About Linda Holroyd

Linda Holroyd, CEO, FountainBlue

Serial entrepreneur Linda Holroyd is a seasoned executive, consultant, and change management expert with a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades working with global technology companies to facilitate leadership and innovation. 

Linda founded Galatia Inc (1995-2001) with her engineer husband and grew it to 18 people and $4 million in revenues before selling it to her CTO. Now, as CEO of FountainBlue LLC (1996-current), Linda has driven organizational effectiveness and change management initiatives for dozens of global technology companies across a wide range of industries, first in Silicon Valley, and now from the San Diego area. 

As FountainBlue’s CEO, Linda and her team provide strategic advisory, change management, and leadership development services to client companies undergoing market and technology shifts. Linda is known for her ability to collaborate with leaders to create and refine a strategic vision, and then to implement an inclusive, agile, and scalable plan which consistently delivers qualitative and quantitative results in alignment with strategic objectives. As part of her duties at FountainBlue, Linda has also served as a director at a venture fund and as a managing director for a technology incubator.

FountainBlue also leads change management programs which leverage scenario planning which focuses on the expansion of capacity and markets, while better enabling and scaling innovation. FountainBlue’s monthly events – roundtables, workshops, panel discussions, pitch events, – were first run in-person and now available online, serving a community of hundreds of entrepreneurs and executives worldwide.

FountainBlue supports change management at the individual level through executive coaching, at the team level through leadership development and mediation, and at the organizational level through strategic advisory and board consultation. As a board adviser, and adviser to CEOs, Linda is known for her ability to rapidly navigate complex, interconnected challenges and then collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to plan strategically, implement reliably, and respond nimbly, with a focus on delivering impactful results. Linda’s areas of board specialty include strategic advisory, human capital management, and change management.

Prior to launching her companies, Linda held various executive positions, including Director of Marketing & Business Development of a nonprofit, Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network as well as sales and marketing roles in three early stage technology startups. 

To better support her clients and the changes brought on by the pandemic, Linda recently earned certifications in financial management, corporate social responsibility and employment law. She is also a certified mediator for the State of California and a Senior Certified Professional designated by the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP).

As a volunteer, Linda supports the local entrepreneurial community by mentoring students at San Diego State’s Lavin Entrepreneur Center, the local business community by providing small claim mediation support for Waymakers, and the arts and social community by singing as a first soprano and serving as Secretary and Chair of Communications and Development for Pacific Coast Chorale, a nonprofit choir group.  

With her unwavering commitment to driving positive change and innovation, Linda Holroyd continues to inspire and empower individuals, teams, and organizations to reach their full potential as we emerge from the headwinds of the pandemic to the tailwinds which follow.

Linda Holroyd: Driving Change and Innovation

This ‘Living a Life of Purpose’ article was included in FountainBlue’s July 2024 newsletter.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound and multifaceted impact on us in ways big and small, with far-reaching consequences continuing to unfold in the years to come. Many of us post-pandemic are reexamining our priorities, reflecting on our values, choosing purpose-driven work and mission-driven organizations which value and uphold the well-being of their staff. 

Below is a tool I created for reflecting on what’s important as we seek more meaning and purpose in our work. It is divided by factors such as people, agency/autonomy, impact, culture, and the Earth, and further divided into what we could do at the individual, team, organization, and global level to make a meaningful impact.

PeopleAgency, Access, AutonomyImpactCulture / GeopoliticsThe World and the Earth
Individual LevelCaring for Yourself and Others; Managing Your StoryFreedom to Be Your Full SelfPersonal Achievement and ImpactMoral Compass, North StarRepurpose/ Reuse/ Recycle
Team LevelBelonging to a TeamEmbracing Diversity and Freedom of ExpressionDelivering Team and/or Product ImpactDefining and Embracing Values and TraditionsCommon Interest in Sustainability Practices
Company LevelIdentifying with Company, Colleagues, and BrandEqual Access for AllCompany Mission – Doing Well While Doing GoodWork Environment Conducive to Innovation and CommunicationCarbon Neutrality and Resource Optimization Policies Implemented
Societal and Community LevelConnecting to CommunityEquality and JusticeMeasurable, Positive Impact Integration of People with Diverse Ideas and Perspectives Conservation for Future Generations
  1. Select 3-4 cells from multiple columns which best speaks to what you’d like to accomplish AND is also in alignment with your personal values, goals and skills.
  2. Reflect on any patterns with the choices you made.
    1. Are they all at the same level – individual, team, company, society? 
    2. Are they all in the same column – people, agency, impact, culture, earth? 
    3. Have you changed your direction/job/role because it wasn’t doing enough to serve a specific purpose, or is against a purpose you support?
  3. Identify which job and work opportunities are in alignment with your purpose goals, your personal values, and your skillset.
  4. Tell the story of why you’re interested in a specific role, how you are best suited for the role, and what you will do to continue to add value to the team and organization.
  5. Ensure that you continue to honor your mission, values and purpose as you work. 

Living a life of purpose is a journey, not a destination. It’s not a one-and-done kind of thing and it’s not something you embark on alone. Ideally it’s an inspiring and empowering way to live a full life, leaning into people and communities who help enable and inspire you to be the best version of yourself.

I hope that these thoughts, visual and tools help you crystallize your own purpose. E-mail us your thoughts on how we can support you on your journey or schedule a non-obligation 15-minute call to discuss our executive coaching, team development, cultural transformation, and strategic advisory services.

The Why Behind FountainBlue

Read about why she started FountainBlue in this March 2022 blog.

Education and Certifications

Linda’s Industry Experience

As CEO and COO consultant for FountainBlue LLC and its client companies, Linda Holroyd has direct marketing, strategic and management experience in the following industry areas:

  • Software: (Social media measurement, Resume matching system, Mobile app development, Wide range of cloud projects)
  • Hardware: (Mobile sensors, Semiconductor)
  • Medical device: (Hydration management, Biosensor)
  • Pharma: (Digestive health, tissue regeneration, wound care, CRO)
  • Clean Energy: (smart grid, sensors, equipment, electric cars, water purification, energy diagnostics)
  • Business Services: (business process improvement, product design and development, cloud-based HR and leadership development)
  • Consumer: (Food and retail)

Linda is also regularly exposed to a number of different industries, facilitating monthly discussions at VIP Roundtables attended by industry executives.