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Complete article at DenverPost.com.
“With six years of consecutive growth and positive industry indicators, the time was right for expansion,” said Griffen O’Shaughnessy, co-founder and co-president, Canopy Advisory Group. “While we evaluated and carefully considered several cities, Seattle was the strongest market for our model, where we knew we could provide a meaningful alternative to businesses and professionals.
Founded in 2009 by O’Shaughnessy and business partner, Brooke Borgen, Canopy has successfully matched seasoned professionals in marketing, finance, nonprofit consulting and law with Colorado organizations looking to add talent but not full-time employees. Doubling in revenue and advisors every year and receiving national attention for their pioneering model, Canopy appeals to a new breed of freelance professional who has left the corporate space feeling dissatisfied.
“The Pacific Northwest has an exceptionally diverse business mix, with a vibrant startup community, existing freelance community, and great number of Fortune 500 companies with a growing need for project-based work,” said O’Shaughnessy. “This is an ideal scenario for Canopy’s expansion, as businesses are already familiar with freelancers, seasoned ‘highlancers’ are looking to stand out among their competitors, and alternatives to full-time employees have increasingly become a profitable relationship.”
Canopy’s model continues to see positive growth signals from the workforce. In fact, 76 percent of organizations in an oDesk survey indicated their use of contractors was a long-term strategy. More than 80 percent either agreed or strongly agreed both that remote hiring increases competitiveness and that the practice will soon be common.
“We know the market is ripe, but we also know the Canopy differentiator is matching the right high caliber partner with the right organization and opportunity,” said Brooke Borgen, co-president and co-founder, Canopy Advisory Group. “It was imperative we find a Seattle office lead who had rich and robust professional experience, a great grasp of a variety of disciplines and a large network of business, non-profit and professional connections.”
s the Canopy Advisory Group leadership team as head of the Seattle office, driving strategy and growth. “Carin was the primary reason Seattle made the most sense as our first expansion market,” said Borgen.
Parcel is an attorney with experience in intellectual property and litigation, focusing on trademark prosecution and infringement, copyright, trade secrets and licensing. While attending Northwestern University School of Law, she worked for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with the Honorable Blanche M. Manning and went on to practice law in Chicago at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in the intellectual property litigation group.
After practicing for several years, she moved to Seattle and received her LLM in Intellectual Property from the University of Washington School of Law. Originally from Omaha, Neb., Carin has lived in the Seattle area for more than six years with her husband and three kids.
“A complementary addition to Seattle’s business mix, the Canopy Advisory Group model makes it easier for highly experienced professionals to take on meaningful assignments, while at the same time, Canopy delivers the market’s best match to businesses seeking support,” said Parcel, Seattle city lead and advisor at Canopy. “For seasoned veterans considering alternatives to full-time employment and for organizations seeking a skill set to meet new needs, Canopy Advisory Group offers a third way.”
To become a consultant, to hire a Canopy consultant in the Seattle area or for more information on Canopy Advisory Group, please visit canopyadvisory.com/seattle-office.
