Meet Jess
Founder, Root & Trellis | Business Growth Consulting
Rooted in your reality. Personalized systems for lasting growth.
I love being at the inception of something new, or at the renaissance of something already in motion.
Seeing someone else’s vision lights up my brain. Give me a goal, a half-formed idea, or a “we know where we want to go, we just don’t know how to get there,” and I’m immediately in creative problem-solving mode. I love taking big, ambitious visions and turning them into clear, workable roadmaps that actually make growth possible.
Entrepreneurs inspire me endlessly. There’s something powerful about watching someone build toward a vision they care deeply about, and I see real beauty in teaming up with founders to help bring those visions to life. Through Root & Trellis, I partner with business owners and leadership teams to build the operational systems, programs, and structures that support growth, without breaking when things get bigger, messier, or evolve in unexpected ways.
Unlike traditional consulting, I don’t just advise from the sidelines. I like becoming part of the team. I’ll absolutely help you think strategically, but I’m also happy to roll up my sleeves and build alongside you. When we work together, I’m on your team, focused on creating systems that are thoughtful, scalable, and grounded in the reality of how your business actually operates.
My career was largely shaped in the live music industry, where I was surrounded by creatives, builders, and entrepreneurs chasing big ideas—often within complex systems. Early on, I saw the entrepreneurial mindset in action under a female entrepreneur who ran her own book of business within a major corporate agency. That experience taught me that entrepreneurship shows up anywhere people are building, growing, and pushing against what already exists—whether that’s within startups, artists and creative businesses, or larger organizations that value people and growth.
I’ve spent my career cutting my teeth alongside those builders—helping turn creative ambition into sustainable plans, and big ideas into businesses that can actually last. At my core, I see the creative beauty in solving operational puzzles. I believe every great idea deserves a strong foundation—one that won’t crack if the thing you’re building grows fast, gets weird, or evolves in unexpected ways.
Let’s build the foundation your hard work deserves.
Current Work
Fractional Director of Operations - Private Group Therapy Practice
I partnered with the founder of this private therapy practice to transition the business from a solo clinician managing a personal client caseload into a growing group practice with multiple service lines.
In under a year, the practice expanded to a team of five clinicians operating out of a dedicated office space while also launching new programs designed to serve first responders across Colorado.
Below are examples of priorities identified during our initial operational audit and the systems and programs that were developed to bring them to life.
Office Location
Solo private practice without a dedicated clinical office
→ Secured and launched a leased office space to support multiple clinicians, expanded services, and long-term practice growth.
Serving First Responders in Rural & Mountain Communities
Desire to support first responders with limited access to behavioral health resources and financial barriers to care
→ Created NPS Monthly, a virtual psychoeducational series now partnered with five departments, building consistent presence and trust while creating a pathway for individuals to access clinical services.
→ Registered the practice as a provider with a state-funded EMS mental wellness program, allowing Colorado-certified EMS professionals to access up to 15 therapy sessions annually at no cost.
→ Credentialed the practice with major insurance providers to ensure continued access to care after state-funded benefits are utilized.
Building a Clinical Team
Goal to expand beyond a solo practice and create a collaborative clinical team
→ Led two hiring cycles to grow the practice to four licensed clinicians, credentialed across multiple insurance panels and service platforms.
→ Structured service offerings across individual therapy, psychoeducational trainings, and on-site Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and Peer Support trainings for departments across the state.
Fractional Director of Operations - Fiscally Sponsored
Book More Women is an advocacy organization that has spent the past eight years raising awareness about gender inequity in music festival lineups, primarily through research and social media.
I joined the team as they began transitioning from an awareness-driven platform into an action-oriented organization, working toward eventual 501(c)(3) nonprofit status while operating under fiscal sponsorship.
Serving as Director of Operations, I bring both industry experience from the music agency world and operational strategy to help structure programs, partnerships, and growth plans that translate the organization’s mission into tangible industry impact.
Below are examples of priorities identified in early strategic conversations and the programs and partnerships that have since been developed.
Turning Awareness into Action in Festival Programming
Desire to move beyond highlighting inequities and create real opportunities for underrepresented artists within festival lineups
→ Developed a Festival Partnership Program designed to platform independent and underrepresented acts.
→ Expanded the initiative to include an Accountability Pledge, allowing partner festivals to publicly commit to improving equity within their lineups and engage more deeply with the organization.
→ Secured early partnerships with several festivals, including the first major announcement with Lightning in a Bottle.
Expanded Fundraising & Industry Support
Goal to build sustainable funding streams to support the organization’s work and future nonprofit structure
→ Established a fundraising partnership with the PLUS1 Foundation, enabling artists to raise funds for Book More Women through ticket donations and tour-based fundraising initiatives.
Industry Partnerships & Strategic Visibility
Need to deepen engagement with the live music ecosystem to better understand and address structural inequities
→ Leveraged industry relationships to build connections with artists, agencies, promoters, and festivals.
→ Secured opportunities for collaboration, conversations, and programming that help surface the realities behind industry inequities while expanding the organization’s reach and platform.
Past Work
Festival Agent / Program Manager — Music Booking Agency
Wasserman Music is one of the world’s leading global music agencies representing artists across touring, festivals, and brand activations. I joined the festivals department during a period of industry restructuring following COVID, helping shape how the team rebuilt booking infrastructure and client strategy.
In this role, I managed festival strategy for a large roster of artists while also helping develop internal systems to support the department’s growth.
Below are examples of operational priorities and the systems and outcomes that followed.
Post-COVID Festival Department Infrastructure
Need to rebuild booking infrastructure and internal workflows as festivals returned after the pandemic
→ Developed operational systems and workflows for a newly evolving department, helping the team adapt to shifting industry conditions.
→ Built internal processes and documentation that allowed the department to scale and integrate new team members efficiently.
Artist Festival Strategy & Revenue Growth
Need to expand festival opportunities and revenue for agency clients
→ Generated $15M+ in festival performance revenue through strategic talent sales and deal negotiation.
→ Managed relationships across 200+ festival and buyer accounts annually, aligning artist strategy with market demand.
→ Strengthened relationships with promoters and buyers, doubling client presence on major events and festivals.
Team Expansion & Operational Scaling
Department growth required stronger onboarding and internal coordination
→ Designed onboarding systems and internal training tools as the department expanded.
→ Promoted to management within one year, supporting cross-team coordination and operational alignment across booking teams.
Start-Up Program Coordinator / Agent — Independent Music Booking Agency
Arrival Artists (now ROAM) was an independent booking agency in early growth stages when I joined as the first non-partner employee, helping establish foundational systems and internal structure as the company scaled.
My role blended booking, operations, and startup infrastructure development as the company transitioned from a founder-run operation into a structured agency.
Below are examples of early priorities and the systems implemented to support the company’s growth.
Start-Up Agency Infrastructure
Need to establish operational systems for a newly launched agency
→ Built foundational operational processes, helping structure workflows for booking, contracts, and internal communication.
→ Created scalable systems that allowed the agency to expand its client roster while maintaining efficient operations.
Project & Client Coordination
Need to manage increasing artist activity and agency growth
→ Coordinated project timelines, booking processes, and deliverables to ensure alignment with agency goals.
→ Supported client development and acquisition strategy as the agency expanded its roster.
Internal Process Standardization
Need for consistency across contracts, communications, and team workflows
→ Standardized internal documentation, including contract language and deal structures.
→ Implemented process frameworks that improved operational efficiency and reduced friction across booking and administrative workstreams.
Talent Director — Nonprofit Festival for LGBTQ+ Youth
LOVELOUD is a nonprofit music festival founded by Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, designed to support LGBTQ+ youth through advocacy and fundraising. I was a foundational team member responsible for shaping the festival’s artist programming and operational coordination.
Below are examples of the needs identified in building the event and the work that supported its execution.
Building a Mission-Driven Festival Platform
Need to develop a music festival that amplified a social mission while delivering a high-quality audience experience
→ Helped establish the festival’s talent strategy and programming approach, aligning artist participation with the event’s advocacy goals.
→ Contributed as a foundational team member in building the annual event, which has raised millions of dollars for charity.
Artist Booking & Program Development
Need to secure artists who aligned with both the event’s mission and audience appeal
→ Oversaw artist booking strategy, including negotiations, contracts, and performance logistics.
→ Built relationships with artists, managers, and agencies to secure talent participation.
Event Execution & Cross-Team Coordination
Need to coordinate multiple stakeholders across production, sponsorship, and artist teams
→ Managed coordination between artists, sponsors, vendors, and internal teams to deliver a cohesive festival experience.
→ Ensured programming and logistics aligned with the message and mission of the foundation.
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