Actabl

Responsible for nurturing new and existing business relationships, driving sales growth, and providing world-class service to our clients in the hospitality industry. Closely collaborate with management companies to identify their unique needs, develop tailored solutions that maximize their efficiency and productivity, and ensure they fully leverage our platform’s features. Dedicated to staying up-to-date with industry trends, facilitating informative presentations and product demonstrations, and constantly striving to exceed our clients’ expectations and objectives.

Account Executive

TechnologyAdvice

Business Development Executive

The Saint Paul Hotel

Guest Services Manager

The Hotel Minneapolis

Director Of Front Office

Crowne Plaza AiRE MSP Airport - Mall of America

Director of Front Office

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

General Manager

Holiday Inn

Front Desk Manager

Hilton Garden Inn

Night Audit/ Front Desk Manager

Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter's Campaign 2012

Intern

Niemerg’s Steak House

Cook/Caterer

Optimizing Operations, Enhancing Experiences.

In the rapidly evolving world of hotel management, outdated tactics just don’t cut it anymore. The industry has changed. The rules have changed. And it’s time your operations change too.

With 15+ years in hospitality, I’m not just passionate, I’m obsessed with optimizing hotel operations. My mission? To revolutionize your operations, cut costs, boost efficiency, and elevate both employee and guest experiences using innovative solutions.

Need help? Give me a shout at:
drew.potter@actabl.com

Drew Potter

People keep asking whether we’re in an AI bubble.

To me, that misses the real point.

Hotels don’t fall behind because they lack AI.
They fall behind when the day-to-day work isn’t clear.

AI doesn’t fix that. It just shows you the cracks faster.

If you add AI to a process that already works, it speeds everything up.
If you add it to a process that’s messy or inconsistent, it makes the pain louder.

So the better question isn’t “Should we add AI?”

It’s: “Is this workflow clean enough that AI would actually help?”

That’s the part most teams skip.

What’s the one process in your hotel you’d fix first?

#HotelTech #HotelOperations #Hospitality #AIinHospitality

Hotel Operations & Technology Leader | 17+ Years Hospitality Experience | Transforming Labor Management Through AI & Innovation | MBA Candidate

Strategic Operations Leader | Problem Solver | Results-Driven with a Growth Mindset & Strong Work Ethic

Strategic Leader Wanted: Director of Professional Services (Strategic Services) at Actabl.  

Own the commercialization and delivery of Actabl’s value-added services. You’ll drive our operational excellence, lead a talented team, and partner cross-functionally across Revenue, Product, and CX to maximize customer value and drive significant business growth. Bring your 6+ years of Professional Services leadership experience  and help us scale!

Must-Haves: Strategy, Commercialization, Operational Scale, Financial Acumen.

https://lnkd.in/gUT_TsDV

McLean Forrester

McLean Forrester is a woman & service-disabled veteran-owned technology and consulting firm based in the Midwest, focusing on generative AI, automation, application modernization, cloud migration, and agile software development capabilities.  Our Founders each have over 20 years experience in designing and delivering technology solutions for private and public sectors.

Co-Founder & CEO

World Wide Technology

Strategic leader for 400+ person Application Services Division spanning software engineering, devops, technical program management, product management, quality assurance, and agile coaching.  Change catalyst for the organization, working across business lines to increase operating efficiencies and collaboration.  Led Strategic Program PMO to include development and implementation of operational models, policies, procedures, key performance indicators, resource utilization, and budget management.  Ensured portfolio management strategy aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives.

Sr Director Software Delivery & Product Management

United States Air Force

I held many positions throughout my 20-year military career, from global supply chain management for the Department of Defense and recruiting operations for the Air Force, to management of an IT portfolio worth over $400M for the US Transportation Command, the nation's global military logistics provider.  No matter the role or the organization, I excelled in building high performing teams and driving results.  My military career taught me how to be an adaptable leader, a change agent, and a strategic thinker, ready for any challenge thrown my way.

Lt Col Retired

Park University

Online and in-person instructor for seven logistics, science and management courses; content developer for two of the courses.

Adjunct Professor

CEO @ McLean Forrester | I help organizations leverage technology to increase efficiency, agility, and profitability.

At McLean Forrester, we build AI solutions that bring you the highest ROI, increasing operational effectiveness and improving the bottom line. 

I started McLean Forrester for a simple reason: I knew we could do better.  Better for clients, and better for the people doing the work. Those are my highest priorities, and they’re the reason we consistently deliver exceptional value.

For over 25 years, I’ve been in the thick of leadership, technology, and program management, watching how the right strategy and the right team can completely transform an organization. But I also saw where companies fell short: chasing deliverables without caring enough for the people or the clients who make success possible.

At McLean Forrester, we change that equation. We take care of our people so they can take extraordinary care of our clients. It’s not fluff.  It’s how we achieve results that last.

My career has been built on turning big challenges into “I can’t believe we did that” moments. From rescuing a company on the brink of collapse to creating platforms that help families in crisis, I’ve seen the power of pairing smart, innovative solutions with genuine human care.

I believe in leading with empathy, executing with excellence, and making sure every solution connects directly to the real-world needs of the people it serves. Because when clients feel valued and teams feel supported, the results speak for themselves.

Checkout my YouTube Channel here where I share the lessons, stories, and systems that help leaders cut through the hype, modernize with confidence, and lead with impact. 

https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherMcLean1

Heather McLean

The magic of Glühwein!

Spent a week in Germany exploring  Christmas markets across a few famous cities, and it's been an amazing trip!

The food, festive atmosphere,  welcoming locals, and of course the Glühwein has made this very memorable, and even better than we could've expected! 

If you're looking for a fun Christmas adventure, you won't be disappointed. 

Have you been?  What was your favorite part? 

PS: We visited Cologne, Mainz, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, and Rothenberg ob der Tauber

Founder & CEO, McLean Forrester | I build high-value AI solutions that transform organizations. | People-First Leader in Tech & Transformation

Being a woman founder in tech feels like I'm always auditioning for the lead role, even though I created the part.

I'm proud, excited, but also pressured. 

Pressure to prove I belong. To be twice as prepared, twice as resilient, twice as patient. To be seen as competent.

Some days it's exhausting. Carrying the burden of leadership... people counting on me for their livelihood. And doing it alone.

But then there are moments when I see my team thrive. Or when I watch another woman step up, speak out, and own her space. 

It's then I realize I'm not just building a company. I'm building a path. Creating something amazing people want to be part of.

A path for others to walk, run, and maybe even dance down. 

It’s not easy. But it’s worth it. And I keep going because I'm also loving every minute of it.

Who’s inspired you to keep going when the road got tough?

#WomenInTech #Leadership #WomenFounders #TechTransformation
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We are #hiring a Senior Technical Product Manager!  

Join McLean Forrester as a Senior Technical Product Manager and help deliver meaningful value for customers—turning insights into product strategy, aligning teams, and driving predictable releases from concept to launch. 

If you align with our core values of Service, Integrity, Collaboration, and Innovation, please apply!

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li_at

LinkedIn Talent Solutions

I used to think work-life balance was a myth. 

That if you wanted to build something meaningful, you had to sacrifice weekends, vacations, even sleep. 

But then I looked around and realized what I was missing. 

Dinners with family. Long walks with my husband. The simple joy of doing nothing for a while. 

So I made a change. 

I started blocking off time for life, not just work. 

At first, it felt selfish. But then I noticed something: I was better at my job. More creative. More patient. 

Turns out, rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement. 

If you’re waiting for permission to take a break, here it is. 

What’s one thing you do to recharge outside of work?

#WorkLifeBalance #Leadership #Family
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If you post on LinkedIn regularly, something weird happens.

You start to build a little community of friends.

You comment on each other's posts.

You lift each other up.

You start finding ways to promote each other. Send referrals their way.

It's been pretty cool how this has evolved for me over the past year.

Thanks to all my friends in my little club. 

Let's keep lifting each other up!

It's Saturday.  Here's your reminder to stop thinking about work.

Do something fun.

Do something for yourself!

Be with family.

Enjoy life!

Here’s something I wish more leaders would say out loud: I don’t have it all figured out. 

There’s this myth that CEOs are supposed to be bulletproof. Always confident, always decisive, never rattled. 

Truth is, some days I feel like I’m figuring it out as I go. 

And you know what? That’s okay. 

Because leadership is about creating space for others to bring their best self. 

It’s about being honest when you’re stuck, and asking for help when you need it. 

I’ve found that the more vulnerable I am, the stronger my team becomes. 

They step up. They innovate. They surprise me. 

So here’s my challenge: next time you’re not sure, say so. 

You might be amazed at what happens next. 

When was the last time you admitted you didn’t know?

#Leadership #Vulnerability #BeYourself
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Walking into a 5-star hotel, you feel it immediately:
The warmth. The speed. The way the staff anticipates what you need before you even ask.

That’s the standard we aim for in consulting.

For us, “great service” isn’t about saying yes and sprinting toward a solution. 

It’s about:
- Friendly, human engagement
- Fast clarity 
- Proactive guidance
- Frictionless communication
- Thoughtful details that remove cognitive load from the client

In the clip below, I share a story from a recent client engagement:

They came to us with a proposed solution. Instead of just executing, we hosted a day-long scoping workshop designed around their outcomes, not our template.

We:
- Curated a distraction-free room
- Brought in coffee, lunch, and small touches that made focus easy
- Seated our team interspersed with theirs to reinforce “one team,” not “us vs. them”

By the end of the day, it didn’t feel like two companies. It felt like one product team with a shared vision.

That isn’t “hospitality for hospitality’s sake.”
It’s deliberate service design to accelerate trust and decision-making.

You don’t need a huge firm to do this.
You just need to be faster, clearer, and kinder... consistently.

🎥 Watch the clip below and tell me:
What’s one small “5-star hotel” touch you could bring into your client experience this quarter?

https://lnkd.in/gr8dwGqX

One of my favorite client success stories ⬇️

A communications firm spent $100K and 12 months building an AI product...
and ended up with zero usable results.

We stepped in with our Prototype-to-Production Method.

✅ In just 1 week, they had:

A working mock-up

A pitch video

A customer feedback loop

From there, we refined their idea with real-world input with a roadmap for a scaled SaaS product that will drive exponential revenue, creating an advantage their competitors won't see coming.

Lesson: Sometimes the best way forward isn’t to keep building.
It’s to stop, reframe, and prototype fast.

#Innovation #RapidPrototype #McLeanForrester #AILeadership
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Women are adopting AI 25% less than men. 

That number should shock you, but maybe it doesn't.

So why is this happening? It's about barriers and bias.

Some barriers are easy to spot:
- Lack of representation in tech teams
- AI tools designed without diverse perspectives
- Training that skips over real-world, people-first scenarios

Others are hidden:
- The old myth that some jobs "aren't technical" enough for AI
- The assumption that everyone feels confident experimenting with new tech
- Worried that using AI will make you look like you are not an expert

Here's why this matters for every business:
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.
You miss the insights, the use cases, the practical feedback that only a truly diverse team can provide.

Your products get less relevant.
Your teams get less resilient.
Your culture gets less innovative.

If you care about growth, you have to care about who gets a seat at the table.

So, how do we close the gap?

- Open up training and pilots to every function, not just the "usual suspects"
- Build AI programs around real problems your people face 
- Make sure your mentors reflect the diversity you want to see in your teams
- Celebrate and share the wins when women drive real value with AI

Research has proven that 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨.

How does your organization ensure equal access AI?

#WomenInTech #AIDiversity #PeopleFirstLeadership #AIAdoption
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Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Ever had someone call you their secret weapon?

That’s exactly what a client said to us the other day.

Not “best vendor,” not “consultant,” not “AI magician.”

Secret weapon.

That made me smile. Here’s how that happens.

Most companies want AI to work for them, but they’re chasing shiny stuff or stuck in endless planning.

We do it differently:

✔ We help them identify the right AI projects, not just shiny ones
✔ We deliver clarity in 2 weeks with our AI ValuePath Sprint
✔ We prototype in 4 weeks to prove value with real data
✔ We build production solutions that actually work

The result? They look like the hero. The C-suite sees impact.
People start asking, “How did you pull that off?”

We stay behind the scenes making sure they succeed.

That’s the kind of partnership we’re proud of.

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨? 𝙇𝙚𝙩'𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙩.

#ExecutiveSuccess #TrustedPartner #CIOCommunity #EnterpriseAI
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Want clients to say, “You read my mind”? 

In my latest podcast episode, I break down the 6-step, client-first system we use at McLean Forrester to turn first projects into long-term partnerships without burning out your team or blowing the budget. From concierge-level kickoffs to real working demos and radical transparency, this is the exact playbook.

What you’ll learn:
- How to set expectations so projects start (and stay) aligned
- The rituals that turn vendors into trusted partners
- A simple ROI gate to say “no” to the wrong features
- Boundary scripts and guardrails that protect people and profit

Who this is for:

Founders, product leaders, and consulting teams who want white-glove service that scales, even with tight budgets or demanding stakeholders.

#Podcast #TechTea #ClientFirst
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Are you an expert in your industry? Can you identify opportunities where AI and emerging tech can solve real-world problems?

We are seeking select referral partners  who can earn up to 10% of a build.  Apply to partner at:

https://lnkd.in/e87hfYka

As a sponsor to 6 friends and having personally witnessed the impact of Unbound's support in Kenya, I can't rave enough about the work Unbound is doing to improve the lives of others. It's truly amazing and inspiring! 

For only $40/month you can change someone's life!

Every act of kindness, every message, every visit reminds us that connection is a gift. As 2025 comes to a close, we’re celebrating the moments that brought people closer.

Here’s what that looked like in 2025...so far! 

💛 279,300+ children, youth and elders supported
💌 446,464 messages have been sent from friends to their sponsors
🤩16,600+ new sponsorships were started, sparking new connections 
🤗 16% of sponsors chose to walk with more than one friend 🙌
✈️ 370 people joined Unbound Awareness Trips (ATs) to Guatemala, Philippines, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and Kenya 
🤝 419 sponsored friends met their sponsors face to face 

🌟Our top funds support families through crisis, education, celebration, innovation and community growth. Each gift meets real needs with dignity. Support a fund at Unbound.org/donate.

✨ As the year draws to a close, you can still give the gift of hope. Sponsor a friend at Unbound.org/Sponsor or share your Unbound journey in the comments. Your story may be the encouragement someone else needs to begin theirs.

Want Long-Term Clients? Start With These 3 Moves

- Map their outcomes BEFORE jumping to solutions.
- Build rituals that drive transparency, like regular demos of real working software.
- Flag friction early and fix it together.

You don’t earn trust once. You earn it weekly, continuously building upon the foundation.

That’s how short projects become multi-year partnerships.

What’s your secret to turning first projects into long-term relationships?

#ClientPartnership #GrowthStrategy #Leadership
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Many AI conversations start with: “We don’t have the budget.”

But you don’t need millions to deliver value.

At McLean Forrester, we help leaders maximize every dollar by:
1️⃣ Prioritizing projects with the highest ROI
2️⃣ Avoiding hype-driven distractions
3️⃣ Starting with rapid prototypes to prove value before scaling

We focus on working smarter, not spending bigger.

The result? You deliver real business outcomes without blowing the budget.

👉 If you had $50K to spend on AI, where would you put it?

#AIOnABudget #CIOPriorities #SmartAI #DigitalROI

How do we turn first-time projects into multi-year relationships?

Here’s the exact 6-step system we use:
1️⃣ Proactive Prep
2️⃣ Concierge Kickoff
3️⃣ One Team Rituals
4️⃣ Fight for Clarity
5️⃣ Guardrails & Boundaries
6️⃣ Outcomes > Outputs

It’s not magic. It’s just intentional systems.

Want to hear how we apply this in real life? Listen to my latest podcast episode: https://lnkd.in/gy7d4KM2

#DeliveryExcellence #TechStrategy #LeadershipSystems
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taplio

The Battle

Drew Potter

Heather McLean

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreDrew Potter's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreHeather McLean's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Drew Potter

Heather McLean

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Drew Potter's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreHeather McLean's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDrew Potter's LinkedIn Performance