Jessica Tierney

I attribute my success to pushing the boundaries, not taking no for an answer, pushing people to be better, questioning the norm, and not letting people influence my decision. The data speaks for itself. I'm very data-driven, I'm very systems-driven, and you can't cheat that. There's no cheat code when it comes to tech. I believe in challenging the status quo and being willing to make people uncomfortable if it means driving better results for the industry and the operators we serve.

The best advice I received was to just be myself and don't let the opinions of others affect me. I learned that I am a strong voice, and being disliked is okay. If it means that you show up and you make an impact, then that's all that matters. This advice helped me embrace my unique identity in a conservative industry and focus on results rather than worrying about whether everyone likes me.

Be curious. Don't let it intimidate you. I really think that the industry has become stagnant, not because talent is less right now, but because there's just not enough people that are curious enough to push those boundaries. I think everybody has just gotten to a point of being scared and conforming. We need more people to be curious. In order for tech to get better for the industry, you have to be curious. You have to ask 'what if we did this instead of this?' I'm okay with saying that something doesn't make sense and we need to do something different, even if it hurts somebody's feelings. Because at the end of the day, we have to do better for this industry and do better for the operators. We need to show up for them differently, which means we need to have people asking those difficult questions.

The biggest challenge is that we have so many pieces of tech out there that it's basically saturated the market, and no one knows what's good. A lot of people are throwing things at a wall just to see what sticks without actually considering what is truly needed with these fragmented systems that they operate out of today. We should be designing tech to what the operators need, not just for the sake of designing it or to make a dollar. You're supposed to be making an impact - that's the whole point of innovation. The biggest opportunity has to do with education and vetting of tech. With the 70% turnover in the industry, you don't have the appropriate staffing to make those decisions, and I don't think the executives understand the data anymore because they've been so far removed for so long. I think it's important that if people are going to be vetting tech, they should be piloting multiple programs to determine what's going to work best for their needs, because every property's needs are going to be different. I'm trying to work towards being a source of truth in the industry and helping to vet and understand the differences in all the tech out there.

In my work, respect is one of the most important values, whether you're disagreeing or not. I think there needs to be a level of respect and listening, even when opinions are opposing. I think if there is a different perspective, people need to be heard and all of those factors need to be weighed when you're having conversations versus shutting people down. Culture is a huge factor when it comes to work. Everything needs to have a positive work culture, a very open and honest culture. Challenging the status quo is awesome, but you also need to trust that when someone is challenging the status quo, they're going to lead you in the right direction. Disruption should be encouraged - disrupt and innovate all day. In my personal life, I am very giving and not a selfish person, so I need that same balance. I also need peace. I'm not a fighter by nature. I am a fighter if I love you and care about you and want something better for you. But at home, it has to be peace, respect, and just a lot of love.