What if the thing holding your team back isn’t a lack of strategy, but a lack of clarity?
Most companies operate in a constant state of “go.” Go faster, go bigger, go broader. But when you pause long enough to ask: What are we actually great at? And what are we not so great at? These questions open the door to something far more powerful than speed.
You find your clarity of purpose.
In this episode of Rethink Change, we sit down with Kathleen Margolis, Client Account Manager at Black & Veatch, who shares how getting clear on purpose didn’t just change how one company looked from a branding standpoint, but how clarity changed how they operated.
Listen to the full story on Spotify:
Meet Our Guest, Kathleen Margolis, Client Account Manager at Black & Veatch
Kathleen Margolis is a seasoned Client Account Manager at Black & Veatch, where she brings over four years of experience helping lead the Data Center and Mission Critical Facilities Group. She specializes in managing high-value client relationships and delivering tailored engineering solutions that integrate water, power, and technology, all designed to meet the rapidly evolving demands of the global data ecosystem.
Kathleen works closely with investors, technology leaders, and infrastructure providers to shape scalable, future-ready infrastructure.
Prior to joining Black & Veatch, she served as Managing Director of Condottiere Strategic Alliance, where she coached professional services firms on business development, market repositioning, and revenue growth across diverse industries and international markets.
With a track record of driving cross-functional collaboration and cultivating long-term client partnerships, Kathleen is passionate about helping organizations grow with purpose, clarity, and measurable impact.
When You Know Who You Are, Everything Changes
Kathleen didn’t set out to lead a massive transformation. She was brought in to help a legacy firm refresh its brand. But as the process unfolded, one truth became impossible to ignore: the organization was projecting an image that no longer matched its identity.
Sound familiar?
It’s easy to upgrade the visuals, slap on new messaging, and call it a day. But the real question you need to ask yourself is: Does your team feel proud of who you say you are? Or are they just repeating a script?
For Kathleen and her team, getting crystal clear on their core strengths changed the way people communicated internally. Team members became more transparent. Collaboration improved. And they felt a renewed sense of pride in the work they were doing and the direction they were headed.
That clarity didn’t just shift internal energy, it built momentum the outside world could feel. Clients noticed the change, and trust deepened.
From Surface-Level Brand to Meaningful Business Impact
Here’s the secret most companies miss: clarity of purpose doesn’t stay internal; it reshapes how you show up for your clients. When your team knows what you're great at and stands behind it, that alignment transforms how you sell, how you collaborate, and how you're perceived in the market.
Kathleen’s story is a perfect example. Once her team stopped trying to be everything to everyone, they reoriented the business around one guiding question: How does this move the client’s business forward? That shift cut through the noise of scattered priorities and created a sharper, more focused way of working.
Sales conversations became more strategic. Delivery teams worked in sync. And clients no longer saw them as just another vendor; they became the trusted partner. Not because of a slick pitch, but because their purpose showed up in every interaction.
When you're aligned on what matters most, clients can feel the difference, and that’s what keeps them coming back and bringing their friends with them.
Ready for the Hard Questions?
Are you doing what you’re best at, or are you juggling a bunch of things you’re okay at? Are you leading with your strongest skill sets or just doing what you’ve always done?
Too many organizations refuse to look in the mirror. But the brands that win take inventory. They let go of what doesn’t serve them. And they double down on what makes them excellent.
Because when you know your purpose, you gain momentum. The kind that unites teams, earns trust, and outlasts trends.
That’s where Pennebaker comes in. We help companies uncover their true strengths, define what sets them apart, and build brand strategies rooted in real clarity, not fluff. Whether you’re stuck in legacy thinking, misaligned on your message, or just not sure where to focus next, we bring the tools, structure, and insight to move you forward, with purpose.
Because clarity isn’t a luxury only a few can afford. It’s the catalyst for smarter decisions, a stronger culture, and growth that actually lasts. When you know who you are and what you’re here to do, your messaging, your team alignment, and your customer experience get sharper, simpler, and far more effective.
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Love hearing how leaders like Kathleen navigate real change?
This episode is just one of many powerful conversations we’ve had with executives who’ve led teams through high-stakes transformation, brand reinvention, and cultural reset.
And if you’re hungry for more insights like this episode, where clarity of purpose helped Kathleen unify a fractured team, focus on what matters most, and build lasting momentum, be sure to subscribe to Rethink Change, where innovators and disruptors go for clarity.
This show is hosted by CEO Ward Pennebaker and President Matt Pennebaker, who deliver sharp insights from battle-tested leaders who have navigated chaos and turned challenges into momentum.
You’ll hear from executives from startups to global behemoths from a wide range of industries. No fluff. All results. These conversations reveal what works, enabling you to think differently and act smarter.
