As I reflect on the past 20 years, what strikes me is just how much the company and my job have changed. Each year has been different, an ever-evolving landscape of the industry, what our clients need, what the company does, and what I do every day.
Where It All Began
I took the leap to start Foursquare ITP because I was ready for a change, and doing some freelance work made the most sense at the time. I started hiring contractors to assist on projects when there was too much for me to do and hired our first full-time employee for our 28th project in 2011. We were just warming up, and over the years, our team and work continued to grow, and we recently began our 1,000th project! We’ve also expanded our original work of transit planning, strategic planning, and transportation demand management (TDM) planning to encompass all elements of transit operations planning, TDM operations, performance measurement, multi-modal infrastructure and urban design, and workforce development–and much more. We’ve expanded from a spare bedroom, to cubicles in my living room, to an office near my home in Rockville, MD, to a headquarters in downtown DC and offices in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Boston.
Built with Grit and Great People
I could not have built the company into what it is today without some of my personal qualities, including grit, determination, and my superpower–hiring the best people! While no small business grows to nearly 80 people without the founder’s dogged determination (which is still strong after all this time!), selecting the right people to be on the journey with me has been equally valuable–and rewarding. In addition to making good choices, giving people opportunities to grow, providing interesting and mission-driven work, creating a supportive working environment, and maintaining solid compensation and benefits have helped Foursquare ITP retain our amazing team.
Our company leadership is made up of long-time Foursquare ITP veterans, including David Miller and Andy Zalewski (15 years); Adam Recchia (13 years); Sandy Brennen and Jessica Alvarez (12 years); Wylie Timmerman (10 years); and Alanna McKeeman, Kristen Anderson, and Danelle Carey (9 years). Each of them has contributed in so many ways to making our work and the company better every day. Another eight have played key roles since before 2020, helping navigate very challenging times in the world and our industry–and we couldn’t have done it without them: Jarred Toups, Reinaldo Germano, Thomas Orgren, Lori Zeller, Jessica Klion, Finn Vigeland, Samantha Huff, and Laura Duke. These are the people who make Foursquare ITP what it is–I have just provided them a place where they can grow and thrive. We’ve added many more amazing people over the past six years who have made incredible contributions of their own and who are integral to our team–and I’m excited for their continued growth and to see what comes next.
Growing Through Trusted Partnerships
Our clients span more than 30 states and consist of transit agencies, state DOTs, local governments, MPOs, and industry and research organizations. While it’s always exciting to gain a new client to support and grow, I’m most proud of our repeat business; we’ve worked with several clients for nearly all of our 20 years and many more for at least 10 years. Our high standards, implementation-focus, customized approaches, and continuous improvement mindset are key to this, as is how we engage. We listen closely, offer honest, thoughtful feedback, and welcome it in return. Our clients become our supporters, mentors, advocates, and friends–reminding us of the importance of the integrated and mutually beneficial relationship between the public and private sectors.
Over the past 20 years, Foursquare ITP has had many partnerships with other firms. We work with companies that offer complementary services as well as those that we sometimes compete with. I’ve found that these partnerships–especially the true collaborations–make for better services for our clients and make our work more enjoyable. It was a mentor at another large firm who encouraged me to go after our first project as a prime contractor, and now we do that more and more, working collaboratively with partners of all sizes and paying it back to smaller companies. We have developed long-lasting, authentic relationships with our partners so that our work leverages each firm’s strengths and is seamless from our clients’ perspective.
Learning, Mentorship, and Support
I, and Foursquare ITP, wouldn’t be where we are today without the many teachers, mentors, and fellow women business owners who I’ve had the pleasure of working with throughout this journey. My teachers in high school, college, and graduate school introduced me to the wonderful world of transportation planning and taught me what I needed to know to launch my career. My mentors from my time at WMATA before starting Foursquare ITP, as well as our partners and clients, have been instrumental in guiding us, questioning us, and supporting us.
Finally, my family has been instrumental in the company’s growth. Gary Byala, my husband and our CFO, began working part-time creating invoices and reviewing contracts back in 2006, and slowly ramped up to working (more than) full-time at Foursquare ITP in 2017. Without his guidance and financial and operational knowledge, the company would not be where we are today; his unwavering support for me outside of work has been equally critical. My two daughters, the eldest being a baby when Foursquare ITP started, have been my greatest cheerleaders. Growing up how I did in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I had no understanding that being a good mom could go hand-in-hand with a time-consuming career–but I think my wonderful girls would agree, at 21 and 16, that it is possible!
Looking Ahead
I’m excited for where Foursquare ITP is going. We find ourselves at a challenging time in this country and in the industry, but our recently launched geographic and service line structure–along with expanded company roles–is setting us up for success. We began an internal ownership transition program two years ago and continue to increase participation through a thoughtful and sustainable approach that will allow us to continue independently as a generational company. I am confident that Foursquare ITP will continue making huge industry impacts, helping our clients do their work more easily and better serve their communities, and providing current and future employees with excellent opportunities and a place to build their careers. I am so grateful to be a part of it.
