Get to know the people behind Transparency-One! In the fourth article of this series, we spoke with our CEO Chris Morrison, who is based in our Boston headquarters.
1. Where are you from?
I grew up in the US in a rural part of Pennsylvania. Growing up there, I was fortunate to spend a lot of time outside running around forests and fields. I’ve lived in Boston for the past 18 years and spend a good bit of time with our team in Paris.
2. What exactly does a CEO do?
Good question – a little bit of everything! We are all hands on right now building the company. I spend most of my time split between working with customers and partners, assuring we have a world class platform, and making sure we are a great place to work. From the beginning, we wanted to assure we had a strong company culture so we can be the best we can for our customers and lead this market. We have a great team here and a lot of what I work to do is make sure our team has the ability to excel – I’m a big believer in the idea of hiring smart, motivated people, giving them the right tools and help when needed but getting out of the way so they can do great things!
3. How did you get into your field?
My background is in engineering and architecture. I always loved designing buildings, but I liked seeing things being actually built, so I started my career in the construction industry. I had an amazing opportunity to go to MIT for graduate school. MIT opened my eyes to the world of high tech and I jumped right in. I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of great high-tech companies and am thrilled to be a part of Transparency-One. We are focused on building a fast growth company but at the same time the mission of the company is centered on positive impact. We think supply chain transparency will fundamentally change many industries but the net impact will not only benefit the large companies we work with, but also all stakeholders in the supply chain and most importantly, consumers. We think it is a virtuous cycle. Increasing the transparency and integrity of the supply chain will help reduce the risks of product safety issues and forced labor, while improving sustainable business practices.
4. What does a typical day look like for you? What teams do you work with?
Every day is different and never boring. On an average day I can talk to perspective customers, pitch an investor, help validate a product feature, and recruit new employees. It’s really a blend of strategic to very tactical.
5. What’s one of the biggest challenges about your job?
We are a young company so we are building everything from the beginning. Somethings you take for granted in a bigger company – you need to create from the start. I’ve learned a lot about legal and finance practices starting up Transparency-One. This isn’t always the most exciting stuff to work on but still very necessary!
6. Where can we find you when you’re not in the office?
My family is the center of my world. I am married with two boys (and two rescue dogs) – so we have a very active house. We spend a lot of time together, which is very fun and precious. I also love being outside and am an avid skier, mountain biker and work in a few triathlons.
