In the Making: 10 Minutes with RedCloud Interns David Liew & Sydney Mead

Meet David and Sydney, two of RedCloud’s latest interns! 

David dove right in, the RedCloud way, using all that he has learned so far at the University of Washington at the Foster School of Business to help with both research and client facing projects. We’re confident after working with David that he’ll not only nail his next position in the consulting industry, but will also graduate in the Spring of 2022 as a true asset to our industry and clients.

Sydney also experienced a breadth of projects in her time at RedCloud, ranging from external and internal, even working directly with our Managing Partners to run critical community and client projects. Graduating this Spring from Seattle University, we’re confident she’s well on her way to a career full of success and accomplishments.

​We commend them both for their ability to bring value to our team during the pandemic. Read on to hear about their experiences firsthand.

RC: What were your main tasks and projects during the internship?
DL: When I first started at RedCloud, I mainly did individual projects in market research, data visualization, and spreadsheet automation to help the account management area of the company. After a few months of this, I was actually given the opportunity to hop on a client engagement project and work directly with the employees from that company. I helped implement a “Customer Success” database by analyzing and converting over 300 past engagements to support the client’s sales and marketing efforts. After I “returned” to internal work, I was put on more large-scale projects that gave me exposure to different areas and different people of the company. I worked mainly on researching different systems that RedCloud could migrate to, and I recently just finished helping with an RFP.
SM: Throughout my experience at RedCloud, I have been able to work on many unique projects with the Business Solutions and Intelligence team, internal marketing team, and directly with one of the managing partners. I have worked on the creation of an automated skills form, acted as the project manager for internal events, and worked in Salesforce to create reports about the activities of the business.

RC: What did you use the most from school in your internship?
DL: On the technical side, my coursework in Excel really helped me jump right into the internal projects I was given. In addition, my fundamental information systems knowledge helped me be more conversational in this professional setting. On the soft skill side, I’d say the communication skills I developed from different group projects and extracurriculars helped me to be a functioning team member even as an intern.
SM: I was able to use my knowledge of PowerApps to design and send a quarterly form using an automated flow. RedCloud has provided me with insight into many areas of the business, most importantly the internal communication of business operations.

RC: What was it like working with the RedCloud team?
DL: I think that one word to describe my experience has been immersive. This whole time I haven’t really felt like an intern; I haven’t been given training wheels or busywork projects. Every new assignment that I get allows me to dive right in and learn as much as I can, which I really appreciate.
SM: Beginning an internship in the middle of COVID-19 was a daunting experience, however, I quickly learned that everyone at RedCloud is more than willing to offer a helping hand. The team genuinely cares how each member is doing, and it is apparent from our meetings that wellbeing is just as important as productivity.

RC: What were the biggest takeaways you had from your internship?
DL: The biggest takeaway for me was that I had to learn to be adaptive in this industry. Since we are working for clients, there are always going to be new things to learn and tasks that pop up.
SM: The biggest takeaway I have from my experience is the importance of problem solving especially when a difficult project arises. I have learned that asking questions, doing independent research, and collaborating with others is crucial to success in the business world.

RC: What do you think will translate most to your next job that you learned?
DL: Similarly, I believe the skill that I have developed that will translate the most is how to deal with ambiguity. Being tasked on new projects regarding subjects that I have never experienced taught me to set my own schedule and wade through the unknown, allowing me to get up to speed.
SM: Understanding the internal communications of a business is unique to an internship – it cannot be taught in a classroom. Collaboration and teamwork are of the utmost importance at RedCloud which has taught me how to better communicate professionally with others. Gaining confidence in my abilities thanks to my supervisors and team has been an incredible experience.

RC: Where do you see the future of RedCloud?
DL: Every person on the RedCloud team that I have met is very knowledgeable in their subject matter. I see RedCloud continuing to expand in the IT space.
SM: The Business Solutions and Intelligence department has grown exponentially since its beginning thanks to the dedication of its team. I believe RedCloud will have extensive opportunities in the business intelligence industry due to its rapid growth and capability of our team.
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RC: Name a piece of tech you can't live without, or your favorite app?
DL: My favorite app is YouTube. The amount of videos on there that allow me to improve myself is amazing.
​SM: My computer has everything I love about technology. I can read, listen to music, look at old photos, check messages, and watch movies all in one device. I rarely leave my laptop at home!