uStudio CEO Jen Grogono On Solving Complex Problems

uStudio is aiming to help companies transform enterprise communication from a traditional print-based environment to digital media. A complex problem, sure. But that’s just how CEO Jen Grogono likes it.
    uStudio CEO Jen GrogonouStudio CEO Jen Grogono

As digital media consumption began to explode in the late 2000s thanks to the emergence of online and streaming video platforms and podcasts, Jen Grogono, CEO of uStudio, saw an opportunity.

“’What if we could reduce the friction in getting great content out to its audience? And, what if we could do that for a business, for enterprises?” So that became the mission of our company,” says Grogono, who had cofounded an original content and digital media provider, ON Networks, in 2006. After it was sold in 2009, she started uStudio a year later.

ON Networks gave Grogono firsthand experience in understanding the shift in how new media was being created, consumed and distributed. With uStudio, she is aiming to open up that new world of digital media for enterprise communication, which is transforming from a traditional print-based environment.

Grogono jokes that when no one else wanted the job, she volunteered to be the company’s CEO. But in reality, she knew that the concept of uStudio was going to involve a lot of problem solving and that’s where she excels.

“If we believe media is going to be the most dominant form of communication, streaming video, streaming audio in every workplace, then this idea that every single enterprise is going to transform and become a media company of sorts, we’re going to have to start to work on building a whole system and set of tools and technologies to make that possible. It’s a complex problem to solve, and it’s one that is multifaceted.”

Education

Problem solving comes in different forms for Grogono and uStudio. Because the idea of enterprise podcasts and on-demand video is fairly new, a lot of her “problem solving” involves educating prospective clients in the simplest terms possible.

“You can’t get into sophisticated conversations with someone who just doesn’t have enough experience or knowledge to consume what you’re telling them,” she notes. Moreover, there is a diverse array of potential buyers, so Grogono and uStudio need to be able to calibrate conversations based on who they are trying to reach.

Even with the customers they do have, Grogono says there are different levels of maturity and understanding to what digital media can provide. She says this is the biggest challenge the company faces from a marketing, sales, and customer service and support side.

She does say there is an initial educational message to all prospective clients: “Nobody reads anymore.” She says that while business has been largely driven by people who are good at reading and writing, the younger generation is growing up in an age where YouTube, Hulu and Netflix are the norm. “They are much more accustomed to flexing that auditory and visual muscle in their everyday life in terms of how they learn and relate and communicate with one another.”

Grogono notes that this isn’t just a challenge for CEOs who are trying to communicate internally, but need to get information out in the world. She recalls a CEO tell her that a PowerPoint deck relaying information on a new product, sent out to his sales team, wasn’t getting through to people. “He told me what’s happening is they’re tuning out of the conference call because they know they’re going to get the PowerPoint anyway and half of them aren’t even going to consume the PowerPoint.”

Measuring innovation

As a company touting digital media, uStudio is squarely focused on innovation. The uStudio Lab, Grogono says, is a way for the team to test out virtual reality, augmented reality, analytics, cognitive computing, and other emerging technologies in the new media space. On a month-to-month basis, uStudio looks at the objectives and key results coming out of this lab—to understand where it stands on these innovations.

“Software moves very, very quickly, and innovation is not something that you can afford to ignore for very long. So, we do invest in it, and again, when we do make a call on a given month to not spend time on innovation, we know we’re [not doing it for a reason] and we called it out specifically,” she says.

Often, Grogono says, the reason is because there are short-term needs that trump long-term innovation projects. She notes that the balancing act between focusing on different short and long-term business needs is a challenge for any CEO.

“You need to pick and choose on a quarter-by-quarter and annual basis, which parts of the organization should you spend time tuning and focusing on. When you do that, you’re not trying to tune everything at once.”

Read more: Former Google People Chief Laszlo Bock On 3 Critical Skills Future CEOs Will Need


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.