What I’d Say to Me Back Then – Be Kind, Not Nice, Says Epicor’s Kerrie Jordan

Why It Matters

Jordan’s emphasis on narrative‑driven tech leadership and AI translation equips firms to accelerate innovation while fostering diverse, resilient talent pipelines.

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling bridges tech products and customer needs
• AI fluency enables leaders to drive ROI decisions
• Mentorship accelerates women’s advancement in tech
• Flexibility retains mid‑career talent in manufacturing
• Kindness over niceness fosters honest, resilient leadership

Pulse Analysis

Kerrie Jordan’s journey from a literature‑focused education to the CMO and SVP of Product at Epicor illustrates how storytelling can become a strategic asset in technology firms. Early roles in a product‑lifecycle‑management startup forced her to interview business leaders, turn technical challenges into compelling narratives, and demonstrate tangible value. After an eight‑year stint at Oracle, she carried that blend of narrative and product insight into Epicor, where she now shapes go‑to‑market strategies and guides product teams to solve real‑world problems. Her career proves that narrative discipline is as critical as code.

Jordan stresses that artificial intelligence is the newest frontier where storytelling meets technical depth. Executives grapple with ambiguous ROI, data‑privacy concerns, and integration hurdles, yet they need clear, business‑focused explanations to justify investments. Professionals who can dive into model training, interpret outputs, and then translate those insights into plain‑language use cases become indispensable bridges between data scientists and boardrooms. This translation skill not only accelerates AI adoption but also safeguards against costly missteps, positioning firms that master it at a competitive advantage in an increasingly algorithm‑driven market.

Beyond technology, Jordan champions inclusive culture as a catalyst for sustainable growth. She founded Epicor’s women’s employee resource group, created open‑channel forums, and advocates for mid‑career flexibility through up‑skilling and cost‑saving tech solutions. Her mantra—‘be kind, not nice’—encourages leaders to give candid feedback while maintaining empathy, fostering resilience and honest dialogue. By embedding mentorship, DEI targets, and flexible work models, organizations can retain diverse talent, improve innovation pipelines, and navigate rapid market shifts with a more engaged workforce.