Earlier this month, thousands of low-code developers and Microsoft Power Platform enthusiasts traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada for MPPC 2023.  There, they were introduced to the latest and greatest features for Microsoft Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Virtual Agents, and Power Pages. To no one’s surprise, the major focus throughout the conference was how Power Platform Users will now be able to make better use of Microsoft Copilot and other AI-powered features. ​ In this blog post, we will share learnings and experiences from the three members of RedCloud’s Digital Solutions team (Benny Swedberg, Yusuf Shariff, & Matt Little) who were stationed at a booth in the Conference’s Exhibition Hall. Key Takeaways: Copilot and AI-powered features New and exciting use cases for Microsoft Copilot and AI-powered features were the talk of the Conference.  Up until now, Copilot has largely been used as a developer’s tool, which could be prompted to build the bones of new Solutions based on the provided context. What we learned at the Conference was that not only is Copilot now better at doing this sort of development work, but it has also evolved to where it can be employed as a user-facing virtual agent within an App, BI Report, or Page. AI can also now work as an IT Governance tool, with the introduction of Power Automate’s new Process Mining feature.  Process Mining visualizes the Power Platform processes happening in your Organization, and provides customized reports/KPI monitoring, process comparisons, and root cause determinations for process inefficiencies. Organizations seeking to get an enterprise-wide view of how the Power Platform is being utilized, and how to continuously improve efficiencies and costs, should take note of this new and intuitive feature. What we were most excited to learn is that Power Platform Solutions can now be coded to make API calls directly to any version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, with added context being passed to it that is invisible to the user.  The result is near-instant responses that have been curated to exactly meet the purpose of the Solution.  Having the full breadth of the Internet’s collective knowledge at your fingertips, and having it applied within the context of your specific business process or workflow is a mind-blowing leap forward for this technology. One such example of this that we learned about, was prompting ChatGPT using the “Tree of Thoughts” method.  The trick to this method is in understanding how ChatGPT’s probabilistic model works.  If you give ChatGPT some data/context and ask it for the most likely outcome, it will give you the answer that has generated the highest confidence score. However, the data/context you gave may cause ChatGPT to “hallucinate”, meaning it has been led astray and produced an answer that humans will recognize as incorrect. More accurate/logical answers will result from employing the “Tree of Thoughts”, which means prompting ChatGPT to take on the personas of multiple experts each with a different theory on the probable outcome, and then having those experts perform an exercise where they take turns critiquing each other's theories until they have all arrived at a consensus for the most logical outcome. Seeing ChatGPT reason with itself until it arrived at a more correct response, was a stunning revelation in how to make use of this tool going forward. Highlights: Visiting the RedCloud Booth The Conference’s Exhibition Hall was buzzing with activity all 3 days, as dozens of vendors set up booths to demo their products and introduce their services. The RedCloud booth featured Tablets that were pre-loaded with Power Apps for conference-goers to play around in, and Marketing collateral to take home with them as a reminder of RedCloud’s expertise & offerings. Along with demo-ready Business Applications, RedCloud received praise for providing Power App-based games that could be played for prizes in the form of a Slot Machine App and a Slide Puzzle Challenge. More than 150 players registered their information to play our games, and winners were awarded with Funko Pops, which quickly came to be known as “the best swag at the conference.” Community Recognition: RedCloud wins for best UX Design! On the final night of the Conference, the second annual “MPPC’s Got Power” talent show was held. With hundreds in attendance, each Talent Show applicant was given a 5-minute timer to present and compete in the Categories of: Low-Code Solutions, Storytelling, or Hidden Talents. RedCloud’s own Yusuf Shariff took the stage to demo his Slot Machine Power App, which features complex logic, timers, and animations to perfectly mimic the experience of playing a Las Vegas Slot Machine. Yusuf was praised for his lighthearted and comical presentation style, and ultimately was awarded for having the best UX Design of the night. The panel of Microsoft judges said, “Yusuf really stretched the capabilities of the Power Platform and showed us things we didn’t even know it could do!”

Introducing Alka Garg, a seasoned professional with an impressive track record in the realm of data privacy and tech consulting. Alka recently rejoined RedCloud after a five-year hiatus, taking on the pivotal role of developing and maturing our Privacy and Security practice. Her mission? To provide invaluable consulting services to a Microsoft client, crafting strategies and recommendations to enhance organizational processes and operational efficiency, all while developing crucial content and privacy guidance. In a recent interview, Alka shared insights into her RedCloud experience, highlighting the company's seamless onboarding process and emphasizing the pillars of trust, integrity, and culture that set RedCloud apart in her two-decade-long career. Briefly describe your role and how long you've been at RedCloud. I recently rejoined RedCloud after five years away. My role is really two-fold: to develop and mature the Privacy and Security practice at RedCloud, develop strategies and recommendations on organizational processes and operational improvements, and to develop content and privacy guidance for a Fortune 500 technology company. What was it like to join RedCloud (onboarding process)? The onboarding process at RedCloud is very lightweight and streamlined. Everyone is very prompt to make the whole experience very pleasant. Given your background and other experiences, what stands out to you with RedCloud? Trust, Integrity, and Culture - I could not find anywhere else in my twenty years of career in the industry. Where do you see the future of consulting or the future of RedCloud? Tremendous growth and success - RedCloud is not only dedicated to its clients but also to its employees. Tell us a bit about the importance of the Privacy and Security practice and why clients seek these solutions. A privacy program is pivotal to an organization's success regardless of size. It helps to protect customers' personal data, ensures compliance with laws and regulations, minimizes the risks of data breaches, and ensures ethical use of data. If not done right, organizations are at risk of financial fines, government enforcement, loss of reputation, and customer trust. RedCloud’s Privacy and Security practice enables organizations to ensure that their data is secure and compliant with relevant regulations while also protecting their customers' privacy. Name one piece of technology you couldn’t live without and why? INTERNET. I guess I probably don’t have to answer why :) What are you looking forward to the most this year with RedCloud? Developing and maturing RedCloud’s Privacy and Security practice and building trust relationships along the way.

Our commitment to operating a sustainable business is strong and only grows stronger as we experience severe weather events impacting our region, country, and the world at large. The need to stay focused on decarbonizing our business operations and supply chain becomes more important each year. At RedCloud, we believe that sustainable business practices are not only essential for the health of our employees and their communities but for the long-term success of the company as well. We're proud to be a consulting firm that values sustainability and is dedicated to doing our part to ensure that future generations benefit—as we did--from a healthy planet. In that spirit, we’re sharing a quick update on RedCloud’s sustainability journey to inform and inspire others to act, too. 2023 Sustainability Update Having committed to sustainability several years ago, we’re working to reduce the impact of our business on the world around us. Some of our ongoing sustainability activities and initiatives include: Carbon Reductions We commit to reduce our emissions by about 55% by 2030. This aligns with the goals of a major client, Microsoft, which is a leader in corporate sustainability ambitions and practices. This goal will continue to be our North Star, guiding our decisions and investments in sustainability. Engagement with Emissions Data Specialists Over the last year, we have engaged with Rye Strategy, an independent assessor specializing in emissions data collection, analysis, and reporting, to help us verify that our emissions data is accurate and actionable. This investment will help demonstrate clear emissions reductions. Annual Collection and Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data We continue to collect and disclose GHG emissions data related to RedCloud operations, including our supply chain, to measure the impacts of our actions and investments. This data includes office leasing and energy use, receipts for purchased goods (such as laptops), and travel itineraries and expenses. Identification of Additional Mitigation Strategies We’re investigating and assessing the feasibility and potential impact of new sustainability strategies, including: Sourcing products from “greener suppliers” Using more energy-efficient products in daily operations Reducing overall business travel and investing in “sustainable aviation fuel” Expanding our hybrid work model for our employees Encouraging our commercial landlord to purchase renewable energy Continuous Improvement We regularly review our practices, set new sustainability goals, and seek innovative ways to reduce our environmental impact. As a professional service firm, our carbon footprint is smaller than those of manufacturing, transportation, and other industries, but we still have work to do. Sustainability is an ongoing commitment

As of August 1st, 2023, Microsoft's Power Automate’s Process Mining has been released as generally availability! Process intelligence is revolutionizing how businesses optimize their processes, save costs, and uncover opportunities to run more efficient operations. With Microsoft's Power Automate Process Mining, infused with next-generation AI (Copilot), organizations can easily gain a deep understanding of their business activities. By maximizing process insights and utilizing out-of-box recommendations, complexity is reduced, operations are transformed, and continuous improvement is achieved through automation and low-code apps. To provide customers with superior process insights, process and task mining play a crucial role in identifying bottlenecks and driving continuous improvement. Out-of-box templates allow seamless generation of powerful business process insights from core line-of-business apps like SAP, as well as cloud flows in Power Automate, Power Apps, Power Virtual Agents, Azure, and other systems. ​ With Power Automate Process Mining, your journey becomes effortless. Seamlessly integrated with Microsoft's platform, it empowers you with end-to-end solutions to make informed decisions. Extract event data, and watch your processes come to life! Compare, identify inefficiencies, and track essential KPIs for unprecedented success. What is Process Mining? Process mining is a cutting-edge technology that enables businesses to gain a clear understanding of their real processes, how they are operated, and to identify opportunities for improvement, automation, and digitization. The new capability integrated into Power Automate works seamlessly with the existing Microsoft platform and ecosystem, offering end-to-end solutions and enabling faster and more informed business decisions. The process mining capability extracts event data from various systems of records and visualizes the processes happening within the organization. This allows businesses to customize process mining reports, compare processes, pinpoint the root cause of inefficiencies, and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Let's consider a retail company with an online ordering system. With AI Process Mining, the company can analyze its order fulfillment process to identify where delays occur and why. The AI algorithms can reveal that the order verification step takes the longest time due to manual checks. Armed with this insight, the company can automate verification using AI-powered tools, reducing processing time and improving overall efficiency. As a result, customer orders are processed faster, leading to higher customer satisfaction and increased revenue for the company. Benefits that Pack a Punch So, what's in it for you? Glad you asked! Below is just a highlight of the many benefits you can gain for your organization :Improve Operational Efficiency: Say goodbye to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Power Automate Process Mining brings clarity to the chaos, streamlining your operations and turbocharging productivity. Enhance Customer Experience: Happy customers mean a thriving business. By pinpointing process pain points and eliminating them, you'll turn customer satisfaction into customer delight. Optimize Resources: With the power of process mining, you'll uncover automation opportunities that lighten the load on your team, freeing up valuable resources for the tasks that truly matter. Ensure Compliance: Avoiding legal and financial risks is a top priority. Thanks to Process Mining, identifying non-compliant processes becomes a breeze, ensuring you stay on the right side of the law. Supercharge Supply Chain Management: Warehouse and operations managers, rejoice! Process mining helps you gain unparalleled insights into material flow, unlocking the true potential of your warehouse performance. Embrace process mining today and take your business to new heights! For latest information on licensing, visit https://powerautomate.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/.

Chris is back with us today! We were excited to track him down for a special RedCloud Alumni Q&A session so we could share updates on his career path and his whereabouts since his time working at RedCloud. Chris is the consummate professional. He was always detailed and caring, however, what made him so successful in his client engagements was his ability to relate and empathize with everyone. He’s someone our team would consider a true friend. After his time with us assisting our clients with key IT projects and honing his craft, he’s moved on to impressive projects and is here to share some reflections with us today. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Chris. What was your role at RedCloud, and what position do you hold now? As a senior consultant at RedCloud, I was a Project Manager….a role I continue today in my current role at Savers, specializing in IT Retail. What kind of projects/client service did you work on at RedCloud? I worked on Microsoft projects in the Marketing groups with Avanade and Accenture, focused on driving Azure sales. The last engagement I had was at Savers (also known as Value Village), where I worked as a Project Manager on the IT Retail Team, driving the software updates to the Point of Sales systems, Registers and Self-Checkouts. This project led to my full-time role with Savers, and I am now part of another great group of people. I really miss seeing my RedCloud family. But we still stay in touch, grabbing coffee and lunch when our schedules allow. What is your favorite part about the RedCloud team members? Or some specific memories about a project or collaboration? The RedCloud team truly cares about everyone. (Managing Partners) Brett Clifton, Brett Alston, and (Account Director) Scott Ekman are always there to listen and offer advice. Benny Swedberg (BS&I Practice Lead) is always there to help you figure out and understand any technical issues. Emily Barber (HR Manager) is always available with a smile and an immediate fix for any HR or hardware issues. When I had a project end, the team was quick to find me another engagement.  I am in my 40s, and RedCloud is the first place I have worked where I felt like I was part of a family. I am lucky to have these people as friends. What were some skills or best practices you learned during your time with RedCloud that you took with you to your next job? I learned the basics of PowerApps and definitely strengthened my PM skills. ​ What would you say to someone who was thinking about working for RedCloud? Engage with the other team members. Ask for help when you need it. Be a part of the family!

There are often ad hoc needs that go beyond what is possible with a human clicking on their computer, or should be possible for productivity’s sake. For example, a need we ran into was capturing a datetime in a SharePoint list for when an item was approved. Done manually, this meant looking through the history version. That would be fine if it were for a few items. ​ The Concept We needed to detect when a SharePoint item was approved. At first you may think that could be found with the earliest version where the Status column was equal to ‘Approved’. However, what happens when something is then set back to ‘In Review’ before being set to ‘Denied’ or ‘Approved’ again. That means we need to find the most recent time the Status column was changed to ‘Approved’. ​ Building the Utility Flow At its most basic level, this utility flow only consists of three actions, which I’ll outline below. Before that, I’d like to show how we made the flow a true utility with the 5 required parameters: ​ SharePoint Site URL: the base URL for the specific SharePoint site that holds the List SharePoint List Name: the name of the List to be queried Field Schema Name: the schema or logical name of the column, which may be different than the display name Target Value: the value of the field you are interested in determining when it became that value ID: the ID of the SharePoint item These are all critical to composing the SharePoint http requests that respond with version history information. So now let’s get to the more exciting part of building the actions. As described above, we need to find the most recent version where the specified column does not equal the target value. ​ Following that step, you then find the most recent version where the specified column is equal to the target value but is also a later version than the version returned in the first http call. ​ Code snippet for the VersionId gt comparison: first(outputs('Get_first_non_target_version')?['body/value'])?['VersionId'] With that, you have all the information you need! The final step is responding back with the datetime of the change. This makes it possible to call this flow as a child flow and run it for numerous items! Suggestion: make a Utilities Solution that holds these types of Flows and share them with your team. ​ Response snippet: first(outputs('Get_last_target_version')?['body/value'])?['Modified'] ​This isn’t a complicated build, but it is incredibly useful when backfilling data. It can also be tweaked to restore information while not being able to restore an actual version. If you’d like to use the Flow yourself, you’ll find the file below. You’ll also find a more thoroughly built out flow that takes into consideration many of the potential failure points. For example, what happens when the column isn’t found or when the item has never been set to the target value?

It's incredible how quickly time flies - we're already more than halfway through the year! While it may signal the end of summer, there's still so much to look forward to, especially with the exciting new releases from Microsoft Power Apps. Let's dive into the highlights of the upcoming features in the 2023 release Wave 2, which will be rolling out between October 2023 and March 2024. ​Power Apps is making significant investments in multiple areas as part of the Microsoft Power Platform 2023 release wave 2. Here are some highlights: ​ Copilot for makers and users This innovative feature harnesses the power of AI and natural language to expedite app development. By leveraging Copilot, makers can build and modify apps more efficiently, work with data seamlessly, and enhance overall functionality. Users, on the other hand, can explore data and navigate apps using natural language, greatly enhancing the user experience. Building modern apps Power Apps is introducing updates that will modernize apps by default. These updates will lead to higher developer productivity and user satisfaction. Developers will have access to modern controls, responsive templates, and offline app capabilities. Users can look forward to a refreshed and modernized interface, simpler sharing options, and improved collaboration tools. Enable enterprise scale Power Apps is dedicated to empowering makers and administrators to implement low-code solutions at an enterprise level. Upgrades to Power Apps Studio will enhance monitoring and code management tools, providing makers with better visibility and control over their solutions. These improvements will streamline app development for larger and more complex projects. These investments in Copilot, building modern apps, and enabling enterprise scale demonstrate Power Apps' commitment to delivering cutting-edge features and empowering users to create powerful and scalable solutions. Some of our favorite upcoming features Below are some of our favorite features to look out for. The full list of upcoming features is at the bottom! Power Apps Canvas App Makers can easily unlock a wealth of useful and captivating layouts designed for common scenarios and enhanced with data-connected components. These layouts effortlessly adapt to different window sizes, ensuring a stunning experience for app users on any device. Accessing these immersive designs is just a few clicks away for makers. With the latest update, screen layout templates come pre-configured with layouts for multiple form factors, empowering makers to swiftly create stunning apps for any device. Public Preview: October 2023 Experience the enhanced look and feel of model-driven Power Apps. Power Apps has been updated the user interface to align with Microsoft Fluent Design System, offering makers a stunning range of controls and experiences to captivate users. Revitalize your model-driven app with fresh layouts, themes, and colors. Users can opt-in by selecting "Try the new look". Once enabled, your app will incorporate the latest Microsoft Fluent Design-based elements. And remember, users can switch back to the previous version anytime. ​ Microsoft Fluent is a powerful, open-source design system that enables engaging product experiences, encompassing accessibility, internationalization, and top-notch performance. Public Preview: August 2023 / General Availability: October 2023 Monitor is a widely used debugging tool that helps makers diagnose and resolve app issues. Gain insights into your canvas apps through its user-friendly interface. Microsoft is enhancing Monitor to streamline usability and empower makers to quickly identify and address problems. Key areas Microsoft is focusing on to enhance the Monitor experience: Improved discoverability: We'll make it easier to find and launch Monitor within Power Apps Studio. Data quality enhancements: We'll consolidate duplicate log entries for easier troubleshooting. Enhanced data relevance: We'll establish guidelines to ensure relevant and actionable data in Monitor. UI improvements: Streamlining navigation in Monitor's tabular grid with sorting, highlighting, filtering, and search capabilities. This will be an amazing elevated debugging experience for optimizing canvas apps with ease. Full List of New & Upcoming Features Building Modern Apps Copilot for Power Apps makers and users Enable enterprise scale ​To learn more about the entire set of capabilities being delivered during the release wave, check out the release plan for Power Apps HERE.

As we excitedly announced last month, Lou Hazim has re-joined RedCloud as an Account Director for our Privacy & Security Practice! Lou adds a valuable set of skills, insights, and an engaging personality based on his more than 20 years of consulting experience. In fact, Lou helped start our Privacy & Security Practice five years ago and is looking forward to expanding on its success so far. He has a passion for helping clients defend and improve their Cyber Security Posture. Read on to learn more about Lou and his role at RedCloud, as well as a tool he’s added to his belt since we last spoke with him - his work as a volunteer firefighter! What was it like to return to RedCloud? Coming back to RedCloud felt like I never left. Seeing familiar faces and talented teammates is a highlight for sure. Given your background and other experiences, what stands out to you with RedCloud? I would say the transparency of the management team and the level of talent of this firm is unparalleled. What originally drew you to RedCloud? The feeling of trust and integrity through the initial discussions made it clear that RedCloud was a top-tier firm. Tell us more about the Privacy & Security practice. How are you helping clients? The importance of improving cyber security posture cannot be overstated for any sized business, no matter their sector or industry. It is crucial for businesses to prioritize and invest in robust cyber security measures to protect their digital assets, mitigate financial losses, preserve reputation and customer trust, comply with regulations, reduce downtime, stay ahead of evolving threats, and safeguard business continuity. Where do you see the future of consulting or the future of RedCloud? The stellar reputation RedCloud has and its dedicated, talented people will lead to tremendous growth. Tell us something unique you do in your time away from RedCloud. I decided to become a volunteer firefighter in my new hometown of Manson, WA.  It is so important for a small town to have a dedicated team of firefighters, especially during the hot summers. Name one piece of technology you couldn’t live without and why? Aside from my iPhone, I would have to say our Sonos system,  We love music! What are you looking forward to the most this year with RedCloud? Landing new key clients and growing the team!

We are thrilled we found time to sit down with our 2023 summer intern, Siqi. With her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, we can already tell that she’s a self-driven and ambitious individual with a bright future ahead. Read on to learn more about her experience thus far and what app she can’t live without (it may surprise you)! What were your main tasks and projects during the internship? I have primarily focused on conducting background research on the consulting industry and our client base. My research involved utilizing platforms like LinkedIn, Google, and Glassdoor to collect data that will help RedCloud continue to provide our clients with top-notch service and unique and rewarding opportunities for our consultants. What did you use the most from school in your internship? During my internship at RedCloud, I primarily utilized the soft skills I acquired during my education. These skills included interpersonal skills, data organization skills, and a basic understanding of business concepts. A significant aspect of my internship involved actively and regularly communicating with Account Manager Scott Morton to better understand RedCloud’s current position in the market. Additionally, my expertise in data organization, stemming from my background as an industrial engineering major, allowed me to effectively consolidate seemingly unrelated data and present it coherently and structured. What is it like working with the RedCloud team? I decided to join RedCloud primarily because of its inclusive and supportive atmosphere. Despite being a short-term intern, I have experienced a strong sense of respect and integration within the team. I greatly appreciate Scott for providing me with this opportunity and emphasizing the importance of my learning experience during the internship rather than merely focusing on completing mandatory tasks. What were the biggest takeaways you had from your internship? The most significant lesson I learned is to go beyond the minimum requirements when approaching tasks. I view my internship as a stepping stone from academic life to the professional world, encompassing both skill development and a shift in mindset. In school, I often focused solely on completing assigned tasks without fully grasping the broader significance or ultimate objective of the assignment. However, RedCloud has taught me the value of working backward. This approach involves identifying the desired end goal and then meticulously planning and implementing all the necessary steps to accomplish that goal. By adopting this proactive mindset, I have learned to take ownership of my work and actively contribute to the overarching objectives of the organization. What do you think will translate most to your next job that you learned? The internship provided me with valuable experience, particularly in terms of the web tools I became proficient in and the work mindset I cultivated. One key aspect of this experience is that having prior knowledge or exposure to similar tasks enhances my ability to complete assignments successfully. Where do you see the future of RedCloud? Based on my current understanding, I think RedCloud has the capacity to become the top technology consulting firm in Washington. This is due to its comprehensive consulting services, which combine various aspects. Moreover, RedCloud has received an impressive rating of 4.9 (out of 5.0) on Glassdoor, indicating that it is highly regarded and has a welcoming environment for both clients and employees. Name a piece of tech you can’t live without or your favorite app? An important piece of tech that I can’t live without is LinkedIn since it’s an efficient tool for me to not only connect with and learn the experiences of people around me but also search for companies’ information, background, and recent activities.

Meet Tugcem Kurbanzade, a Senior Consultant on our team who joined RedCloud last year. She’s quickly become a valuable member of our team, leveraging her expertise in Microsoft Power Platform technologies to help our clients. Read on to learn more about Tugcem, how she envisions the future of consulting, and what piece of technology she can’t live without!​ Briefly describe your role and how long you've been at RedCloud. As a Senior Consultant at RedCloud, where my main area of expertise is Microsoft Power Platform technologies, my job involves designing and implementing creative business solutions for our clients, which help to enhance productivity and streamline processes. This is achieved through the development of customized business applications, automation tools, and analytics dashboards. I have been a part of the RedCloud team since October 2022. What was it like to join RedCloud (onboarding process)? My experience of becoming a part of RedCloud was seamless, thanks to their well-organized onboarding process. I was offered a thorough orientation program, which included meeting fellow colleagues, getting acquainted with the work culture, and learning about different projects and resources. Our BS&I Practice lead, Benny Swedberg, was always approachable, and he ensured that I never felt lost or uncertain about what to do. This was a refreshing change from other companies where confusion is common during the onboarding process. Given your background and other experiences, what stands out to you with RedCloud? What stands out to me about RedCloud is its dedication to innovation and the collaborative work environment. The company constantly invests in the latest technologies and encourages employees to develop new skills. At RedCloud, we work on a diverse range of projects for a wide variety of clients. The team at RedCloud is also very diverse, which means that everyone brings something unique to the table. This diversity creates an environment that fosters growth and development, allowing team members to learn new skills and expand their knowledge base. Moreover, RedCloud offers an abundance of support and resources to its team members, treating them with utmost respect and trust. This approach ensures that team members can lead their work without feeling unable to make decisions or suggestions. What originally drew you to RedCloud? Initially, I was interested in RedCloud due to its established reputation as a top-notch technology consulting company that specializes in Microsoft Power Platform technologies. Moreover, the firm's dedication to assisting clients in enhancing their business procedures and productivity was in line with my career objectives. Where do you see the future of consulting or the future of RedCloud? I see the future of consulting being driven by the increasing importance of digital transformation and data-driven decision-making. RedCloud is well-positioned for this future, as it is at the forefront of leveraging new technologies and methodologies to deliver cutting-edge solutions to its clients. Name one piece of technology you couldn’t live without and why? One piece of technology I couldn't live without is my smartphone. It enables me to stay connected with colleagues and clients, manage my calendar and emails, access important documents, and utilize various productivity apps that help me stay organized and efficient. What are you looking forward to the most this year with RedCloud? This year, I'm most looking forward to working on some exciting new projects at RedCloud, where we will be utilizing the latest Power Platform features and innovations to assist our clients in staying ahead of the competition and driving their businesses forward.

Meet Marco, a valued senior associate on our team who recently returned to RedCloud to join our Business Solutions and Intelligence team. With deep consulting experience and previous RedCloud experience, he has a bright future ahead. Read on to learn more about Marco and his role at RedCloud, what attracted him to our team, and hear about his goals for 2023. ​ Briefly describe your role and how long you've been at RedCloud My current role at RedCloud is Senior Associate. At the moment, I am on the business solutions and intelligence team over at our clients Savers. This is my second stint with RedCloud. What was it like to join RedCloud (onboarding process)? Given that this is my second time around, onboarding was very simple. Previously knowing all the people that helped me onboard made a considerable difference. Scott, Benny, Sean, and Emily made it a very enjoyable experience for me. Given your background and other experiences, what stands out to you with RedCloud? The people at RedCloud are amazing, they truly view you as a friend, and they make your success their success. Having worked at several companies in tech, I can honestly say that RedCloud attracts the very best people. It is a pleasure working with such talented and invested individuals. What originally drew you to RedCloud? What originally drew me to RedCloud was the work and the learning opportunity that I could see with this group. When I first started here in 2020, I was fairly new to the Power Apps platform, and I certainly wanted to get more experience. After interviewing with Benny (Practice Lead), I knew I wanted to learn as much as I could from him. Where do you see the future of consulting or the future of RedCloud? I see an extremely bright future for RedCloud, I think the company benefits from great leadership at multiple levels, is well-positioned in the market, and employs some of the best talent in the area. You can see the fruits of that in just how much the company has grown in the last few years. It is a very exciting time to be a part of RedCloud Consulting, I am very excited to be part of this team. Name one piece of technology you couldn’t live without and why? I hate to admit this, but I would have to say my iPhone, one of my goals for 2023 is to cut back on my screen time, so perhaps by this time next year, I will have a different answer. Unlikely, but that is my hope! What are you looking forward to the most this year with RedCloud? Getting settled in and establishing myself within both RedCloud and Savers, I look forward to adding immediate value to our teams and helping meet the goals of the company.

Junior Achievement of Washington (known as “JA”) has been a partner of RedCloud for many years, with our consultants volunteering in classrooms around the Seattle area to teach JA’s business and finance curriculum to elementary students, and to help support JA’s “BizTown”, a unique marketplace where students operate a micro-economy for a day. Those experiences provide important hands-on opportunities for our team to volunteer in the community at the nexus of RedCloud’s community program: children and education. But this year we’re taking things up a notch in RedCloud’s support of JA. While our consultants can roll up their sleeves and teach during a “JA Day'', we also saw the opportunity to keep our “consulting” hats on and dive into the operations and broader strategy of the JA organization. Kicking-off in the spring of 2023, we’re beginning a set of pro bono consulting services to help JA achieve one of its largest strategic goals: attract, retain and generally increase volunteer participation - the lifeblood of their programs. To that end, our RedCloud team of experts led by Senior Account Manager Scott Morton and Business Services & Intelligence Practice Lead Benny Swedberg have begun engagement with JA’s team to help in two specific areas: ​ Bolstering JA’s volunteer marketing strategy to drive awareness and engagement with potential volunteers. Auditing and evolving JA’s volunteer marketing technology and toolset to improve efficiencies and support marketing efforts. Ultimately these efforts are leading the development of a go-to-market (GTM) plan that will help JA: Increase number of contactable volunteers in the organization’s database. Increases the number of volunteers per each JA event (i.e. “JA Day”, “BizTown”). Expand social media reach to a broader audience through like, shares, and follows. On the tech side, the RedCloud team identified the need to improve the tools and platforms associated with JA’s Volunteer Lifecycle, and specifically the JA event check-in experience for their volunteers. Our team is currently developing a set of recommendations for an online platform or application for volunteers to: Manage their profile. Sign up for events. Check-in at events. Access live chat for support. Receive push notifications. Additional features that will help streamline the entire volunteer process. Lastly, our tech experts are assessing the reporting needs of JA, and how a revamped set of business intelligence reports can help leadership make decisions about volunteering needs. ​ Giving back through our Community program is a core value at RedCloud and believe it’s up to each one of us to extend a helping hand when we can, whether the gesture be big or small. We’re honored to partner with JA and look forward to reporting back on the outcomes of this project!