Our Next Chapter As A We
We’ve never been especially interested in the expected way of doing things. Titles, org charts, press releases—they have their place, but they rarely capture the why behind the moments that matter most.
This is one of those moments.
After years of partnership, collaboration, and friendship, we’re stepping into something new—together.
We first met before SGNL even existed—during a moment of national crisis and cultural reckoning. Jen, then at SYPartners, was helping lead the design and delivery of a one-day experience for over 8,000 Starbucks stores and 175,000 employees following a racially charged incident in Philadelphia. Denise, as SVP of U.S. Operations, wasn’t just a critical partner—the work simply wouldn’t have happened without her. We were two sides of the same coin: holding complexity with care, leading from clarity, and walking the line between operational precision and deep human truth.
That work sparked something bigger: trust, alignment, and a friendship rooted in a shared belief that business can be a force for humanity.
Years later, after more projects and many late-night strategy calls, it became clear—we didn’t just like working together. We made each other better. So now, we’re building SGNL together. With courage, curiosity, and a lot of joy.
And instead of telling you what that means in a headline or press release, we decided to tell you like we’d tell a friend—through conversation. Below, we’ve reflected on a few questions we’ve been asking ourselves (and each other) along the way.
We know this kind of partnership doesn’t happen every day. It’s rare to find someone who shares your values, challenges your thinking, and makes the work feel more like purpose than obligation. We’re not just joining forces—we’re choosing to build a firm rooted in trust, truth, and transformation.
SGNL has always stood for signal over noise. For what matters most in the moments that feel most complex. And now, with both of us at the helm, we’re even more ready to help leaders, teams, and organizations move with clarity toward what’s next.
We’re so glad you’re with us. The next chapter begins now.
In partnership, in purpose, and with a whole lot of joy,
Why now? Why this partnership at this moment in your lives and the life of SGNL?
Denise: Sometimes the universe moves before you do. For a while, I’d been feeling the pull toward something new, something that lets me help people grow into what's possible, not just run the business. And when this space opened up in my life, the idea of building something with Jen felt like alignment, not chance.
Jen: Yeah, it really felt like the universe conspired in our favor. We first came together during a time of crisis at Starbucks, and while that could’ve been a one-off moment, we kept finding our way back to each other. Every time we collaborated, it just worked. So when you hinted you might be thinking about a new chapter, I had to shoot my shot. It felt bold and fated, and so right for where SGNL is after five years. We've built the foundation. Now, we’re ready to evolve.
What drew you to one another, and how did you know it would work?
Jen: From the start, there was something rare in how we worked together. We’re both rooted in deep expertise, but we move through the world with openness and creativity. We love structure and soul. We challenge each other in the best ways. And maybe most importantly, we trust each other enough to take big bets, to be vulnerable, to grow.
Denise: I’ve always admired how Jen brings calm to chaos, how she listens, leads with belief, and creates space for transformation. That kind of energy is rare. And we both carry a philosophy of abundance, not just materially, but in how we think about people, ideas, and opportunity. We’ve come from traditional systems, but we’ve never let those systems limit us. That tension, between honoring what works and reimagining what’s possible, is where the magic lives.
What does SGNL mean to each of you, and how do you see it evolving?
Denise: To me, SGNL represents the courage to build differently, to lead with humanity and rigor. It’s a platform for impact, not just on clients, but on the way work works. My hope is that SGNL helps shape a future where business becomes more human, more imaginative, and more true.
Jen: Yes, and we’re creating the space for that reimagining. Work takes up over a third of our lives, and most of it happens in spaces that weren’t built for real people. SGNL is our way of asking: What if it could be different? What if care, clarity, and creativity were seen as strategy? We're not just building a consultancy. We're building a model for what work could feel like and mean.
What are you most excited to build together?
Jen: Honestly? A firm that’s unmistakably ours. That brings rigor and soul, edge and care. I’m excited to build with someone who values the process just as much as the outcome. Someone who sees the systems and the people inside them, and wants to transform both.
Denise: I’m excited about the possibility. We’re combining our experience to do something more expansive, less traditional, more impactful. I think we’ll create work that not only serves clients but also helps move the world forward. That feels like a calling more than a job.
What’s the one thing you want people to feel when they work with SGNL?
Denise: Unleashed. Emboldened. Safe. Seen. Like they can bring their authentic selves, and be challenged to grow into even more of who they are.
Jen: Yes, and I’d add: possible. I want people to feel that we bring contrast, that we offer a different perspective that helps them imagine new ways of being, leading, and creating. But I also want people to know: this isn’t easy work. It takes time, intentionality, and care. We’re not here for shortcuts. We’re here for the real thing.