Even in the age of AI, leaders who prioritize people will have an edge, says the founder of Vector Holding Group.

Tina Rogers Brown is president and founder of Vector Holding Group, a global business strategy and execution firm located in Emeryville, Calif., just across the bay from San Francisco and within view of the Bay Bridge. She started the company as a part-time consulting firm in 2007, while pursuing a career in the technology industry. Today, it is a premier global business strategy and execution firm, serving Fortune 500 companies. Tina was honored as one of our Top 66 leaders of 2025.

Tina found herself with so many projects that she needed to hire full-time employees to handle them. She decided to give the company her full attention about three years ago at the suggestion of her husband, a serial entrepreneur.

“My original plan wasn’t to be an entrepreneur, but I was really passionate about helping these customers that I was doing the work for and providing opportunities for people to actually join my company while I was still an operator within technology companies in Silicon Valley,” she says.

The key has been asking questions to get to the heart of the clients’ problems so they can be solved. “The core is really around understanding what the true problem that the person is having,” she says. “And that’s how we’ve grown as a company.”

Tina prioritized culture as she grew the company. “I’ve always had a mindset of just really thinking about the customer first,” she says. “And throughout my career I would use the three C’s, focusing on the customer, the culture, as well as really having compassion. So, the customer is important because that’s where the revenue is coming from. But the culture is important because the culture of the organization has to actually have that customer mindset. But ultimately, I do believe the culture is really about the people, and that’s where compassion comes from, because you have to understand and try to put yourself in other people’s shoes.”

One hallmark of the culture is attention to uncovering each team member’s talents and abilities. “My leadership style is … understanding that they have a very unique gift,” Tina says. “And if I can help them find that gift, that’s how they thrive.”

Tina spoke recently with Chris Benguhe, founder and president of the Dave Alexander Center for Social Capital. Click on the link below to hear her story.