Meet Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes: A Leader In The Military Community

Partnerships are like diamonds: unique and precious. One of these extraordinary partnerships that can be observed is that of Erica McMannes and Liza Rodewald, the co-founders of Instant Teams.

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes is a leader who is not only a figure of authority but also an inspiring figure who empowers people. She is a woman of vision, integrity, and purpose, determined to make every project she undertakes excellent.

If you want to know more about how Erica McMannes and Instant Teams were transformed, then do not leave us yet – there is much more to tell. Read the article until the end.

About Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes

Erica McMannes graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology in 2003. She then pursued her master’s degree in Family Studies and Human Services from Kansas State University, where she completed her studies in 2009.

Erica has over 20 years of experience managing the military community in the Department of Defense and the military and defense industry in the private sector.

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes. Image Credit: Social Media

Before creating Instant Teams, she provided consulting services for other startups owned by veterans located in Silicon Valley with specialties in remote teaming, brand distribution, and content development.

McMannes is now the Founder and the  Chief People & Community Officer (CCO) of Instant Teams and Twelve Million Plus.

Erica McMannes is one of the leading personalities in the tech world, as is Alphabet Ex-CFO Ruth Porat and Oracle CEO Safra Catz.

Partner Collaborations

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes and Liza became friends in an online fitness community. They realized they were military spouses with the same professional background and felt like they were living one mile away.

The two women met as new residents of their respective states due to military reassignment in 2014. Their passion united them for different aspects of technology and community involvement. Both recognized the demand for improved remote team solutions, while businesses desired the best talent and flexibility for military families.

Liza worked in the software engineering sector and was a remote employee, while Erica was an advisor for startups owned by veterans. They saw the opportunity to establish a better customer experience marketplace that would benefit from the unique skill sets of military spouses.

ALSO READ: Meet Tech Entrepreneur Charlette N’Guessan: A Leading Voice, And an Active AI Enthusiast

Founding Instant Teams

Instant Teams was born in April 2016 when Erica came up with a business proposal for Liza within 25 minutes of talking with each other via Zoom.

Two friends founded Instant Teams to bridge the gap.  Their talent marketplace uses technology and skill-based hiring to match employers with remote career opportunities for military and veteran spouses.

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes. Image Credit: Social Media.

Squadra Ventures and The Founder Institute were the first to invest in the startup. In March 2022, they managed to raise $13 million in Series A funding from Tiger Global.

Instant Teams has received awards from the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and was listed in the Inc. 5000 list in 2022 with 208th place.

Dedication to the Military Community

Instant Team is a platform that helps local businesses and conducts various events such as a business mixer, open mic night, and career fair. They aim to ensure that military spouses do not have to find jobs by providing them with work-from-home jobs and training.

In 2023, Instant Teams began Twelve Million Plus as the first authenticated online platform for military spouses from over twelve million across the world.

Instant also launched a free co-working space in Southern Pines, NC, designed specifically for children who were welcome to accompany the occupants; the center was intended to support local military spouses with childcare and skills training.

Erica and Instant Teams lobby the Congressional roundtables, Department of Defense programs, etc., to advocate for military spouses and their hiring and entrepreneurship.

Similarly, you might want to know about Former Guild Founder Rachel Romer Carlson.

Recognitions & Achievements

After graduating from the Patriot Boot Camp and V-WISE program, Erica won a grant-led startup pitch competition two times.

CCO Erica McMannes received the Army Aviation Association of America and the U. S. Army Aviation Center Award in 2023 for her commendable support to the Army Aviation community.

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes. Image Credit: Social Media

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes had the opportunity to be a guest speaker at HubSpot’s INBOUND Conference, Amazon’s Women in Operations Leadership Summit, and SHRM’s Visionary Summit.

In May 2024, Erica was nationally recognized at the U.S. Capitol building and has been invited to present at the Military Influencer Conference four times.

Hampton Roads Start Peninsula and Impact100 Greater Peninsula were organizations that she also worked on as a board member.

Instant Teams CCO Erica McMannes: Volunteering Works

Erica McMannes is actively involved in many operations that support veterans and their families in Tennessee and beyond.

The present Chief Commercial Officer for Instant Teams, Erica McMannes, is serving on the Employer and Entrepreneurship Committee of Tri-Stars and Stripes. She focuses on job opportunities and entrepreneurship to attract and retain servicemen, veterans, and their families in Tennessee.

Erica McMannes belongs to the East Tennessee Military Affairs Council (ETMAC), which supports former military members.

Erica also guided the Founder Institute’s start-ups among other 757 Startup Studios, giving her science, technology, and business knowledge.

McMannes has been StartWheel’s board member in addition to Impact 100 Greater Peninsula board member; there, she chaired committees and led fundraising activities.

Great entrepreneur is also a national partner with the U.S Army Soldier For Life Initiative, representing her dedication to creating coworking initiatives.

FAQs

Q: Who are the founders of Instant Teams?

A: Erica McMannes and Liza Rodewald, a dynamic duo, are the founders of Instant Teams.

Q: What does Instant Teams do?

A: It’s a customer experience marketplace. Instant Teams partners with companies to empower military spouses with remote work.

Q: How much is Instat Teams Erica McMannes’ net worth?

A: Although there isn’t exact information, Erica might possess a desirable fortune.

ictmirror.com contains affiliate links. Meaning ictmirror.com receives commissions for purchases made through those links, at no cost to you.