What is an Executive in Residence?
Adaptation is one of my favorite words and the executive-in-residence positions at EarlyWorks are a direct result of my desire to adapt and learn. I have had periods during EarlyWorks’ lifespan when I had an ideal of what growth and success looked like based on what I “should be doing” or how I “should be growing”; and invariably, I have found that the real success is when you can learn from everything; especially when things don’t go your way. We’re faced with constant change and how we respond to it matters. Allowing room in my mindset for adaptation unlocks so many possibilities. And one of those possibilities was a creative idea for how to tap into executive talent as a microbusiness.
Enter EarlyWorks’ executives in residence (EIR). I knew of plenty of gifted executives looking for a transition but not seeing a place to land while they figured out what that change looked like. What if EarlyWorks hosted these talented professionals in an arrangement that worked for clients, the company, and them? What would that look like? I floated the idea to several friends who I thought might be willing to test the idea with me. Luckily for us, they accepted and in the fall of 2019, the first cohort of EIRs began working at EarlyWorks. We’ve now welcomed our third EIR and are “graduating” our first. The experiment is working!
So, what is an executive in residence? Why become one? And how does everyone benefit? We're just getting started.
What is an Executive in Residence?
EIRs are seasoned, mid-career or later, professionals who are looking to amplify their impact in social change work. EIRs are curious about what it might be like to reimagine their professional trajectory. They work closely with clients and with me to shape EarlyWorks’ strategies and culture.
Why Become an EIR?
EIRs enjoy a stable platform from which to explore ideas and possibilities while working with EarlyWorks clients. EarlyWorks benefits from experienced and knowledgeable team members who often have decades of expertise in our clients’ realms. EarlyWorks values restorative practices and developing talent from within.
Mutually Beneficial
EarlyWorks benefits from having experienced, multi-disciplinary professionals on the team to push us and help us grow. Tammie Jones, for example, comes from the realms of philanthropy, youth development, and parent advocacy. Her expertise and network enable us to reach parents, understand the context of youth development, and navigate philanthropy.
Like any endeavor, becoming an EIR requires a dialogue; we learn about each other and test the waters. Katy Locker reminds me that during these conversations I ask “Is the magic there?”. There’s no one type of person or secret handshake. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. The arrangement is not imagined to be permanent (although we’re open to it!); the goal is to see EIRs land in their next spot within two years to continue building out their impact more broadly. My role, as the founder/chief possibility officer in the arrangement, is to support the EIR’s current and future professional development and ensure they have a solid foundation from which to grow. They already have the contacts and networks they need; EarlyWorks provides the “container” and the team.
Our First and Our Newest EIR
Our first EIR was Katy Locker. Her background was in philanthropy, where she supported the strengthening of civic institutions, media, and economic development in Detroit. While at EarlyWorks, Katy worked closely as a senior strategic advisor to The Center for Michigan and NEI. Now, she is taking her next step in her career to become the COO at the Center for Michigan. She’ll be helping that organization grow and will provide a quality, effective, inspiring, and inclusive workplace for all Center for Michigan employees.
Trish Dewald is our newest EIR. She brings fund development expertise along with a very deep background in nonprofits. She has raised millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations and understands how to build strong systems and relationships that create resilience and sustainable revenue.
Each EIR brings a unique perspective to the team and that strengthens us. We continue to evolve and grow with each addition. It is this shared aspiration to never stop learning that binds us as a team.
The Future of EIRs
I love the EIR model and am excited about further refining it and expanding it to be more intentionally inclusive. This concept was an experiment at first, and now, nearly two years later, I’m thinking about how to adapt it to be accessible to people outside my network. Having close relationships with the EIRs already has made it easier to understand what is working and where and how to adapt, and being able to take that feedback and continuously adapt and improve makes me curious for the next EIR that will join us.
I’m grateful to Trish, Tammie, and Katy for being willing to take the risk of joining me on this journey, and am grateful to the entire EarlyWorks team for making our business a community that values depth of experience.
EIRs are just one of several ways talented people can work with us at EarlyWorks. We also work with people who are contractors, often solo entrepreneurs who like the work we do and who add a skill set we don’t have on our full-time team and/or who want to work for a specific client and need a deeper bench. We also are piloting a senior fellow position with Kia Washington where practitioners with research interests can balance their scholarly and professional pursuits.
We look forward to see how we will grow next. If you could have an EIR, what would their specialty be? What would you hope to learn from them?
