From Support to GM: 10 Years of Learning and Leading at Awesome Motive

I’m Angie Meeker. I’m the General Manager of OptinMonster, TrustPulse, Beacon.by, and Thrive Themes — all part of the Awesome Motive family.

I started at the company over 10 years ago, when we were under 10 people. I started in technical support. Now, I help shape the future of four products used by millions of people, the teams that build them, and the small businesses that rely on them to grow.

This August marked my 10-year anniversary at Awesome Motive. A full decade at one company, especially in tech, is rare. This isn’t just a reflection of that time. It’s a field guide for anyone building a long, meaningful career in tech, especially those who want to grow without burning out.

If you’re in support right now, if you’re in the thick of raising a family while leading a team, or if you’re wondering what it really takes to grow into executive leadership at Awesome Motive and beyond — this post is for you.

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From Day One to Year Ten

Take me back to the beginning. What made you say yes to this company 10 years ago?

Flash back with me to 2015, when a series of unfortunate events led to a very fortunate one.

Early in the year, my mother-in-law was hurt in a car crash. Then, my mom’s assisted living facility closed abruptly, and then Bob’s grandmother was diagnosed with cancer.

Bob and I both worked at home running our boutique WordPress agency, which gave us the flexibility to show up for these precious family members — but by the fall, I was burned out and had let all of my clients go. 

I needed a break. 

So I tweeted, “Hey WordPress friends – I’m tired and don’t want to crank up my agency again. I’ll do support for your WordPress.org repos while I figure out what I want to do next.”

Shortly after that Syed Balkhi was in my DMs, saying, “Don’t do that. Come work for me instead.”

Syed and I had known each other for about six years before that, both early adopters in the WordPress ecosystem, which back then was very small. I’d asked him to keynote Wordcamp Columbus in 2012, and again in 2013 and got to know him more through those times together.

It was very clear to me even then that 1) his personal values aligned with mine and 2) that he was committed to the OSS community and small businesses.

Within minutes of that DM, I was interviewing with Syed and Thomas Griffin (OptinMonster’s co-founder) and started the next day.

What was your first role — and did you have any idea where it would take you? 

Back then, we were all generalists. I primarily worked support, but also wrote blog posts, repped us at conferences, ran webinars, and even dipped my toe in product design when I thought it would be helpful

I had no idea it would turn into what it is now.

You’ve stayed for a full decade — in tech, that’s a lifetime. What kept you here?

I’ve always told myself that I will leave Awesome Motive when one of two things happens: 

1. It stops being fun.
2. I have nothing left to learn from being here.

10 years later, I’m still having fun and still have loads to learn, so I’m still here.

Have there been moments where you seriously considered leaving?

Yes, and in fact, I once resigned.

Here’s the story:

I mentioned earlier that my mom lived in assisted living here in Ohio. She didn’t always though… She lived in her own little house in Texas, and she loved living there. But in 2012 she came for Christmas and never went home.

Mom had a rare neurological disease called Stiff Person Syndrome, and complications from recurrent breast cancer. 

During that visit, it became clear to Bob and I that she couldn’t live by herself anymore. We worked with social services to have her placed in assisted living here so we could start helping her get better treatment. By 2016, she had improved enough we moved her out of assisted living to live with us.

But just because she’d improved doesn’t mean she was well. Every week, for years, we had multiple doctors’ appointments, some that would take the entire day for treatment. Those weeks, months and years were peppered with multiple, frequent emergency room visits and hospital stays, too.

It wasn’t uncommon to find me working from a hospital room, hallway, or even the car in between appointments. All while also raising the most amazing daughter and staying happily married.

To put it in perspective, In 2018, we spent a total of three full months admitted in the hospital. I was there every day and every night to make sure mom got the care she needed and deserved, often sleeping curled up in the recliner next to the hospital bed with my laptop perched on the window sill.

At the same time, I was being promoted from Technical Support to Team Lead to Customer Success Manager. And I loved my work and team. 

But it was too much at once. I was utterly overwhelmed. Something had to give.

So as much as I didn’t want to, I sent my resignation to Thomas and Syed.

Within minutes, they firmly declined my resignation.

“We don’t accept your resignation. Can we hop on a call and see what we can do to make this season easier for you.”

And they did.

More importantly, they ALWAYS lived out the Awesome Motive values of “We put people first, always” and “We do the right thing, every time.”

Thomas, Syed and I never said this to one another, but I believe we all understood that I would do right by the company if they would do right by me and my family.

That doesn’t mean either one of those things was EASY, but many years later, that understanding has seemed to work out for everyone.

Have you ever been tempted to go build your own thing?

Of course! I’m an Enneagram 7. My SUPER POWER is thinking of new things to do!

Fortunately, I get the opportunity to channel that energy into building new things at Awesome Motive every day. And one day, if I do find something I’m passionate enough about to call my own again, I know that I’ll have Awesome Motive’s blessing and support.

Surviving (and Thriving) Through Change

Let’s talk about longevity. How did you survive the cuts, acquisitions, and restructures that have come and gone?

I don’t really think of it as ‘surviving’. What I’ve done is adapt.

Over the last 10 years, the company has gone through a lot of growth…new products, acquisitions, team changes, strategy shifts.

Each of those moments has been a chance to re-evaluate: What does the company need now? What can I bring to the table today that’s different from two years ago? And am I still growing here, too?

I’ve stayed relevant by staying curious and focused on our mission of helping small businesses grow and compete with the big guys, and our company values.

I’ve been willing to raise my hand when something needed fixing…even if it wasn’t my job.

I’ve also let go of roles, systems, or habits that no longer served the company or my team. 

That’s not always easy, but I think longevity in tech comes down to how well you’re able to evolve with the company, not just work at it.

What’s the biggest internal shift you’ve seen at Awesome Motive since you joined?

I can’t speak for the entire company, but one shift I was closely involved in — and incredibly proud of — happened at OptinMonster. We transitioned Thomas Griffin, the co-founder and President, out of the day-to-day operations so he could focus on broader strategic priorities across Awesome Motive.

That was a major milestone. It was the first time one of our founders stepped back from directly leading a brand. And with that came a big question: what does it really take to replace a founder? Not just the title, but their energy, vision, influence, and the many invisible roles they fill?

We had to figure out how to build a system that empowered others to step into those roles — and do it in a way that could be repeated across other products. I always say: once you do something once, you prove it’s possible to do it again.

That transition showed us we could scale leadership, not just software. And I think it laid the groundwork for the way we grow today — with confidence, continuity, and trust in the people we’ve developed.

In March of 2025, we added Thrive Themes to the Awesome Motive brands I’m responsible for. My experience with Thomas at OptinMonster helped me hit the ground running at Thrive, too. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the team at Thrive and envisioning how the suite of products at Thrive can best serve small businesses for years to come.

How has the pace of change evolved — and how do you personally keep up with it?

Listen, I’m almost 50.

I’ve owned a rotary phone.

The internet wasn’t public until spring of my freshman year in high school.

And, I remember when my high school computer teacher, Mr. McIntosh, called me into the office to show me this new thing called “e-mail.” 

Yes, really, my computer teacher’s name was Mr. McIntosh. 

I’ve seen all of the modern technological changes in my lifetime: internet, email, search, mobile, social, crypto, and now AI. And in my adulthood, I’ve lived through three recession cycles.

The only way to keep up with it all is to stay curious, optimistic and faithful with the little things. When you stop being any one of those three, you’ll fall behind and the change or fear will overtake you.

The Shift from Doing to Leading

You went from technical support to General Manager. What were the key skills that helped you make that leap?

Big picture:

1. Being curious.
2. Being a practitioner. 

Practical skills:

1. A deep understanding of our customers (driven by being a practitioner myself).
2. Copywriting. And I don’t mean SEO content writing. I mean direct response and persuasive copywriting.
3. A thorough understanding of SaaS metrics and Financial Intelligence. 
4. An ability to approach problems with proven mental models.
5. I hate that I’m going to say this, but taste. Taste can be developed and learned. Study other products, advertising and general design principles.
6. Good communication skills (more on this in the next question).

What’s a skill you didn’t have then, that you absolutely needed to develop?

Early on, I was more concerned about being heard than being understood. 

I’d see something wrong in the product, and in my eagerness to advocate for the customer, would represent them by saying to our developers, “We can’t ship it like this! This is terrible – we have to fix this now or everything will break. Who did this?”

Mind you – I was “just” in technical support at the time! That’s not to belittle technical support because of course we all work as a team, but who was I to tell developers how to do their jobs?!

In the process, at least for a season, I alienated very good developers who I never meant to hurt. We can laugh about it now and do, but it wasn’t funny at the time.

Thomas Griffin was VERY influential in helping me grow into a more mature communicator and leader in this way. If you haven’t yet, you should read everything he’s ever written, starting with Good Leaders.

In more recent years, the books Radical Candor, and Multipliers have also helped me improve my communication further.

Balancing Real Life With Big Leadership

Have your personal values changed over the years? And how do they show up in your work now?

I have become more confident in my decisions over the years. In fact, most of the significant challenges I’ve faced in my time at Awesome Motive stem from not trusting my own instincts enough or not acting quickly enough on them.

I’ve also become less tolerant of “debbie downers”. I tend to think, “All things are possible, we just have to figure out how.” So, I find myself wanting to spend more time with people who think that same way, rather than those who find their joy in complaining about their current circumstances without any attempt at changing them.

What boundaries have become non-negotiable for you?

My daughter went off to college this year, but my non-negotiable was and is anything having to do with her. I promised myself when she was born that I would be there for everything. Every performance, awards show, game… everything.

And, with only two exceptions, I was.

They really do grow up fast, so protect and enjoy those days while you have them as much as you can.

Fortunately, working at Awesome Motive (remote, distributed, with flexible PTO) helped make that possible. I assure you it would not have been possible with many other companies, especially as you move into positions of substantial responsibility.

Advice for the Next Angie

Say someone’s just joined Awesome Motive in a support or entry-level role. What advice would you give them if they want to grow into a GM role over the next 10 years?

1. Be curious.
2. Set an example in everything you do, even if the task or role seems small. Remember, those who are faithful with a little will be trusted with a lot. 
3. Reach into problems that aren’t yet part of your role without having to be asked. There are only four ways a business grows:
   • Get more customers
   • Make more from your existing customer
   • Keep more of your existing customers
   • Improve operational efficiencies

Can you spot the opportunities within your business and lay out a plan to address those opportunities (even if it’s a small opportunity and plan)? 

4. Never stop being a practitioner. The minute you stop doing the thing you’re asking your customers to do, you’ll lose the advantage. Use your own products. Use your competitors’. Start side projects that help you understand your customers better. 
5. Remember that you’re never too good to pick up a broom and sweep. There is no role or responsibility, no opportunity or problem that you’re too important to do or contribute to. Doing so helps you stay close to the experiences your team and your customers are having. 
6. Don’t hide from your weaknesses. I’m not a developer, but I know ENOUGH to be able to speak intelligently about our products with our developers, to understand the risks of what I’m asking them to do, and to create a roadmap that I know is possible (even if it’s challenging). That doesn’t just happen – it has taken years of VERY intentional effort to get to this point. The same would be true for technical leaders lacking go-to-market skills. You CAN build those muscles, but you will have to work at it. 

And finally, what legacy do you hope you’re building — both inside Awesome Motive and beyond?

I hope the legacy I’m building shows that you don’t have to trade who you are to grow your career — and you don’t have to choose between being a present, grounded person at home and a strong, respected leader at work.

I’ve grown into leadership not by becoming someone I’m not or fitting into someone else’s idea of what a leader looks like, but by leaning into what’s always been true about me: I listen well, I take responsibility, and I care about outcomes and people. That’s enough.

I also want to show that career growth isn’t only for people who can sprint 80 hours a week. I’ve raised a family, supported an aging and seriously ill parent, and still led teams across multiple products. It’s not easy — but it’s possible, especially with the right team supporting you. And if someone else can look at my path and think, “Maybe I don’t have to choose either,” then that’s a legacy I’m proud of.

Are you looking for a team you can grow with, too? We’re hiring!

And if you’re looking to sell your business (on fair, founder-friendly terms), or partner with an experienced group of entrepreneurs to help grow your business, then you’re in the right place. Check out Awesome Motive’s M&A program for more details.

Want to continue this conversation?

If any part of this resonated with you — if you’re navigating your own growth, balancing work and caregiving, leading through change, or thinking about what longevity really means in tech — I’d love to hear it in the comments below or directly.

I’m @angiemeeker on Twitter/X and LinkedIn, or you can contact me by email.

And of course, if you have a podcast or speaking opportunity, or are curious about what it’s like to work at Awesome Motive and how our products help small businesses grow and compete against the big guys, I’m always happy to chat.