In 2007 this woman quit her well-paying job to join a startup consisting of two former colleagues and a half-baked idea. Marilyn had 3 kids at the time, her mother was suffering with advanced MS, and the new company wouldn’t be profitable for 5+ years. But she saw herself reflected in the company - likely because it was made for people like her. The idea was simple enough; create a workplace where people like Marilyn could do good work without dealing with the corporate politics and endless red tape that drive so many workers to insanity. Make it easy for good people to excel, make money, and feel secure. In the intervening 17 years, the company made a lot of mistakes. We failed repeatedly. The death of a founding partner, shuttered offices, millions of dollars lost. We said goodbye to great colleagues. Didn’t meet our sales goals. Struggled to scale. These days we still fail, just less often and we’re better at hiding it (kidding - we broadcast all our setbacks for your enjoyment!). Yet today we’re celebrating one of our biggest victories to date. This company was built so people like Marilyn could thrive - and as of this week, we rank among Inc. Magazine’s Best Places to Work. Of all our accomplishments, we're most proud of building a community where good people can do good work. Marilyn still works here. She now has 5 grandkids and just returned from a sabbatical traveling through Europe. And if that isn’t the truest mark of Proven’s success, we don’t know what is.
Thanki you Ingram Losner and Louis Song for starting Proven Recruiting and inviting me along for the ride. I'm so grateful, not just for me, but for all the lives you have impacted and created opportunities like you did for me!
You really are a "dream team"!!! Together you have accomplished much at Proven, It was something else to see you all leave the corporate fold and form Proven with a new progressive mission statement. All these years later we can see you held the vision. Marilyn, your success is well deserved, and having been mentored by you I can say I am truly grateful for the knowledge and know-how you have imparted over the years, both professionally and personally. To quote someone else on the thread, you are the best, honestly.
Jenifer Hanson
1mo
Wonderful post! Marilyn J Kaforey, Founding Partner is refreshing to work with and I am very thankful for all her support. I am lucky to reconnect with her after so many years and now am honored to work directly with her. Thank you Marilyn!! And btw she never ages!!! 💕
Kelly Zastrow
1mo
Marilyn is absolutely one of the most amazing women I know. She is kind and compassionate, fun loving and adventurous, fit and energetic and just an all around great person, colleague, mentor, mom, grandma, wife etc.
Marilyn is awesome and I remember when she placed me in a position 24 years ago and has always been my ‘go to’ person ever since. She is the best.
Fiona McEvoy
1mo
And she still looks the exact same! Thank you for all you do Marilyn J Kaforey, Founding Partner, we'd be lost without you <3
Belinda Naylor
1mo
Wow, what a great story. Thank you for sharing it.
Dani Gavson
1mo
Love this post - and congrats to Proven, Marilyn, Louis, Ingram and the rest of the team. Keep going - onward and upward!!!
Senior Accountant at Premier Food Services, Inc, Senior Tax Analyst at H&R Block and Ca Notary Public. Seeking various Accounting and Tax Accounting positions
3wI can't say enough about Marilyn Kaforey, and she is forever etched in my head lol. She helped me land my first ever meaningful job, making real money, after getting an accounting certificate with the OPT program at Grossmont College. I started as an AP Clerk at GNF finishing that job 10 years later as an AP specialist. As a result of this connection I earned a BS in a Accounting and an MBA. She helped re spark a fire in me that was there but very dim. I was afraid to embark on this journey and she told me she was once before too but I could do it. I did it, I am now a Sr Real Estate Account with the SD Housing Commission supporting a company that thrives on giving back. I never told Marilyn how much she helped me so I am telling you now Marilyn. Thank you so much for everything you did and I wish you nothing but the best in the future, truly. We still have to have that lunch lol.