NEED, a woman-and-minority-owned financial services company celebrates the 20-year anniversary of its Los Angeles launch and the 10-year anniversary of its New York launch, with the addition of three new partners. Joining Founding Partner Nancy Novokmet and Managing Partner Margaret Capossela are: Chief Client Officer Jennifer Leggett, Chief Growth Officer Lezanne De Wet, and Chief Technology Officer Karen Fitchpatrick.
All three women will serve as managing partners overseeing and optimizing the company’s success. Each brings a depth of experience and expertise across the board in areas including client relations, technology, business development and operations.
“The combination of adding two partners from inside our company and one partner from out brings the balance necessary to get NEED to the next level,” shares Capossela. “When you find the right people to help build a company's future, you know it instinctively. They are the pieces that complete the puzzle.”
“We have always wanted to be a resource for our clients- to be available and approachable without being thought of as just another accounting firm,” adds Novokmet. “It is more than just the numbers for us. We want to help our clients build their business, their way.” She details her experience in thinking about long-term success for NEED, “When I founded NEED, I wanted to build a brand that would be sustainable and rooted in integrity. As the business has grown, Margaret and I have been really intentional about looking for partners who share in that core vision- partners who are not copies of the two of us, but who bring their own strengths. Jen, Lezanne, and Karen all bring something unique and important to the business- we call them our secret weapons and they each have their own super-power. I am incredibly excited to see them take this step and believe that they will only continue to elevate and grow this business. In the meantime, I am here to help them be their very best.”
Leggett, a 20+ year veteran of commercial production accounting, has worked at NEED since its inception, contributing strategic solutions and reinforcement to the overall growth of the organization.
“What an honor it is to join NEED as a partner,” shares Leggett. “I’ve grown-up here and whole-heartedly believe in the service we provide our clients. I’m incredibly excited to collaborate with my new partners on what the future of NEED looks like. We’re aligned on so many levels and each of us brings a unique skillset to the partnership.”
An active member of the AICP East Board and She Runs It Organization, De Wet grew an everlasting passion for the entertainment industry working for numerous media platforms throughout her early career including film development, commercial production, reality TV and live shows. In 2014, she found a permanent home within the people and atmosphere NEED provided and continues to flourish in helping the company continuously reach new heights.
“I am beyond grateful for the opportunity and excited to use my industry experience to grow the company to its full potential,” comments De Wet. “Jen and I have been collaborating and achieved so much already. Coming on as partners and having Karen onboard takes it to the next level.”
For over 20 years, Fitchpatrick has been a noteworthy leader in the retail technology space, specializing in transforming client needs into specific business and technical requirements. A longtime friend and collaborator of NEED, she started her career in Business Consulting, developing financial product strategies, then later supporting those in the media and entertainment industry in Los Angeles. She looks forward to contributing her expertise to the further development of NEED.
“I am thrilled to be joining the partnership at NEED,” expresses Fitchpatrick. “I look forward to contributing to our evolution in client services. I’m excited to be part of this badass team of women leaders, providing the best service to our creative clients.”
About NEED
Specializing in financial service solutions for companies operating across the media industry, NEED enables clients to center their energy and attention on the creative aspects of their business while managing their complete accounting and financial process. Clients include commercial production, post-production, streaming, film/tv and advertising/creative services.
