Jennifer L. Grybowski

Jennifer L. Grybowski

Writer. Editor.

About Me

I am a New England-based journalist, writer, and editor who has been working in the industry for 20 years. I hold a BA in Communications, a MFA in Creative Writing and an Online Teaching of Writing Certificate.  Learn more about how my key skills can help your business.

My digital portfolio below includes Profiles, Case Studies, Marketing and Web Content, Blog Posts, Business News, Community News, and Book Reviews. Learn more about my editing portfolio here. 

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Profiles

Providence Business News •

A business opportunity Collinson just couldn’t let go to waste

Want to share this story? Click Here to purchase a link that allows anyone to read it on any device whether or not they are a subscriber. Think about any dirty, feces-related joke, and Cassie Collinson guarantees she has heard it. “People find out what I do and like to tell me jokes,” she said. “It doesn’t bother me.” That’s because Collinson is the owner of Cassie’s Cans Inc., a port-a-potty rental company for construction sites, based in the South Kingstown village…
Ivy Exec Blog •

From Human Resources to Social Entrepreneurship with the HEC Paris Executive MBA

Rachel has always worked with people—mostly at corporations. But after earning her EMBA at HEC Paris, she is following her passion and launching her own company: Tinywork. It is France’s first network of co-working spaces with childcare, dedicated to teleworkers in lower-income neighborhoods. It was important to Rachel to find a way to offer on-site childcare and professional services to help struggling parents maintain their jobs, secure a return to work, and improve their employability. Rach
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Story Nick Slocum

The Slocum team has received a whopping 1,598 leads through Accelerator. They’ve spent about $12,500 so far, and have seen a $7.77 total CPL (cost-per-lead) across all advertising channels, including Google, Facebook, and Adroll. In fact, due to the success, he’s seen with Accelerator, combined with the recent changes at Zillow, Slocum said he’s now pouring his resources into Curaytor. “We were pretty big with Zillow and had good success over the years,” he said. “But we’ve recently ended our
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Story Jordan Rossman

He also knew that the difference between being a successful solo agent and a successful team is consistent lead generation and lead follow up. That's what led him to Accelerator. “Accelerator has allowed us to generate good leads with automation for our team,” he said. “I’m not spending time generating leads or worrying about how to generate them. I can coach instead.” It’s that aspect of completely hands-off lead generation opportunities that have transformed Rossman’s business. “It’s hands-
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Story Samuel Park

The program has been successful for Park, it allowed him the scale he was searching for, and he has expanded his business into a brokerage. “As soon as we had the right systems in place, I went completely hands off,” he said. “I went into more of the brokering and coaching side, making sure my agents were getting the support and training they needed to be successful with the Accelerator program.” To get the most out of the program, Park suggests taking the time to create the tasks within the f
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Story Samuel Park

The program has been successful for Park, it allowed him the scale he was searching for, and he has expanded his business into a brokerage. “As soon as we had the right systems in place, I went completely hands off,” he said. “I went into more of the brokering and coaching side, making sure my agents were getting the support and training they needed to be successful with the Accelerator program.” To get the most out of the program, Park suggests taking the time to create the tasks within the f
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Story Jordan Rossman

He also knew that the difference between being a successful solo agent and a successful team is consistent lead generation and lead follow up. That's what led him to Accelerator. “Accelerator has allowed us to generate good leads with automation for our team,” he said. “I’m not spending time generating leads or worrying about how to generate them. I can coach instead.” It’s that aspect of completely hands-off lead generation opportunities that have transformed Rossman’s business. “It’s hands-
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Story Nick Slocum

The Slocum team has received a whopping 1,598 leads through Accelerator. They’ve spent about $12,500 so far, and have seen a $7.77 total CPL (cost-per-lead) across all advertising channels, including Google, Facebook, and Adroll. In fact, due to the success, he’s seen with Accelerator, combined with the recent changes at Zillow, Slocum said he’s now pouring his resources into Curaytor. “We were pretty big with Zillow and had good success over the years,” he said. “But we’ve recently ended our
Curaytor •

Accelerator Success Robert Dombrowsky

Robert Dombrowsky has been an agent for 36 years, and hes' good at what he does. This fall, he decided to try something new with Accelerator for lead generation and found it has been a pretty big change in the way he does business. “For a long time I ran my business right out of email and text message,” he said. “Now I run it right out of Chime. Having a central location with all of the leads and follow-ups helps me to stay on top of all of my clients. Every client I get goes into Chime and I us
Ivy Exec Blog •

Gaining a Global Business Perspective: How an EMBA Helped Ramendra Pratap Singh Land His Dream Career Switch

Ramendra Pratap Singh has had a successful career working as a hospitality professional with Indian branches of global firms. In fact, he was previously named General Manager of the Year by both Hotelier India and the International Society for Hospitality Education. While he appreciated his success, he was ready for a new challenge. “At some … Continued
Providence Business News •

Building a future in construction

R.I. Department of Labor and Training Director Scott Jensen says the decision by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo to allow the construction industry to remain open during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial to the industry. “If you don’t close, you don’t have a hard time starting back up,” Jensen said. It was also important to the overall economy in a state that saw its unemployment rate jump from 4.7% in March to 18.1% in April and 16.4% in May, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistic
Ivy Exec Blog •

An Investment in Herself: How an EMBA Helped Manon Frappier Reinvent Her Career

Manon Frappier’s 30-year career in the fashion industry, most recently as Senior Vice President of Design at Calvin Klein, had been a successful one. But when she lost her job along with many others at the company, Frappier decided to pivot and to move from the creative side of things to the business end. As an experienced professional looking for a new path, an Executive MBA from HEC Paris was the key to that transition. “I’ve always been very attracted to the numbers side of things,” she said
Ivy Exec Blog •

From Paris to Nashville: How an EMBA Helped Julie Sellers to "Ellevate" Her Career as an Entrepreneur

After successful career ventures in Boston and London, three years ago Julie Sellers decided to pack up her family and open her own business in Nashville, Tennessee. She’s never been happier; in fact, she said creating her own business is the best decision she has ever made. “It is so clear I’m doing what I was meant to be doing,” Sellers said. “My EMBA pushed me along to do this. There has not been one moment when I’ve been like, ‘What if I stayed at a corporation?’ or ‘Did I do the right thi
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Marketing/Web Content/Blog Posts

Joveo •

Diversity Recruiting: Not Just Another Box on Your Recruitment Checklist

There’s more to diversity recruiting than posting ads on diversity job sites Once you are happy with your ad, make sure it is reaching the right people by distributing it across diversity and niche job sites. Some general diversity job sites include PowerToFly, DiversityJobs, Diversity Working, and Professional Diversity Network. More specific ones include All Hispanic Jobs, Disability Solutions, Black Career Network, VeteranJobs.net, AARP, Ability Jobs.com, AsianHires.com, The Mom Project, Fai
Ivy Exec Blog •

Preparing Business Leaders for Excellence at Wharton

Known internationally as one of the top business school programs, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania offers its Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree in two different formats, both full-time and its Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) program. The advantages of earning a business degree are numerous: It can lead to a new job or promotion, increase your salary, develop both your analytical and strategic thinking, as well as soft and transferable skills,
Curaytor •

19 Best ISAs For Real Estate Agents

But without those calls – without that lead qualification and incoming lead follow-up – you risk missing out on new business and keeping your pipeline full. This is especially true if you are paying for leads through a lead generation service, like Accelerator. An Inside Sales Agent (ISA) can help you keep up. Making hundreds of phone calls a day takes a lot of time and effort. In fact, according to TeleNet and Ovation Sales Group, in 2007 it took 3.68 cold call attempts to reach a prospect. To
Skilled Trades Partners •

STP All-Star!

Sheet metal mechanic Adrian has been with STP since December 2020. He is always on time, is very reliable and loyal, and works very well both independently and as part of a large team. Adrian was a sheet metal worker with a large mechanical contractor for 15 years before being laid off as a result of COVID. He’s worked on hundreds of different job sites in Connecticut, including a two-floor renovation at Hartford Hospital. “I did a lot,” he said (He’s a man of few words😊). When Adrian immigrat
Ivy Exec Blog •

Incorporating CSR into a World-Class EMBA Program

Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not a new concept, it is certainly one that continues to gain traction in leadership meetings across most industries. In fact, 80% of the world’s 250 largest companies actively issue CSR reports on their efforts toward sustainability and many more companies incorporate CSR into their operational strategies. Sometimes, this planning aims to reduce negative social and environmental impacts the company creates, and sometimes it simply aims to make t
Skilled Trades Partners •

STP All-Star

Electrician Baylen M. is a Midwestern transplant that has been with STP since November. He is a leader on any site, takes real pride in his work, and never misses a day. Currently, he is wiring a six-story apartment complex in Maine. Baylen is a third-generation electrician and is proud to be carrying on the family tradition. He also genuinely enjoys what he does. “I love that there has never been more than a week of the same work,” he said. “It never gets stale. There is always something to le
Skilled Trades Partners •

Girls Rule!

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, a day that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women as well as marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality, we’re focusing on women in construction. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 1.1 million women were employed in construction at the end of 2018, which translates to roughly 10% of the construction industry; 44% of them were in management roles, 28% were in sales and
Ivy Exec Blog •

When You're Tired of Staying Strong: Avoiding Fatigue in a Long Job Search

Covid-19 has disrupted our lives in many ways, and the way we search for jobs and the current economic climate are no exceptions. The nation went from near full employment to record numbers of layoff and furloughs in just a few short months. Between a saturated unemployment market and rapid changes in the ways companies do business, people have been facing longer and longer job searches while the world grapples to regain its footing. It’s easy to get demotivated or disillusioned, but our career
Ivy Exec Blog •

How These Centuries Old Brands Updated Their Marketing

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that only 30 percent of new businesses make it to 10 years or more. So what does it take for a brand to survive and thrive for 100 years or even more? Undoubtedly, these brands have faced all kinds of changes and challenges through the years, and have had to employ clever and resourceful marketing strategies to stay relevant. So how do these iconic brands stay successful? Carhartt began in a small Detroit loft in 1889 and is now a leader in durable
Skilled Trades Partners •

The "main" thing at STP

In the midst of the pandemic, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has become a buzz phrase. But PPE is something our industry has always had to think about. The biggest advantage of PPE is to proactively fight against injuries, and safety is really the most important part of what we do. Our main goal at Skilled Trades Partners (STP) is to get our tradesmen and women home from work safe every single day – no injury is acceptable. But there are other reasons to ensure proper PPE usage:
Ivy Exec Blog •

Is Your Tech Helping or Hindering Your Team?

As a business leader and decision maker, you are in a unique position to perform a tech audit because you are already intimately aware of what your current technology is and what your needs are. Don’t be afraid of technology; it’s more about knowing what you want to accomplish. Unfortunately, a lot of people view “technology” as being a magic bullet. It’s become a buzz phrase to “leverage new technology to improve….” If you understand technology has limitations though, you can start to unpack w
Ivy Exec Blog •

It's Fixable: Reputation Management When You Make an Error

Everyone makes mistakes. But what if the mistake you made costs you your reputation? Maybe you made a social media gaffe, said something inappropriate, or someone found out you were hiding something. Maybe you violated company policy, had a conflict with a coworker, or reported out incorrect information. Whether you’ve made a mistake at work or in your personal life that will affect you at work. Sometimes, the best course of action is to consult a professional. But for smaller mistakes, there
Ivy Exec Blog •

How to Track Your Career Performance (And Why You Should)

The benefits of self-performance tracking are numerous. It broadens your soft skills, keeps you motivated, spurs on personal growth and development and ensures you are meeting your goals. But tracking your own performance can also have another benefit: You can use your tracking data to leverage career growth. Tracking self-performance will not only make you feel accomplished, but will maximize career rewards. According to Bruce Tulgan, founder and CEO of RainmakerThinking, Inc. and author of th
Ivy Exec Blog •

Be Memorable for the Hiring Team Using These Novelist-Approved Storytelling Techniques

You may have heard the saying that people don’t remember what you said, they remember how you made them feel. In a job interview it’s no different. One of the greatest interview skills you can develop is storytelling. “I think the best stories always end up being about the people rather than the event, which is to say character-driven.” — Stephen King People connect through stories. Jen Morris, Executive Career Coach and Job Search Strategist, says that in addition to making a connection, you
Ivy Exec Blog •

3 Things Leaders Can Do to Help Reduce Quarantine Fatigue

Isolation or quarantine fatigue are serious problems for today’s workforce. According to a survey by Monster.com, over two-thirds of employees are experiencing quarantine fatigue and burnout symptoms while working from home. That is up almost 20 percent from a similar survey in early May. The numbers are unsurprising, as most employees were thrust into new working situations, sometimes taking on new and different responsibilities, without much preparation. Now, nearly nine months into the pande
Ivy Exec Blog •

Veterans Share Their Secrets to Business Success

This Veterans Day, IvyExec decided to ask veterans-turned-executives what qualities and skills they attained in the military that other business leaders can learn from. A successful military revolves around teams. According to George Randle, EF Overwatch Managing Partner and co-author of the book The Talent War: How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent and US Army veteran, having a deep understanding and appreciation for teamwork and team operations is a quality that has ser
Ivy Exec Blog •

Workplace Trauma Triggered

Scores of people have used the pandemic to reassess their lives, and leaving toxic workplaces has been high on their priority lists. But a toxic workplace can leave a lasting mark, and even in a new job and company you may find yourself “triggered” by previous experiences. Workplace trauma is very real and it can take some deliberate efforts to heal from a hostile environment. According to Dale Sokoloff, Harvard trained clinical psychologist and co-founder of DKS Consulting Group, a trigger is
Ivy Exec Blog •

Picking Up the Pinterest Pieces: What Went Wrong and How You Can Protect Your Company

The former COO of Pinterest is currently suing the company for work discrimination. In a blog post on Medium, Francoise Brougher alleges she was fired for “speaking out about the rampant discrimination, hostile work environment, and misogyny that permeates Pinterest.” She says she was excluded from conversations, meetings and conferences. She also found her vesting schedule was significantly lower than her male counterpart. And she says she was criticized for her communication style and challen
Ivy Exec Blog •

Online Learning Opportunities to Develop Your Career

Online learning has increased in popularity in recent years. But during the pandemic, not only has the number of people taking online courses risen, course offerings have soared. With an online course, the benefits include a flexible learning schedule, often lower cost and ability to learn from anywhere. The sheer volume of online learning platforms available can be dizzying, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. There are free and online paid courses and tutorials, all kinds of leade
Ivy Exec Blog •

How to Make an Impact as a Mentor

Mentors have vast wisdom and experience to offer those coming up in their fields, but it’s important to make sure that the career advice you give is actually relevant and useful. There are 3 basic principles for cultivating a great mentor/mentee relationship. • Make sure your advice is relevant • Create a relationship of depth • Listen carefully and ask the right questions With these principles in mind, here’s how to make an impact as a mentor, even if you and your mentee come from different backgrounds, generations, or even p
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Business News

News

Providence Business News •

Building a future in construction

R.I. Department of Labor and Training Director Scott Jensen says the decision by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo to allow the construction industry to remain open during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial to the industry. “If you don’t close, you don’t have a hard time starting back up,” Jensen said. It was also important to the overall economy in a state that saw its unemployment rate jump from 4.7% in March to 18.1% in April and 16.4% in May, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistic
Community Advocate •

Westborough residents invited to try new ride-share service

Westborough – For at least the next nine months, Westborough residents will have the opportunity to try out a new public transit program – Via- that can bring them to any destination within a 12 mile span in the greater Westborough region. The Massachusetts Department of Transit recently awarded $460,000 in funding to the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) to launch the program in Westborough as a pilot program that will run now through May 2021.
Community Advocate •

Westborough Police Chief says its 'imperative' department hire more officers

Westborough – Westborough Police Chief Jeffrey Lourie came to the Board of Selectmen Oct. 7 to ask for support on a Town Meeting article funding a seven-month police officer position. However, he asked for much more than that. Lourie reminded selectmen that the staffing study, which was completed last spring, recommended his department hire seven officers immediately just to deal with the call volume. Those staffing needs were put off due to the pandemic, but Lourie said his need for staff is m
Community Advocate •

Westborough officials decide to push fate of town seal to future meeting

Westborough – The fall Town Meeting will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. at Westborough High School. And although there will be a number of things presented to the voters that day, one thing that will not be on the warrant is the fate of the town seal. That decision was made during the Oct. 6 Board of Selectmen’s meeting. That seal has been under fire over the past few months due to the fact it displays a cotton gin, which was invented and patented by Westborough resident Eli Whitney in 1794
Community Advocate •

Westborough Public Works director updates selectmen on road repair

Westborough – Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Chris Payant gave selectman an informational update on how the department manages the road program at its meeting Sept. 22. “We try to base everything we do on some type of industry standard,” he said. Payant said the idea is to maintain roads in the best ways possible, because it is less money and time to maintain them and keeps them lasting longer. Last year, the town funded a consultant to conduct an assessment of all roads and found
Community Advocate •

Climate action plan presented to Westborough selectmen

Westborough – Sustainable Westborough Chair Peter Dunbeck sought feedback from the Board of Selectmen Sept. 22 on a climate action plan (CAP) written by the Climate Action Task Force. The plan’s goal is to achieve a 40-percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and an 80-percent reduction by 2050. Other goals include defining a set of actions for the town which will guide the community in a transition that will address climate change-related issues and addressing municipal, re
Community Advocate •

Westborough Affordable Housing group initiates outreach

Westborough – Westborough Affordable Housing Trust Working Group (AHTWG) recently launched its community outreach website, and has received nearly 120 pieces of feedback, and counting. “We are happy to see the engagement and how thoughtful it is,” said Allen Edinberg, the group’s chair who is also a selectman. The group will ask voters to create the Westborough Affordable Housing Trust at the Nov. 14 Town Meeting, but for now, the AHTWG’s mission is centered around education, outreach, engagem
Community Advocate •

Westborough voters approve Whitney Street land purchase

Westborough – A whopping 212 voters turned out to the Special Town Meeting (STM) Sept. 29, prompting a more than 30-minute delay in the start of the meeting as the Board of Health ensured all voters were checked in and seated safely. The large turnout was unexpected, as only 152 voters turned out for the June 20 Annual Town Meeting and 136 voters turned out for the Jan. STM. All three articles passed unanimously with little or no discussion, although several voters left after Article 1 passed w
Community Advocate •

Legislators update on Westborough commuter rail parking lot project

Westborough – During the Sept. 22 Board of Selectmen meeting, State Rep. Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury) updated the Board on the status of the commuter rail parking lot expansion project on Smith Parkway. Kane noted that project is slated to add both street parking and 52 spots to the footprint of the lot itself – but due to COVID impacts, financing is currently on hold. She did point out, however, that in riding by the lot earlier that day, there were only 11 cars in the lot, which she attributed
Community Advocate •

Town Manager says Westborough is ‘in very good financial position’

Westborough – Town Manager Kristi Williams presented the most recent budget overview to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and Advisory Finance Committee (AFC) at the selectmen’s meeting Sept. 22. This process usually takes place in the spring, but due to the pandemic and budgetary uncertainty, the town had decided to pass 1/12th budgets until the fall town meetings. Overall, Williams was positive about the town’s financial standing. “We certainly have a high level of reserves compared to other com
Community Advocate •

State legislators update Westborough officials on Eversource project

Westborough – Town officials heard an update on the Eversource project from State Rep. Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston), State Rep. Danielle Gregoire (D-Marlborough), State Rep. Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury), and Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) at the Board of Selectmen meeting Sept. 22. Dykema noted that the town has had a number of contacts with Eversource since January regarding the Worcester Feed Line Improvement Project, and that because it’s such a large project involving permitting processes from
Community Advocate •

Westborough TV adjusting to life in a pandemic

Westborough – Westborough TV (WTV) provides television and online programming of community and governmental events, but when the pandemic hit last spring, WTV had to make some adjustments. “The biggest thing for us is that we had to shift a little bit of what we were doing, and a little bit of how we were doing it,” WTV General Manager Karen Henderson said. Normally the staff would cover major community and school events as well as some government meetings. That all changed when the state was
Community Advocate •

Westborough Selectmen consider new staffing recommendations

Westborough – Westborough Town Manager Kristi Williams addressed the Board of Selectman Aug. 26 regarding staffing study implementation recommendations. Selectman Ian Johnson said he was excited about the plan. “We are putting into action lots of improvements that can be made to how we operate and how we serve our residents,” he said. Selectman Sayed Hashmi urged caution when considering the plan, citing the state’s high unemployment rate. “Every dollar we spend we need to be cognizant of th
Community Advocate •

Westborough schools prepare for reopening

Westborough – The Westborough School Committee heard an update from administrators at its Aug. 31 meeting the schools reopening earlier that day for faculty and staff. Superintendent Amber Bock noted that while there are still a lot of moving parts, many things are beginning to solidify. “It is a very fluid, very intensive quick responsive model right now,” she said. ”It’s kind of Herculean in terms of what it takes in getting it done. So I think everyone’s patience we appreciate; there’s defi
Community Advocate •

Westborough BOS hears Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness proposal

Westborough – At their Aug. 18 meeting, the Board of Selectmen heard a presentation from Central Mass Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) Associate Planner Peter Peloquin about Westborough’s efforts to become designated a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MPF) Community. Assistant Town Manager Kimberly Foster led the efforts on the town’s behalf with the CMRPC. She told the board the vulnerability assessment for climate change resiliency that was being presented was the result of a one-day
Community Advocate •

Westborough School Committee outlines latest reopening plan

Westborough – Hundreds of families tuned in Aug. 12 to hear the latest iteration of the Westborough Public Schools (WPS) reopening plan. “I want to acknowledge that we are all exhausted, frustrated and oftentimes confused about what to do,” said Westborough School Committee Chair Kristen Vincent. “We hope everyone recognizes we are doing the best we can, everything we can, with the best intentions and with all the resources available to make sure this year the best one it can be in during a glo
Hopkinton Independent •

Leonard Street development plan to be resubmitted after snag with Planning Board

Wall Street Development Corporation will have to wait until the fall to get approval for a construction project on Leonard Street that was first proposed nearly three years ago. After finally receiving approval for his project from the Conservation Commission two weeks ago, Lou Petrozzi, president of Wall Street Development, appeared before the Planning Board on Monday night seeking an Approval Not Required (ANR) for the project. An ANR is the division of land into lots with frontage on existin
Community Advocate •

Proposed project would address issues on Flanders Road

Westborough – Town Planner Jim Robbins has visited with multiple boards recently to discuss a proposed MassWorks Infrastructure Program. The project would address issues on Flanders Road. It would include a new signalized intersection at Flanders and West Park Drive Extension to support an existing industrial park and a new industrial road subdivision, and the widening of Flanders Road. The project is intended to relieve congestion at the Connector Road and Research Drive signal. It would impro
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Book Reviews/Judging