Q&A with Andrea de Fraga

Andi recently joined Codence as a Business Analyst. She comes with a solid finance background, and she will mainly focus her efforts on our Genesis products and clients. Please get to know a bit more about our newest team member below!

– How did you find out about Codence, and what made you excited to apply?

Danielle reached out about an opportunity via LinkedIn. The reputation of the company made it obvious it was something to pursue. Once I started the interview process I was even more enthusiastic about joining the team because everyone was so welcoming. It is a testament to a great company culture.

– You spent most of your career in Finance for the Television industry. How did you get involved with FileMaker? 

My first experience with FileMaker was working at a film festival while I was in college. They had just hired a consultant to make a database to track all of the entries, and I accidentally deleted a layout she had made (yikes!). After one really long night, I successfully recreated the layout, and the next day became the de facto FileMaker “go to” person for the festival.

As I continued my career, FileMaker was always my secret weapon to getting my job done. As the VP Finance at Towers Productions, it was always a challenge to get the budget information we needed in a timely fashion to make decisions. Being able to make my own database and knowing the financial outcomes we wanted allowed me to design a system that was user friendly. That, in turn, got us the information we needed in the finance department to make good decisions.

I continued to use those skills at other entities where I worked, using FileMaker to get the information we needed in the format that would allow management the insight to make smart decisions.

– What is the most worthwhile lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?

Listen. Nobody goes into a situation wanting to do a bad job. There is usually a reason why a system or team isn’t working well. If you take the time to listen you can usually figure out what needs to change.

– What is one thing you love, and what one thing you’d change about the tech industry?

The tools that allow people to work remotely! I would love to see more women in design roles.

– Can you tell us a bit more about your home office setup? Any tips on how to stay productive at home?

This is my first 100% remote job. I don’t have much advice to give, but I can tell you the advice I took. A friend told me to create a space that I would enjoy spending time in. In that vein I was thoughtful in the way I decorated my office and am very happy with some wallpaper I found. Here is a picture:

– Do you listen to anything while working?

Sometimes – mostly music without words, my favorites: Rodrigo y Gabriela and Vulfpeck.

– I hear you are an avid podcast listener. What is currently your favorite podcast episode?

So many – but recently I very much enjoyed Wind of Change, about whether the CIA helped the Scorpions write their hit song. I choose to believe the CIA wrote the song, or at least helped to make it so popular.

– You have a beautiful family, and I imagine three sons can keep you pretty busy. What is one piece of advice to all parents juggling home and work?

It’s a challenge for sure! My husband and I both work from home, so we try to make the most of the time while the boys are in school. When they get home, they know our office rooms are off limits…unless it is an actual emergency (FYI, an emergency in our house means you actually have to go to the emergency room).

– You shared with us you have the sweetest pitbull we’ll ever meet. How did he end up joining your family and what are common pitbull misconceptions?

My husband and I went to the shelter in March of 2020. I originally wanted a small dog, but when the staff there asked us about the energy level of our kids, they recommended we get Emma instead. I was a bit apprehensive given the reputation of pit bulls, but she has proved to be the best dog for our family. While she isn’t the optimal size for a lap dog, she acts as if she is one. And, she can hold her own playing with my boys.

At the start of the pandemic my kids also insisted on sleeping in a tent in our basement, and Emma was more than happy to join them.

– Since we just started the year, what are you looking forward to the most this year?

Learning! There are so many smart people at Codence, I’m excited to see how they design and implement systems.