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My Sendero story: 10 years later

11/23/2021

by Susanne Turnbo, Jamie Cook, and Nate Steiner

Three different stories, backgrounds, and experiences; one thing in common. They all found something unique at Sendero: a place where they have found opportunities with an inclusive culture where people are valued, known, and truly put first. At Sendero, we believe the key to our company’s success can be attributed to a simple motto: Best People, Best Delivery.

We asked a few of Sendero’s long-term employees to take a trip down memory lane, reflect on their professional journey, and let us know why they chose to build a career at Sendero.

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Tell us about your story – how did you find Sendero? When did you join?

Susanne Turbo, Managing Director: After graduating college, I worked in industry for several years. Then on my first day at a new company, I met our founder, Bret Farrar. When my project ended, I left that company and joined Sendero in 2007 as the fourth employee. That decision was going to require taking a leap of faith and accepting some risk.

Ultimately, I realized there’s no way to know how these things are going to turn out. Someone gave me the advice to choose the path with people that I trusted, had integrity, and that I believed in. So, that’s what I did and it’s been almost 15 years now.

Jamie Cook, Senior Manager of Organizational & Learning Development: After looking through a very long list of companies coming to the Texas A&M Career Fair, I found Sendero’s website and was drawn to the strong core values. I went to the booth and met Ruth Farrar – this was back when even the COO attended career fairs – one of many hats she has worn! Her energy and passion for Sendero was evident, and I knew this was a company I wanted to work for. I went through the interview process and every employee I talked to was excited about both their work and contributing to a growing company.

I had just forwarded my mail to my parents’ house for the summer and my offer letter ended up in their mailbox several days later. My mom read it to me over the phone and then faxed me a copy – if this story doesn’t age me, I don’t know what does! I called to let them know I was thrilled to accept and was part of the first college start group in August 2009.

Nate Steiner, Senior Manager: My journey to Sendero started Fall 2007 when my employer at the time was undergoing significant organizational change as a result of being acquired by a public healthcare company. My manager at the time left and joined Sendero. I enjoyed working with him and trusted his judgment and was interested in what he had found at Sendero.

As I spoke to Bret, I was reflecting on my two prior startup experiences – one was successful, one failed. What was the difference? It boiled down to integrity of the leadership. In light of that, I was really interested in what motivated Bret to want to start and grow a company. Among many things we discussed, what I heard almost 14 years ago was, “Nate, three key reasons. One, I love consulting, but I am through with traveling, so I want to grow a local consulting firm. I want to work in the same city where I live and am raising my family. Second, I want a team-oriented culture, one where we are working together to achieve a common goal and are rewarded together for our achievements as a team. Finally, I want to develop a business model that is reproduceable in major U.S. markets.”

That is what I heard 14 years ago and is exactly what we have been working towards since I joined in 2008. There was a long-term vision, a confidence that it will work, and I wanted to help. I believed it could be a great place to grow my career long-term.

Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self when you first started at Sendero?

Susanne: There was a time when I felt like I had to emulate others to succeed. Eventually I learned that it’s better to apply the lessons you learn from others to a leadership style that is unique to you.

Jamie: Don’t compare yourself to your peers – everyone brings different strengths and experiences to the table, and yours are just as important as theirs. Being your authentic self is important. There’s no need to try to be like everyone else! Also, challenges and obstacles may feel like the end of the world early in your career, but you’ll look back at those moments and realize the growth and strength that comes from them.

Nate: Demonstrate ownership, take the right next step when stuck or unsure, communicate early and often, and embrace the journey because you are going to learn a lot!

What is your favorite Sendero memory?

Susanne: There was a day when champagne broke out in our old office. We did a spontaneous toast to celebrate a milestone. I don’t even remember what it was, but I remember how it felt. It reminds me how important it is to stop and celebrate the victories along the way. And also, to keep some champagne on hand because you just never know!

Jamie: The day I got the Organizational Development Manager job. There was a time period where I knew I wanted a career change, but I did not want to leave Sendero. After several months and guidance from mentors, the perfect role opened up that allowed me to focus on areas I am passionate about and support the growth and development of our people.

Nate: My favorite memory would have to be my first project, an SAP implementation for a large retail electric provider. It was my first experience in consulting and gave me great insight into the caliber of projects, clients, and people I would engage with.

My role expanded significantly during the course of the project, I onboarded a team of new college hires of various backgrounds into technical roles, and witnessed all of us focus on quality delivery for our client and support of each other throughout the project. My personal growth, the quality and growth of my Sendero team members, and support and encouragement of the firm are what I reflect upon, and it motivates me to continue to provide those same opportunities for our people and deliver similar great results for our clients.

What is one thing that gets you excited about the future of Sendero?

Susanne: Our growth as a company. After almost 15 years here, it could feel like the experience is already had. It doesn’t though, because so much of our story as a company hasn’t even been written yet. It’s that sense of possibility that is exciting to me.

Jamie: We are in such an exciting time in our growth as a company. I am blown away by the caliber of people we are hiring and excited about investing in our employees growth and development. We are embracing the positive aspects of work environment changes that came with the pandemic – including expanding to new markets – and keeping a focus on building meaningful connections across the firm. It’s easy to join in on the excitement of the future of Sendero – even after 12 years!

Nate: Bottom line – our people get me excited about the future of Sendero. I continue to be impressed with the caliber of people we hire and am equally impressed with our ability to do so at scale to help enable our growth (shout out to our Talent Acquisition team!) Our Internal Operations team continues to expand our capabilities as a firm through enabling formal and self-directed methods to expand knowledge and skills across practice areas, industries, and common tools/technologies. Our best years are ahead of us, and the sky is the limit, because of the people we hire and Sendero’s desire to unleash their potential.

To learn more about the people of Sendero, visit our Who We Are page.

“We are embracing the positive aspects of work environment changes that came with the pandemic – including expanding to new markets – and keeping a focus on building meaningful connections across the firm.” – Jamie Cook

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