How I Found My Path at EMBER
When I first stepped into my role as Project Manager at EMBER, I expected to spend most of my time organizing timelines and keeping tasks on track. While that’s certainly part of the job, I quickly learned that project management here is much more than just moving sticky notes across a board. It’s about being part of future planning, helping shape potential offerings, and staying close to conversations that will define the next steps for our clients.
Before EMBER, I managed implementation project coordinators and project managers at a software company. Even though I worked closely with technology, I never considered myself a “technical resource.” What I did develop, though, was a love for guiding teams through complex work and making sure everyone was rowing in the same direction.
What Business Value Means to Me
Several years ago, I took a Lean course that completely shifted how I think about value. The principle was simple: everything you do should directly provide value to the client or customer. That idea still guides me today.
For me, business value in projects comes down to three things:
- Saving time and effort for staff
- Delivering greater value to clients
- Securing the business in a threat heavy landscape
If a project isn’t hitting one of those points, then it’s probably not moving the business forward in a meaningful way.