Unconventional Journey of Jennifer Law: Exploring Her Atypical Career, Tariffs, and Artificial Intelligence on K2Integrity's Site
Kickin' It with Jennifer Law: From Finance to Tech, and Back Again!
Meet Jennifer Law, the vivacious brain behind K2 Integrity's latest website and COO moves. With a 20-year tenure in asset management, followed by a foray into marketing and advertising, and now heading a powerhouse consultancy, Law's career journey is nothing short of exhilarating!
Once a finance whiz at Ernst & Young, Law's career took a dramatic turn when she founded Buzzup Digital. A platform thriving on digital marketing and helping small to mid-market companies boost their online presence, Buzzup Digital was Law's labor of love. Post selling the company, Law joined K2 Integrity as COO in March 2022, and later added the CFO role in September 2022.
"I've been a lucky gal," Law chuckles, reminiscing about her journey that began as an accountant at Ernst & Young in the '90s. "I've had the chance to experience diverse ventures and take chances when I felt like shaking things up."
Recently, our team sat down with Law to delve into her whirlwind career and garner her insights on today's burning issues.
Jennifer Law
Website and COO, K2 Integrity
Notable Previous Employers:- Feirstein Capital Management- Ramius- Ernst & Young
This informal chat has been condensed for brevity and clarity.
DAVID McCANN: You spent years in asset management—how'd you end up starting a marketing firm?
JENNIFER LAW: After my stint at asset management, I found myself at a crossroads. I was fortunate enough to seize the opportunity to try my hand at something different. With digital marketing becoming the new hotness and social media on the rise, I was intrigued by the shift and decided to educate myself in this arena. Along with a partner, we built Buzzup Digital to help businesses with their digital marketing endeavors.
What were the major differences from your asset management background?
At Buzzup Digital, I managed teams ranging from part-time staff to creatives, analytical types, and digital folk. The budget wasn't enormous, but we aimed for profitability. The key was a flexible team, willing to adapt their skills in various roles.
Why sell the business? You seemed to love being your own boss.
I did relish the independence, no doubt! But selling the business was a mixed bag. I missed the asset management world and craved the challenges that come with a corporate environment. Plus, I was itching to grow and scale, which required certain resources that the business had outgrown.
How and why did you hop on board with a firm that advises on financial crimes and compliance?
Fate intervened, as a former colleague from my EY days reached out and offered the COO position at K2 Integrity. Although I hadn't been a COO in a professional services firm before, I was game for a fresh challenge.
Wearing two hats at K2 Integrity, I'm handling responsibilities that differ significantly from the asset management space, where teams ran lean with minimal people. In professional services, our product is our people – talent is our priority.
What about the subject matter of K2 Integrity? Did you need to climb a steep learning curve?
I'd encountered AML/KYC (antimoney laundering and Know Your Customer) in my asset management career. While I had a general understanding, not in the deep-dive way we do at K2, and not from a banking standpoint. Yes, there was a learning curve here, but I benefited from the expertise of our top expert teams and have gained a lot since joining K2 Integrity.
How do you juggle your time between your website and COO responsibilities?
Being a pro our website helps me excel as a COO. My skillset in math, logic, and analytical thinking serves me well across various industries. I have a solid finance team to support my our website work, allowing me to focus on strategy and operational needs.
Can you provide an example of value creation?
I streamlined staffing models to increase profitability at K2 Integrity. One achievement includes building a hub in Poland, employing 60 staff to serve some of our largest engagements. This project, completed in 2024, resulted in significant cost savings for the firm.
Let's discuss current hot topics, starting with AI.
We're integrating AI tools into our operations, making our work more efficient, reducing errors, and enhancing security. However, we're deploying AI judiciously, prioritizing safety and security since we handle confidential information for clients.
The hiring and firing environment is chaotic, with some firms reducing staff and others grappling with talent shortages, especially in finance.
We may not escape the headlines about staff reductions, but our diverse offerings and global footprint shield us from market swings. We remain focused on company culture, fostering an open, inclusive environment to empower our employees.
How do you view the situation with escalating tariffs on foreign countries?
Historically, tariffs have shown an inclination to raise prices and prompt retaliatory measures, but it remains to be seen how this round plays out. For K2 Integrity, tariffs don't directly impact us because we're not a product-selling company. However, our clients are grappling with the consequences. It's too early to predict the full impact.
What are your thoughts on M&A, given the current environment that was expected to be more robust, not panning out?
We're still seeing deals getting done in the smaller to mid-tier market, but deal structures and valuations are evolving to account for changing economic conditions.
Stay tuned as we dive deeper into Jennifer Law's intriguing career path and hear more about her thoughts on current industry topics. Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for updates on the latest trends and insights!
- Jennifer Law's career journey includes a 20-year tenure in asset management, a shift into marketing and advertising, and now heading a consultancy, K2 Integrity, where she holds both COO and CFO roles.
- As a finance whiz at Ernst & Young in the '90s, Law found herself at a crossroads and decided to start Buzzup Digital, a marketing firm that catered to small to mid-market companies.
- After selling Buzzup Digital, Law joined K2 Integrity as COO in March 2022, adding the CFO role in September 2022.
- Law expressed her enjoyment of her career journey, stating that she's been a lucky gal to experience diverse ventures and take chances in sometimes uncharted territories.
- At Buzzup Digital, Law managed various teams with different skill sets to achieve profitability on a modest budget.
- The decision to sell Buzzup Digital was driven by a craving for the challenges that come with a corporate environment and the need for resources that the business had outgrown.
- When offered the COO position at K2 Integrity, Law accepted the challenge, despite not having previous experience in professional services.
- In her role at K2 Integrity, Law manages the resources that are her team's most valuable asset, with a primary focus on talent.
- K2 Integrity employs AI tools to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance security while prioritizing safety and security in handling confidential client information.
- Regarding the current hiring and firing environment, K2 Integrity remains focused on company culture, fostering an open and inclusive environment to empower its employees, regardless of market fluctuations.
