About Us
"The best leaders bring out the best in others."
My purpose and singular focus: helping family-owned businesses achieve more than they ever thought possible.
The Core of JDR Growth Partners
What qualifies Jude to help family-owned businesses?
Experienced across many industries, businesses, and roles, from public to private and family owned
Uncommonly equipped to bridge strategy and execution
Trained at top notch companies, and sharpened in smaller, nimbler situations
Relentless learner fueled by burning curiosity and the lifelong pursuit of learning and growth
Transparent operator who delivers on his promises
Motivated by helping family-owned businesses thrive
YEARS
helping family-owned businesses thrive
YEARS
helping family-owned businesses thrive
YEARS
helping family-owned businesses thrive
Jude Rake
JDR Growth Partners Founder & Principal
Jude Rake is the founding principal of JDR Growth Partners. Before founding JDR, Jude served in multiple C-level roles – including CEO – for fifteen years. In each of these roles he built and led successful leadership teams that fueled significant improvements in workforce engagement, collaboration, accountability, and results.
Jude has been building businesses to create economic value for over four decades – working with well-known companies such as Clorox, PepsiCo, and SC Johnson, as well as smaller family-owned and private equity-backed businesses such as Fellowes and Recycled Paper Greetings.
“He combined the strategic rigor that we needed to re-imagine the business with the operational expertise to help us execute ambitious new plans.
As a bonus – and probably the ingredient that is most glaringly missing from most of these engagements – he quickly gained our trust.”
Tracy Ward
President, Miramar Services
Companies Served
Keynotes & Events
PAST PANEL
March 12, 2025
Strategic Planning for the Family-Owned Enterprise
The Presidents Forum
Strategy and execution are important, but too often the importance of people and culture are undervalued when planning strategy and executing plans. In this session, Jude will share how you and your team can stay ahead of the curve with a proven strategic planning framework he has helped many family-owned enterprises deploy to fuel improved results.
PAST PANEL
November 13, 2024
The Dynamics of Running a Modern Family-Owned Business
ACG Chicago Fall Manufacturing Symposium
Current and former leaders of family-owned businesses speak to the challenges facing such companies today. Learn about strategic growth initiatives and how to think about long-term success and leadership in a family business.
PAST PANEL
October 3, 2024
Team Trust Starts With You
Next Generation Retreat
As a Next Generation family business leader, you face a unique challenge. Positioned at the crossroads of your family’s legacy and your own future, you’ve been tasked with writing a sequel to your family’s business success story.
The theme for this year’s Next Gen Retreat is “Using Your Voice.” Next generation family business leaders will walk away will valuable insight into using their skills, talents, and passions in shaping the future of their family business.
Interested in a workshop presentation, keynote speaker, or panel moderator for your next event?
The Bridge to Growth
How Servant Leaders Achieve Better Results and Why It Matters Now
Jude Rake shares the nine proven principles that servant leaders use to successfully build teams that are fully engaged and committed to achieving their company’s goals.
The Bridge to Growth details how to use these principles to elevate workforce engagement, collaboration, innovation, and accountability to build a bridge from strategy to exceptional execution and results.
“One of the best books I’ve read on leadership. If you want to raise your game by bringing out the best in others, do yourself a favor and read this book.”
Marshall Goldsmith
New York Times Best-selling author of 35 books
Send a Message
Keep in Touch
What comes next?
Now that you know a little about JDR Growth Partners, we’d love to get to know YOU!
Just schedule some time to tell us about yourselves and decide if our flexible framework is right for you.
- Learn how we can help
- Ask all of your questions
- Decide if we’re a good fit