NICE TO MEET YOU

I'm Jeremy Rivers

Story

In my early twenties I experienced the harm caused by good ideas, with good strategies, implemented with weak work practices. Notions of “purpose”, “faith”, and “passion” were used to justify gaps in skill and poor oversight, leading to dysfunctional cracks in the culture. Those cracks allowed over-spiritualized, over-idealized mindsets to give way to a toxic approach to work. My wife and I experienced the fallout firsthand, facing mistreatment that nearly shattered our faith. Because of this, we vowed never to work for a faith-based organization again. Be careful of the promises you make in haste and pain.  

Years later I was given the chance to lead a faith-based non-profit with the role of leading the operations and team. I accepted, anxious and determined to not repeat past mistakes. Drawing on my experiences, I researched and implemented best practices from smart people to build a healthy, high-performing team and culture. Over eight years, we refined this approach and developed a model for an adaptable, effective, and purpose-driven operation that could thrive under wild circumstances.

As COO, I led the operational strategy and team culture as we grew from a team of 3 employees to 45, across 10 departments inside a complex 8-figure non-profit. As our work was set in the college international travel industry we found ourselves navigating and adapting around challenges to our business such as the global pandemic and the recent Israel/Hamas war. In those eight years, we successfully sent over 11,000 young leaders on life-changing experiences to the Holy Land. 

We accomplished things I will be proud of for the rest of my life. At the top of the list is the operation we ran. An operation with amazing people that I’m proud to call friends today. We tackled unscripted challenges relentlessly and punched far above our weight. 

It was the ride of a lifetime, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.

I learned a lot through these two significant chapters of my life. Right at the top of that education was, “If you’re not keeping the score, you're just playing games.” Playing games with your time, your money, your people, your talents, and your purpose.

Experience

Today I am an executive coach certified through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the John Maxwell Company, with leadership and business strategy certificates from Harvard, MIT, and the University of Illinois on how to implement strategies and measure performance.

Before stepping into executive leadership, I served as a Student Pastor for five years as an ordained minister and owned a small fitness business. I’ve experienced firsthand the stress and pressures of not having enough time and money, juggling endless responsibilities, and holding the weight of it all.

My professional services and coaching focuses on two key areas: operational effectiveness and building strong teams to address these tensions. I help leaders develop sustainable and effective approaches to leading their work and teams by aligning clear visions with actionable day-to-day plans and measurable outcomes.  

Wishing you the best,
Jeremy