Kristen Carroll, founder and CEO of The LMC Group, was recently honored by Insights Success magazine, which named her to their annual list of successful business leaders, “The League of Extraordinary CEOs.” Insights Success chooses executives with exceptional achievements, business acumen, and strategy execution. Kristen was recognized specifically for her ability to nurture top-tier talent and to empower organizations to achieve their visions in her position as CEO of The LMC Group, a consulting firm that provides fractional management and executive services to small and mid-sized businesses. Kristen explained why being named to The League of Extraordinary CEOs was so gratifying: "I was truly honored to be included in this group of innovative CEOs, but even more, I appreciated the opportunity to pay homage to the incredible mentors, coworkers, and employees who have played critical roles in my success.
I also enjoyed sharing my unorthodox career path—I want people to know the path to the C-suite doesn’t have follow the usual business school to MBA progression." Insights Success sat down with Kristen for an interview, which is available in its entirety on their website. What were some of the prime challenges and roadblocks that you faced during the initial phase of your journey? "As a non-traditional thinker, I go into each situation seeking the whys and hows of every decision and process. While this iconoclasm may have gotten me in a bit of trouble when I was starting out in my career, it has served me well in the ensuing 20 years as I find innovative solutions for our clients." "I’ve also grown in self-awareness throughout my career. I know my strengths, and I surround myself with a team whose talents and insights complement me and compensate for my shortcomings. I always recommend that CEOs hire employees who are smarter than they are!" What is your advice for emerging entrepreneurs? "Don’t spend too much time or money up front in the planning stage. Be as lean as you can and force your organization to pay for itself. Money is an object; don’t saddle yourself with grandiose plans and huge budgets.
Leanness should be a core principle at all phases to remain financially healthy." "Don’t do anything that causes you to lose sleep at night. Financial decisions, ethical considerations, and the people you align yourself with are the most likely factors to rob you of your peace. Be sure you can live with the choices you make."
