• Work & Impact
  • Meet Candice
  • Start Smart: Resources
  • More
    • Work & Impact
    • Meet Candice
    • Start Smart: Resources
  • Work & Impact
  • Meet Candice
  • Start Smart: Resources

Impact with Intention

Impact with IntentionImpact with IntentionImpact with Intention

Product isn't just a function. It's a foundation. Avoid product chaos before it ever starts.  

Expertise

 From initial traction to enterprise scale, I help organizations build calm, resilient product foundations to grow deliberately, not reactively 

Experience

Impact Delivered

Product Strategy & Roadmap Planning

 

  • Defined and executed product strategies for multimillion-dollar SaaS platforms producing 7% growthacross regulated and multilingual markets.
     
  • Spearheaded a 0–1 marketplace launch, including behavioral analytics, ML-powered personalization, and scalable onboarding.
     
  • Partnered with Fortune 100 companies to deliver accessible, enterprise-ready solutions aligned to GTM strategy.
     
  • Created product health dashboards and KPI frameworks to drive roadmap prioritization and cross-functional alignment.

Product Operations


 

  • Built scalable product operations models, reducing launch delays by 28% and increasing sprint predictability across 10+ agile teams.
     
  • Established enterprise-wide KPIs, achieving 90% forecast accuracy for digital initiatives.
     
  • Standardized agile delivery processes using Scrum, Kanban, and Pragmatic Marketing frameworks.
     
  • Led product operations frameworks for 40K+ users, optimizing SLAs and delivery quality at scale.

Product Coaching & Advisory

 

  • Mentored and scaled high-performing product organizations, including Product Managers, POs, Ops, Principals and Sr. Directors.
     
  • Coached early-stage teams on product-market fit, user research, and inclusive UX design.
     
  • Trained internal teams on AI tool adoption (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) to improve decision-making and team efficiency.
     
  • Developed internal education programs on feedback loops, VOC and cross-functional collaboration.

Progress with Purpose: From Startups to Scaleups

Startups & SMBs 5–100 employees

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Startups & SMBs 5–100 employees

Built foundational product strategies and operating models for early-stage teams, often starting from 0→1. Aligned business vision to user needs, implemented agile practices, and launched market-ready MVPs. 

Founders making product decisions themselves

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Startups & SMBs 5–100 employees

Advised founders making product decisions without formal product leadership. Provided decision frameworks, prioritization coaching, and roadmap structure to balance vision with user validation and delivery focus. 

Teams without a full-time product roles

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Enabled cross-functional teams (engineering, marketing, operations) to operate with product discipline before hiring full-time PMs. Introduced product ops systems, backlog hygiene, and sprint planning rigor. 

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Organizations navigating team shifts, fast growth, or product plateaus

Worked with scaling teams facing delivery misalignment or stalled growth. Delivered portfolio-level clarity, introduced product governance, and re-energized GTM strategies to move beyond plateaus. 

Real Feedback from Teams and Executives

Stakeholder and Colleague

UX Research and Design Peer

Engineering and IT Partner

 "I had the pleasure of working with Candice and was consistently inspired by her dedication, leadership, and unwavering support for the Deaf community. She leads with empathy, clarity, purpose, and qualities that are rare and deeply valued.
Candice brings a strong sense of integrity and excellence to everything she does. Her ability to bridge communication, empower others, and build inclusive strategies made a lasting impact on our team and the communities we serve." Jason Wagner - National Sales Director at Sorenson Communications

Engineering and IT Partner

UX Research and Design Peer

Engineering and IT Partner

" Candice is a true team player who collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams and has built strong relationships with our partners and stakeholders. Her empowering leadership style encourages innovation and creativity, resulting in an engaged and motivated team." Aram Harutyunyan - Director of Engineering at SABX 

UX Research and Design Peer

UX Research and Design Peer

UX Research and Design Peer

 " Everyone who works with her walks away with more—more insight, more clarity, and a stronger grasp of what’s working, what’s not, and where things need to go. She has that rare ability to zoom out to the big picture while staying grounded in the day-to-day details that actually make things move forward."   Brandon Green - V.P of UX at Sorenson Communications  

CIO and Supervisor

Product Lead and Direct Report

UX Research and Design Peer

" I had the distinct pleasure of working with Candice Grijalva at Plexus, where she was instrumental in architecting and establishing the digital product management discipline. Candice didn't just build a team; she defined the processes and strategic framework that enabled its success. Her ability to create and clearly delineate business value was exceptional, consistently leveraging Business Value metrics to drive the development of high-impact features and capabilities." Mike Green - CIO at Plexus

Product Lead and Direct Report

Product Lead and Direct Report

Product Lead and Direct Report

" She doesn’t just manage; she champions. She trusts her team, creates space for growth, and advocates fiercely for those she leads. I’m the product person I am today because of her leadership, and I’m endlessly grateful for the trust and opportunities she extended to me. Any organization would be lucky to have her at the helm." Katie Kubat - Principal Product Manager at Sorenson Communications

Contact Information

If you're navigating product growth or uncertainty, I’d love to be your partner in clarity. 

Calm before Chaos

Candice.grijalva@gmail.com

Copyright © 2025 Grijalva Conceptions - All Rights Reserved.

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