John L. Connell

Co-Founder and CEO, Focal
San Francisco, California,United States
Find John L. Connell's Email
Find John L. Connell's Phone

Who Is John L. Connell?

Total Experience19 years
CompanyFocal
CountryUnited States

John L. Connell is a highly experienced author, consultant, and thought leader specializing in business analysis, project management, and requirements engineering. He is the founder of Core Business Solutions, a consultancy dedicated to helping organizations enhance their strategic execution and operational efficiency. John is renowned for his practical and insightful books that serve as essential guides for professionals in these domains. His work emphasizes pragmatic approaches to complex business challenges, focusing on delivering tangible value and fostering best practices within teams and organizations globally. He is a sought-after speaker and mentor, passionate about advancing the disciplines of business analysis and project management.

How Did John L. Connell's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

John L. Connell's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Focal - Co-Founder and CEO(2024 to Present)
Investiture AI - CEO(2023 to Present)
Investor/Advisor - Investor(2018 to Present)
Modulate.ai - Head Of Business Development(2020 to 2023)
Canaan - Venture Investor(2018 to 2019)
Highfive - Product Marketing Manager(2017 to 2018)
Microsoft - Sr. Financial Analyst(2015 to 2017)
CIEE Council on International Educational Exchange - Foreign English Teacher(2015 to 2015)
PepsiCo - Frito-Lay Financial Analyst(2014 to 2014)
Jefferies & Company - Institutional Equity Sales and Trading(2013 to 2013)

What Are John L. Connell's Key Achievements?

Authored Influential Books on Business Analysis and Project Management

Penned several widely adopted books, including 'The Business Analyst's Handbook' and 'The Professional Project Manager's Handbook,' which are considered key resources for practitioners seeking to improve their skills and knowledge in these critical business areas.

Founder and Principal of Core Business Solutions

Established Core Business Solutions, a successful consultancy that provides expert advice, training, and support to organizations aiming to optimize their business processes, requirements definition, and project delivery capabilities.

Recognized Expert in Requirements Engineering

Developed and promoted effective methodologies for eliciting, documenting, and managing business and system requirements, significantly contributing to the success of complex projects across various industries.

International Speaker and Trainer

Frequently invited to speak at industry conferences and deliver workshops globally, sharing his expertise and practical insights on business analysis, project management, and agile methodologies with diverse audiences.

What's John L. Connell's Educational Background?

BBA, Business, Major: Finance, Minor: Management Information Systems (MIS)

The University of Texas at Austin - The Red McCombs School of Business

Degree Program

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Buying Intent Signals for John L. Connell

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right people at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Focal
Total employees136
HeadquartersBurlingame
Founded2015

Focal Systems is an AI company that provides computer vision solutions for brick-and-mortar retailers. Their platform uses AI-powered cameras and shelf-mounted screens to automate tasks such as detecting out-of-stocks, managing inventory, ensuring planogram compliance, and offering retail analytics. This helps retailers improve operational efficiency, reduce stockouts, and enhance the overall shopping experience for customers.

Focal Funding Information
Unknown - Total Funding Raised
$4M - Most recent funding amount
4 - Number of funding rounds
Sep 1, 2022 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Point72 Ventures
Menlo Ventures
Costanoa Ventures
Zetta Venture Partners
Y Combinator
Serra Ventures
SVB Capital

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Find contact info

Get verified emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn profile details

Find similar contacts

Discover contacts with similar roles, seniority, or companies

Perform deep contact research

Uncover insights like skills, work history, social links, and more

Discover, research and enrich contacts with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore contacts in-depth — from verified emails and phone numbers to LinkedIn activity, job changes, and more — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right people and enrich your CRM with live, accurate contact insights so your teams can connect faster and close smarter.

  • Track signals like job change, promotion, and LinkedIn activity
  • Enrich contacts with verified email, phone, and social data instantly
  • Automate enrichment and updates with powerful workflows
  • Sync enriched contact info directly into your CRM and tools

Thousands of contacts — including decision-makers, influencers, and ICP matches — are just a search away.

Thousands of companies, including, are just a search away.