You might not know that several of the most successful CEOs have partnered with mentors to propel their careers and organizations. In fact, CEOs often have several mentors throughout their careers and simultaneously. The presenter of RedCloud’s latest internal “Lunch and Learn” has 10 mentors! Many of our teammates have expressed interest in mentoring programs so we invited Tatia Zuloaga, CEO and Co-founder of Upnotch, to share the value of mentorship at our Lunch and Learn series in May. There are a lot of myths surrounding mentorship and how people perceive the process, and most people don’t realize there are actually a variety of ways to benefit as either a mentor, mentee, or even both. Taita explained the benefits of being a mentor and a mentee and that “you become a better mentor by being a mentee and you become a better mentee by being a mentor.” A few “Mentorship Myths” we learned from Tatia: You only need one mentor. Successful people don’t need mentors anymore. Having a mentor is a sign of weakness. Your mentor must be in your industry. You can only be a mentor or mentee. Your mentor must be older than you. It’s one-sided. It’s time-consuming. Your mentorship stops once you reach your goals. Mentorship is commonly known as a way to give back, but as Tatia taught us, it is equally as important to our growth. “Reverse mentorship” is a recent trend in which professionals with more experience and a well-established career seek mentors younger than them to understand the new generation and the perspectives they bring to their work. Tatia explained some key points on how the workforce has evolved today: Millennials now outnumber baby boomers. Learning from the new generations is critical to success. A focus on continuously upskilling, as current skills could become obsolete. Larry Page (Google), Warren Buffet (Berkshire Hathaway), Bob Iger (Disney), and Jeff Bezos (Amazon) are a few more CEOs who’ve benefited from mentorship. While partnering with a mentor used to be for the elite, mentorship is now accessible to all professionals, from interns and CEOs. The value of mentorship results in happier workplace relationships and allows companies to retain top talent. Benefits of mentorship: Helps to retain talent. Reduces burnout. Creating space for managers to build more human relationships with their employees. 658% increase in equity, fairness, and inclusion since 2018 (Harvard Business Review). Tatia also shared tips and resources to ensure that whether you’re a mentor or mentee, you prepare for your role to create a successful partnership where both individuals benefit and grow. Here are a few tips for preparing for a mentorship: Set clear expectations. Come prepared with questions (3-5). Give gratitude and get feedback. Our team was intrigued to hear how mentorship is a continuous learning cycle beginning with meeting a mentor, growing, becoming a mentor, growing again, and seeking another mentor when you have a challenge or new leadership role that would benefit from mentorship. If you missed this Lunch and Learn, catch the recorded video below. Thank you, Tatia, and the Upnotch team for an informative presentation on mentorship!

Yusuf returns with another insightful how-to video, this time focusing on creating themes in Power Apps. Discover how this method can save you valuable time and energy on formatting, allowing you to concentrate more on your content. Particularly beneficial for adapting to changes in company or brand colors, logos, or fonts. In case you missed it, our learning series commenced in the last quarter of 2021, offering a wealth of tips and tricks to streamline your practices. Don't miss out on these valuable resources as you enhance your skills with our full catalogue here.

This month, we’re looking back at where we came from and where we’re headed as a team at RedCloud. Rather than hearing it from us, we sat down with a few of our consultants who’ve been a part of the RedCloud team from our early days. What better way to understand our history and our future than by hearing from our veteran team members? Read on to find out what Courtney Sunderji, Scott Ekman, and Scott Morton are most proud of since joining RedCloud, where they see the firm in 10 years, and more! Tell us how long you've been at RedCloud, your roles, and current projects/passions at the firm? CS: I’ve been an Account Manager at RedCloud for a little over 3 ½ years. Time flies! I’m currently working with Microsoft, Premera, and most recently signed a new client, Intel. SE: I’m coming up on 7 years and was part of this initial rebranding of the firm, opening doors with new clients, and supporting the development of what we call a “high touch” consultant environment.  I’ve been a Client Engagement Director since joining RedCloud, working with clients, consultants, building capabilities, and making sure we stay true to our brand. My greatest passion inside RedCloud is being a part of building teams and strategies for clients that overachieve on goals. SM: I celebrated 4 years at RedCloud in April. My role has been an Account Director although I have also been contracted as a Marketing and Reporting Project Manager as well the Customer Success Manager of an outsourced managed service. What improvement or change at RedCloud has made the biggest impact throughout the years? CS: I think our focus on diversifying within a Seattle market dominated by a few large tech companies has really paid off! There is so much more than just the big tech giants, and having a wide range of clients gives our consultants the best opportunity to be successful. It’s rewarding to see seasoned consultants rekindle a passion for their work by exploring new terrains. We’ve also had a lot of success with our practice areas which really sets us apart from other firms – it would be great to see us expand the number of practice areas we have. SE: Moving into a larger and open office space that accommodates not just the HQ staff but also encourages consultants and teams to come in and collaborate with one another.  There is a “buzz” in the office, an energy that makes you want to come in and be a part of it! SM: The continued improvements to recruiting and the ability to identify a candidate, connect, vet, and submit them to clients in a speedy yet thorough process have had the biggest impact on me. How has diversity (of all kinds) in RedCloud staff grown and where would you like to see it grow? CS: We’ve diversified in terms of clients, types of roles, and our reach into new groups. The number of consultants and clients we have is higher than it’s ever been and I’d like to see us continue on that trajectory! SE: We’ve always embraced diversity as evident by the people we hire and organizations we support. SM: I have seen RedCloud become more diverse within the Account Team as well as with the group of consultants I manage. I would love to see the leadership team become more diverse as the firm grows. Where do you see RedCloud in another 10 years as a firm? CS: Growing, growing, growing! I see RedCloud remaining a top firm in the area and really expanding in all facets. Staying true to our core values as a company and doing what we do best – bringing together talent and opportunity. SE: We are growing responsibly, mindful of maturing operations and consultant offerings (i.e. stronger practice areas and internal learning opportunities).  I see a larger and more mature version of today.  The key will be to maintain the “start-up” feel and mentality in the way we treat one another, engage with leadership daily, try new things, and have fun. SM: Assuming the industry or region is not impacted by some unforeseen events, I see RedCloud having been established as a leader in professional staffing and consulting and that more firms adopt the RC style of managing our staff and working with clients. What is the role of RedCloud's community program in the firm today - and/or any community highlights from your time here you can tell us about? CS: To me, RedCloud is community. We have an amazing community of consultants, all of which offer a helping hand whether that be networking opportunities, training, or sharing tribal knowledge. We are also very involved in our outside community. My favorite community engagement to date had to have been our involvement with Broadview. Being able to see our support impact a family’s life is hard to beat. SE: Covid has certainly made community involvement more challenging but we have continued to make a difference.  I’m particularly excited to get back into the classrooms with Junior Achievement. It’s so rewarding to work with kids through the introduction of business concepts at such a young age and see them engage and be excited to learn more. SM: RedCloud supports the intersection of students, business, and education at all levels. Junior Achievement for Primary Students, DECA for Secondary Students, and Foster School of Business for Postsecondary Students. I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer my time across all three programs and have always been impressed by the impact it has had on the students I’ve interacted with. What are you most proud of since joining RedCloud? CS: The reputation we have in the field. I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from both clients and consultants, which means we’re doing something right. I’m proud to work for a company that truly wants what’s best for those we do business with. SE: I’m proud to see (and be a part of) diversifying our client base.  Many niche consulting firms are working with and dependent upon a single enterprise client, and we’ve been successful at working with over 25 different large and small companies over the years.  It offers variety for our consultants, allows us to gain different business perspectives across various verticals, and enables broader brand recognition. SM: I am most proud of my work in securing a managed service agreement with Microsoft and successfully implementing it during the early stages of the pandemic. What is one thing that your past self would never have imagined your 2022 self would see, experience, or own? SE: Empty streets and beaches in Hawaii for months.  It was quite surreal.  At the same time, it afforded us an opportunity to venture to new places, hikes, and hidden beaches, as well as tighten the family bond! SM: How quickly the business world adjusted to the hybrid work model of 2022. I never would have imagined being able to attend meetings virtually in a way that makes me feel a part of the meeting rather than an outsider or presenter. What is the most exciting work or project you’ve been a part of at RedCloud? SE: There are lots of projects to talk about but above that, just being able to work so closely with our managing partners Brett Clifton and Brett Alston and to gain valuable knowledge into how they both succeed in business and in life. SM: The most exciting time at RedCloud was when I contracted with Microsoft to do Sales Campaign Management as well as a Field Sales Community Manager. I had the opportunity to work with sellers and strategists to optimize their campaigns and provide them with actionable insights on their customers.

Our learning series is back! In this latest episode, Yusuf delves into the realm of UI design, offering five invaluable tips to enhance the user experience of your Power Apps in just under nine minutes. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from our expert team at RedCloud. Access all our how-to series and unlock a wealth of knowledge to boost your skills and productivity here.

We sat down with Kelly Hallissey now that she’s settled into her new role at RedCloud. During this year of growth, we were lucky to bring Kelly onto our team when we acquired Denny Mountain Media in January. While Kelly joined us during a busy transition, her experience was anything but chaotic. Read on to learn more about Kelly, where she sees her future at RedCloud, and what piece of technology she can’t live without (we can all relate!). We’re grateful to have you on our team, Kelly! Briefly describe your role and how long you've been at RedCloud I’m an Account Manager primarily focused on content, marketing, and design roles at Microsoft. I’ve been with RedCloud for four months. What was it like to join RedCloud (onboarding process)? I was onboarded to RC during an acquisition which was a crazy time for the RedCloud management and HR / Operation’s team.  With a quick turn and many balls in the air, onboarding could have been chaotic, but instead, it was completely seamless, and I felt both prioritized and welcomed. Brett Alston’s communication throughout the process was both human and professional and always sprinkled with humor. Given your background and other experiences, what stands out to you with RedCloud? Everyone I’ve encountered at RedCloud is professional, kind, smart, works with humor, and is always looking for ways to connect, encourage and collaborate. What originally drew you to (stay with) RedCloud? Brett Alston. Initially, when hearing news of the acquisition from my former employer, I was both excited and apprehensive. Brett was immediately welcoming, responsive, and personable. Exactly what I needed to feel the leap was safe. Where do you see the future of consulting or the future of RedCloud? I see a bright future for RedCloud; we’re innovative, proactive, have experienced tremendous growth in a short period and most importantly, the founders are invested in both the success of the company and its employees. Name one piece of technology you couldn’t live without and why? Sadly, my iPhone. While in many cases, it’s an appendage, it also provides access to watch my nephew grow from afar, video calls with my parents, and access to a ‘mobile’ office for times of life/work balance. What are you looking forward to the most this year with RedCloud? Learning more about RedCloud’s offerings, growing the business, and fostering relationships with colleagues, new employees, and clients.

There are few on the RedCloud team who exemplify our culture, passion, and dedication to success, like Emily Barber - our Office and Human Resources Manager, who recently celebrated her 6th year anniversary working with us. Emily joined soon after RedCloud's "relaunch" in 2015 and has been critical to our success and ability to scale while maintaining the culture and tightness we are so proud of and recognized for. Learn more about Emily, her role, and what she loves about RedCloud. Briefly describe your role and how long you've been at RedCloud I provide a great work experience for all RedCloud employees by providing digital tools, hardware, educating, and addressing all things human resource and operations. I recently celebrated my six-year anniversary. What was it like to join RedCloud (onboarding process) - and how have you personally helped evolve that process since you joined? Simple and straightforward. I started with RedCloud when we had about 35 consultants and 6 corporate team members. I would perform 3-4 new hire onboards a month, process employee enrollments, office management, IT help support, hardware set up and write the monthly RedCloud newsletter. We’ve implemented benefit enrollments online, ERP system, and we are now doing roughly 10 onboards a month alongside 20 corporate team members that I enjoy collaborating with daily. Given your background and other experiences, what stands out to you with RedCloud? Much of my career has been in support roles in small sized and start-up companies. RedCloud started small and rapidly grew. RedCloud challenges you to become better every day and RedCloud really cares about its employees. What originally drew you to RedCloud? I wanted to pursue a career path in human resource operations and in the optimistic future for growing with the company. Where do you see the future of consulting or the future of RedCloud? Continually striving to grow and build a team and continue to be one of the best consulting companies to work for! Name one piece of technology you couldn’t live without and why? I’m inclined to say my iPhone like so many others. However, I couldn’t live without my gas range. I truly enjoy cooking, trying new recipes and sharing meals with my family and friends. In my next life I will be a chef. What are you looking forward to the most this year with RedCloud? RedCloud’s annual Holiday Party! This year it is going to be in person. I enjoy any occasion to converse, interact, and laugh with coworkers’ face to face. We always have a blast at our events and that’s in big part to all our talented employees.

At RedCloud, we firmly believe that education has the power to transform lives and communities. It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce the recipient of our prestigious 6th Annual RedCloud Consulting/Dave “Hendu” Henderson Educational Scholarship, Alan Guitierrez, a senior at Davis High School in Yakima, Washington. His remarkable journey and inspiring essay have left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. We were thrilled to recently present our $5,000 scholarship award to him at school with Toys for Kids Founder and dear friend of RedCloud, Rick Rizzs (aka the voice of the Seattle Mariners). Alan's Remarkable Background: Alan's story is one of resilience, determination, and the unwavering pursuit of knowledge. Growing up, he witnessed the sacrifices his parents made to provide a better future. Their hard work and dedication inspired him to excel in his studies and strive for academic excellence. Alan's parents, his heroes, always encouraged him to do his best, setting the foundation for his exceptional educational journey. Alan's Winning Essay: Alan's winning essay beautifully encapsulates the essence of his educational aspirations. He shares how continuing his education is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the sacrifices made by his family. His words reflect the deep gratitude he feels toward his parents, who worked tirelessly to give him and his siblings a brighter future. Alan's determination to be the first in his family to attend a university exemplifies the transformative power of education that we believe in so greatly. RedCloud's Impact: Over the past six years, RedCloud has been dedicated to supporting outstanding students like Alan. Our scholarship program has donated $30,000, empowering young minds to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world. Alan's award adds to this legacy of impact, further fueling our commitment to fostering academic excellence. Joining a Legacy of Success: Alan now joins the ranks of our esteemed scholarship alumni, including Madison and Emma. Their stories serve as powerful examples of the lasting impact of our scholarship program. To learn more about their incredible journeys, we invite you to explore their posts [insert links to alumni posts]. A Surprise Captured on TV: The heartwarming surprise moment when Alan received the award was captured by his school's news station. You can watch the touching video below, witnessing the joy and inspiration that filled the room. At RedCloud, we are proud to support young talents like Alan, who remind us of the boundless potential within every student. We congratulate Alan on his well-deserved scholarship and look forward to witnessing his continued academic success and contributions to the world. Together, we celebrate the transformative power of education.

This year (October 2023), Copilot in Power Apps became generally available for app makers. In this blog, I’m going to walk you through how to create a Canvas Power Apps and Dataverse table in 10 minutes, with Copilot. Power Apps + Copilot ​Imagine having a trusted partner by your side as you embark on your app creation journey. Copilot in Power Apps is just that—a reliable AI companion that walks you through the entire process, from data table creation to app screen design, and finally, app publishing and sharing. It's like having a personal assistant that uses advanced AI and industry best practices to provide tailored guidance based on your unique data and preferences. But that's not all. Copilot doesn't just show you the way; it offers valuable tips and feedback to help you enhance your app-building skills. Step 1 | Creating the Dataverse Table In this scenario, we’re going to create a task tracking app. Using Copilot, we'll do the following: In the prompt, we're going to enter "task tracking app" ​Once the table is generated, we'll use Copilot to add a "notes" column by typing in "add a column for notes". Then hit send. ​ Step 2 | Create the Canvas Power App Once your table has been created, click Create App Once the app is created, you'll have a responsive canvas app connected to the new Dataverse table with a gallery allowing you to select a record and see the form for that record on the right. Step 3 | Use Copilot to Make Edits Next we'll use Copilot to change the icon colors. You can select a specific icon and then in the Copilot chat, type in "Change the selected icon to red". And just like that, Copilot updates the icon color for us. See this Copilot guide on current supported prompts: Editing Apps with Copilot Step 4 | Change the theme with Modern Controls To use modern controls and themes, click settings. Then click Upcoming Features and check the box for Modern Controls and Themes Now you can easily change the theme for your apps as well as use any of the new modern controls. Step 5 | Save & Publish! From here, click Save and then click Publish! Your app is now ready to go. This is just the start of Copilot for Power Apps and there's plenty of amazing features coming to the platform in the future. We'll keep you posted on the latest Copilot updates and how to best use AI to improve productivity for app makers!

A couple of months ago, a few members of our Data & AI Team went down to the Microsoft Power Platform Conference where they proudly hosted a booth in the expo area. It’s always a competition at expos to best design a booth that draws positive attention. Being Power Platform fanatics, we decided to engage with the conference attendees with live demos! We had a number of business-related demos, but we also wanted to provide some fun with a little competition. After watching too much Survivor, the idea of a digital slide puzzle popped into our heads and quickly came to fruition. Cool features Image manipulation: SVG images were used so that new images could be easily added. When a game starts, the selected SVG image is segmented into the required number of puzzle pieces. Users Profiles: When players first play, they set up a gamertag and profile so that they can participate in the leaderboard and come back to improve their time. Data: Every game and move is recorded and tracked so that leaderboards can be segmented by the image, puzzle size, moves, time, and gamer. Helper controls: Users can choose to view the final image or turn on puzzle piece images to help solve the puzzle. Progress: Players can see their progress on the fly with how many pieces they have put into the right place Galleries, galleries, galleries: The puzzle board is made up of two nested galleries that dynamically adjusts to the slide puzzle dimensions. Something you may not have know Did you know that not all randomly distributed slide puzzles are not solvable? In fact, if pieces are randomly distributed, half of all puzzles are not solvable. Therefore, we needed to randomize the puzzle, check solvability, and then adjust the randomized order to make it solvable. (Read this if you really want to nerd out on math) How building games helps It goes without saying that the Slide Puzzle’d Power App is not going to be sold to a customer. However, that does not mean that these do not provide value. First off, as a Power Platform developer, building games exposes you to new challenges that require you to discover or create new methods in development that you wouldn’t have normally thought of when you’re in a strict business environment. For example, time was a critical component of this app, which stretched the developers to master the use of Timer controls, which then translates to business-related projects. And at the end of the day, games can be fun!

You may be familiar with our previous work and support for the UW Foster School of Business, but this year marks a new, exciting endeavor! The UW Consulting and Business Development Center (CBDC) is holding a Business Management Consulting Program via Zoom, and RedCloud is excited to provide a team of mentors to help out. Four RedCloud mentors, Marie, Sophia, Mary Anne, and Scott, are tasked with guiding and advising the small student teams (4-6 members each) as they navigate a real-life client challenge scenario, devising their own plan for solving it with their business school knowledge thus far. The projects kicked off earlier this year and are in the client presentation phase, after which final meetings will occur with the clients for questions and thoughts on implementing their strategies. As our mentors work through feedback sessions with their teams, they each work through the clients’ provided situation, looking a lot like this: Situation: Client A fabricates their own products and is struggling to attract new, large opportunity customers. Their audience is from a generation that likes routine and regularity. Key Questions from Client A: How can we attract new and larger customer audiences? How can we use technology to differentiate ourselves from our competition? In working through the challenges faced by each client, the student groups will recommend a solution. The solutions are backed by hours of market research and competitive analysis in mind. The students spend significant time and effort diving into the client’s industry wholeheartedly to recommend the most effective next steps to make a difference. So far, these groups of eager future consultants have done an excellent job, and our mentors are really impressed! Check out what UW Consulting’s Instagram post had to say about the progress. As an example, the following recommendations could be made to the client: Project Managers as target customers Referral Service Increased networking Implementation of CRM or MRP systems Blog posts that showcase Client A’s operations Continuation of the current payroll program Pursuing 3D modeling programming in 3 years We commend each of the student groups for a job well done and look forward to your entry into our industry in the near future. Well done all, and thanks again to our RedCloud volunteers for providing such critical feedback and guidance to these students!

As part of our ongoing work to empower local kids with access to education and technology, we partner with Toys for Kids - an outstanding local organization who helps children of all socioeconomic backgrounds be better prepared for school and life. Every year our annual RedCloud Consulting/Dave “Hendu” Henderson Educational Scholarship awards a $5,000 scholarship to a student who exemplifies high standards and commitment to their community. We recently caught up with our past awardee, Emma. Check out what she had to say below. Emma Gruenberg - 2021 Winner I recently started my sophomore year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. I’m majoring in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination, and I’m minoring in Psychology. So far, I’m truly enjoying my life here at college, and classes are going really well for me. After college, I would love to become a forensic accountant or auditor, preferably for a government agency such as the FBI or CIA. I’ve discovered intramural sports as well as fascinating clubs here at school that I love participating in, and my friends and I spend a lot of time together. As for advice for a student finishing high school and going into college, I say this: continue to work hard in school, it truly pays off, but also don’t forget to enjoy your time there and do things you love. College is an amazing experience that not everyone gets to have, so be sure to cherish your time there because it won’t last forever. ​Follow your dreams and make every choice count!

A team within a multinational technology company identified a need to establish processes and mechanisms to adhere to GDPR guidance, a complex data protection law created by the EU in 2016. This system would improve the companies’ security, compliance, storage and management of user data with transparent policies and practices. THE CHALLENGE Due to the creation of the GDPR, companies were required to implement standards across their organizations to adhere to its policies. As our client was a team under a relatively new division, this undertaking would require detailed understanding of the division layout, data structures currently in place, and organizational methods to ensure all guidance documentation was up to date. "RedCloud quickly grasped how the EU GDPR directive would impact our business and customers and quickly [put] a very effective plan in place, which provided more trust to our customers and ensured company compliance with a new global privacy law." -- Client Representative THE SOLUTION RedCloud and the client team worked to map a holistic view of the division’s ecosystem to verify all teams were compliant with existing regulations. Our team identified all teams that processed personal data across the client’s division, conducted focused interviews, and organized and inventoried all systems. The comprehensive understanding of the division and its teams allowed for the implementation of the new privacy requirements mandated by the GDPR. A plan was created and implemented based on knowledge of the division's operational functions and current data governance policies. RedCloud consultants created a v-team to guide other staff members through a step-by-step compliance process to ensure the division's teams were following all privacy regulations. As GDPR was a new and evolving regulation, our team studied the priority requirements and collaborated with cross divisions, including legal, marketing, and engineering teams. This information was then transferred to the v- team so the relevant processes or knowledge gaps could be highlighted. As the compliance process matured, our team then focused on developing a plan for certain future changes to privacy requirements and data governance. RedCloud worked with the client to install Privacy Management Software and continued to standardize their privacy review processes. This allowed for the team’s work to be centralized in one system and provided a standard approach to case work. RedCloud implemented a solution that resulted in a transparent digital compliance process, so that the client was fully prepared should regulators ever require an audit. Our team concluded the project by creating a roadmap for the division’s leadership to predict and prepare for what lies ahead in the changing privacy world. THE RESULTS Within a year after the help of the RedCloud team, the client’s division has gone from uncertain compliance understanding to a well-organized ecosystem with process-driven privacy reviews compliant with all privacy regulations, including GDPR. ​The division is prepared for new data protection laws due to the new software systems in place and comprehensive understanding of policy regulations by all members of the privacy team. The GDPR expertise that RedCloud developed can be leveraged in our clients' other divisions and across the industry.