May 06, 2021 | 3 min read

Purpose-Driven Decision Making with 1871’s CEO Betsy Ziegler

By: Patrick Emmons

Purpose-Driven Decision Making with 1871’s CEO Betsy Ziegler

As the CEO of 1871, an entrepreneurial hub of innovation, Betsy Ziegler is an expert in early-stage growth and helps businesses grow from an idea to the Fortune 500. For Betsy, one of the most important metrics for success is whether a business adheres to purpose-driven decision-making.

This week on Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Betsy joins Patrick and Shelli to discuss how 1871 is supporting businesses throughout Chicago and what metrics she believes will help catapult organizations to higher levels of growth. Listen in for her insights.

  • (01:10) - The home for start-ups
  • (04:33) - Does it work?
  • (06:46) - Launch outside of gravity
  • (10:09) - Forty by forty
  • (14:23) - Purpose, ideas, and the maturity curve
  • (23:09) - Talking about change
  • (27:15) - Onboarding and mentorship
  • (38:48) - First dollar

Elizabeth “Betsy” Ziegler is the first female CEO of 1871, the number one private incubator in the world.

Previous to 1871, Betsy was the Chief Innovation Officer at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, responsible for portfolio innovation as well as integrating technology into the Kellogg educational experience. From 2011 through September 2015, she served as associate dean of degree programs and dean of students.

Prior to Kellogg, she served as a principal in McKinsey & Company’s Chicago office, where she led the firm’s Life Insurance Operations and Technology practice and co-led its Financial Institutions Operations and Technology practice.

Ziegler holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and received a B.A. in economics from The Ohio State University, where she graduated with distinction. She is a member of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry Boards of Directors, and an advisor and investor in many young technology companies.

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About Patrick Emmons

If you can’t appreciate a good sports analogy, movie quote, or military reference, you may not want to work with him, but if you value honesty, integrity, and commitment to improvement, Patrick can certainly help take your business or your career to the next level. “Good enough,” is simply not in his vernacular. Pat’s passion is for relentlessly pushing himself and others to achieve full potential. Patrick Emmons is a graduate of St. Norbert College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. Patrick co-founded Adage Technologies in 2001 and in 2015, founded DragonSpears as a spin-off dedicated to developing custom applications that improve speed, compliance and scalability of clients’ internal and customer-facing workflow processes. When he is not learning about new technology, running a better business, or becoming a stronger leader, he can be found coaching his kids’ (FIVE of them) baseball and lacrosse teams and praising his ever-so-patient wife for all her support.

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