Today marks my 3-month anniversary with Valent Partners - AKA my Affirmation milestone.   What am I doing to celebrate, you ask? Reflecting: asking myself 1) do I enjoy the role I'm in and 2) do I feel integrated with the team and culture (spoiler - the answer is HECK yes!) Assessing: ensuring my responsibilities are prioritized to align with Valent's strategic goals (AKA getting focused on the right things) Connecting: getting lunch with our Founding Partner, Jeff, to check-in on expectations and performance and celebrate what we've accomplished thus far   Milestones, big or small, deserve reflection and recognition - because it's the little things (like a 3-month work anniversary) that add up to long-term growth and success. Cheers!

Your next game-changing hire probably doesn't have the "required experience" you're asking for. Menna joined Helpjuice recruitment last year. Not seasoned. Not "industry-hardened." Just brilliant. What happened next? She rebuilt our entire hiring engine. Lightning responses. And one day, she just dropped: "Hey, Slack's great, but what if we had a virtual space that felt like a real office?" (dramatic pause) Now we're all hanging in Kumospace, getting that cozy office vibe while being fully remote. Most tech companies lock their junior staff in a box labeled "needs more experience." We hand them the keys to redesign the whole damn system. Because here's the raw truth: Your "lack of experience" is your X-ray vision. You see through the industry's calcified "best practices." Keep your decade-old playbooks. We'll be over here, letting our people cook. Menna Adel - you crushed year one. Can't wait to see what you revolutionize next. P.S. We're hiring. Come shake things up with us 😏

Celebrating my four-year work anniversary at Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment with some reflections on the four key lessons I've learned along the way 📚 : 1️⃣ Pay it forward ⏩ : You never know whose future you'll influence or how they'll impact yours. The Heriot Brown Community embodies this ethos of mutual, long-term benefit. 2️⃣ Celebrate small wins 🙌 : I tend to be a "glass half empty" person (recruitment can do that!), but focusing on marginal gains has transformed my perspective. 3️⃣ Managing a team is humbling 📈 :  Stepping into management has been the steepest learning curve of my career—challenging but deeply rewarding. 4️⃣ Culture is everything 🌳 :  I joined Heriot Brown for the people, and that's why I stay. Despite our growth, we've maintained the same purpose, drive, and dedication that captivated me from day one. What lessons have you learned in your career that have shaped your journey? P.S. Thanks James Betteley for treating me to a celebratory lunch!

Today officially marks my 1-year anniversary at Truity Partners! It has been a fun and challenging ride over the past 12 months, but looking forward to an even more successful 2025. A few key takeaways from this year... 🤝 Who you work with truly matters. If you don't like your work environment and company culture, nothing else will align. 👔 Executive Search is a longer/slower process than direct hire and temp recruiting - relationships you make today will come full-circle in 6-12 months. 🫵 Your personal brand is important - it's the first impression, the trust builder, and the reason people want to interact with you. 📅 You need to own your calendar and prioritize time for you first both professionally and personally. 💪 Celebrate small wins as they happen because they provide fuel necessary to achieve the large wins. ✋ Lean on your peers and mentors because sometimes an outside perspective is all you need to get back on track. 🎉 Have fun, because if that's not happening, what's the point? Bring on the new year, new challenges, and new heights!