I'm Jessica S. Hall (most people call me Jess), and I help post-Series A B2B companies move from stuck to shipping.

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By day, I'm VP of Product at Tidal Cyber, leading product strategy in a real-world, high-stakes cybersecurity environment. I'm in the work (talking to customers, shipping features, solving problems, making decisions).

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I also run Hallway Studio, my executive coaching practice for founders, product leaders, and VPs scaling past Series A who need clear direction without the sludge.

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You Have a Problem, And It's Not Your Team

You've got product-market fit. You've raised capital. You have a capable team.

But somehow everything feels harder than it should.

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Sales doesn't trust engineering to deliver. Product priorities shift weekly. The founders swoop in and override decisions. Everyone's busy, but nothing ships.

The problem isn't your team. It's a direction problem.

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When teams don't know what truly matters, they hesitate. They play it safe. They wait for you to push everything forward.

 

I help leaders build a Direction Stack, a lightweight system that makes strategic direction clear at every level, in every meeting, every day.

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My Coaching Focuses On

Building a Direction Stack that works at your stage
Not startup chaos. Not enterprise bureaucracy. A lightweight system for making priorities clear when you're scaling from 50 to 500 people.

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Making strategy actionable
So teams can make decisions without escalating everything. So your roadmap actually guides work instead of gathering dust.

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Accelerating momentum without adding chaos
Moving faster doesn't require more process. It requires clarity about what matters now, what's next, and what we're not doing.

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Evaluating AI strategically
Building AI use cases that create leverage, not theater. Making smart bets when the board is asking, "What's our AI strategy?"

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Why Work With Me

I'm in the room doing this work every day.

I lead product at a fast-growing cybersecurity company. I understand post-Series A reality including board expectations, customer demands, hiring challenges, and the constant tension between moving fast and getting it right.

 

What I Bring:

• VP of Product at Tidal Cyber, leading in a high-stakes, fast-moving B2B environment

• 20+ years across product strategy, design, and go-to-market

• Led the redesign of an $800M product portfolio

• Scaled product and AI teams across startups and enterprises

• Trusted advisor to founders, CEOs, and VPs who need traction, not theory

 

I'm not an ex-MAANG person with LinkedIn hot takes.
I'm an operator who's built these systems in the room where they have to work.

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Work With Me

Direction Stack Session

A focused 90-minute coaching session where we diagnose your direction problem and build a plan to get your team unstuck. Best for founders and product leaders who need clarity fast.

Book a free discovery call 

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Executive Coaching

For CEOs, founders, and VPs scaling past Series A who want a trusted advisor in their corner. We work together to build your Direction Stack, make it stick, and navigate the challenges that come up as you scale from product-market fit to growth.

Book a free discovery call 

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Speaking 

I speak on product strategy, leadership development, and building direction systems that work at scale. Topics include: scaling product teams, making strategy actionable, and evaluating AI strategically.

Watch previous talks

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Directionally Correct Newsletter

Tools and stories from the field for post-Series A B2B leaders. Delivered every other week.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

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How Hallway Studio Started

After grad school at the University of Edinburgh, I came back to the U.S. broke, jobless, and living in my parents' basement. An old boss called. I started freelancing under the name Hallway Studio.

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The blog launched in 2014 to test ideas and work through messy problems in product strategy and leadership.

In 2022, Hallway Studio became an executive coaching practice where I help leaders build clarity and momentum.

This is my lab where I capture lessons, experiment with ideas, and help other leaders grow.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a Direction Stack?

A Direction Stack is a lightweight system for making strategic direction clear at every level of a post-Series A company. It includes three components: (1) a narrative your team understands and can use to make decisions, (2) a strategy sharp enough to guide tradeoffs, and (3) a weekly rhythm for keeping priorities visible. It's designed for companies that are past startup chaos but don't need enterprise-level bureaucracy.

 

Who do you coach?

I work with post-Series A B2B founders, CEOs, VPs of Product, and product leaders dealing with scaling challenges—misaligned teams, unclear priorities, and the pressure to move faster without burning people out. My clients are typically at companies with 50-500 employees that have raised Series A or Series B funding.

 

What industries do you work with?

I specialize in B2B tech companies, particularly cybersecurity, SaaS, enterprise software, and technology services companies. My clients are typically in high-growth environments where product-market fit has been achieved and the challenge is scaling effectively.

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How is your coaching different from other product coaches?

I'm a practicing VP of Product, not a full-time coach. I'm in the room doing this work every day at a high-growth B2B company. Everything I teach comes from current, hands-on experience in post-Series A scaling environments—not theory, frameworks from consulting, or outdated playbooks from massive tech companies.

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What does a Direction Stack Session include?

A Direction Stack Session is a focused 90-minute coaching session where we diagnose your specific direction problem, identify what's causing teams to stall, and build a concrete plan for getting unstuck. You'll leave with clarity on what matters now, what's next, and how to communicate priorities effectively.

 

Do you offer ongoing coaching or just single sessions?

I offer both. The Direction Stack Session is perfect for leaders who need immediate clarity on a specific challenge. Executive coaching is for leaders who want ongoing support as they scale—typically founders, CEOs, and VPs who are navigating the transition from Series A to growth stage.

 

Where are you based and do you work with remote clients?

I'm based in the Washington, DC area and work with clients across the United States and internationally. All coaching sessions are conducted virtually, making it easy to work together regardless of location.

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