Ruth Harris is helping startups and small to medium sized businesses apply Lean Startup/Lean Management principles to succeed and grow. At the heart of her approach is the concept that most new/small businesses try to scale up before they are ready. To overcome this challenge, a business must have the sometimes chaotic areas of Customer, Product, Team, Business Model, and Financials in balance in order to grow profitably. She works with business owners and their teams to teach them the Lean principles they need to successfully navigate that balance.

Managed various teams tasked with implementation of rapid demonstrations and rapid prototyping for the US Army. One example was a demonstration, given to the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, of the integration of three ad-hoc wireless communication networks to provide secure, wideband communications “on the move” with reach back from the dismounted soldier to the Brigade commander. Network integration occurred on two HMMV’s and an Unmanned Little Bird Rotorcraft. Another example was a demonstration of an advanced perimeter surveillance system at the Deseret Chemical Munitions Depot.

Mentored new start-up teams within Boeing as they developed “spin-out” companies by applying Boeing’s aerospace patent portfolio to non-aerospace commercial markets.

During this eleven year period, Ruth Harris held various positions involving all aspects of Six Sigma and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) including Staff to the Vice President of Engineering responsible for implementing a large-scale Design for Manufacturability (DFM) training program for Boeing engineers and leading the DFM team during the successful redesign of the C-17 Main Landing Gear Pod. After receiving training in Lean Manufacturing and Kaizen, she also led a team of Lean Deployment trainers/facilitators who conducted lean workouts/Kaizen events throughout various assembly and fabrication areas at Boeing and worked with managers in these areas to give them the lean management skills needed to institutionalize Lean in their respective areas of responsibility.