Every career has defining moments—the ones where a person chooses the harder path, takes a leap into the unknown, or decides to build something that doesn’t yet exist. Those moments often separate leaders who simply follow a path from those who create their own.
For Megan Bowen, such choices have defined her journey. She once walked away from a comfortable role and took a pay cut just to enter an industry she believed would stretch her potential. Later, she built functions from scratch at fast-scaling companies, guided teams through acquisitions, and even led businesses through market contractions. Each decision added to her reputation as a leader who thrives in challenge and builds with vision.
Today, as the majority owner and CEO of Refine Labs, Bowen stands at the forefront of reshaping how B2B companies approach growth. Her rise has been anything but conventional—it has been built on courage, adaptability, and a deep commitment to creating workplaces where both people and businesses succeed.
Early Career Foundations
Bowen’s career began at eChalk, an education technology startup in New York City. Over nearly seven years, she mastered the fundamentals of account management, customer support, and customer success—skills that would become the backbone of her leadership style.
Yet Bowen was eager to stretch beyond her comfort zone. That opportunity came with ZocDoc, the online medical booking platform. She entered the company as an entry-level customer support agent, even at the cost of a significant pay cut. To many, it might have seemed like a step backward, but Bowen saw potential.
Her instincts quickly proved correct. Within months, she recognized a missing piece in the business model. “I saw early on that the company was missing a post-sale function, so I built a business case for it and was given the opportunity to create and lead that team from scratch,” she recalls. The move not only solved a critical gap but also showcased her ability to design structures that drive long-term impact.
Her next major chapter unfolded at Grubhub, where she was recruited to design and scale an account management function. She successfully built that team, guided the company through its IPO, and later managed the integration of five acquisitions. The role was transformative in shaping her leadership toolkit. “It strengthened my skills in revenue protection, customer retention, and change management,” she explains.
From there, Bowen moved to Managed by Q, where she initially built account management once again. But her role soon expanded far beyond that. Rising through the ranks, she became VP of Sales and Account Management, then added marketing and operations, before ultimately serving as Chief Operating Officer. Under her leadership, the company achieved a successful exit to WeWork—an outcome that underscored her ability to scale and guide companies through high-stakes transitions.
A brief period at Platterz followed, but soon after, the pandemic dramatically shifted the corporate food delivery market. Just as the business landscape was changing, Bowen received an invitation from the founder of Refine Labs—an opportunity that would set the stage for her most defining leadership chapter yet.
“Your growth isn’t your manager’s job—clarify what you want and move toward it.”
Stepping Into Leadership
When Megan Bowen joined Refine Labs, the company was still in its early days—a handful of employees, a few clients, and a vision waiting to be built. As Chief Operating Officer, she did whatever was needed to keep the business running. “That meant sales, client delivery, invoicing, payroll, recruiting, building processes, and running team meetings,” she recalls.
As the agency grew, so did her role. With specialists coming on board for areas like finance and people operations, Bowen’s focus shifted toward building scalable systems, co-authoring strategy, and creating operational rhythms. She became the founder’s closest strategic partner, shaping the financial plans and working directly with department leaders to ensure execution.
The turning point came when the founder asked her to take on the role of CEO. For Bowen, the transition required a profound shift in mindset. “I had to move from doing to leading—letting go of work I had been deeply involved in so I could focus on the future, vision, and strategy for the next 6–18 months,” she explains. Learning to delegate and invest her energy in long-term planning and marketing became key to her growth as a leader.
“People Success = Customer Success = Business Success.”
Becoming Majority Owner
In July 2025, Bowen reached another defining milestone. The founder chose to step away completely and asked if she would buy him out. Partnering with Grandin Holdings, she finalized the buyout and moved from minority shareholder to majority owner. For Bowen, the moment symbolized both continuity and renewal. “It feels like the beginning of a brand new chapter, and I’m excited for the next three to five years,” she shares.
Her leadership style, refined over two decades, is anchored in two principles: inner growth and people-first culture. “A leader’s inner world becomes their outer world, and in turn, the company’s reality. For me, doing the inner work isn’t optional—it’s essential,” she emphasizes.
The second principle is her vision of building a “talent destination.” Unlike traditional models where profits or shareholders come first, Bowen flips the hierarchy. “When employees are supported, challenged, and empowered, they create exceptional outcomes for customers, which in turn drives company success,” she explains. For her, leadership is about creating win-win-win decisions that serve people, customers, and the business equally.
This philosophy has not only shaped her personal leadership but also set the cultural DNA of Refine Labs.
A Bold Vision for Refine Labs
With the buyout complete and a clear mandate for growth, Megan Bowen has laid out an ambitious long-term vision. By 2028, she envisions Refine Labs as the global talent destination for top marketers and the leading partner in AI-enabled B2B growth strategy.
“We’ll be recognized for combining innovative demand generation with exceptional brand building and customer expansion programs,” she explains. The goal is to be the go-to partner for mid-market and enterprise SaaS and tech companies that want sustainable, profitable growth.
But Bowen is not focused solely on services. She wants to diversify the company’s offerings and revenue streams. Refine Labs is already expanding with products like The Vault, and she plans to add multiple business units over time. “We’ll grow revenue and margin without proportional headcount increases,” she says, outlining a strategy built on efficiency and smart scaling.
“The market changes fast. What worked before won’t guarantee the next win—adapt or get left behind.”
Embracing AI with Purpose
One of the defining challenges and opportunities for the marketing industry is the rise of artificial intelligence. Bowen is clear-eyed about both the potential and the risks. “In the marketing agency space, AI creates the risk of service disintermediation, so we are focused on becoming the pioneer in when, why, and how AI should be integrated into go-to-market strategies,” she notes.
Refine Labs has embraced AI experimentation across teams, but Bowen insists the company will always follow a problem-first approach. “I see many companies start with a tool and then look for ways to use it, but I believe that’s the wrong approach. By starting with first principles and focusing on solving our biggest business challenges, we ensure innovation is purposeful, impactful, and aligned with our goals.”
This method ensures that AI becomes a strategic enabler rather than a distraction.
Navigating Tough Times
Bowen’s leadership has also been tested in moments of crisis. During the B2B SaaS market contraction in 2022, Refine Labs lost a significant portion of its clients almost overnight. With more employees than revenue could sustain, Bowen faced one of her hardest decisions—layoffs.
Her approach reflected her people-first philosophy. “If a change is unavoidable, do it in the least harmful way possible,” she explains. Refine Labs offered generous severance packages, absorbed a seven-figure loss, and provided one-on-one conversations, resume help, introductions, and job placement support.
But the challenge didn’t end there. Rebuilding trust among the remaining team required consistent effort. Bowen focused on transparency, open forums for honest questions, and regular employee engagement surveys with action plans. “Building a great culture when things are going well is one thing—rebuilding it after a damaging event is much harder,” she admits.
Through resilience and persistence, the culture eventually stabilized, becoming one of the company’s greatest strengths again.
“There’s no growth without discomfort—the biggest wins often start as the stickiest problems.”
Strategic Growth with Grandin Holdings
With her recent partnership with Grandin Holdings, Bowen is now preparing for the next phase of growth. Strategic acquisitions are at the heart of this plan. “We’re prioritizing values alignment and cultural fit above all else to ensure smooth integration and long-term success,” she explains.
Her own experience with acquisitions at Grubhub, combined with Grandin’s M&A expertise, gives her confidence that Refine Labs can expand while protecting its culture and client experience.
Lessons in Leadership
Megan Bowen’s career has been marked by pivotal experiences that shaped her philosophy on leadership. Over time, she has distilled these into guiding lessons—wisdom she often shares with her team and with emerging leaders.
“Play the long game. Let go of entitlement and show up every day,” she advises. Another guiding belief: “Don’t wait for permission. If you see a problem, solve it—that is how you create your own growth opportunities.”
Her lessons emphasize resilience, ownership, and perspective. She believes in embracing discomfort, noting that “the biggest wins often start as the stickiest, riskiest problems—raise your hand to tackle those issues.” She also highlights the importance of clarity in leadership. “Clarity beats cleverness every time—whether it’s messaging, strategy, or communication.”
At the core of her leadership style is authenticity, though she defines it differently than most. “Authenticity means your values are clear, your words and actions are aligned, and you consistently do what you say you’ll do,” she explains. For Bowen, admired leaders are those who balance integrity with strategic clarity—leaders who inspire trust while delivering results.
“Success is who you’re becoming, not just what you’re achieving.”
Habits That Sustain Resilience
In addition to exercise, meditation, and family time, Megan emphasized a full set of daily non-negotiables: enough sleep, healthy eating, lifting weights, walking, and quiet reflection in the mornings and evenings . She also stressed energy management over time management: “Your energy is your greatest asset. Time management is important, but energy management is more important,” she noted .
She also connected resilience to the “inner game”: “You can’t build a resilient business without being a resilient human—dedication to your inner world will pay dividends in your outer world.”
Building a Lasting Legacy
Bowen explained that there are two main reasons she joined and stayed at Refine Labs:
- To reshape the B2B marketing ecosystem, which she believed was broken and unsustainable. Her mission is to show companies a better way to achieve profitable, efficient growth so employees and customers both benefit .
- To prove that companies can be true talent destinations, flipping the traditional shareholder-first paradigm on its head. “My goal is to create win-win-win decisions that serve our people, our customers, and the business equally,” she said .
She also tied legacy to the future vision of Refine Labs. By 2028, her goal is for it to be a global talent destination and a leader in AI-enabled B2B growth strategy—known not only for results but for its people-first ethos .
A Story Still Unfolding
Megan sees leadership as a continuous journey of personal development: “Any leader with influence has an obligation to commit to continuous inner work. A leader’s inner world becomes their outer world, and in turn, the company’s reality,” she said .
She also acknowledged the tough chapters—like the layoffs Refine Labs faced in 2022—and how they tested her leadership. She absorbed financial losses to provide generous severance, job placement support, and months of cultural rebuilding.
“Building a great culture when things are going well is one thing—rebuilding it after a damaging event is much harder.”
For Bowen, these moments only reinforce her belief that resilience, people-first leadership, and long-term vision are what set the stage for the next chapter.
