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I believe invisible doors are always floating in front of us. Emergent, futures-oriented…
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Carrie M. posted thisA lot of not-so-great output is about to come our way. To the robots listening, please cover your ears, and I'm so sorry! Lazy writing. Copy-cat strategy frameworks. Lackluster decks. Surface level insights. Quick thinking without point of view. Fast answers to the wrong questions. Ideas that sound good, but don't really change anything. It's not really the robots' fault. They're here trying to support as as we look to move faster, cut (the right) corners, operate as if there were five of us. But they are also counting on us to do the thing that's getting harder in a world where speed is becoming lightning and results are expected instantly. Pause. Think. And Raise the Bar. To have resolve, patience, and yes... high expectations... to be the one in a sea of speed who is comfortable saying: ✅ What does the version of great look like here? ✅ How might we push this further? ✅ Let's pause; what are not considering that we should? ✅ Is our output good or is truly impactful? ✅ Are we solving the right problem? The future of leadership is about speed, with standards. In a world where anyone can create the output, it's important to both produce the result and also be the leader who can: - Curate what actually matters - Elevate and challenge the thinking - Push for better when it truly makes a difference - Guide when and where to go deeper Often, it means being willing to sit in a bit of discomfort in service of something better. Because in a world of infinite output, your standards become your leadership safeguard. If you've ever wondered whether to lower the bar to drive momentum, this is the moment to raise it.... even slightly 💫
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Carrie M. posted thisEarly in my career, speedy execution was my superpower. I'll thank my journalism roots for that 😉 Being able to interview, write, fact check, layout, edit and go to press with daily deadlines teaches you a thing or two about plowing through a to-do list expediently without sacrificing quality. After all, the last thing you wanted was to be the cause of the big retraction apology the next day! That speed to execute superpower served me well as I moved beyond journalism and deeper into my career. But a few years ago, without any warning or reason why, I started noticing a major change in how I worked. Checking off the to-do no longer felt amazing. What was far more satisfying? - Challenging myself to blow up my work once it was done to see where else I could take it. - Asking myself, What am I missing? - Considering what a more strategic, innovative version could look like. - Calling in thought partners to review my most raw version of work. I know, I know... cue the "Carrie, that sounds like a whole bunch of perfectionism stuff to work through." You may be right AND in a world fast being dominated by AI and automation, execution is tablestakes. In a world of instant output and answers, the bar just got raised. And we have a choice. To rise to the moment and look back on this as a defining time in which we changed how we approach work... or rest on how we've always done it. This world of work is inviting us to unleash critical thinking, the pause, innovation, disruptive exploration in a way like never before. Beckoning us to ask questions such as: 🔮 Is this the right solution or just the easy one? 🔮 What corners might I have cut to just be done? 🔮 Did I move the needle on impact or simply satisfy an ask? 🔮 What would I do differently if I had to completely start over? 🔮 Did I challenge myself to enter my growth zone or stick with comfort? Is this hard to do? Absolutely! Will it cause some new tension for ourselves and within our teams? Most likely. Does it force a slow down before speeding up? You already know the answer to that! But it's also where our best work will be born. Where our learnings become grander than we imagined and we WOW ourseleves by what we can do. Speedy execution will always be a superpower and when accompanied by our cape of innovation... we are truly unstoppable ✨️
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Carrie M. posted this🔮 For my LinkedIn friends who are looking to strengthen their futures, innovation, and trailblazing muscles, this one is for you 🔮 Do you find it harder to imagine a future scenario — for your role, industry, team, organization, passion — that is rich with possibility... Or one defined by great struggle? In other words, do find it easier to imagine the utopia (full of success, opportunity, and meaningful change) or the dystopia (full of new problems, complications, and urgent challenges)? Today, during my lesson in my Futures Thinking Intensive Program, a quote stopped me in my tracks. When asked why many organizations and leaders may struggle to imagine success over failure, Jamais Cascio, one of Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers, said: "Well, there is a cynical reason that they’re not needed in such a positive future, so they don’t actually want that future to come to pass. Or it could be a fear that this just isn’t realistic, that it turns out they don’t actually believe their mission is possible in its fullest version. Or it could be that it doesn’t feel as serious or purposeful to imagine success as does to imagine failure. Because if they succeed, well, they don’t have to worry about that future." What a powerful statement! And one that invites real reflection. As we look ahead to the defining moments that shape the future of our businesses, leadership, and roles — new service activation, re-imagined customer experience journeys, modern pricing models, next-gen org design, etc. — this nudges each of us to pause and consider do I: ✅ Default to imagining everything that could go wrong instead of right? ✅ Worry that if the vision actually works, my role or relevance might change? ✅ Dismiss positive scenarios because they feel unrealistic or too optimistic? ✅ Hang in the present because current urgency feels more important? ✅ Treat success as wishful thinking rather than something I can help enact? One of my favorite parts of futures thinking work is that it creates space for imagination. It reminds us that dreaming about what could be isn’t naïve but rather strategic. It also invites each of us to create room for conversations about possibility and what can be, not just what is. Reminding us to give the future just as much attention as the present. Because the future isn’t something that simply happens to us. It’s something we actively shape — through the scenarios we explore, the possibilities we allow ourselves to believe in, and the courage we have to pursue them. Especially the ones where the success we imagine becomes the future we live 💗
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Carrie M. posted thisFor most of my career, I’ve been a storyteller. Former journalist -> tech marketer -> growth strategist -> futures explorer When storytelling, there are several components that make the story memorable: 💫 Compelling characters to root for (and contend with!), clear motivations, and the ability to step inside their minds 💫 A fully built world described with such detail you feel like you’re walking through it. 💫 Forces of disruption. Every great story needs that crescendo moment where tension peaks and the resolution is earned! 💫 Powerful takeaways that stay with the reader long after the final page. In my "Scenarios, Worldbuilding, and Guiding Narratives" — part of my Foresight practioner work — storytelling is positioned as an essential leadership capability. Because to build meaningful scenarios of what might happen (in our industry, with our competitors, in our role), we need to get comfortable using stories as a means of explore the future. These stories should use qualitative and quantitative data, insights, and the power of brainstorm, as well as include: ✅ Clear plots and strategic questions to pressure-test ✅ Forces (tech, societal shifts, regulation, disruption) shaping the landscape ✅ Detailed consequences if our characters can't fail to adapt ✅ Emerging outcomes that could redefine what comes next ✅ New wins that become possible in different futures In the end, our teams start to get more comfortable imagining what might be, expand their sense of what’s possible, and get a bit more comfy learning how to operate in ambiguity. Do you and your team ever explore stories together? Is there a scenario facing your organization where crafting narratives for multiple plausible futures could strengthen your strategy today? 🔮
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Carrie M. posted this"I want to learn how to do a cartwheel this year," my friend declared on our monthly girlfriend catch up call. "Ohh... that's a great one. What else is on your list?" my other friend asked. "To learn how to dive from a diving board." Teresa shared the rest of her list with us... each and every goal specific and intentional. Even through her voice, we could hear her smile 💫 Your Monday reminder that your goals can be centered around play and joy ❤️
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Carrie M. posted thisI've really missed writing... Heads down, cup of coffee brewed, vacilate between the role of storyteller/editor, and crank out a piece I'm proud of (dangling prepositions allowed!). So this morning I did just that. I made time for the thing I love most... 💫 Decide the message I want to deliver (today's theme ideation) 💫 Determine the vehicle to deliver it (blog it is!) 💫 Explore the journey I want to take the reader on (a visit with 2016 Carrie) 💫 Consider the action I want the reader to take (design ideation into your org/team DNA!) The best way to start my morning, a piece I'm excited to share with you, and a little reminder to always make time for the things you love about your craft ❤️
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Carrie M. posted thisWhat if this time was your first? The first time you... ✅️ Shape the GTM framework ✅️ Architect a wow client experience ✅️ Lead your team through missed targets ✅️ Make the next pivotal hire ✅️ Curate employee onboarding As our careers advance, it's far too easy to never have the "first time" mentality again. Our promotions, accolades, career ascension can lull us into behaviors and mindsets that... we know it all, we can re-use the playbook, it must work now, because it worked then. And suddenly, without realizing it, past experience can become our biggest leadership gotcha. Preventing us from realizing... 🔮 The world is changing fast 🔮 Rinse-and-repeat leadership usually doesn't work because the conditions have evolved 🔮 While past experiences are informative, they deserve to be augmented with fresh wonder 🔮 Today's problems are begging for today's attention and intention from us, not yesterday's mentality I'll regularly ask myself things like what if everything I know has to be re-learned? What if everything that used to work is in need of a transformation? It's not to scare myself! Or prevent me from celebrating my growth along the way. Instead, it's an invitation for me to stop and really ask, what if this it was my first time? - What would I notice? - What assumptions would I challenge? - What would I design differently? And on purpose? The "first time" approach is leadership currency you have, and something you can give yourself at any moment. It's the call to invite in wonder, curiosity, and that blissful naivete that maybe (just maybe) there's still more to learn 😉
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Carrie M. posted thisI love a good HMW ... In design thinking, a human-centered, iterative approach to problem-solving, How Might We (affectionately shortened as HMW) is essential to the process as it allows designers to reframe and open up their problem statement. Granting space for all the ideation and innovation to truly flow. It can be a subtle difference, like changing the question from "What should we do to get remote workers to come into the office more regularly?" to "How might we make remote workers feel more connected to our office culture?" And it can lead to a world of impact when it comes to our brain's ability to expand, embrace creativity, and free flow. This quote from Tim Brown, IDEO (global design thinking consultancy) Chairman and former CEO sums up the HMW powerfully: "The ‘how’ part assumes there are solutions out there — it provides creative confidence…‘Might’ says we can put ideas out there that might work or might not — either way, it’s OK. And the ‘we’ part says we’re going to do it together and build on each other’s ideas.” January is an awesome time to try out some HMW with your team. Instead of asking, what’s realistic? what can we afford? what can we get approved" focus on removing the limitations, legacy approaches, and beliefs about what is possible. Choose to hang in the dreamy what might be 💫 Here are some of my favorite HMWs if you want to borrow: 🔮 How might we build an organization that can thrive in the future? 🔮 How might we design experiences (for customers, employees, partners, etc.) that feel radically more human in a tech-driven world? 🔮 How might we measure what actually matters, not just what’s easy to track 🔮 How might we make work a more creative, stimulating, and innovative? 🔮 How might we treat AI as a collaborator that amplifies our teams? Now here’s the real challenge 😉 Once you land on your awe-inspiring HMW, don’t try to come up with a solution! Challenge your brain (bonus if you have colleagues around you!) to simply brainstorm. Go for quantity of ideas — not quality. The wilder the better. Draw, whiteboard, pad and paper it. Have FUN. Not every conversation in business needs to lead to an outcome. Not every team meeting has to end with a takeaway. 💚 Sometimes, the most impactful thing you can do for you team, is let them hang in a space where activating stimulating dialogue is the ONLY goal 💚
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Carrie M. shared thisThis image crossed my feed the other day and stopped me in my tracks... Not because we now have an explanation for 2025 😉 but because the Year of the Horse conjures up images of magic, vitality, and anew. A year of rebirth, vibrancy, dynamism, and hope. Where we can can trot, canter and jump with glee (for all my fellow horse riders out there!). And where we can fight for the things that set our heart on fire. Wishing you a restful and joyful close to 2025 full of all your favorite things and looking forward to a year of adventure ahead! 💫
Carrie M. commented on a post
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Amazing Danielle 🎉🎉
Carrie M. replied to a comment
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Daniel Ebert, CEPA® thanks for adding to the conversation! It's tough but we have built cultural norms where we all work to encourage each other to slow down. To be willing to hang in discussion with no action. To brainstorm for the sake of thought activation versus decisioning. It's not always easy and can feel uncomfy because there's so much to get to, but we all try to help each other and remind one another that it's OK to pause.
What do you find works well, Daniel?
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Carrie M. reacted on thisCarrie M. reacted on thisToday and tomorrow are 401 Gives days! You are probably already aware, but if you are not, I serve on the board of a non-profit called Amenity Aid! ♥️ This year, I am looking to MATCH THE MATCH! I am contributing $250, asking my employer, Beacon Mutual Insurance Company, to also contribute $250, and reaching out to ask friends & family to contribute another $250. This will turn $250 into $750! ♥️ Won’t you help me reach my goal? https://lnkd.in/eDfh9pmM
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Carrie M. reacted on thisCarrie M. reacted on thisKnow someone who thrives in ecosystem complexity and turns relationships into revenue? We want to meet them. 👋 SQA Group is expanding our partner-channel motion, and we're looking for a Partner Channel Sales Manager to help lead it. You'll drive partner-sourced pipeline, co-sell alongside partner field teams, and build the trusted presence that keeps SQA top of mind. 🔗 See the full role and apply: https://lnkd.in/eu9Wi2Mb
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Carrie M. liked thisCarrie M. liked thisI almost didn’t post today. Not because I don’t have ideas. But because none of them felt “good enough.” And also… life happens. Calls run over. Things break. Energy drops. Priorities shift. And suddenly the easiest thing to skip is this. That’s the trap. Most people think consistency on LinkedIn is about discipline. It’s not. → It’s about lowering the bar 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 to show up. Because here’s what actually happens: You skip one day → nothing happens You skip a week → it gets uncomfortable You skip a month → you disappear And suddenly you’re “not active on LinkedIn anymore.” The irony? The posts you hesitate to publish are often the ones that land best. Not the polished ones. Not the overthought ones. The real ones. There’s also another layer most people miss: Your content has to do two things at the same time: → Build trust (they believe you know your stuff) → Build connection (they feel like they know you) Miss one, and it breaks: → Too “smart” → people don’t relate → Too “personal” → people don’t trust you The sweet spot is both. So this is me lowering the bar today. Showing up anyway. And a small reminder for you: → You don’t need a perfect post → You need a visible one If you’ve been procrastinating posting… This is your sign to hit publish.
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Carrie M. liked thisCarrie M. liked thisStuck reminiscing about the 90s? Same... Great music... Questionable fashion... and if you were in data… there’s a good chance you cut your teeth on IBM Cognos Impromptu like I did. It helped define a generation of reporting, powerful, dependable, and for many organizations, mission-critical. No shame if you’re still running it today. But it hasn’t had a meaningful update since 2012 and the world didn’t exactly stand still (well maybe it did for a little bit around 2020). Today is real-time insights, self-service analytics, and AI-driven decision-making. Legacy reporting frameworks weren’t built for that and over time, they’ve picked up more baggage than value. So what’s next? At SQA Group, we’ve built a minimally invasive path from Impromptu to IBM Cognos Analytics, modernizing what you have without starting from scratch. If this sounds familiar, it’s probably time. Message me to learn more or send an email to the address at the end of the short motivational video below. And for the Impromptu diehards… yeah, it’s still out there doing its thing and we all should feel a little bit proud knowing this.
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Carrie M. reacted on thisI’m honored and genuinely excited to be welcomed into the SIM Boston community. Being accepted into a group that brings together technology leaders who value thoughtful leadership, continuous learning, and meaningful connection means a great deal to me, both personally and professionally. Personally, it’s energizing to be part of a community that believes in giving back, mentoring, and learning from one another. Professionally, it’s an opportunity to engage with peers who are navigating many of the same challenges and opportunities shaping our industry today. It’s a meaningful milestone in my leadership journey, and one I’m eager to build on alongside this community.Carrie M. reacted on thisWelcome to the SIM Boston Community David Pacific! David is the VP, Data & Advanced Analytics Solutions at Software Quality Associates. #SIMBoston #TechnologyLeaders #Technologyleadership #BostonTechLeaders #Networking
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Carrie M. reacted on thisCarrie M. reacted on thisHonored to be named to the AI Hot 100 – Enterprise Leaders 2026. What’s most exciting right now is not just the technology, but how quickly it’s changing how companies operate. Decision making, workflows, and customer engagement are all being reshaped. Proud of the progress our teams are making at J.Crew Group to move from experimentation to real adoption at scale. Thank you to AI Hot 100 Summit and Furnace Group Media for the recognition, and to the peers on this list who are pushing the work forward. #AIHot100 #AILeadership #ArtificialIntelligence
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Carrie M. liked thisLet’s go!!Carrie M. liked this🚀 Now Open: Ocean State Labs – Rhode Island’s Premier Life Sciences Hub 🧬 RI Bio is thrilled to celebrate the opening of Ocean State Labs, Powered by Portal Innovations – a new home for biotech and medtech startups in downtown Providence at 150 Richmond St, Suite 400. 🌊🏙️ With 100 lab benches, over $2M in cutting-edge equipment, 64 workstations, premium office and meeting space, and dedicated networking areas, Ocean State Labs offers everything founders need to grow from idea to impact. 🔬💼 Located in Providence’s Innovation District (195 District) and connected to world-class research at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island, Ocean State Labs sits at the center of a fast-growing ecosystem fueled by: 📈 92% 10-year growth in Rhode Island life sciences 💰 $500M in NIH funding since 2021 🏛️ $232M in recent state investment in life sciences From individual bench space and private lab suites to shared equipment areas and collaborative office space, Ocean State Labs is designed for teams at every stage. Plus, you’re steps away from public transit, dining, and hundreds of nearby amenities. 🚉☕ 🔗 Ready to plug into Rhode Island’s biotech future? Apply for membership and join a thriving community of founders, investors, and innovators 👉 Learn more by contacting John Aikens or apply here: https://lnkd.in/g3x_jvYp #RIBio #OceanStateLabs #BiotechRI #Medtech #LifeSciencesRI #InnovationDistrict #StartupEcosystem #Providence
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Carrie M. reacted on thisCarrie M. reacted on thisThe language you use around your team is either building their critical thinking or quietly outsourcing it for them. Most leaders are focused on AI adoption, implementation timelines, and ROI. But the real shift happens in the small moments. The question you ask twice. The standard you hold without making it a formal policy. The phrase someone overhears in a meeting and carries with them for years. After 200+ AI deployments across Fortune 100 companies, these are the seven things I keep saying out loud on purpose. Not for a training deck. Because culture is built in conversation, not documentation. AI fluency has grown 7x in demand. But the teams that will outlast the hype are not the ones with the best tools. They are the ones that never stopped thinking for themselves. What phrase do you wish your leadership used more around AI? #artificialintelligence #leadership #aiworkplace #futureofwork #teamculture #criticalthinking #intellectualatrophy #aistrategy
Experience & Education
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SQA Group
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Licenses & Certifications
Honors & Awards
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2024 Most Innovative Companies
Providence Business News
SQA Group was named to the 2024 list of Most Innovative Companies by the Providence Business News and awarded the distinction for our proprietary Metrics Finder service which helps businesses measure what’s long felt immeasurable.
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2019 PBN Woman to Watch, Professional Services Category
Providence Business News
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2019 RI Inno 50 on Fire List
RI Inno
Rhode Island Inno’s “50 on Fire” list" is a celebration of the early-stage businesses, enterprises and innovators who are doing especial work to set the ecosystem ablaze.
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2017 Rhode Island 40 Under 40
Providence Business News
The Providence Business News' annual 40 Under 40 list celebrates the state's up-and-coming leaders. Members of the 40 Under Forty Class of 2017 were selected from among 195 applicants, a record number of applicants.
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Tech10 Award -- Women in Technology
Tech Collective
The Tech10 Awards recognize Rhode Island’s brightest entrepreneurs and IT practitioners as well as showcases organizations driving innovation and education across Rhode Island. The Tech10 awards celebrate the exceptional participants and organizations within the technology community.
http://www.rimonthly.com/Rhode-Island-Monthly/November-2016/Tech-Ten-Winners-2016/ -
Content Boost Better Business Bureau (BBB) certified, August of 2014
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http://www.bbb.org/connecticut/business-reviews/marketing-programs-and-services/content-boost-in-norwalk-ct-87118529/#sealclick
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Content Boost Listed on Curata's Ultimate List of Content Marketing Agencies
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http://www.curata.com/blog/content-marketing-agencies-the-ultimate-list/
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Content Boost Named Top Content Marketing Company in Clutch Research Report
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https://clutch.co/agencies/content-marketing/research
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Featured as an Industry Influencer on Zerys' "What's the Future of SEO?" "
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http://www.slideshare.net/Zerys/whats-the-future-of-seo-100-industry-influencers-share-their-predictions (see page 9)
Organizations
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Social Enterprise Greenhouse
Venture Advisor
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Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England
Committee Member, Leading Women of Distinction
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Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England
Board of Directors
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Leadership Rhode Island
Pi II Class of 2020
-Each year Leadership Rhode Island selects a diverse group of established and emerging leaders to participate in a thought-provoking, 10-month (January – October) community leadership program. Statewide issues are examined through the perspectives of experts, on-site visits, readings, discussion groups, problem-solving exercises, and other experiential activities.
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Rhode Island Tech Collective
Women in Technology Committee Member
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American Marketing Association - Boston Chapter
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