There is an art to building high performance teams and delivering successful projects. It requires a deep understanding of client needs, human motivation, sensitive communication, and technical skill.
At Octane Consulting Services we are masters of this art. Born from strong roots in the arts and humanities, grown with extensive experience in marketing, systems development, and project management, our unique perspective and skills have driven successful projects since 1985.
Our mission is to bring not only experience and knowledge, but humanity, to everything we work on. No matter how messy it gets.
Jackson Pollock's studio floor
ABOUT US
Octane Consulting Services started with a narrow focus on technical development and coding and broadened into a wider scope of projects that included marketing, strategy development, and innovative technologies that took advantage of our unique view on people and project management.
Our ability to bridge the gap between the technical and the creative through human connection distinguishes us as a leader in project management and innovative technical solutions. We noticed that a frequent problem in the workplace was a disconnect in understanding, which would lead to a disconnect in communication. The technology side of business would fail to consider marketing needs, and marketing would misunderstand the technology.
We approach everything from not only years of knowledge and skill, but with an intuitive grasp on what motivates people, and how that affects larger environments. Using this approach, we have successfully delivered business solutions for companies ranging from large financial service firms to small non-profits. We listen to all of our client stakeholders and employ our talent for creative problem solving to develop websites, financial products, digital marketing strategies and back-end technical software.
We train other Project Managers with a focus on mindful approaches to leadership. Above all, we assist our clients in creating and developing new ideas.
PEOPLE
Sharyn Taylor
Co-founder and President
Sharyn has long held a natural curiosity for people and their motivations. Originally, this curiosity expressed itself in her love of stories. She devoured everything from Dr. Seuss to Jane Austen, and along the way learned how humans really work.
Her interest in human storytelling extended into college where she studied History with a minor in Women’s Studies and graduated summa cum laude with a Phi Beta Kappa key from University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
In addition, she’s always had an innate drive towards perfection and punctuality. Her blend of people skills and no-nonsense approach has enabled her success in driving projects to completion for over 25 years. Her ability to intuit peoples’ motivations combined with an extensive knowledge of strategic planning, business marketing, and systems development provides her with a unique ability to solve crises and manage people. She believes if you can understand the real reason behind someone’s words or actions, it’s easier to get to a real solution.
Some projects for which she has had direct responsibility are the customer service integration of a major credit card with Apple Pay; global upgrade (20 markets) of the digital direct response capability for American Express International; project management of a ground-breaking cause marketing website; strategic development and training of project management tools and techniques for executives at several non-profits; and mindful leadership training for an international management consulting firm and other corporations.
Her past clients include American Express, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, TripAdvisor, Waxman Cancer Research, Prudential Insurance, Novartis and the National Chorale.
In addition to her undergraduate studies, she holds a master’s degree in International Business from Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs
In her spare time she works in her garden, is still passionate about reading, and is a trained meditation and yoga instructor.
Paul Taylor
Co-founder and Vice President
Paul’s early involvement with new technologies came from his experience writing electronic music at the California Institute of the Arts. In addition to his studies, he spent much of his time in a windowless room guzzling coffee, building synthesizers, and attempting to design computer algorithms that could write music.
His creative background proved an asset to his career in software design. His ability to translate complex tech, often including a simple hand-drawn diagram, helped him stand out to both tech and business execs. Paul believes that regardless of application, design requires a humanistic approach. If you’re not thinking about people, you’re not designing successful projects.
His career spans Systems Architecture/Design, Project Management and Technical Development for major Wall Street institutions.
For NYSE, he personally led the projects to architect and implement the re-platforming of the options Reporting System (OPRA) and CTS/CQS (Consolidated Trade/Quote Systems) as well as implemented NYSE’s trading floor’s flat-panel screens and 3D “billboard“ display for live market data.
He has also managed software development of online advertising and gaming websites.
Although he retired from his work at NYSE in 2018 he maintains an active role at Octane Consulting Services. In his spare time he still practices music everyday, makes fine wood furniture, and continues to develop his coding skills.
He has a B.A. from the California Institute of the Arts where he majored in music composition emphasizing electronic and computer music.
Emily Taylor
Lead Content Strategist
Emily, known as Mimi to friends and family, joined Octane Consulting Services in 2022. Originally, she was hired to consult on the new website, but her role evolved into both big picture content strategy and detailed design work. Her work has focused on the branding including the logo, website design, and all copy. She also supports client work developing marketing plans, and assisting in process improvement analysis.
Emily’s approach to content strategy is further informed by her background in childcare. She believes the best training for effective communication is talking to a curious child. She aims to bring artistic, modern, and concise messaging to all her projects. Emily now lives in Chicago, where she also works as a freelance copywriter. In her spare time she cooks, provides volunteer childcare, and builds woodworking projects with her Dad when she visits home.
Emily has an A.B. in English Literature from the University of Chicago.
CLIENTS
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PROJECTS
CONTACT US
190 Park St.
Montclair, NJ
07042
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