“An Extraordinary Leader”

Launched in 2018, The JS Group is an industry-leading consulting firm that creates impactful go-to-market strategies and channel activation programs for technology firms. Known for its thought leadership, deep channel expertise, and execution-oriented approach, Meredith Caram joined this consulting firm as the Chief Revenue Officer in February of this year. With more than two decades of knowledge and experience as a technology leader, sales leader, and trusted advisor, Meredith has a phenomenal track record in creating wins with technology companies. She specializes in business expansion and has built and led 5-star award-winning channel programs achieving substantial growth. Meredith has won multiple awards for her extraordinary approach to leadership; she is a no-nonsense leader who can cut through the noise to deliver results. Her tremendous passion for developing impactful relationships is demonstrated through her work and is the “real thing.” She is driven by an unyielding focus on partners and customers and continues to bring new ideas that positively impact the business.

Meredith started her career right after graduating from Baylor University, & her understanding of gender issues, bias, and discrimination were minimal or even non-existent. Fast forward 20+ years in corporate America, and Meredith is no longer a stranger to male-dominated workplaces. “We need more women in executive line of business positions, which means creating opportunities for women to prove themselves and advance their career in high impact areas of the business,” says Meredith. “If you’re a woman working in any type of male-dominated field, it’s vital to always be aware of gender roadblocks so you can be savvy and strategic about your next career move.” She adds, “I was often excluded from the events to network or solidify relationships, whether it was an invite to meet for tequila after work or for a F45 workout – even though I have shiny credentials from Brown University and can hold my own in a gym sweat session.” Meredith states that it is no longer acceptable to have gatherings designed more for men that block women the same opportunities to participate; actually, it is pathetic. Women are powerful and want to bond over connections too. Women should be represented, and Meredith is passionate about identifying ways to support this rich talent and define and innovate it actively.

"Meredith states that it is no longer acceptable to have gatherings designed more for men that block women the same opportunities to participate; actually, it is pathetic.”

Meredith candidly talks about her experiences and shares the hurdles she has faced, whether with hiring, building a start-up, navigating a divorce, or even becoming her inner critic. “Ultimately, they are not competing against each other, though one often has the view that there is only one seat available – which is untrue. You can always bring your own chair or create a new table,” she says. “One piece of advice I have is to secure your own board of directors. This doesn’t have to be the type of formal board we typically think of, but rather a group of people you go to as a sounding board - a group of people whose opinion matters, people who will tell you the truth, who want the best for you, and who you will listen to.” Armed with this ideology, Meredith has been taking the company to new heights.

Janet Schijns, CEO of The JS Group, is a former C-Suite Fortune 500 executive with experience ranging from Verizon to Motorola to Office Depot. She had seen tech companies struggling to identify their fundamental value proposition to end-users. Over the last few years, she had seen and heard too much about the channel not surviving, with about 50% of partners going out of business or retiring. There has been so much consolidation coupled with the tough conversations between vendors and partners regarding all the shady deal structuring, the battles for leads, and the hidden lists of protected accounts, which will have to come out into the open. The days of “mystery breeding margin” in the channel are past. Today’s lack of transparency means everyone is bidding against one another, like a big game of AdWords, and throwing profit away in the process. With these significant shifts, The JS Group was born. The JS Group is the leading go-to-market consultancy in the technology industry.

According to Meredith, the world is full of people trying to sell their solutions through indirect channels. It is a rewarding but challenging journey that requires true expertise and guidance to make it work. This is an area that firms need to invest in, focus on, and engage experts to win. IE