Jess K - President at Olympico Strategies

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Jess K President at Olympico Strategies

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Jess K. stands out as a distinguished leader and innovator in the fields of growth management, change facilitation, and entrepreneurial support. With a well-connected network of over 5,500 LinkedIn connections, Jess has a strong presence in the professional community. As the founder and President of Olympico Strategies since 2012, Jess has been instrumental in helping businesses navigate complex growth and change processes, employing a holistic, system-wide relational approach to enhance organizational performance. Their diverse expertise makes them a valuable ally for clients aiming for success, whether they are established corporations or burgeoning startups.

Before founding Olympico Strategies, Jess ran a consulting firm focused on cultivating grassroots organizations nationwide, particularly in rural regions, from 1996 to 2009. Following this, Jess served in the U.S. Small Business Administration as an executive, where they developed and implemented programs to bolster small businesses and entrepreneurs across the nation. Adding to this rich background, Jess's experience as the Vice President and Partner at Growth Squared, and as the Deputy National Political Director for John Edwards's presidential campaign, demonstrates a resolute commitment to fostering economic development and innovation. Their legal and policy education from the University of Maine School of Law and the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service undergird their comprehensive understanding of public and corporate sectors.

Jess's engagement with the entrepreneurial ecosystem is further exemplified by their contributions to the Startup Champions Network, co-founding Venture Hall, and involvement in the Maine Accelerates Growth initiative. They also played a pivotal role as the Statewide Innovation Hub Coordinator for Blackstone Accelerates Growth, promoting community-driven entrepreneurship in Maine. With a track record of strategic leadership and a passion for economic development and performance measurement, Jess K. is a dynamic force in shaping vibrant business landscapes and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

More about this expert

Full name: Jess K
Location: Portland, Maine, United States
Title: President
Company: Olympico Strategies
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-knox-maine/
LinkedIn Connections: 5566
Summary: Jess Knox founded Olympico Strategies in July of 2012. Olympico helps companies and organizations manage growth and change by taking a system-wide relational approach to growth, change and performance. Jess' diverse background offers clients a unique set of skills for achieving their intended success. From 1996 to 2009, Jess ran a consulting firm that built grassroots organizations across the country, with a focus on rural areas. In 2009, he was appointed as an executive to the U.S. Small Business Administration where he focused on building and executing systems and programs to support the success of small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. Today, Jess employs his diverse background for both individual private business clients, as well as organizations. Jess is committed to supporting the growth and success of innovators, startups, and creative entrepreneurs, whatever size. As part of that work, Jess helped found the website Startup Portland, founded Maine Startup and Create Week and serves as the Statewide Innovation Hub Coordinator for Blackstone accelerates Growth. Previously, Jess served as the Vice President and Partner in the Washington D.C. consulting firm Growth Squared in July 2011. He served as the firms Vice-President, servicing client companies and providing insight on growth, workforce relationships and other business strategies. In 2008, he served as the Deputy National Political Director for the John Edwards for President Campaign. Prior to that, Jess worked as a consultant for various campaigns and organizations with a focus on rural public policy issues and grassroots advocacy. In 2004 Jess received a Juris Doctorate from the University Maine School of Law. Prior to law school, Jess pursued a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Public Organization Management from the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, and received a Bachelors Degree in Politics and Government from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Skills: Economic Development Performance Measurement

Education

University of Maine School of Law: Juris Doctorate
Attended in 2001 - 2004
Field of study: Law
Muskie School of Public Service: MA
Attended in 1998 - 2000
Field of study: Public Policy and Public Org Managment

Positions

Olympico Strategies Portland, Maine Area: President
Jul 2012 - Present

We help organizations, both public and private; those which are for-profit and those which are not, identify and execute innovative strategies to meet the goals they seek. Whatever the change or challenge, Olympico Strategies helps you successfully build and manage a sophisticated process for you, your organization and your customers.
Startup Champions Network: Chair
Sep 2016 - Jan 2018
Venture Hall Portland, Maine: Cofounder and President
Jul 2016 - Jan 2018

Venture Hall is a year-round training and events initiative designed specifically for those who want to create high-growth, high-impact companies. From startup founders with a vision, to students with a dream, to corporate teams looking to tap new markets, Venture Hall is building a “culture of innovation” that does much more than fund a few promising startups. It raises the bar for everyone. Anchored by an intensive, three-month summer accelerator, Venture Hall will attract additional world-class talent, mentors, resources and capital to our already-world-class location here in Portland, Maine. By tearing down the walls that typically exist between startups, established businesses, students and even non-profits, we’re creating the conditions for change-makers to thrive. It is led by co-founders Mike Sobol and Jess Knox.
Maine Accelerates Growth Maine: Statewide Coordinator
Sep 2015 - Jan 2018

The Maine Accelerates Growth Initiative (MxG) accelerates the growth of companies, communities, and talent by funding, creating, and leveraging high impact entrepreneurship and innovation programs and events through a collaborative and complementary network of organizations and individuals propelling prosperity across Maine. We study emerging best practices to continuously improve our approach to creating an extraordinary future for Maine.
Blackstone Accelerates Growth Brunswick, Maine: Statewide Innovation Hub Coordinator
Jan 2014 - Jan 2018

As the Statewide Innovation Hub Coordinator for Blackstone Accelerates Growth (a three year program funded by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation in partnership with Maine Technology Institute, the University of Maine, and the Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development), I work to support the creation and growth of intentional communities of entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the state of Maine. A big part of our work is to organize the growth of relationships, inspire conversations about the positive opportunities of the future, and engineer the serendipitous collisions of people, ideas and resources.