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Jessica Billingsley
Founder | CEO | Public Speaker | Investor | Public and Private Board MemberSona Capital
Member Since March 2021
Skills
About
Jessica is a seasoned executive and innovator with decades of experience in frontier technology. She is named on multiple patents including advancements in supply chain technology and anti-counterfeit solutions using blockchain and NFTs. Her experience includes leading successful public and private companies as CEO and serving on multiple boards of directors. Jessica possesses in-depth expertise in private and public capital markets and has successfully navigated complex transactions to drive growth and business transformation. She is also FINRA securities licensed. Previously, as Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of Akerna (Nasdaq: KERN), a Software as a Service ag-tech company, she successfully publicly listed, completed multiple accretive acquisitions, maintained market leadership for over a decade, and exited via strategic acquisition. Jessica currently serves on the boards of Gryphon Digital Mining (NASDAQ:GRYP), Nu Energy (NASDAQ:NXU), OARO, and the Young President’s Organization (YPO) Entrepreneurship Network Board. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Inc. Top 100 Female Founder and Fortune’s Most Promising Woman Entrepreneur. Her insights and thought leadership have been featured in numerous prominent media outlets, in addition to her active contribution to Entrepreneur and Rolling Stone publications.
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Jessica Billingsley
Published content
![Nine Areas of Focus for Improved Customer Service Training](/profile/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F09%2FRSCC-EPH-Nine_Areas_of_Focus_for_Improved_Customer_Service_Training.jpg%3Fw%3D1600%26h%3D900%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=75)
expert panel
Proper training can ensure reps are prepared to handle any problem that comes their way. Because they have direct interactions with customers on a daily basis, a company’s customer service team plays a large role in that organization’s success. Quality customer service will not only impress new customers but will also be a key motivator in their decision to stick around for the long term. This means that training customer service reps on how to do their job efficiently and with quality and positivity in mind is an important task that leaders shouldn’t take lightly. As business leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council know what it takes to provide great customer service. Below, they each detail one area they believe more customer service teams should be trained on in order to be successful and the impact that has on a company’s bottom line.
![Looking to Collab With Another Brand? Eight Steps to Guarantee Their Interest](/profile/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2Flooking_to_collab_with_another_brand__eight_steps_to_guarantee_their_interest.jpg%3Fw%3D1600%26h%3D900%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=75)
expert panel
To persuade a brand to work with you, first think about how you can help them. In a saturated market, it can be difficult to stand out — especially on your own. A great way to reach new audiences and leverage resources that may not normally be available to you, however, is to collaborate with another business in, or even outside of, your industry. A product or campaign that takes advantage of both teams’ strengths may be just what you need to get you both noticed by potential customers. However, approaching another company can feel intimidating, especially if you’re a small business and unsure of what you might bring to the table. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, taking the following eight steps can help boost your confidence. Here, they offer up their best tips for approaching another brand or business about a collaborative partnership and what you can do to guarantee their interest.
![10 Ways to Leverage Technology to Build Better Customer Relationships](/profile/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2FRSCC-EPH-10_Ways_to_Leverage_Technology_to_Build_Better_Customer_Relationships.jpg%3Fw%3D1600%26h%3D900%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=75)
expert panel
When it comes to human-to-human connection, AI can be a valuable tool. As AI becomes more and more commonplace in business, there are some leaders who worry about it replacing the human element of customer service and engagement. Will customers really be happy talking to AI over another human being? Will business lose its personal touch? While AI is certainly poised to change the way business is currently conducted, many leaders believe that technology can be used as a key tool for bettering relationships between customers and companies — not replacing them. Below, 10 business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council weigh in with their thoughts on technology in business, each discussing one way a business can leverage technology to build better relationships with its customers and what's worked well for them.
![11 Big Struggles These Entrepreneurs Faced (and How They Overcame Them)](/profile/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2FRSCC-EPH-11_Big_Struggles_These_Entrepreneurs_Faced_and_How_They_Overcame_Them.jpg%3Fw%3D1600%26h%3D900%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=75)
expert panel
The support and experience of others may just be the solution you need. Success is often not a straight line; it’s full of ups, downs and plenty of surprises. In entrepreneurship, the path to success comes with obstacles you’ll need to overcome if you want to continue on. Many entrepreneurs share similar obstacles, and some may be more unique to specific situations or people. However, when all is said and done, it’s the way an entrepreneur solves each problem that can serve as a guide for others to solve their own. Below, 11 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council each share one major struggle they've faced as an entrepreneur, the steps they took to overcome it and how other entrepreneurs might learn from their journey.
![The Entrepreneur's Playbook: Five Strategies for Success](/profile/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2Fthe_entrepreneurs_playbook_five_strategies_for_success-.jpg%3Fw%3D1600%26h%3D900%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=75)
article
Remember, success is not just about the big wins but also about the consistent, small actions and choices you make along the way.
![The Great Computing Power Chase: Why It Matters and How We'll Win](/profile/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F07%2FThe_Great_Computing_Power_Chase_Why_It_Matters_and_How_Well_Win.jpg%3Fw%3D1600%26h%3D900%26crop%3D1&w=3840&q=75)
article
Yes, the demand for computing power is skyrocketing. But so too are our solutions for meeting this demand sustainably.