Perficient embodies a work culture that strives to empower people through our People Promise. We challenge, champion, and celebrate every colleague which creates a collaborative, diverse, and welcoming work environment.
Stephen Tynes, a portfolio specialist in our Sitecore business unit, has built meaningful connections with his fellow colleagues and clients throughout his career at Perficient. He has been a Sitecore MVP for 10 consecutive years and has continuously helped grow our award-winning Sitecore practice at Perficient. Stephen’s tremendous career journey demonstrates the value of our Growth for Everyone initiative.
Below, Stephen discusses how Perficient’s culture stands out among other workplaces, explains his experience as a ten-year Sitecore MVP, and expands on his collaborative mindset.
What is your role? Describe a typical day in the life.
I’ve recently moved into a portfolio specialist role after being in a principal role, and this transition from delivery to sales happened organically. One of the strengths I bring into sales conversations is my product and delivery experience. I also see myself as a digital solutions specialist because my knowledge of the platform helps solve our clients’ problems.
READ MORE: Inspiring and Celebrating Career Growth for Everyone at Perficient
Stephen hiking in the Tetons
My day typically consists of a lot of meetings with clients, partners, and internal teams. I often spend time evaluating the current state that clients are in to see how Sitecore can add value to their organization. After some analysis, I then bring expertise and familiarity to these client meetings.
How do you explain your job to family, friends, or children?
There are two levels of explanation. The simplest is my wife’s answer to people when they ask what I do, to which she responds, “He does computers.” She isn’t wrong because computers are certainly a big part of what I do.
To expand on my ‘computer work,’ another explanation for what I do is that I help large organizations with web, mobile, or other digital presence to ensure they get the most value. I want to make it easy for people who aren’t technical to make updates behind the scenes with easy processes to follow, and an environment to preview, track, audit, and approve changes. I also help organizations gain insights from their digital presence, such as understanding the types of users on their website and how they’re using it. This requires a lot of testing, analytics, and data tracking.
What has your experience been like as a Sitecore MVP?
I’ve been designated to several Sitecore MVP categories throughout my ten years, such as Ambassador, Technology, and Cloud MVPs. Currently, as a Sitecore Ambassador MVP, I’m helping influence people to use the platform and drive overall sales. The Sitecore MVP title indicates expertise on the platform and willingness to contribute to the overall Sitecore ecosystem. I’ve had opportunities to travel and present with both customers and colleagues about our success stories.
When I first joined Perficient in 2015, I was the only Sitecore MVP here at the time. Since then, Perficient has had more than 60 Sitecore MVPs. I enjoy encouraging others to strive for MVP recognition, and I try to mentor others and help them on their journey. I’ve seen several colleagues become an MVP for the first time, and it’s something that is always exciting.
How does your role support Perficient? How are you making an impact? What impact do you hope to make?
Stephen dressed as Ted Lasso
The most measurable impact I have in my role is building customer relationships, driving revenue, and seeking opportunities for other people to grow their careers here. Part of my passion has been creating a corporate culture that people want to be a part of by helping others grow their careers.
One of the things I’ve learned in my 25 years in the consulting world is that people don’t work for companies, they work for people. As a leader within the organization, I have an opportunity to create a culture that embraces openness, transparency, and comradery. I believe Perficient has an entrepreneurial culture where if you have an idea, you can take it up the chain to find support. Contributing to a culture that is fair, performance-driven, and supportive of people’s passions is something I hope I’ve had a direct impact on.
READ MORE: Perficient’s Unique and Collaborative Culture
Why did you choose Perficient? What keeps you here?
The thing that keeps me here are the people and the relationships I’ve built. Before coming to Perficient, I spent many years early in my career job hoping, and there wasn’t a lot of stability in this. I learned a lot, but I was ready to take that next step in my career where I could utilize my experience to shape the culture of an organization, and I felt like what I was looking for aligned with Perficient’s values. When I first joined, we didn’t have a Sitecore practice like we do today, so I’ve been able to wear a lot of hats to help the practice grow.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
When I’m not playing a Ted Lasso look-a-like, I love being outdoors, backpacking, hiking, and camping. One of my goals is to visit all the national parks. I’ve been to 21 of the 63 so far, and I have plans to soon visit Crater Lake in Oregon. I’m also a big baseball fan, and growing up in Georgia, I’ve always supported the Braves. I’ve been a season ticket holder for around 13 years now.
It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people.
Visit our Careers page to see career opportunities and more!
Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
