Innovation is the Speed of Learning: Katie Lelarge’s Blueprint for Founders and Family Offices

Engineering discipline. Financial insight. Adaptability. Commitment to growth. These are the key, distinctive ingredients that has enabled Katie Lelarge, founder of Nash Impact, to stand out in a profession of stand outs. From the factory floors of rural France to the strategic corridors of McKinsey, Katie’s journey has equipped her with a unique perspective on business management and innovation.

Groundbreaking: A Beginning Like Few Others

Katie’s professional odyssey began about as far as one can get from the fast-paced forefront of global finance – amidst the hum of machinery on a factory floor in France. It was there that Katie began to make her mark, an early chapter of her career characterized by understanding customer needs and using a hands-on approach to engineering.

This laid the necessary foundation for her future endeavors that would come as she began managing teams and redesigning organizations, teaching her the importance of seeing the world through a lens of systematic improvement, an ethos that would guide her moving forward.

Transformative: Engineering Precision Meets Financial Acumen

While her professional roots were in engineering, Katie knew there were other disciplines in which she could put her knowledge and skills to work. She pursued her MBA with a focus on investment management before going all-in into the complex world of finance.

Driven by a desire to decode the intricacies of finance, this experience proved pivotal in transforming her understanding of risk management and modern portfolio theory – tools she adeptly applies to corporate innovation and strategy in the family office space. This career evolution marked a significant leap, positioning Katie as a visionary in financial strategy.

The McKinsey Chapter: A Crucible of Innovation

In the 10 years she spent at McKinsey & Company, Katie was exposed to the forefront of innovation and strategy in a way that could only be described as transformative. She delved deep into the process of diagnosing and activating innovation within large corporations, a challenge that aligned perfectly with her analytical and process-driven approach to problem-solving.

Katie’s time at McKinsey significantly shaped her methodology in advising family offices, emphasizing the crucial integration of strategy, process, talent, and tools.

The Nash Impact: Fusing Legacy With Vision

If there’s any singular testament to Katie’s commitment to engineering and innovation, it’s Nash Impact. More than simply a consultancy, Nash Impact has been a way for her to honor her ancestral legacy while guiding founders and family offices ahead to a future of unlimited possibilities.

By focusing on generational transition dynamics and the pivotal role technology plays in scaling businesses, Katie ensures that family-owned businesses can remain competitive and innovative in a rapidly evolving landscape.

The Pillars: Strategy, Process, Talent, Tools

To systematize innovation in an organization, Katie’s focus is four pillars – setting a clear strategy, determining and aligning strategic processes, organizing the talent and building capabilities, while leveraging the tools that enable your talent to do their best work and your stakeholders to have the clear information.

She underpins this philosophy and approach with clear milestones and a culture of testing and learning. By identifying and maximizing talent and providing them with the right tools, Katie believes founders and family offices will ensure they achieve and surpass their strategic objectives.

Beyond Consulting: Building Futures

Growth and innovation. These things, above all, reflect Katie’s career journey from engineering to investment management and, ultimately, consulting. Through Nash Impact, she continues to guide founders and family offices, leveraging her vast experience to navigate the challenges of innovation, growth, and generational shifts.

Industry Changer: Shaping the Future of Family Offices

Katie’s career journey is a compelling narrative of how engineering rigor, financial savvy, and visionary thinking can redefine family office management. Through Nash Impact, she offers a roadmap for founders and family offices to successfully work through the complexities of today’s business world in a way that allows tradition and progress to peacefully coexist.

To learn more about how you can invest in Impact projects, contact the Return on Good team.