This week’s blog is from our CEO, Claire Revell, as she takes a look back at 2018. WOW, what a year we’ve had!
This past weekend I decided to get into the holiday spirit, put up the decorations, and start wrapping some presents. Whilst doing so, I started to look back at 2018.
It was the perfect chance to truly reflect and appreciate how much has been accomplished over the year.
IN THIS ARTICLE...
First Year as CEO
2018 was my first full calendar year of being CEO. I cannot express how fortunate I am to have such a remarkable team. Not only are they hard-working and dedicated, but they have also been highly receptive to change.
New leadership can be challenging, but the team has understood my vision for a bigger, bolder, braver Intellek and they’ve been incredibly supportive and 100% onboard.
The Only Constant is Change
A favorite saying of mine is “The only constant is change”. I believe that change can be good and whilst too much change can cause disruption, I don’t feel that the team has felt that way and I hope that our Client Family Members haven’t either. The changes we have implemented were set out to help us achieve our goals, improve the solutions we are developing and fine-tune the support we provide.
Right Tools for the Job
Ensuring that my team has access to the best tools for the job is key. Not only have we implemented new project management tools, both for the development and Client Success team, but we have also migrated from Zoho CRM to Salesforce CRM.
We also changed from using the Intellek in-house developed support tool to Salesforce Service Cloud and most recently implemented Microsoft Teams, to improve communication internally and externally.
These are just some of the changes that have impacted all departments, and as a business, we have seen an increase in productivity, efficiency, communication, and collaboration.
Developing Disruptive Technology
Developing innovative, engaging, and disruptive technology is what we are here to do! After no new product launches for six years, 2018 saw the launch of not one but two new products! Intellek LMS V3 and Intellek Deliver, our performance support system.
We launched the first release of Deliver (previously Athena) at ILTACON 2018 and took the lead developer Julian with us, another first for the business. It was a fantastic opportunity for him to meet our Client Family and to hear feedback directly. The new development tempo is all thanks to those who tap away in the Developers’ Cave at Intellek HQ!
Exciting Improvements in Courseware
Christel, who was promoted to Head of Courseware back in April, has made some exciting improvements to our Courseware and Assessments. Not only has she rebranded the content to match our new modern, streamlined look; but she is now starting to embark upon the journey of creating Learner Job Aids and Instructor-Led Handouts, Audio, and Accessibility. Shhhh don’t tell Christel I told you! We’ll be sharing all the details after the festive season.
New Office & New Beginnings
We opened up a new office in Atlanta, and this year saw some goodbyes and hellos. In March we welcomed Xavier to the team, and a superb Support Specialist he is.
In August we said goodbye to Dalene, who I have worked with for many years, and who was in fact a Client Family Member before she joined the team. After 5 years of telling me she was going to retire, she finally did, but 3 weeks later came back for some consulting work!
Shortly after Dalene retired, Ollie, our Marketing and Sales guru who had been with us for a couple of years said goodbye (as a millennial we knew we couldn’t keep him forever). More recently Nikki and Julie joined the Atlanta office, both of whom are settling in well and I’m excited to have them join us on this journey.
GDPR & Getting Married
Oh and along with all of this happening, how can I forget, we also fought the beast of GDPR, put together endless pieces of documentation, and I somehow found time to get married! I cannot thank my husband, Jay, and our boys Jerry and Aaron enough. They understand what the business and the team mean to me, and I couldn’t do it without them by my side.
Looking Back at 2018 & Forward to 2019
It’s an honor and a privilege to work with the team, our Client Family, and our Business Partners. We have built some wonderful new relationships and continued on some exciting journeys with our Partners. All of which we are extremely grateful for.
We have accomplished some astonishing goals this year, and I’m so excited to continue this intrepid journey next year… BRING ON 2019!
Claire is a leader in learning technology, starting her career in the tech space in 2003 (after being told not to pursue IT and Business Studies by her teachers at school). Claire became Director & CEO of Intellek in 2017 when the board bought into her bolder, bigger, braver vision. Claire also co-founded another tech company to support the new T-Level qualifications being rolled out by the UK Government. An advocate for Women in STEM and leadership roles, with a passion for digital transformation and its impact on the global economy. Claire’s personal vision, through her initiative Opening Doors Global, is to ensure that every child gets access to education and a safe environment.
