Hi Amber! Can you tell us a bit about yourself - where you're originally from and what life has been like for you in the U.S.?
I was born and raised just south of Boston Massachusetts (go sox!), but one day, after a very bad winter I decided to move to the gulf coast of Florida and be done with snow once and for all. I transferred with my job at the time and had three weeks to move 1362 miles south with what I could pack into my tiny car and my cat. I was only there for three years, but the sunshine, beaches, and palm trees really left an impression on me and it’s where I want to go when I’m feeling homesick. My time in Florida also solidified my very strict two hours or less to the beach rule. Virginia was a new adventure that came up mostly by chance because this is where my partner chose to go to law school. I had to get used to cold winters again, but thankfully there isn’t much snow, and the state has really grown on me over the last few years that I’ve been here. It’s amazing to be so close to the ocean, mountains, and DC.
Virginia sounds like the place to be! So how did you end up at Blue Wireless? What’s your story, and what’s been the most fun or exciting part of being here so far?
I found Blue Wireless completely by mistake. My entire working background was in retail sales and retail sales management, and I never considered branching out into roles outside of retail. One day I had finally hit a wall and decided to look at job listings. One of the first postings I saw was for Blue Wireless and well the rest is history. I knew from the first interview that this company was going to be a good fit, and I wasn’t wrong. I always feel lucky that I was able to get in on the ground floor of the US office. It’s been amazing and exciting to see our team grow from four to eleven and we’re still hiring more.
That sounds like quite the journey! Can you tell us a bit about your role - what you do day to day, what you enjoy about it, and how the team has evolved since you first joined?
I was hired with Blue Wireless as a service delivery manager. In my interview with Joop, before I was hired, he described the position as a conductor and that’s still the easiest way to explain it. Service delivery makes sure that every part of the installation process is moving forward correctly to come together for a successful installation. The role requires lot of attention to detail and problem solving in the moment which means it never gets boring. In the service delivery role, I also had the opportunity to take on one of our larger customers as a modified project manager which was a completely new challenge for me. Recently I was promoted to Operations Manager for the Americas which has been an exciting opportunity. While I’m still settling into this role it has already been very rewarding to be able to directly make choices that help Blue Wireless and work ever closer with our global team. I also love being able to build and support my own team. That was something I was missing from my retail management days and I’m so happy to be able to do that here.
We are also glad to have you as part of the team! What about your hobbies or interests? What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
One of my favourite things is getting on a plane and going somewhere new. Sometimes it’s for a concert, sometimes it’s for a cool art exhibit, and sometimes it’s simply to get away and experience something new. I try my best to prioritize travelling as much as I can while I can. Sometimes my trips are with friends, but I enjoy travelling solo just as much. When I am at home I love to cook and explore different cultures through their cuisine.
Lastly, what do you think makes Blue Wireless a special place to work, and why would you recommend someone join the team?
Blue Wireless has one of the healthiest company cultures that I have ever encountered, and it took a lot of getting used to after leaving retail. The office is also very collaborative. Not a day goes by that I don’t work with another department to get a task completed. This sounds very heavy handed to say, but Blue Wireless is truly my favourite job I’ve ever had, and the best work life balance I’ve ever had.
If you’re looking for a place where you’ll be supported, challenged, and genuinely enjoy the people you work with - this is it. Come join us.
