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And, if you’re looking for more information about me, my background, and the philosophy that got me here, you’re in the right place so read on!
I’m so happy you’re here.
(I really am!)
Hello, again! In case you navigated directly here, I’m Nick and I’m on a mission to transform your career in IT.
Let’s start with the credentials: I’ve been in IT for over 15 years at both ends of the delivery lifecycle and have worked with numerous clients, both at the organizational level as well as individuals.
I have held a number of titles including, but not limited to: Project Manager, Business Analyst, Help Desk Analyst, Scrum Master, IT Manager, Business Delivery Lead, and Product Owner.
Technical as well as non-technical individuals have reported to me and I’ve worked as a solutions architect, process improvement specialist, and change agent. I’ve done all this on Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid teams.
I am college educated with both an undergraduate and graduate degree and I even have some IT certifications under my belt.
Yet, I’ll be the first one to tell you that titles, degrees, and certifications don’t mean everything (hear me out). More on that below.
TLDR: tech skills are needed to deliver but soft skills are the secret to success.
Are you technically sound but feel like something’s missing? Book a free discovery session with me and we’ll talk all about it.
Tech skills are needed to deliver, but soft skills are the secret to success.
Technical know-how? That’s super important. We’re working in IT, right? You have to know how to do what you’re setting out to do.
A college degree? Doesn’t hurt — and it can definitely move your resume up compared to someone without one.
Certifications? They can definitely add value. Continuing education is something that people look for in IT because technology changes all the time — and fast.
I do understand (and believe!) that knowledge and education are important, but sometimes we lose track of our strongest tool: our human touch.
I can’t say this enough: all of the reasons that education and certifications are important aside, you can bet that no one cares how many letters are after your email signature if they don’t like working with you. Even if you deliver.
I’ve consulted on small efforts and large projects but the most organizational change always came from nurturing the relationships behind the work. Every. Single. Time.
I’m pretty widely known as a people person, but I wouldn’t say that I’m always an extrovert or wildly bubbly. In fact, at work I historically did my job and just “kept it professional”.
What I didn’t realize at first was the power that those “soft skills” had. I’m telling you: once I started placing my priority on soft skills over tech skills, the results were magical and I haven’t looked back.
Teams were happier, project deliverables were completed early, and I started noticing that opportunities started appearing…almost out of thin air.
So now, I teach other IT professionals how to find their opportunities to use these techniques for themselves. I’ve seen them connect with others, get promoted, earn more money, and achieve their definitions of success.
If you’re ready for any or all of that, I can help! If that sounds awesome but you’re not sure how to start, I can help! If you think you need to be outgoing and that’s not something you’re comfortable with, guess what? I can help!
Quick note there: I’m not just talking to people who struggle with soft skills (even though I can and do help folks in that situation). If you are more extroverted and have no trouble talking to anyone but find that you aren’t receiving the reciprocation you expected, I can also help you.
Whether that’s because you come across less-than-genuine, because you deal with super grumpy folks, or anything in between: I’ve seen almost every variation and would love to go through your process with you. Schedule that free discovery session with me and we’ll dig right into it. I can’t wait!
Other Nick-nacks.
I love coffee. I know it’s probably psychological, but it starts my day every single
day. I’m not super snobbish about it, though. A good donut shop blend does the trick, but I’ve been known to order a fancy one every now and then.
I like classic video games. I’ll play a modern game once-in-a-while, but there’s something about replaying an NES, SNES, or Sega Genesis title. It’s probably a mix of already knowing how it’s going to go and being able to pick it up and put it down since I don’t have a ton of time to dedicate to them these days. That said, I listen to a lot of classic video game music. I work out to it, I clean to it, and I often drive long distances to it.
I’ve run several races including a few half marathons one full marathon (I don’t see myself running another 26.2, though). I haven’t considered myself a “runner” in a number of years, but I got talked into a race and am working on getting back in the habit.
I did some theatre for a while. I’m not winning a primetime Emmy or anything, but it was fun and I keep telling myself that someday I’ll audition for another show if I can find the time.
Lastly, I’m a St. Louis native so I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and Provel cheese (try not to hold those things against me, though). I’ve been all around the country and I though I’m not a Missouri resident right now, I still live in the Midwest so don’t worry: I still complain about the humidity and appreciate the heck out of a good bargain.
Feel free to head over to my contact page if you have any questions or something comes to mind.
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