In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, Kyle sits down with Jen Briselli and Jesse Strawbridge, co-founders of Topology, an experience strategy consultancy built around complementary strengths, deep trust, and a shared philosophy about meaningful client work.
Jen and Jesse share the story of how their partnership grew out of their time at Mad*Pow, how they eventually decided to start Topology together, and why their working relationship is so special. Jesse focuses primarily on business development, relationships, and growth, while Jen leads the client work, strategy, and delivery.
For independent consultants who are used to wearing every hat, their setup may sound like a dream. But as Jen and Jesse explain, it works because of years of trust, mutual respect, and admiration for what the other person brings to the business.
They discuss:
How Jen and Jesse’s shared Mad*Pow history shaped their partnership
Why they decided to start Topology together
The trust required when one person sells the work and the other leads delivery
Why Topology is built around relationships, not transactional sales
How they evaluate whether a client or project is a good fit
Their internal checklist for deciding which opportunities to pursue
Why RFPs are often a red flag for their type of work
What the sales-to-delivery handoff looks like in practice
How Jesse stays connected to clients without undermining Jen’s project leadership
How Topology gathers client feedback after a project wraps
What solo consultants can do if they don’t have “a Jesse”
Why every business development person also needs “a Jen”
How they handle the natural ebbs and flows of independent consulting
Why knowing what gives you energy — and what drains you — matters
How they define success for Topology today
The importance of building a business that supports the life you want to live
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