20 Years of The Persimmon Group: Building a Culture That Fuels Transformation and Growth
This month marks 20 years of business for The Persimmon Group. As the company’s founder, it’s a perfect time for me to reflect on our journey of transformation and growth, reaffirm the vision that guides us, and share a few lessons learned along the way.
In 2004, I was an executive in a corporate role and found myself burned out. That experience inspired me to create The Persimmon Group—a company built on a desire to challenge traditional consulting norms and offer a firm rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and making a meaningful impact.
I never could have imagined the amazing journey it would take me on.
Two decades later, we celebrate growth, transformation, and the incredible people who have joined us.
Looking back, the heart of The Persimmon Group has always been about more than solving business problems. It’s about building relationships, fostering innovation, and enabling leaders to navigate complexity with confidence.
Where It All Began: A Leap into the Unknown
Our story began with a simple belief: hire great people, and the business would follow.
Our team embraced the idea of being different. Consulting wasn’t about having all the answers—it was about asking the right questions. This mindset became our hallmark, enabling us to uncover opportunities that others missed and help our clients achieve more than they thought possible.
From our roots in Tulsa to a global reach, we’ve served as the “Special Ops of consulting,” turning challenges into triumphs. We’ve pioneered smarter ways of working, proving that businesses can achieve success while fostering fulfilled teams. This approach is built on a foundation of deep trust, flat organizational hierarchy, and a learning mindset. A mantra I developed early was “change is constant, chao is a choice.”
In our early years, we partnered with clients hungry for practical, innovative solutions. We worked side-by-side, enabling them to scale and sustain success. And as Persimmon grew, I found talented, new team members who sought long-lasting results and had a passion for positive impact.
Our Guiding Principles
Over the years, we’ve learned valuable lessons that guide us today:
- Seek to Understand, Always: True leadership starts with listening. By asking thoughtful questions and focusing on teaching, we’ve created lasting solutions.
- Action Isn’t Always Progress: We learned early on that being busy doesn’t mean being effective. We prioritize clarity of purpose, setting boundaries, and achieving sustainable results.
- Great People First: Talent is our greatest asset. By empowering exceptional people, we’ve built a team that delivers results and attracts top clients.
A Culture That Drives Excellence
At the core of The Persimmon Group is a culture where people feel inspired and empowered to be their authentic selves:
- Be Intentional and Transparent: Everyone at The Persimmon Group knows where we’re headed and why. We share our purpose openly, fostering trust and alignment.
- Talk About the Tough Things: Transparency can be challenging, but it’s essential. We face difficult conversations with honesty and respect.
- Pay It Forward: We’ve built a culture of generosity—mentoring leaders, supporting clients beyond the scope of our work, and giving back to our communities.
- Be Awesome (and a Little Weird): We embrace individuality. Creativity, quirks, and fresh perspectives make our team stronger and more innovative.
The Team That Made It All Possible
This milestone is a testament to the people who’ve been part of our journey. To our clients, thank you for your trust and collaboration. To our team, thank you for your commitment, passion, and belief in our mission. Together, we’ve built more than a consulting firm; we’ve built a family.
Over the past two decades, we’ve achieved significant milestones: expanding our services, broadening our reach, and evolving to meet the changing needs of our clients.
And I’m proud to say we’ve won our share of awards along the way.
But what we value most are the stories of transformation—helping leaders find clarity in chaos, unlocking potential within teams, and enabling organizations to thrive.
Collaborate with Us
At The Persimmon Group, we’re always looking for new opportunities to collaborate and create lasting impact. Whether you’re interested in learning more about our project management consulting services or would like to explore how my leadership keynote speaking can inspire your organization, we’d love to connect with you. Contact me.
