It's that time of year again, and at RedCloud, we love nothing more than catching up with our past scholarship winners to see how they've been making their mark on the world. Today, we're thrilled to check in with Madeline Lambert, who previously won the prestigious RedCloud annual scholarship. As we embark on this "where are they now" journey, we're excited to hear all about Madeline's latest endeavors and accomplishments since receiving our support. Her journey thus far has been nothing short of remarkable, and we can't wait to share her inspiring update with our community. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Babson College in May. I was so fortunate to go to Babson and wouldn't have been able to do so without the help of the Dave Henderson Scholarship. Some of my Babson highlights included being the Vice President of Finance for the Student Government, where I managed $1.8 million, going to El Salvador on a Habitat for Humanity trip, virtually teaching entrepreneurship to children in Tanzania, and starting two clubs (figure skating club and a cheese society)! During the summer between my Junior and Senior years, I had a corporate finance internship at Target. After graduating, I started working as a Corporate Banking Analyst at Scotiabank in NYC. I live a few blocks away from work and get to walk down Wall Street, past the 9/11 memorial, NYSE, and One World Trade every day. I also have a view of the Hudson river and the Statue of Liberty from my office, so I love where I live and what I do so far. Currently my goals include growing my networking and moving my way up the corporate ladder. When I received the scholarship, I dreamed of being the CFO of a Fortune 500 company. While I would still love to do that, that goal honestly seems a little lofty now. I also have dreams of someday becoming an event planner or starting my own event planning company. If I could solve one problem in the world, it would be closing the wealth gap. Living in NYC and being a Wall Street banker, I see the wealth gap play out every day. I am surrounded by incredibly wealthy individuals at work every day and see countless people experiencing homelessness on the streets and subways. This is a very difficult problem to tackle, but I believe it begins with providing equal opportunities, ending discrimination, closing the gender wage gap, and providing more mental health resources. I have so much advice I would love to share with other young people pursuing education, but if I could pick one thing, it would be that your network is your greatest asset, and the only way to get better at networking is by doing it and being confident in yourself.

At RedCloud, we believe that giving back to the community is not just a responsibility but a privilege. It’s part of who we are, embedded in the DNA of RedCloud since our inception. The RedCloud team feels fortunate to be connected to Toys for Kids , a nonprofit founded by Seattle Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs and former center fielder Dave Henderson. We’ve supported TfK for years, and our Managing Partner Brett Alston is currently the president of the Board of Directors.  In what is always a special time of year in our work with TfK, as the back-to-school season approaches, our team eagerly anticipates the opportunity to contribute to Rick and his team. Through our collaboration, RedCloud donates and assembles student backpacks filled with essential school supplies, ensuring that every child has the tools they need to succeed academically. From notebooks and pencils to calculators and art supplies, we collect a wide array of items to include in the backpacks, assemble the backpacks, and ultimately deliver them to TfK’s partners at the Atlantic Street Center in Seattle where they are given to eager children! This hands-on involvement not only strengthens our team spirit but also reinforces our commitment to supporting the educational journey of children in our broader Seattle community. The impact of our partnership with Toys For Kids extends far beyond the backpacks themselves. By alleviating some of the financial burdens associated with back-to-school preparations, we help create an environment where families and children can focus on learning and personal growth. Witnessing the joy and excitement on the faces of the children who receive these backpacks is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Together with Toys For Kids, RedCloud is making a tangible difference, one backpack at a time, and reinforcing our belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive academically and beyond.

Meet Mara Siverson , our latest team member to be featured in RedCloud’s "10 Minutes with" interview series where we get to know our team of experts, their professional and personal interests. Mara's role involves a blend of business strategy design, execution planning, and operational program management, focusing on supporting a Director in the Microsoft Global Partner Solutions organization. With four years of experience supporting her client, Mara brings valuable insights and a unique perspective to our team. Outside of work, Mara enjoys exploring new interests, advocating for work-life balance, and finding relaxation in surprising ways. Stay tuned below to learn more about Mara and her journey! Describe your role and what you do in a nutshell. My client is a Director in the Microsoft Global Partner Solutions organization, focused on partner strategy & execution. My role is a blend of business strategy design, execution planning, and all the operational program management required to keep things running smoothly. While the nature of my job requires that I wear many different hats, I really enjoy working in Microsoft's partner business, whether it be diving into data or refining go-to-market  and landing strategy with the team. I've been supporting this same client for the past four plus years, and it's been amazing getting to be a part of the evolution of her business remit over the years. How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance in your role? Though working remotely can make the separation of work life & home life difficult, I'm fortunate to have a dedicated home office, and I find shutting the door when I log off for the day is a great way to employ the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality to help drive this separation. I'm also a big fan of making lists, so I've gotten in the habit of when I think of something work-related when I'm not "on the clock," I just type it in a quick note in my phone so that I can purge it from my head and revisit it when I'm working. Admittedly, this is an area I still need to do better in, but these little tricks help quite a bit! Tell us about something interesting you've learned recently. I recently learned about the Swiss Water Process, which is a method used in the specialty coffee industry to decaffeinate coffee beans using only water! The process removes 99.9% of caffeine from green coffee beans, which are then dried & bagged before being roasted, allowing the coffee to retain the unique flavor profile of the origin of the beans. I assumed all decaf was achieved by adding a bunch of chemicals, so this was definitely surprising info! (My husband leads B2B wholesale sales at Caffe Ladro Roasting, and he's always sharing really interesting facts about coffee.) If you could suggest a book for the entire RedCloud team to read, what would it be and why? The Cure for Burnout by Emily Ballesteros is absolutely a must read for anyone struggling with work-life balance or experiencing feelings of overwhelm when thinking about work (and I'm not just saying this because the author was a good friend of mine in college!!) In the book, Emily explores how to build healthy habits to avoid burnout and how to manage one's own personal & professional boundaries. The content is relatable, and she strikes a good balance between being a book on self-help versus business-focused. If reading isn't your thing, the book is also available as an audiobook! What's a piece of obsolete technology you still have a soft spot for? I really miss when cell phones had physical keyboards. I enjoyed the tactile feeling of texting with real buttons – long live the BlackBerry! What's one thing people don't know about you that they would be surprised to discover? While it's no secret that I'm a big baseball fan (go Mariners!), something that usually surprises people is when I tell them that I also collect baseball cards. I'd guess that I have around 50k cards spanning from the 1970s to modern day. One of my favorite things is when I can find bulk card lots off Marketplace and then sort them by year and team. I'm not sure why, but I find it extremely relaxing! What are you passionate about or enjoy outside of work? When I'm not working, you can usually find my husband, myself, and our two blue heelers outside doing anything we can to enjoy the fresh air: camping, hiking, fishing, skiing, sitting at the nearest brewery, you name it! Both my husband and I grew up in Washington, and getting to introduce our dogs to all of the activities we enjoy has been such a fun experience.

In the fast-paced world of enterprise technology, staying ahead is not just an advantage—it's a necessity we help our clients achieve. Companies in this sector must continually innovate and adapt to maintain competitiveness and drive growth. RedCloud’s team of enterprise tech experts helps our clients harness the power of today’s legacy and new tech platforms, ensuring they remain leaders in their industries. Our Tech-Forward Approach Our approach centers around leveraging the most advanced technologies to streamline processes, optimize IT infrastructure, and implement cutting-edge solutions. These technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cloud computing, and advanced data analytics. By integrating these tools into our clients' operations, we not only enhance productivity and operational effectiveness but also deliver tangible, measurable results that drive business growth. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning : AI and ML are transforming enterprise technology by enabling automation and improving decision-making processes. RedCloud uses these technologies to help clients predict market trends, optimize supply chains, and personalize customer experiences. This results in more efficient operations and better business outcomes. Cloud Computing: We excel in the adoption of cloud computing. They assist enterprises in migrating to cloud platforms, which offer greater flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. By moving to the cloud, businesses can quickly adapt to changing demands and deploy new services faster. Data Analytics : In today's data-driven world, the ability to analyze and act on data is crucial. We provide advanced data analytics solutions that help clients turn raw data into valuable insights. These insights can drive strategic decisions, improve customer satisfaction, and uncover new business opportunities. Take a closer look at our success story in the enterprise technology sector: Sales Enablement Program Management and Modernization . This real-world example showcases how RedCloud has helped businesses like yours navigate the dynamic landscape of enterprise technology behavior, driving business productivity and effectiveness.

Scott Ekman, a long-time RedCloud veteran and dedicated Client Engagement Director, recently completed his first triathlon at the annual Lavaman Triathlon in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Known for his strategic vision and leadership skills, Scott embraced this personal challenge to push his physical limits. The triathlon not only tested his endurance but also offered valuable insights that he now applies in his professional life at RedCloud.  Let’s hear directly from Scott about his journey and the lessons he learned along the way. My goal was to finish my first triathlon, and why not do it in a beautiful, sunny, warm location like Waikoloa, Hawaii? The annual Lavaman Triathlon race, held in April, is Olympic length (1.5k swim, 40k bike, and 10k run). As we age, finding an exercise motivator becomes essential, and this triathlon sounded like the perfect plan. I grew up a competitive swimmer, so I wasn’t too concerned about the swim. I’ve completed century-length bike races in the past, so I wasn’t worried about that leg either. However, I’m not a runner! My plan was to shuffle/jog as much as possible just to complete the race. Preparation included mile-long open ocean swims at local beaches like Hapuna and Mauna Kea, as well as biking through local communities and highways that paralleled the ocean. Putting them all together back-to-back on race day was definitely a challenge! Everything went well, and I had enough energy to ‘shuffle’ across the finish line about halfway through the 1000-person pack. Would I do it again? Absolutely – I signed up for next year one week later. This race has given me a new motivator to routinely exercise, putting my gym membership to better use and also giving me improved energy and a clear mind to tackle each day with more vigor. I aim to improve my bike and run times next year and sign up for a few more races in between Lavaman’s annual event. The Impact of the Lavaman Triathlon on My Professional Journey at RedCloud Similar to how I try to lead inside RedCloud and how I work with my teams, I started with the end in mind: finishing. Never veer from that vision – put it on the board, work backward, and just plan on it happening.  My family/peers wondered if that was achievable given I’ve never done one, getting older, and wasn’t swimming, biking, and running every day, but they gave me the benefit of the doubt and some encouragement along the way. In any business setting, there will always be challenges similar to those I had going into my race….budget, resources, timeline, etc., but just as in our team’s daily project work for our clients, the work you put into achieving that goal will help you overcome challenges and accomplish your goals, just like it did for me!   Reflecting on my journey from training to crossing the Lavaman finish line, I also learned (or maybe better said, remembered and reinforced!) valuable lessons about perseverance and resilience. These insights mirror my approach to leading and motivating my team through demanding projects or tough times in the business environment. It literally and figuratively is a marathon, not a sprint, so it is critical to have a holistic approach to any project, or in my case, a daunting physical challenge.  If this motivates you at all and you are looking for your first (and fun) triathlon, I highly recommend Lavaman. And hey, why not spend another week or so on the island after the race to recuperate and explore?

At RedCloud, we're dedicated to empowering our clients’ businesses with the tools and technologies they need to succeed in today's competitive landscape. While these days it feels like there is a new platform every day to help streamline business, every day, our team of experts research, evaluate, recommend, and leverage today’s leading tech platforms to drive success for our clients. In fact, we use many of these platforms for RedCloud’s own operations - so we certainly practice what we preach! Whether it's streamlining operations, gaining insights from data, or boosting productivity, we're here to help businesses thrive. Harnessing Leading Technologies At RedCloud, we understand that every business is unique, with its own set of needs and challenges. That's why our technology-driven practices are focused on harnessing the power of cutting-edge platforms  to drive success for our clients. With expertise in a range of platforms, including Amazon Web Services, Dynamics 365, Google Cloud Platform, Power Apps, Salesforce, and more, we offer tailored solutions designed to meet each client's specific requirements. Some Of The Platforms We Leverage Microsoft Azure:  As a trusted Microsoft partner, we leverage Azure's cloud computing services to help businesses scale, innovate, and succeed in the digital age. Power Platform: With Power Platform, we empower businesses to automate processes, build custom apps, and analyze data to drive productivity and efficiency. Tableau: Our expertise in Tableau enables businesses to visualize and understand their data, empowering informed decision-making and driving business growth. Microsoft 365: With Microsoft 365, we provide businesses with the tools they need to collaborate, communicate, and innovate, all within a secure and integrated environment. Google Workspaces:  Our proficiency in Google Workspaces enables seamless collaboration and communication, helping businesses stay productive and connected. Case Studies Optimizing Resources with Visualized Business Analytics A multinational software company faced the challenge of tracking and solving real-time issues across a suite of products. RedCloud implemented Tableau's data visualization tools, enabling the team to gain insights and optimize resources. By visualizing complex data sets, the team streamlined operations and addressed critical issues promptly, enhancing product performance and customer satisfaction. Managing Sales Leads with Salesforce A medical device company needed to improve sales lead management. RedCloud delivered a customized Salesforce CRM solution, enhancing efficiencies and growth strategy. By optimizing Salesforce, the sales team efficiently managed leads, tracked opportunities, and closed deals, leading to accelerated revenue growth and improved customer relationships. At RedCloud, we're committed to driving success for our clients through the strategic use of leading platforms and technologies. Contact us today  to learn more about how we can help your business thrive in the digital age.

In April 2024, RedCloud Consulting strategically positioned a trio of experienced privacy consultants within the operations of their esteemed partner, a global travel corporation. This partner's platform serves as a nexus for travelers and hosts, offering an array of over a million unique lodgings and experiences across more than 220 countries and territories. At the heart of this partner's product innovation lies machine learning, which powers features such as tailored recommendations, dynamic pricing, fraud detection, and natural language processing. To uphold the pinnacle of quality, security, privacy, and ethical standards, the partner employs a stringent machine learning review process that engages a diverse array of stakeholders from various disciplines. THE CHALLENGE The customer’s machine learning review process was complex and time-consuming, involving multiple different reviews from product legal, licensing legal, information security, privacy, engineering, anti-discrimination and exclusion, and product data science teams. During an initial analysis of this process, our RedCloud team observed that some of these reviews were being conducted over email and telephone, which sometimes resulted in inconsistent documentation and communication. Moreover, reviews often began late in the development cycle, leading to delays and rework. At the onset, the average time to complete a machine learning review was several months and, in some cases, more than a year. I have been working with RedCloud for only six weeks so far, and they have been a lifesaver! - Senior Manager RedCloud is absolutely phenomenal! I am very happy with them and excited to keep working with the RedCloud team. -Senior Manager THE SOLUTION In partnering with RedCloud, our team of experienced privacy managers was able to streamline the machine learning review process and improve the collaboration and efficiency of the review teams. RedCloud helped with the implementation of the following solutions: Consolidated multiple disparate reviews into one holistic system in Jira, a project management tool that allows for easy tracking, reporting, and collaboration. Standardized the review criteria, templates, and workflows for each discipline, ensuring consistency and clarity across the review teams. Integrated the review system with the customer’s machine learning platform, enabling automated triggers and notifications for review requests and status updates. Engaged with the machine learning teams early in the project lifecycle, facilitating good privacy by design and addressing potential issues before they become costly or risky. THE RESULTS The synergistic partnership between RedCloud and their esteemed client yielded substantial enhancements in both the quality and efficiency of the machine learning review process: Reduced the time to complete a machine learning review from several months to approximately two weeks, accelerating the delivery and launch of machine learning features. Enhanced collaboration and communication among the review teams, fostering a culture of trust and transparency. Improved the documentation and traceability of the review process, enabling better auditability and accountability. Increased the satisfaction and engagement of the machine learning teams, who received timely and constructive feedback and guidance from the review teams. This case study exemplifies how RedCloud's collaborative approach, underpinned by data and analytics, adeptly addresses complex privacy challenges and solutions.

Information security management is not just a concern for some businesses—it's a critical necessity for all. With the increasing prevalence of cyber threats and data breaches, safeguarding sensitive information has become paramount for maintaining trust, protecting assets, and ensuring regulatory compliance. RedCloud's Support to Global e-Commerce Business As part of a recent client engagement, RedCloud stepped in to address the e-commerce client's complex information security challenges head-on. Through a meticulous audit process, our team of RedCloud experts gained comprehensive insights into the client’s existing security infrastructure, identifying vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. Recognizing the urgent need for action, our team initiated a multifaceted approach to tackle the issues at hand. RedCloud spearheaded a comprehensive overhaul, enhancing data quality and facilitating the company's data migration to a centralized storage platform. In parallel, rigorous security measures were implemented across networks, code, applications, and third-party tools, with each step meticulously documented and compiled into detailed data dictionaries and playbooks. These strategic initiatives fortified the company's security infrastructure and operational resilience, positioning it for sustained success in the e-commerce sector. As a result, the client achieved enhanced data security and real-time visibility into its security landscape, safeguarded critical resources, and fostered greater trust with partners and customers. Are you facing similar challenges in managing your information security landscape? Don't wait until it's too late. Contact RedCloud’s Privacy practice team today, and let us guide you on your journey to a more secure future.

An international technology company had developed systems and tools to manage its supply chain, but as demand grew, so did the strain on those existing systems. Increased demand required a supply chain with far more efficient tools and scalable systems. ​To help build a world-class supply chain organization, RedCloud Consulting stepped in with expert change management support, ensuring smooth adoption and system success. THE CHALLENGE Our client, a global tech company, wanted a supply chain that could reliably scale with market demands. Besides development, adoption of supply chain improvements was key. And to achieve that, a fundamental transformation of roles, processes, and systems needed to happen. "Thank you so much for all the work you do. Your perspective, energy, and expertise contribute greatly. Thanks for standing up this effort to help the team establish baseline engagement metrics so we can shoot for the stars! What isn’t tracked isn’t counted.” - Client Representative THE SOLUTION Our team of experienced consultants tapped their critical thinking toolkit to generate thoughtful ways to drive adoption. Throughout the project, our consultants relied on inspired storytelling, creative infographics, and other proactive forms of communication to ensure changes were managed in a way that best supported the clients’ supply chain transformation and ease of adoption. In addition, our team developed innovative tools to measure communication effectiveness. Creating a communications metrics dashboard to better understand baseline trends for how employees consumed project sites, emails, and workshop content allowed the RedCloud team to make informed and necessary adjustments. Due to the size and complexity of the transformation efforts, our client requested a persona repository. ​Our team's strategy involved creating a RASCI matrix to define roles and responsibilities for different groups impacted by the transformation. Using this matrix, the RedCloud team was able to build a "live" persona repository on SharePoint, which housed project personas, FAQs, training resources, contacts and more. This enabled change managers to be aligned on persona data points. RedCloud change managers also identified the need for a scalable project management approach to support small to large projects. They created a visual representation of change management deliverables and drove weekly meetings with client team members to make sure that any changes to the timeline were proactively addressed. THE RESULTS RedCloud increased communication effectiveness by creating a way to quickly measure the effectiveness of various forms of communication, and identify additional engagement opportunities. By leveraging SharePoint, RedCloud enabled consistent persona data capture and transparency. This saved the client time by providing change managers and other team members with upfront persona information, allowing them to better drive business and change management decisions. RedCloud change managers used their extensive experience in Prosci ADKAR to increase transformation awareness and knowledge through communications and training, focusing on feedback and engagement opportunities to guarantee transformation readiness.

At RedCloud, we've honed a hybrid business and technical approach that improves project outcomes and fosters better collaboration among team members. This method—which we call “Delivery Excellence”—drives successful projects and builds long-term relationships and trust with our clients across nearly any sector or industry. The members of our Delivery Excellence Practice are all about maintaining high-quality standards and ensuring that every deliverable provides high value and efficient implementation. How RedCloud Can Help RedCloud experts excel in navigating highly complex projects through leading-edge project management strategies and solutions. Acting as guides for our clients, we lead advanced problem-solving and strategic planning sessions, implementing industry best practices to ensure every project is executed with precision. By leveraging modern tools and methodologies (without “over-engineering” a solution), we deliver projects efficiently and at scale, empowering our clients’ organizations to achieve their goals with confidence in our capabilities. Our Core Principles Holistic Understanding: We bridge the gap between different departments and stakeholders, ensuring that projects align with both business goals and technical requirements. Effective Communication: Our team excels in translating technical jargon into business terms and vice versa, fostering better collaboration and understanding among team members with diverse backgrounds. Risk Management: With our dual perspective, we create robust risk management plans that mitigate issues before they escalate, keeping projects on track and avoiding costly delays. Resource Optimization: We optimize both human and technical resources to ensure that projects stay on track and within budget. Efficient Problem Solving: Our ability to analyze problems from both business and technical angles results in quicker and more effective solutions. This minimizes disruptions and keeps the project timeline intact. Customer Satisfaction: Our practice is centered around delivering solutions that meet technical specifications, business requirements, and, most importantly, our clients’ needs. Organizations choose RedCloud's Delivery Excellence Practice because of our unique hybrid approach, which combines business acumen with technical expertise. We build long-term relationships based on trust and success, helping our clients achieve their strategic goals. Contact our practice lead today to learn how RedCloud can help your projects succeed.

The latest RedCloud Lunch and Learn session delved deep into our Privacy Practice, spotlighting its pivotal role in enabling our clients’ organizations to secure data and uphold privacy standards. These internal, professional development events are opportunities for experts from across our company to educate other RedCloud consultants on our core services and capabilities, ensuring that our clients have access to a holistic set of solutions when they work with our team. Built on the mission of safeguarding data and ensuring compliance with regulations while prioritizing customer privacy, practice lead Alka Garg walked her fellow RedCloudians through the comprehensive suite of services tailored to meet the unique needs of diverse client organizations. Highlights of the Lunch and Learn include: Privacy Program Development as a cornerstone service of the practice, emphasizing the crafting of bespoke privacy programs aligned with regulatory requirements. Operational Excellence serves as a guiding principle for our work, emphasizing seamless integration of privacy measures into daily operations to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. The development and implementation of robust Policies and Procedures, which provide our clients with clear guidelines for handling personal information within organizations. The presentation then shifted to some real-world examples from our team’s work across industries, applying best practices and industry-leading approaches to Privacy. Those case studies included: Implementation of the Privacy Case Management tool streamlined privacy inquiries, enhanced compliance with regulatory affairs, and facilitated auditability. The platform's ongoing enhancements and maintenance management underscored RedCloud's commitment to evolving privacy solutions. Over the past five years, our team of privacy experts has continuously supported reporting through dynamic datasets and provided SharePoint design and support for privacy teams and internal stakeholders. Additionally, the transformation of complex data handling standards into user-friendly Power Apps showcased our innovative approach to addressing intricate challenges. Collaboration with our clients at a Fortune 50 technology company to clarify and plan tech strategies, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning use cases, reflected RedCloud’s commitment to driving innovation. Visionary initiatives such as the formulation of technology direction, strategic roadmaps, and AI strategy memos highlight our team’s forward-thinking approach to technology integration. Lastly, our work with clients at the world’s leading online marketplace for short-term rental properties illustrated our team’s prowess in policy creation and refreshing, particularly in the realms of AI guardrails and ML review processes. Gap analysis to ensure alignment with global data protection regulations and the development of priority matrices underscored our dedication to compliance and ethical AI practices. As Privacy is critical to every company in today’s economy, this latest RedCloud Lunch and Learn was highly attended by our team members and demonstrated our commitment to data security, privacy, and innovation for all of our clients. We look forward to the next professional development opportunity at RedCloud - always a rewarding opportunity to get our team together to learn, discuss and collaborate for the betterment of our work with all our clients.

We're excited to introduce Sean Taylor, a talented Content Designer at RedCloud, who recently joined us for our latest "10 Min With" interview. Sean collaborates with a team of content designers to create seamless user experiences, working on projects such as clarifying product language, writing video scripts, and crafting team newsletters. Sean shares his approach to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, his recent read "Billy Wilder on Assignment," and some surprising personal anecdotes, including his love for ultrarunning and DVDs. Join us as we get to know more about Sean Taylor and his journey at RedCloud below. Describe your role and what you do in a nutshell. I work on a team of content designers, collaborating across multiple work streams to help create user experiences. Some examples of past work include clarifying product language, writing video scripts, and helping create a team newsletter. How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance in your role? My days are consistently filled with meetings, so I try to plan and carve out times throughout my week that allow me to focus on my physical and mental health. I also enjoy cooking, so taking breaks while making meals helps me reset for a moment. It's easy to get stuck behind your screen, so I make sure to take advantage of my free time during the weekends. Every day is different, so maintaining a sense of flexibility is key to balance your work and your life. Tell us about something interesting you've learned recently. Being off your phone is a lot more fun than being on it. (Sent from my phone) If you could suggest a book for the entire RedCloud team to read, what would it be and why? I just finished reading Billy Wilder on Assignment, which depicts his time before he became a celebrated writer/director. You've probably heard or seen his movies like Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, and The Apartment. I believe you'd get a kick out of reading his works from his early years, which are translated into English for the first time. What's a piece of obsolete technology you still have a soft spot for? DVDs. I just got a 4K player as well. I could (and do) sit and watch them for hours. What's one thing people don't know about you that they would be surprised to discover? The first race I ever competed in was a 100-mile race, and I had 30 hours to complete it. After 21 hours and 71 miles, my knees were swollen the size of baseballs, which was the farthest I've ever been. I wish I had completed the full race, and shoutout to all the ultrarunners out there. I couldn't walk for three days, plus I ordered a pizza twenty miles away by accident and never received it. I still think about that pizza sometimes… What are you passionate about or enjoy outside of work? Sports. I've loved competing ever since I was a kid and will always jump at a challenge. I support the Atlanta Braves, Alabama, and Aston Villa. I also love watching and playing golf, which blossomed after I saw "Happy Gilmore" when I was seven.