The Support Group Blog

I’ve worn many hats throughout my professional career, from professional ballet dancer and apartment maintenance supervisor to insurance salesman and manager of a retail wood blinds store. It was during my time in the IT department of the largest charter school in California (at the time) where I began using FileMaker Pro and quickly became a fan of the software. In all of my endeavors, I’ve always enjoyed finding the most efficient way of doing things and I discovered that FileMaker Pro provides flexibility and scalability to address virtually every business need regardless of industry.

I have always had a knack for effectively communicating/translating complex or technical ideas into simple, layman terms, which is put to the test daily as I’m now the Senior Systems Engineer at The Support Group. Good communication skills, which include a heavy dose of listening and questioning, are key to breaking down intricate business tasks into simpler and more efficient workflows so that we can design FileMaker solutions that improve productivity and reduce waste for our clients. Maybe it’s the performer in me, but I enjoy wearing many hats - sometimes I’m an analyst, the next moment a designer or maybe a project manager depending on the day, the project or the client.

FileMaker Certifications 

Arguably the hardest part of any project is the discovery phase. It is a time-consuming and painstaking process of organizing and evaluating existing tasks and workflows, but that in and of itself is extremely beneficial to clients. It forces us to recognize roles, responsibilities, and accountability and identify areas for improvement. I believe this is why our development process effectively helps to improve productivity with technology.

One of the things I appreciate most about the FileMaker platform is that it can be as simple or complex as I want/need it to be. There’s always something new to learn with the product. And, the new features that come with each release allow me to regularly re-evaluate old habits and methods and possibly create new and better ways of designing and implementing solutions for clients.

My favorite types of work projects are the ones that are very simple and intuitive on the surface, but when you look under the hood you see a complex web of scripts and logic powering the system. I like when we make something so intricate look so easy.

On a personal note

I’ve always had many interests, which may be why I’ve worked in so many different fields. Outside of work, I still enjoy getting on stage to perform the role of Drosselmeyer for a friend’s annual production of The Nutcracker as well as gardening and home improvement projects. Most recently I’ve taken an interest in the Tiki culture and practicing mixology.

If you're looking for someone to talk about custom business applications or delicious drink recipes, feel free to email me.