Leadership Q&A with Jennifer Lum, Co-Founder, Adelphic Mobile

Leadership Q&A is a monthly series that shares insight from leaders in Boston with the startup community. This month, we spoke to Jennifer Lum, Co-Founder of Adelphic Mobile.

In Jennifer’s current role at Adelphic, she provides long-term strategic vision and guidance and ensures the company’s offerings continue to evolve and provide greater value to clients. Prior to Adelphic, Jennifer worked at Apple and helped build iAd, the leading mobile advertising engagement platform. She also played significant roles at Quattro Wireless and m-Qube, working with Fortune 500 brands and building industry-leading mobile marketing and advertising platforms. Jennifer mentors startups through TechStars and 500 Startups, and was recognized in Business Insider’s 'Most Powerful Women in Mobile Advertising,' Inc.com’s 'Women to Watch' and Boston Business Journal's 'Top 40 Under 40.' She is also an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

What’s your favorite place to visit?

I love wandering around Europe and relaxing in Hawaii.

What’s the best leadership advice you’ve ever received?

I’ve learned a lot about leadership by working for both great and terrible leaders. The best leaders I’ve worked with are able to inspire, build deep loyalty, and drive themselves and their teams to achieve excellence.

You’ve been part of several high-growth companies — m-Qube, Quattro Wireless, Adelphic, among others. How do you keep your team aligned as you navigate rapid change?

Teams need solid processes and communication in order to scale through periods of rapid growth and change. Businesses typically get off the ground by a series of heroic feats performed by a few talented individuals. As a company scales in size and complexity, it needs to be anchored in standard processes to maintain cross-functional alignment.

What advice do you have for new managers?

“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” Eleanor Roosevelt

How have you created meaningful mentor relationships?

I’m fortunate to have several mentors and continue to benefit from spending time with them. The relationships vary in origin — investors, clients, former managers, friends — and they develop as we learn about how we can use their (mentors’) knowledge and experience to help me think through issues and growth opportunities.