Suggestions
Sims
Director of Product - Founder, Professor, and ex Swimmer at Florida State
JR Sims is a seasoned product manager known for his experience in taking products from concept to market, focusing on revenue growth and customer satisfaction. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, effective communication, and achieving meaningful outcomes, he thrives in uncertain environments and excels in problem-solving and interdepartmental cooperation.
JR Sims dedicated 4.5 years to leading Product at Bevy, a B2B community-building platform catering to prominent clients like Google, Salesforce, and Figma. Notable achievements include spearheading the development of Bevy Virtual, a bespoke event platform that transformed community gatherings during the COVID era, securing $40 million in series C funding for Bevy, and significantly expanding the company to over 220 employees.
Having pursued a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Business Administration from Florida State University, JR Sims combines academic rigor with practical industry experience to drive product excellence.
Industry roles held by JR Sims include Director of Product Management at Bevy, Adjunct Professor at Florida State University, Chapter Director at Startup Grind, Founder of HighLik Aerials, LLC, former staff member of the Florida State University Swimming & Diving Team, and an AppleCare Advisor at Apple.
Driven by a passion for innovation and a desire to make a tangible impact, JR Sims is actively seeking new opportunities to further his career as a dynamic product manager and a visionary leader. He is on the lookout for roles that offer autonomy, substantial business influence, and the chance to collaborate with a mentorship-worthy team and leadership.
Highlights
🚨I'm building a peer group of product leaders in Seattle. I'm looking for 2 more people to join, with our first meeting in June.
Interested or know someone who might be? Send me a message!
Format:
- 4 to 6 people - meeting monthly.
- A group chat to connect and collaborate in between.
- Open agenda, sourced from the group - possible topics: PM best practices, leadership, building teams, etc.
Goals:
- Share learnings, celebrate successes, and triage challenges.
- Offer perspective, support, and peer feedback.
- Build a local, tight-knit product community.
You'd be committing to:
- Attend monthly.
- Actively engage in the group chat discussion.
#productmanagement #seattle
Some news... I'm hunting for my next product role! Here's a reflection on how I got here and what I'm aiming for next:
After 4.5 years leading Product & more at Bevy, I took the last few months off to enjoy some personal time & recharge. It's been a nice reset, especially after all the growth, challenges, and accomplishments.
As one of the early team members at Bevy, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the company's strategy and direction. My leadership skills were tested as I worked cross-functionally, managed complex initiatives, and made tough decisions that ultimately led to the successful launch of several innovative products.
A special thank you to Derek Andersen, Alex Bendig, Joel Fernandes, my teams, all of my colleagues, and our customers - a special time & place with exceptional people. I'm so proud of and grateful for all we accomplished together & continue rooting for you!
What's next? I'm starting my search now! If you're looking to hire a product leader, know of #productmanagement roles available, or think there's someone I should meet, drop me a line!
Some things I'm interested in:
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Role: product positions - open to both IC and leadership roles
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Industries: SaaS, health/fitness, travel, AI, Science, Education, or mostly anything technology-related. I'm open-minded as long as I can see the impact!
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Stage: Any! I've founded a startup, worked with single-digit teams scaling to hundreds, and worked at companies with tens of thousands. I'm most comfortable working with product teams and customers, building company culture, and solving challenging problems.
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Location: Remote or local to Seattle. I'd love to find something with co-workers/offices nearby, but I have worked remotely for the last few years.
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Wildcards: Advisory roles & consulting - I started working with a few companies in my spare time. It's an honor and lots of fun! If you want product expertise, let's talk.
I'm open-minded and casting a wide net, so send it my way if you think something is interesting!
Message me here or email me at [email protected].
