Olo COO Jo Lambert’s Playbook for Leadership, Growth, and Digital Transformation

Some of the biggest pivots in Jo Lambert’s career have come from saying yes to nontraditional opportunities. Early on, she boldly moved from Sydney to New York with a six-month-old to accelerate her trajectory at American Express. It was daunting, but she had a clear vision for her future and refused to let anything stand in her way. She knew she’d find a way to make it work.

“You have to be very clear with what you’re willing to do and not willing to do because sometimes people will have their own perceptions based on where you are in your journey,” Lambert says. “You need to advocate for yourself and put what you’re looking for, taking the opportunities as they come. I made one decision, and it changed my life by putting myself out there.”

Throughout her career, Lambert has taken on roles spanning corporate communications, strategy, product engineering, and marketing. She’s held leadership positions at American Express, PayPal, and Yahoo. Now, as Olo’s COO, she has stepped into the restaurant tech industry, though her leadership philosophy extends across industries and career levels.

A key part of her decision-making process is evaluating risks and rewards. She asks herself two fundamental questions before making a career move: Is she passionate about the mission? Will she be working with people she admires and can learn from? These guiding principles outweigh considerations like title or salary.

“I have held these values true for my whole career, and it helps me mitigate risk. If I feel passionate about something, if I know I’m going to be working on a supportive team with a similar commitment for success, then everything else will come naturally,” Lambert says.

For Lambert, directness and transparency are essential to achieving balance. As a leader, she openly shares different aspects of work and life with her team, fostering an environment of support and understanding.

“People have different pressures, and if you understand where their boundaries might be limited because of something happening elsewhere in their life, it’s helpful to know because then you can support them and help them do their best at work,” Lambert adds.

Since 2017, she has used journaling as a daily practice. Her “five-minute journal” exercise involves writing three things she’s grateful for, three goals for the day, and a positive affirmation.

“This is a little tool I use to help me stay focused on moving the big boulders and reflecting on what I’m grateful for,” Lambert says. “Often, we are moving so fast in this industry that we forget to celebrate the wins. Journaling helps me pull everything together.”

Beyond personal habits, sponsorship and mentorship have played a vital role in her career, helping her develop new skill sets, deepen her industry knowledge, and build meaningful connections.

“You need someone who will advocate for you and put your name forward to get you to the next level of your career, as well as push you to try something outside of your scope of current responsibilities,” Lambert says. “But you can’t just show up for a monthly meeting and ask for a promotion. You have to be unafraid to ask for help, learn from others’ experiences, and be willing to reach people in the industry intentionally and thoughtfully.”

When leading through challenges or driving transformation, Lambert emphasizes the importance of earning trust through direct feedback and effective communication. For her, setting clear expectations is the foundation of stronger teams, better products, and more efficient processes.

“My number one thing from a leadership perspective is to set expectations often and early, coach and inspire the team, and be transparent about information with stakeholders so people don’t get surprised,” Lambert says. “Active listening is a critical piece of this.”

Equally important is building teams with a mindset of curiosity and adaptability.

“Challenging the status quo and taking measured risks can take a team, product, or process to the next level. It can make the impossible become possible,” she says.

In the fast-paced restaurant industry, Lambert stresses the importance of being outcome-driven. With an endless stream of emails and messages, maintaining focus on results—not just activity—is critical for success.

“Future leaders need to truly understand their mission and vision, along with effective goal tracking and key performance indicators. All of these things need to be paired with accountability and looking at the outcome, not just the activity and noise,” Lambert says. “Did you actually make a guest have a better experience in the restaurant? How did you help that operator save money? Did AI better target and drive return visits to the restaurant? These are the questions that need to be asked, answered, and communicated.”

Lambert believes the restaurant industry is still in the early stages of its digital transformation, with significant opportunities ahead. Restaurants, regardless of concept, are all asking the same questions: How can data be used to drive growth? How can brands craft personalized experiences, unify the guest profile, and increase traffic across digital and in-person channels?

“As an industry, we are at an inflection point, and leaders must be ready for the evolution. If they have a distinct vision and utilize the tools available to them, then they’ll effectively use their guest’s data to drive profitable and sustainable growth,” Lambert says. “I am super excited to bring in experience from industries that arguably are a little further ahead, like financial services and e-commerce. I’m thrilled to continue the mission.”