Q&A Spotlight With Samantha

Now, 2020 was a tough year for everyone. However, we like to see the glass half-full and celebrate the opportunity to continue to grow our team with very talented folks like Samantha. Samantha joined us back in October to assume overall responsibility assisting our executives, and is already having a dramatic effect on the success of our company. 

We discussed personal and professional things, like transitioning industries, during our Q&A. Read on to find out more about Samantha.

– How would you describe your job to a bunch of five-year-olds?

I have a very fancy job where I work with cool people that live in all kinds of different places. The people I work with build computer programs for different places like schools, doctors offices, and lawyers. I do whatever I can to make sure everyone I work with gets help if they need it.

– What inspired you to pursue the career you have today? 

I have been in project management and business administration over the last decade working in the dental field. This opportunity and career path was a welcomed branch off of the path I was already on. My previous roles involved growing medical practices in revenue and provider support. This new endeavor allows me to pursue my goals, hopefully, aid in company growth, and perform at a higher level while learning new skills along the way. 

– Where did you work before this position?

I spent the past decade in healthcare, specifically dentistry and veterinary medicine. I started as a dental assistant and quickly moved into a management role for multi-million dollar offices in Commerce City, Denver, and Brighton.

– Did your friends and family support this new career endeavor?

My friends and family are very supportive of this transition. Healthcare can be amazing, but can also be a little stifling, with a cap on growth potential. The change from healthcare to technology can be a little jarring but opens up a whole new world of knowledge and experience that I can not wait to explore.

– What specific experience do you hope to gain in this career move?

In this role I am excited to continue learning and growing. I have already learned more about marketing, technology and finance than I ever knew from my previous experiences and education. I am hoping to gain additional experience in all things finance.

– If you could get a new skill in 10 minutes, what would it be?

 I would like to learn how to effectively create data information systems that are easy to organize and understand. I am not really sure what that skill would be called, but it would be the most helpful.

– What are your favorite things to work on? What do you feel are your strengths?

I enjoy helping people. In this role, I have been involved in many different things already. My favorite is HR work. I truly enjoy helping the company support their employees, and helping each employee understand and navigate the tough things that could happen. I hope to do more work in a HR capacity in the future.

– What are you learning from your work and what do you want to learn?

I am really enjoying the finance education I am getting so far. In 2021 I hope to learn more about payroll, billing and accounting.

– What are the toughest challenges you’ve had at work?

The toughest challenge I have had, which I have enjoyed, is to learn new things as I assist in various projects. For example, I had experience with 401k plans, but researching plans for Codence I found myself having to learn about all sorts of different plans so I could understand what would work for the company. A few of the tasks I have worked on have required education on that topic before I can effectively help, which has been a great learning experience.

– What’s the best advice you can give to someone who is transitioning in their career?

If you have something that looks like it will stimulate your growth and support your mental, emotional and financial health-DO IT! Making a change can be terrifying, but that change forces emotional growth that is priceless.

– What skill do you think everyone should learn?

Active listening. I think it is a skill most people are attempting to work on continuously, but it can always use improvement.

– What are your top 3 pet peeves?

1. ticking clocks
2. lack of planning
3. people that are on their phones when they are supposed to be actively engaging with other people.

– Are you a coffee or tea person?

I am a coffee addict! I have been known to drive 45 minutes out of my way for a white coffee from Dutch Bros!

– Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

10 years from now I hope to see myself in a stable, but still growing position (hopefully with Codence!) that allows me to feel like I am making a difference for others. Ideally, I would have grown and moved into a leadership role where I can collaborate with a team to support company endeavors. From a personal perspective, I hope to have a happy family with the ability to travel and experience new things each day.