Communicator Spotlight: Jennifer Beugelmans, Groupon's CCO
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Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photo credit: Groupon
Jennifer Beugelmans is an investor relations pro turned chief communications officer for the e-commerce deals platform, Groupon.
Why it matters: Understanding the finances and business behind the brand is key to successful messaging, especially during times of economic uncertainty.
📍How she got here: Beugelmans got her start on Wall Street before overseeing investor relations at Etsy, Dollar General and Groupon.
🏗 How it’s structured: As chief communications officer, she oversees internal communications, public relations and social responsibility, as well as investor relations.
- "I have structured my teams to be very collaborative and for there to be some overlap — which not only provides for the opportunity for people on my team to pick up additional skills, but it also ensures that our external and internal stories are synched."
🌡 Hardest days at work: "I had this situation at Etsy where we did our first ever [staff] reduction, and just recently, we've had to do two rounds here at Groupon."
- "When you're communicating these situations, obviously you're bound by legalities and sometimes you won't have all the right answers, but leading with authenticity and being as transparent as possible has been the most important guiding light as we've communicated these tough decisions."
- "I think we tend to overlook how sharing layoff announcements can affect communicators. I try to make sure my team is taken care of. ... I know it's hard to deliver this news, so I want them to know how much I appreciate them."
🎶 De-stress routine: Walking her dogs or enjoying live music in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives.
- Recent concerts include: The Lumineers, Stevie Nicks and local musician Todd Snider.
⛵️ Motivation: As the oldest daughter of seven children, "I always wanted to pave a way for my sisters, especially as a Black woman."
- "It wasn't always easy to show up in places where you didn't see anyone else who looked like you — and I wanted to show my sisters that you can go after things that you want and achieve it. They've been the wind in my sails for a long time."
- And that big sister energy has influenced how she manages her team. "My teams know I'm so vested in their success, but I also want to get to know them as humans. ... They get tons of unsolicited advice."
📈 Trend spot: The rise of authenticity over corporate speak.
📱Favorite apps: Candy Crush, Gchat and Groupon, of course.
🧠 Best advice: "Understand the business so you can have confidence in what you're communicating."
