Innovation Leader Profile: Jillian Munson
By Deborah Reuben, CLFP
Innovation doesn’t thrive on speed alone, it takes patience, trust, and overcommunication. Just one of the themes that surfacing in my interview with ELFA Innovation Council member, Jillian Munson who is reimagining equipment financing.
Jillian is the Vice President of Process & Automation at QuickFi, where she’s reimagining the equipment finance landscape. As an industry thought leader, she transforms manual workflows into seamless, automated solutions, empowering businesses with efficient, transparent processes. Her commitment to innovation extends beyond her role—an active contributor to the ELFA Innovation Advisory Council, her achievements have earned her the Converge 2024 NextGen Award. With a passion for purpose-driven leadership, Jillian brings a unique perspective to our exploration of technology and human-centered innovation.
A blend of curiosity, collaboration, and purpose are reflected in Jilian’s innovation journey. Experienced in IT, operations, customer engagement, and product development, she has cultivated a holistic understanding of how automation can enhance both internal processes and customer experiences. Her leadership philosophy centers on trust, mentorship, and fostering a psychologically safe environment where creativity thrives. Focusing on collaboration allows her to transform challenges into opportunities for growth, ensuring that innovation aligns with impactful outcomes.
Emphasizing the power of trust and mentorship within her team, she believes mutual support and shared learning are the bedrock of any high-performing, innovative team.
Be it small businesses seeking financing or team members overcoming workplace challenges, it all starts with a clear purpose. This focus on purpose helps her team simplify processes, increase transparency, and ultimately help people.
Integrating emotional intelligence into her leadership helps her to manage external constraints and team dynamics effectively. She also uses motivation frameworks like self-determination theory to foster autonomy, competence, and relatedness among her team.
By prioritizing purpose and trust, she creates environments where groundbreaking ideas flourish. An ability to navigate uncharted territory with patience, overcommunication, and emotional intelligence ensures that her work not only addresses immediate challenges but also builds a foundation for a more innovative, inclusive future.
“We work in EF, not the ER. This is a reminder that it’s okay to make mistakes, take risks, and challenge the status quo—that’s how we learn and grow.”
Interview Takeaways
1. Biggest Factor in Success: Jillian credits her success to the trust, mentorship, and collaboration within her team. She emphasizes that no one achieves greatness alone, and a supportive environment is key to fostering innovation.
2. Obstacles and Challenges: Jillian navigates the challenges of building an entirely new platform without a guidebook. She manages the pressures of uncharted territory through patience, overcommunication, and aligning her team amidst shifting priorities.
3. Best Advice Received: Purpose first. Jillian advises professionals to align their work with a clear purpose, as this ensures that their efforts lead to meaningful impact. For her, QuickFi’s mission of simplifying equipment financing drives every innovation.
4. Key Practice or Tactic: Jillian uses emotional intelligence to lead her team, focusing on creating a psychologically safe space where risks, mistakes, and creativity are encouraged. This enables her team to stay aligned and thrive under pressure.
5. Shaping a More Awesome Future: Jillian believes that emotional intelligence is the foundation for effective leadership. By satisfying core human motivators—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—leaders can inspire trust, loyalty, and collective purpose within their organizations.
Jillian Munson’s insights remind us that true innovation is as much about fostering trust and alignment within teams as it is about creating groundbreaking solutions. By emphasizing emotional intelligence, purpose, and the patience to navigate challenges together, Jillian demonstrates how leaders can inspire meaningful transformation. Her approach offers a roadmap for anyone striving to create a future where both people and ideas flourish.
If you want to learn more about Jillian’s story, check out episode 32 for the full interview on the TomorrowZone Catalyst Podcast. Join the conversation and discover how to make awesome happen!
