Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Apodaca.
Hi Jim, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m an OKR coach, agile thought leader, and the president and founder of Apodaca Consulting. My firm provides Fractional Operations Services specializing in Objectives and Key Results, Scrum, and AI. On average, our clients achieve 3–5x increases in ARR, accelerate go-to-market by up to 50%, and realize efficiency gains as high as 40%. I’m also the host of The Execution Gap – a podcast that explores why business strategy fails, and how the top 10% of leaders close the gap.
I have 20+ year career in software development and a leadership and coaching background in the areas of program management, product development, operations, and project management to include growth stage start-ups and Fortune 100 organizations including oil & gas, fintech, healthcare, eCommerce, manufacturing, government, and non-profit.
But my story started long before consulting.
I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the only person in my family to graduate from college. I earned my degree in Information Systems from the University of New Mexico in 2008, but my introduction to software actually came earlier – in 2005 – almost by accident. At the time, I was working for the New Mexico Department of Labor as an unemployment insurance adjudicator. A major modernization project was underway, and because of my domain knowledge, I was drafted into the software team.
Honestly, I wanted nothing to do with it. Technology intimidated me. But once I got involved, I was fascinated – how software was built, how systems connected, how problems were solved. That experience changed the entire trajectory of my career.
After graduating from UNM in 2008 – I spent a few years in IT services in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, I moved to Salt Lake City in 2010 to work for Overstock.com. That opportunity opened the door to a decade of working with many of Utah’s most respected organizations, including Intermountain Healthcare, Fidelity Investments, Usana Health Sciences, and Inside Real Estate.
My last role before starting my consultancy was with a fintech startup in the small-business lending space. I was with them for nearly four years. When COVID hit, about 70% of our revenue disappeared overnight. As small businesses across the country shut down, we were forced to let go of 25% of the staff – including myself.
That could have been the end of the story, but it became the beginning of a new one.
After two decades building other people’s dreams, I knew it was time to build my own. “You’re either building your dream, or you’re building someone else’s” ~unknown. So in 2020, I launched Apodaca Consulting and have spent the last five years helping growth-stage founders, CEOs, and senior leaders close the execution gap through strategic planning and delivery. It has been an incredible journey – working with startups, nonprofits, manufacturers, fintechs, government agencies, and more. Every engagement reinforces why I do this work.
On a personal note, I’m a husband, a father of four, and a grandfather to nine beautiful grandkids. I’m also a man of faith. I believe we’re all put on this earth for a reason – to live our very best life using the tools and talents we’ve been blessed with. Mine just happen to be strategic planning, OKRs, and Scrum. Honestly, at the end of the day, I’m just trying to make a living and provide for my family doing what I know, and what I enjoy doing.
That’s my story at the 10,000 foot view – how I started, what shaped me, and how I got to where I am today.
Here is a story I wrote on Linkedin when I launched my consultancy in 2020 – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-journey-2020-jim-apodaca-1c/?trackingId=4HJHABdhR%2F2t2q38u%2B8uUw%3D%3D
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If it were easy everyone would be doing it.
It hasn’t been a smooth road – quite the opposite actually. There has been a time are two when I’ve cried on my wife’s shoulder – another contract that fell through at the 11th hour after weeks of back and fourth, or the client that choose to go in a “different direction”.
Rejection is part of being and entrepreneur – and to be honest, you experience a lot of it. I’ve experienced defeat after defeat – and it’s during these times when I’ve leaned into my faith and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. Sometimes none of it makes sense – you pray about it, ask for direction, and you pick yourself up and you keep moving forward – the alternative is going back to the corporate world – and I don’t want to do that.
I have a quote on my desk that says – “Your last day on earth, the person you became, will meet the person you could have become”. When that day comes, I want to know that I left it all out on the field, that I gave it everything I have, that I lived my very best life, and that I made my Heavenly Father proud.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Apodaca Consulting?
Apodaca Consulting is a leading solutions provider in business strategic planning and delivery. We provide Fractional COO services – specializing in strategic planning and delivery using a powerful combination of Objectives and Key Results, Scrum, and AI.
On average, our clients achieve :
– 3 to 5X in annual recurring revenue
– Accelerate go-to-market by 50%
– Efficiencies of up to 40%.
Our approach isn’t just about implementing frameworks; it’s about reshaping the DNA of organizations. What sets us apart is our focus is on change management, and the importance of understanding how organizations must adapt when implementing business transformation. At Apodaca Consulting, we don’t just partner with leaders to implement solutions – we future-proof businesses.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Outside of my family and the guests that come on my – some people might be surprised to know that I have my own podcast. My podcast is called The Execution Gap – A podcast that explores why business strategy fails and how the top 10% of leaders close the gap.
I interview industry leaders (founders, co-founder, C-suite and senior leaders) on my show, and we talk about industry trends and the challenges associated with building and scaling a business. I’ve had a lot of guests on that are in AI.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.apodacaconsulting.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimapodaca/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ApodacaMedia
