We recently connected with Meredith Jones and have shared our conversation below.
Meredith, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
The most important thing I’ve come to learn when talking about work ethic or discipline is realizing it’s a choice. You can give something your best, or you can do it halfway. For me, “good enough” has never been enough.
I’d say my parents set a strong example for me, but I’ve always been a little hard-headed. If you tell me I can’t do something, that’s just an invitation for me to prove that I can! But also, I feel like I’ve been very blessed in my life. Responsibility comes with that. I’ve always held myself to a very high standard. I strive for excellence bordering on perfection. I don’t always achieve it, but that’s the goal!
I’ve definitely had workaholic tendencies over the years, but 2020 forced me to hit pause and think about balance. I never wanted to sacrifice my children’s childhood for the sake of my career, so I’ve tried to be both an available mom and a driven business owner. It’s not always easy, but I’ve learned that you can push hard without losing sight of what matters in life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m the founder and CEO of Sera Business Advisors, a management consulting firm specializing in HR with a business-first approach. I like to say we’re HR on a tilt—we’re technically excellent, but we’re also comfortable in the gray. HR can’t always be black and white. Business is messy, and that’s where we thrive.
We provide perspective and peace of mind. When you’re deep in your own business, you can’t see the forest for the trees. We come in, help clients navigate the messy, and connect the dots between their people, strategy, and goals. The most exciting part for me is seeing those aha moments—when something finally clicks, when a client understands themselves or their team in a new way, or when we work through a challenge together. That’s what keeps me hooked!
As far as what’s new, we celebrated Sera’s tenth anniversary, and I released my book, My Career Is My Responsibility. This philosophy (MCMR) really sums up what I believe: when people stop blaming others and take ownership of their own growth, they unlock their potential. The book came from seeing how much the MCMR idea resonated with leaders, employees, and entire teams. When people take responsibility, they stop blaming others, learn to coach better, create psychologically safe work environments, and lead with intention. All that impacts your bottom line.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I’m the founder and CEO executive advisor of Sera Business Advisors, a management consulting firm specializing in HR with a business-first approach. I like to say we’re HR on a tilt—we’re technically excellent, but we’re also comfortable in the gray. HR can’t always be black and white. Business is messy, and that’s where we thrive.
We provide perspective and peace of mind. When you’re deep in your own business, you can’t see the forest for the trees. We come in, help clients navigate the messy, and connect the dots between their people, strategy, and goals. The most exciting part for me is seeing those aha moments—when something finally clicks, when a client understands themselves or their team in a new way, or when we work through a challenge together. That’s what keeps me hooked!
As far as what’s new, we celebrated Sera’s tenth anniversary, and I released my book, My Career Is My Responsibility. This philosophy (MCMR) really sums up what I believe: when people stop blaming others and take ownership of their own growth, they unlock their potential. The book came from seeing how much the MCMR idea resonated with leaders, employees, and entire teams. When people take responsibility, they stop blaming others, learn to coach better, create psychologically safe work environments, and lead with intention. All that impacts your bottom line.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
This year I finally allowed myself to take the CEO title. For ten years, I resisted it—I operated and thought of myself as a consultant or advisor, but not necessarily as the CEO. It was a mental shift, and one that came from a lot of reflection as we hit our tenth anniversary. Writing my first book, My Career Is My Responsibility, was part of that process.
It pushed me to own my voice and put myself out there. How can I not practice what I preach? It’s important to acknowledge the accomplishments of myself and my team. We’ve built something lasting. Sera has evolved and positively impacts our clients and the people inside of them on a daily basis. I’m proud of what Sera has become and of how I’ve grown along with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://seraadvisors.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-jones-seraadvisors/
- Other: Book link: https://a.co/d/8bnZYsm
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