We Believe Great Leadership Shouldn’t Be Out of Reach
Ascendis Growth Partners was founded on a simple conviction: the businesses that power our communities — family-owned, founder-led, privately held — deserve the same caliber of executive leadership as Fortune 500 companies. We exist to make that possible.
Where We Come From
Ascendis Growth Partners is a fractional executive firm rooted in Boise’s Treasure Valley — and proud of it. We were built here, for the businesses here. Our founding was driven by a firsthand understanding of what established local companies need most: not another consultant with a slide deck, but a trusted leadership partner willing to do the work.
We launched as the first fractional executive firm planted in the Treasure Valley market because we saw the gap — outstanding businesses with real growth potential, underserved by the national advisory firms that rarely understand or prioritize local markets.
“We don’t just hand you a strategic plan and walk away. We stay in the trenches with you until the work is done and the results are real.”
Growth Elevated.
People First.
We bring the strategy, the systems, and the leadership — you bring the vision and the passion for what you’ve built. Our job is to make your goals achievable, your operations sustainable, and your organization stronger than when we arrived.
We work closely, relentlessly, and relationally. The best business outcomes happen when trust is high, communication is clear, and leadership is genuinely invested in your success. That’s not a marketing line. It’s how we work.
The People Behind The Work
Phil
Stiffler
Founder & Principal
Fractional COO/CGO
Read Bio
Phil is a highly driven, results-oriented leader with over twenty years of experience guiding organizations through operational excellence, strategic transformation, and sustainable growth. Known for his ability to align vision and strategy with execution, Phil has a proven track record of helping companies achieve their most ambitious goals and financial objectives — delivering real outcomes in high-growth, dynamic environments where clarity of purpose and speed of action matter most.
A strategic and visionary thinker, Phil brings a rare combination of big-picture perspective and disciplined execution to every organization he serves. He thrives at the intersection of complexity and opportunity, helping leadership teams cut through noise, sharpen focus, and drive the kind of meaningful change that positions businesses for long-term success.
At the heart of Phil’s leadership philosophy is a deep commitment to people. A purposeful coach and mentor, he genuinely values talent and takes pride in creating the conditions where team members can grow, stretch into new challenges, and do their best work. Phil believes that when individuals are developed and empowered, the entire organization rises with them — and that building strong teams is not just good culture, it’s good strategy.
Jennifer
Stiffler
Founder
Read Bio
Jennifer is a Pacific Northwest native and Treasure Valley resident of more than 26 years. She has more than 30 years of experience helping businesses grow, evolve, and perform at their best. Her career spans enterprise technology, entrepreneurship, and hospitality — giving her a rare, well-rounded perspective that resonates with business owners and executives alike.
She built much of her career in the high-tech world, working with an international IT firm to guide Fortune 1000 companies through complex enterprise resource planning implementations. From there, her entrepreneurial drive led her to business ownership, partnering directly with small and mid-sized companies as a franchise owner. Today, she brings that same energy and strategic mindset to her role as Sales Manager for one of the Pacific Northwest’s most celebrated dining destinations.
Beyond her professional life, you’ll likely find Jennifer cheering on her two teenage daughters in their various sports, chasing a good round of golf, and — on her best days — trying to relive the eagle she’ll never quite stop thinking about.
What We Stand For
01 Relational Integrity
We treat your business as if it were our own — with honesty, care, and genuine partnership. Every recommendation we make is one we’d stake our own reputation on.
02 Strategic Clarity
We cut through complexity to identify what truly matters and focus your organization’s energy accordingly. Simple, clear, actionable.
03 Execution Focus
Ideas without implementation are just intentions. We are operators who deliver measurable outcomes — not analysts who deliver reports.
04 Sustainable Growth
We build for long-term health, not short-term optics. Healthy businesses grow steadily, serve their people well, and endure.
05 Community Roots
We are proud long time Treasure Valley residents invested in the long-term success of our local business community. We have deep roots in the local business community for over the past 27 years. We have raised our family here and seen the growth. When local businesses thrive, the whole region thrives. We want to be part of your story.
06 Accountability
We hold ourselves to the same high standards we help our clients achieve. We own our commitments, and we deliver.