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Harrison Yeager
Former CEO, exploring new opportunities
Harrison Yeager is a seasoned technology professional with more than a decade of experience in business operations. He has provided data-driven insights and strategies to support sales, marketing, service, product, human resources, and financial teams. Yeager has worked with SaaS companies of varying sizes, from those with $1M in annually recurring revenue to those with $100M. Yeager graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Finance. He currently serves as the Vice President of Operations at Stoplight and was formerly an Advisor at data.world. Yeager has also worked as a Host at Memory Tracks Podcast and as Head of Operations and Sr. Director of Operations at Kazoo HR. Additionally, Yeager has experience as Director of Revenue Operations at Umbel, Sales Operations Manager at Spredfast and Mass Relevance, and Marketing Operations Manager and Associate at Bazaarvoice. Before entering the tech industry, Yeager worked as a Realtor Assistant at Moreland Properties and New Line Records Intern at New Line Cinema.
Highlights
At this time last year I was hard at work with my incredible Stoplight (a SmartBear Company) leadership team in completing diligence for our acquisition by SmartBear. As I reflect on that period, the time that came before, and the time that came after, I'm filled with gratitude.
My journey over these last five years has been full of growth, excitement, and challenges. None of it would have been possible without the talented employees, experienced advisors and board members, and supportive leaders I had the good fortune of working with. Far too many names to tag, but if you spent any time working with Stoplight, know that you had a significant impact on our story. I send you my sincerest appreciation and applaud all that you and our team accomplished. I often told new hires that "this probably isn't your first job, and it likely won't be your last, but it's my desire that it is your best job." This has proven to be true for me.
After the acquisition, I had the opportunity to work with many folks across SmartBear, supporting M&A activity, corporate initiatives, and business operations. I'm grateful to those who welcomed me to the team and for giving me a seat at the table to impact such a rich portfolio of developer software solutions.
In recent months, I found myself missing the dynamics of the early stage company – the innovation, team building, and experimentation involved in doubling or tripling revenue year over year. I am motivated by the pursuit of excellence and creating delight for new and existing customers. But I also recognized that I needed a break. Thus, I made the decision to leave SmartBear, taking these summer months off for some reflection and recharging.
I've been fortunate to have connected with numerous companies, firms, and entrepreneurs in search of a new opportunity. Thank you to all who have spent time speaking with me and offering up your network. I'm patiently exploring my next steps while also taking time for personal growth and care. I'm not the only one making changes – let me know if you're looking for engineering talent or others that I can connect you with from the Stoplight era.
One final group to acknowledge. For anyone reading this as a former, current, or future customer of Stoplight (or SmartBear, too!), thank YOU. Without you believing in our solutions and teams, there wouldn't have been any of this!
Stoplight has been recognized by G2 as a leader in the Fall 2022 API Design Grid yet again, where we've seen our momentum grow with more and more users adopting the design-first strategy for API programs. Few things are more validating for a company than having customers champion your solution as one that addresses real needs while making a measurable impact on their business.
https://lnkd.in/dm3iF8uG
If your team is looking to transform the way they do APIs, consider what's possible with a platform like Stoplight. I'd be happy to connect you with a member of our team to learn more!
