40 Stories: Jim Schriver of Tech Growth Strategies

It’s not easy to succeed in business, especially for companies that have found themselves trapped in a closed-minded thought bubble. Fortunately, there are consultants like Jim Schriver of Tech Growth Strategies who can help with attracting more customers, clarifying brand messaging, and increasing revenue.

The Tech Council’s Jonathan Kersting recently spoke with Schriver about his background, the companies that he coaches, and where he sees Pittsburgh’s tech sector moving forward:

JK: Tell me a bit about yourself.

SCHRIVER: I have 30 years of experience in high tech, figuring out how to productize technology. I’ve had a lot of success in my career and I’ve had some failures, but I have a great body of knowledge that I’m excited to bring to the Pittsburgh marketplace. I’ve seen so many brilliant engineers and scientists who couldn’t figure out how to connect with end users or tell their stories. I think that I can really help them with that.

JK: Do you work with just startups or companies at all stages?

SCHRIVER: In the past year, I’ve worked with two distinct types of companies. There are the cool startups with great ideas or products that are looking for ways to unlock their potential and help the marketplace understand what they have. The other type are the more established companies that have done well, and then hit a rough patch. They’ve seen some disruption or market shift, and they don’t quite know what to do.

JK: What are your thoughts on tech moving forward here in Pittsburgh?

SCHRIVER: It has been fun to watch Pittsburgh over the last 25-30 years. We have such a vibrant technology community; it’s the universities, it’s our workforce, it’s smart people with great ideas. We have a great work ethic here, so whether it’s robotics, medical, or AI, I see Pittsburgh offering a lot of great things.

JK: Why did you join the Pittsburgh Technology Council?

SCHRIVER: I’ve been involved with the Tech Council for 20+ years at different levels in different jobs I’ve had in the past. I attended your events and found that they were of very high quality. You’re connecting bright people in different areas to produce a positive outcome. When I launched my company last year, you were one of the first places I visited because of the quality that you represent and the connections that you make for people.