Member Spotlight: Jillian Climie

Welcome to Vancouver Tech Journal’s Member Spotlight, a place where we can learn more about our community members, share their unique stories and specialities, what they can offer other members, and the kind of connections they’re looking for.

Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Jillian Climie, co-founder of The Thoughtful Co., a consultancy that helps women negotiate their compensation and advises employers on improving gender equity at work.

After graduating from business school, Climie worked in consulting before specializing in compensation at Aritzia and Lululemon. Throughout these experiences, she witnessed many women ‘leave money on the table’ and not negotiate packages with stock options and signing bonuses.

Keen to do more outside her role, Climie left Lululemon and created the Thoughtful Co. with Sophie Warwick, a structural engineer leading employee resource groups in the industry. 

Through the Thoughtful Co., Climie and Warwick are helping more women get paid what they deserve, and employers build more inclusive workplaces — particularly in tech, engineering, and construction. To date, local and international clients include ACEC-BC, Engineers and Geoscientists BC, Stantec, Wealthsimple, University of Cambridge, and Oxford University.

Where are you from? 

I grew up in Vancouver. I’m now living in Victoria so not too far.

What’s your job? 

I’m co-founder at The Thoughtful Co., a consultancy that supports women in negotiating their compensation and advises employers on improving gender equity at work.

Tell us what you do.

There are three main things I do at The Thoughtful Co.:

• Advise women in compensation negotiations. Through coaching sessions, contract reviews, financial modelling, and more, I support women in negotiating for the pay they deserve. On average, our clients achieve an over 25 per cent increase in their compensation packages. I've worked with clients across Canada, the US and the UK at companies like Uber, Goldman Sachs, Indigo, Mastercard, Shopify, and General Electric.​​

• Advise employers on building more inclusive workplaces for women. Through consulting mandates, we help companies create an inclusive environment that empowers women to thrive throughout their careers. This ranges from Sponsorship programs to ERGs to building more objective hiring, promotion and retention practices. We work largely with the technology, engineering, and construction industries. Past clients include 1Password, Thurber Engineering, QuadReal, Associated Engineering, and Article Furniture.

• Lead interactive workshops on topics that help women succeed in the workplace. From negotiation skills to self-advocacy, our goal is to leave attendees with actionable insights they can work on tomorrow. We've partnered with organizations across the globe, including Nokia, University of Cambridge, Tech Ladies, Wealthsimple, Ivey, Stantec, Rotman, Ledcor, Oxford University, and CFA Society. 

Beyond that, I’m doing everything else that comes with co-founding a start-up — from administration to finance to business development.

How long have you been a part of the Vancouver tech ecosystem? 

I've been part of Vancouver's tech ecosystem since starting to support more women and advise companies in the space through the Thoughtful Co. I’m excited about this community and the change happening.

What do you need? 

I need people to share our story and our services. A lot of people don’t realize our services exist, so tell a friend, sign up for our newsletter, and follow along with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

What can you help others with?

For those who identify as women, I can help you negotiate your next new job offer or set you up for success in your performance review or promotion. I’m an expert in equity compensation — including stock options, RSUs, and PSUs — so I’m very well-positioned to support women in tech.

For companies looking to attract and retain more women and build more inclusive workplaces, I can help you with actionable, data-driven ways to do that. All of our recommendations are informed by research — giving you proven strategies to increase retention and build diversity.

Why are you a VTJ member?

I love VTJ’s community. It’s welcoming, forward-thinking, and creates a space for people at all levels to connect.

Who’s your dream #VTJLive speaker?

At the moment, I’ve been really inspired by Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of Bumble. Her story is incredible, and I’d love to hear her speak.

How can people connect with you?

I would love to connect. Feel free to check out our website, set up a call, or an email. We’re also on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Join Jillian and become a VTJ member today