Relationships are the glue that holds Installnet together. They strengthen our service provider network, help us deliver better results for customers, and shape our culture. Again and again, employees point to the people they work with and the relationships they have built as the best part of our company.

As Partnership Development Strategist, Jess White helps strengthen those connections. She listens closely, addresses challenges directly, and finds solutions that help service providers, Installnet, and our customers succeed together.

Meet: Jess White
Role: Partnership Development Strategist
Time with Installnet: Almost four years

Tell us about your career path at Installnet.
Before joining Installnet, I was actually a customer. Emma Ziegler was the project manager assigned to our account, and BJ Diamond was our account manager. I was impressed by them as people and by the processes and structure Installnet had in place. Everything seemed designed to set the project up for success.

When I was ready to make a change, I approached Installnet. I started as a project manager and gradually took on larger and larger projects. Soon after, the Partnership Development Strategist position opened. It was a great fit because it allowed me to combine my operational experience with my love of working with people.

What does a Partnership Development Strategist do?
It’s really a fancy title for enhancing relationships. I try to visit as many service providers as possible each year. When I travel, I may meet with two or three companies in one day. We review their performance from the previous year, look at year-to-date metrics and discuss feedback from our project managers. Just as importantly, I ask service providers what Installnet can do to improve their experience and better prepare them for success. Ultimately, we are working together to give the customer a great experience.

What does a typical workday look like?
It depends on the time of year. During planning for conference, my days can be meetings, meetings, meetings. Then, it’s about finding time to complete the work between them. I probably spend 50% to 75% of an average week on calls.

When I travel, I try to make the most of every trip. I target specific areas where I can drive between service providers or take a short flight to the next location. Those face-to-face conversations help us strengthen relationships and better understand each company.

What do you enjoy most about your role?
The people. Everything I do is focused on people. If I’m not working directly with a service provider, I’m usually collaborating with someone internally or helping others using my operations background. This year, I shadowed every member of our operations team. As a remote employee, it gave me the opportunity to build relationships with people I don’t see in person regularly. It also allowed me to collaborate with team leads and identify best practices, bottlenecks, and opportunities to improve our processes. It was a big lift, but it helped me better understand our teams and how we can work together.

What skill are you most proud of using at work?
I joke that I am a professional conflict resolver. Conflict is never comfortable, but I have learned to put myself in both parties’ shoes, gather the information, and help everyone determine how to move forward. One of Installnet’s values is being solution-driven, and that is especially important during a conflict. If everyone stays focused on who did what wrong, nothing changes. When you shift the conversation toward finding a solution and moving forward positively, it changes the experience for everyone.

Who at Installnet has inspired or mentored you?
There are several people. Jenny Levendusky is an incredible human being, and I don’t think she realizes how remarkable she is! Christine Tolbert was my team lead when I started, and I still talk with her every week, even though our roles no longer overlap directly. I admire how genuinely she cares about people and about making Installnet the best it can be. My teammates, Julie Petry and Sandi Chapman, also bring so much knowledge and experience to the table. We complement one another well. I bring the operations perspective, while they bring deep knowledge of Installnet and our service provider network.

What is your favorite Installnet tradition?
I love the crab feast. I have flown in from Texas for the past two, and it is such a relaxed way for everyone to spend time together outside of work. Some people sit with their teams, while others mingle across the company. As a Texan, I don’t get blue crabs very often, so I eat as many as I can!

I also love Installnet’s Service Provider Conference because it brings our entire network together. It really does feel like a massive family reunion. Many providers have known one another for 10 or 20 years. When everyone is together, there is a special sense of camaraderie. Seeing the network Dale Ewing has built and how much it means to him is incredibly moving. It’s something to be proud of.

What does life look like outside of work?
My husband and I have a senior in high school and a 2-year-old, so we are experiencing two very different stages of parenting at once.

We also get married in a different state every year. When my husband proposed, he told me he wanted to marry me in all 50 states. Each year on our anniversary, we travel to a new state, exchange vows and record them. This year, we went to North Carolina. It’s one of my favorite traditions.

We recently purchased land where we plan to build a homestead ourselves, and I am also serving as a surrogate, with the baby due in November. When we have downtime, we enjoy boating and fishing in our lake community, attending concerts and going country dancing, which is how my husband and I met. I also love cooking for my family every day. We stay busy, but I wouldn’t know what to do if we didn’t!

Great projects start with great people. Connect with us to learn more.