We’re excited to share that Energage has named Perficient a 2025 Technology Top Workplaces winner. This award showcases our commitment to building a people-first culture that champions, challenges, and celebrates every individual.  

We are proud to be one of only 28 organizations with more than 1,000 employees recognized for fostering an exceptional colleague experience in the technology industry. 

Earlier this year, Perficient was honored as a 2025 USA Today Top Workplace, marking our third consecutive year receiving a national top workplace distinction. Our 2025 Technology Top Workplace award is an extension of that program celebrating Perficient as an employer of choice in the technology industry—an achievement made possible by the voices of our people. Now, let’s explore what fuels our award-winning culture and makes our colleagues proudly Perficient.  

READ MORE: Perficient Scores Three Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Awards 

Our Award-Winning Partnerships and Collaborative Excellence  

As a global AI-first company, Perficient boldly advances business for the world’s most innovative companies and admired brands—shattering boundaries across industries, teams, and technologies. Our collaborative culture unites global strategists and technologists who bring world-class expertise and groundbreaking innovation to every challenge. By combining our deep knowledge with trusted partnerships alongside industry-leading technology innovators, we empower our clients with tailored, scalable AI-first solutions that accelerate digital transformation and drive long-term growth. 

As a result, we deliver high-impact, award-winning solutions that enhance business outcomes and unlock exceptional value for our clients. Our AI-first expertise and thought leadership have earned Perficient prestigious recognition, including the Business Intelligence Group’s 2025 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award and a 2025 Gold Globee® Award for Best Artificial Intelligence Service Provider of the Year.  

LEARN MORE: Perficient Boldly Advances Business Through Technology Partnerships and Collaborative Innovation 

Our Commitment to Empowering Colleague Growth 

Perficient celebrates every individual’s personal and professional achievements, recognizing that growth looks different for everyone. Through our commitment to championing a collective growth mindset, we offer a system of professional development resources, training programs, and tools designed to empower our colleagues to reach their fullest potential. 

Our award-winning Growth for Everyone initiative provides a wide range of professional development programs, including Consultant Curriculum, Leading With Impact, and Learning to Lead. In 2024, we also launched Perficient Elevate, a program offering graduates of our leadership development courses exclusive access to on-demand curriculum and live sessions focused on leadership excellence.  

To further support career advancement, Perficient offers a robust suite of structured and self-guided resources. These include Career Paths, a resource outlining clear steps for career progression; a Career Development Toolkit and Leadership Toolkit; and Perficient Academy, a centralized platform with on-demand training materials. 

Uniting Our Global Workforce Through Meaningful Connections 

With nearly 7,000 colleagues worldwide, we are dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging—where every voice is amplified, every perspective is valued, and every individual is empowered to thrive. Our global presence sparks genuine connections grounded in multicultural collaboration and shared understanding. This vibrant diversity fuels big thinking and breakthrough innovation, positioning us at the forefront of the fast-evolving digital landscape. 

We proudly offer five Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and a Generative AI Innovation Group (IG) dedicated to promoting inclusion and belonging. These companywide communities provide spaces for knowledge sharing, professional development, and meaningful connection—such as our Women in Technology (WiT) ERG, championing educational and career growth for women and their allies, and our PRISM ERG, empowering the LGBTQ+ community and allies through community building and education. 

By cultivating an inclusive and equitable workplace, Perficient has earned the 2025 EX Impact Award in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) category. This recognition, based on colleague feedback from our annual Employee Engagement Survey, stands as a powerful testament to our people-first culture and active participation across our ERGs. 

READ MORE: Perficient’s ERG and IG Communities 

Empowering Future Innovators: Our Commitment to Giving Back 

Beyond driving impact for our clients and colleagues, we are deeply committed to making a difference in the communities we serve. Anchored in Perficient’s corporate giving philosophy, we invest our time and talent into advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and improving the health and well-being of our communities. Here are just a couple of ways we’re forging a brighter future for the next generation of technology innovators.  

In partnership with the Mark Cuban Foundation, Perficient proudly hosts free AI Bootcamps for underserved high school students across the U.S., working to close the gap in AI education. Our dedicated colleagues volunteer as mentors, guiding students through AI concepts, real-world applications, and ethical considerations. In 2024, more than 100 Perficient colleagues served as mentors across seven AI Bootcamps, championing a more equitable digital future.  

Along with advancing AI education, Perficient’s Electrifying the Future of Automotive program is empowering collegiate Formula SAE and Formula Student teams to design, build, and race the next generation of formula-style racing cars. As part of the program, our colleagues meet with students to tour team garages, share how automotive companies work with Perficient, discuss career opportunities, and support each team as it competes in national and global competitions. In 2025, we’re proud to support 12 teams from leading universities across the U.S. and Romania, providing valuable academic and skill-building opportunities to accelerate automotive engineering innovation.  

READ MORE: Perficient’s Community Impact Report 

Our recognition as a 2025 Technology Top Workplace reflects our unwavering commitment to empowering our people, driving innovation, and making a difference in our communities. At the leading edge of the technology industry, we cultivate a people-centric culture that champions inclusive growth and shatters boundaries across teams and time zones. Together, we continue to forge the future of AI-powered technology with passion and purpose. Learn more about our award-winning culture on our Life at Perficient blog.  

READY TO GROW YOUR CAREER?  

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, X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. 

Perficient’s longstanding partnership with Salesforce is a testament to our belief in this platform’s transformative power in solving complex business challenges and designing superior digital experiences.   

We strive to stay ahead of the evolving Salesforce ecosystem and actively shape its future. Our talented Salesforce professionals go beyond mere implementation; we focus on driving innovation, fostering connections, and creating meaningful change for our clients and the broader technology landscape.  

Whether you’re an experienced Salesforce expert or looking to develop your skills, joining Perficient’s Salesforce team gives you a refreshing opportunity to step into a role that challenges and inspires you to drive impact at a global scale.   

So, what makes Perficient’s Salesforce practice truly exceptional? Keep reading to learn more about:  

• The ways we’re redefining Salesforce innovation across industries  

• How our people and collaborative culture serve as the backbone of our Salesforce practice  

• How our ongoing impact through Salesforce solutions will facilitate continuous professional growth  

Spearheading Advanced Solutions with Salesforce  

Our colleagues are not just Salesforce experts—they are digital innovators. Perficient’s Salesforce team is dedicated to harnessing the full potential of Salesforce’s robust ecosystem, including Data Cloud, Einstein AI, Marketing Cloud, and Experience Cloud. 

We partner with clients across industries such as healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, and financial services to solve complex problems, create personalized digital experiences, and drive sustainable growth.  

Perficient’s commitment to crafting meaningful and measurable solutions doesn’t end with clients; we ensure that our Salesforce professionals have access to continuous learning and development opportunities to stay ahead of industry trends and technologies.  

Our goal is simple—to deliver digital solutions that matter, while fostering a work environment where your skills and ideas are championed.  

“Our clients are always excited to see how the changes we make will help make their lives easier,” said Katie Wilson, who started as an associate technical consultant and is now a technical architect on our Salesforce team in Fargo. 

READ MORE: Katie Wilson Develops Her Career Through Client Relationships  

Delivering Real Impact Through Collaboration  

Our Salesforce experts don’t work in silos. We foster a collaborative culture where our consultants, architects, engineers, and strategists come together to build tailored solutions.  

“Perficient’s collaborative spirit is what truly sets us apart,” said Jideofor Onyeneho, lead technical consultant, Salesforce. “We work together seamlessly to develop effective solutions that address our clients’ critical business challenges.”   

READ MORE: Jideofor’s Contributions to Perficient’s Salesforce Team  

We leverage Salesforce products and expertise to address industry-specific challenges—whether that’s transforming patient experiences in healthcare, improving partner engagement in manufacturing, or empowering advisors in financial services.   

“I transitioned from web development to Salesforce because problem-solving has always been my passion,” says Carl Thress, technical architect, Salesforce. “The most rewarding part of my job is delivering Salesforce solutions that simplify our clients’ lives. I’m currently pursuing my sixth Salesforce certification to keep growing in my career.”   

LEARN MORE: Carl Thress Learns on the Job and Continues to Thrive   

 Our people are at the core of our success. We believe in creating an environment where professionals with a problem-solving mindset, a collaborator’s approach, and a creator’s mentality can thrive.  

READ MORE:  Highlights from Our Demo Jam Events 

Our promise to challenge, champion, and celebrate our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a supportive environment where your ideas matter and foster growth for everyone. Whether through our mentorship programs, our commitment to work-life balance, or our collaborative culture, you’ll find that Perficient is a place where you can thrive personally and professionally. 

Driving Success Across Industries  

• Healthcare  

To expand its community impact and improve patient engagement, a leading pediatric health system partnered with Perficient to modernize its outreach strategy. The organization relied on a legacy CRM that lacked the scalability needed to support its growth ambitions. Managing critical data such as leads, forms, and campaign information became increasingly difficult, limiting its ability to connect with patients effectively. 

By integrating Salesforce Health Cloud with the organization’s existing Marketing Cloud, we created a unified platform that streamlined patient data management and enhanced communication capabilities. Additionally, we optimized system functionality to improve workflows and outreach efforts, making engagement more seamless and efficient.  

The results of this transformation were significant. Improved patient engagement became possible through enhanced data visibility, enabling more effective and personalized communications. Operational efficiency also saw a boost, as the integrated Salesforce ecosystem eliminated manual processes and streamlined workflows. 

This success story highlights the power of digital transformation in healthcare. As Perficient continues to partner with healthcare organizations, we remain committed to driving innovation that enhances patient care, optimizes operations, and strengthens community impact. 

READ MORE: Learn more about how we’re reshaping healthcare technology solutions. 

• Finance 

By leveraging Salesforce to streamline operations and unify data, financial organizations can improve efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and drive better business outcomes. 

For one of our leading clients in Mexico, inefficiencies in its lease platform caused integration gaps, reporting challenges, and manual processes that hindered call center performance. We automated dealer communication, digitized third-party vendor data, and updated Salesforce to address these issues to prevent future business disruptions. As a result, internal processes became more efficient, agent productivity improved, and management gained greater visibility into business operations. 

In another instance, a global financial organization sought to unify its marketing processes by consolidating multiple marketing automation platforms into Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE). Perficient developed a roadmap and architecture integrating multiple CRMs using Multi-Org in MCE and companion orgs in Data Cloud. 

This solution provided the marketing team with a centralized data hub, enabling consistent workflows, advanced segmentation, and seamless cross-organization communication.

• Manufacturing  

Manufacturing companies often face challenges in consolidating data from multiple systems and ensuring seamless sales operations. Perficient has helped industry leaders use Salesforce to streamline workflows, enhance data visibility, and drive revenue growth. 

For a leading manufacturer, the need to consolidate key sales data and generate actionable insights was critical to identifying new business opportunities. Perficient’s Agile global delivery team developed a custom digital sales analytics tool, integrating Google Cloud’s data storage and Tableau’s reporting into the Salesforce interface with a real-time API. This solution provided sales and marketing teams with a single, user-friendly platform to research prospects, follow up efficiently, and generate leads based on detailed asset and account data. As a result, productivity improved, and the company gained a scalable system for driving future revenue. 

Interested in learning more about our work within the manufacturing space? Click here.  

• Data 

In today’s digital-first world, businesses need a solid data foundation to deliver seamless, personalized experiences. For companies rolling out Agentforce, integrating Salesforce Data Cloud is a game-changer. By unifying customer data across multiple sources, Data Cloud enables agents and brokers to gain real-time insights, improve customer engagement, and make informed decisions that drive business growth. 

With AI-powered analytics, Salesforce Data Cloud enhances personalization by equipping sales teams with predictive insights, helping them anticipate customer needs and tailor interactions. Additionally, its scalability and security make it a future-proof solution for growing organizations. By centralizing and optimizing data, businesses can empower their teams to operate with agility and precision. 

READ MORE: Learn how Salesforce Data Cloud is transforming sales and customer engagement across industries. 

Insights From the Salesforce Manufacturing Summit 2025 

Our team had the opportunity to participate in the Salesforce Manufacturing Summit in Atlanta, an event that brought together over 800 attendees with more than 40 sessions and 20 product demonstrations. It was an exciting space for industry leaders, peers, and customers to engage in meaningful discussions about the future of manufacturing, with a strong focus on innovation and digital transformation. 

A key highlight of the summit was the increasing role of Generative AI in manufacturing, particularly within Salesforce’s Agentforce and Data Cloud solutions. These technologies are set to transform the industry by streamlining operations, enhancing efficiency, and improving customer satisfaction. According to the Salesforce State of Manufacturing Survey 2024, over 80% of manufacturers are now engaged with Generative AI. 

Salesforce’s Manufacturing Cloud was another major focus, with its goals centered on unifying digital experiences across the value chain. The platform aims to modernize commercial operations by streamlining sales and fulfillment processes, simplifying partner engagement by enhancing collaboration with suppliers and channel partners, and transforming service experiences by improving customer interactions and field service operations. 

The summit also featured exciting announcements, including new integrations with Revenue Cloud, agent-first field service capabilities, and expanded manufacturing-specific skills for Agentforce. These innovations further reinforce Salesforce’s commitment to helping manufacturers optimize operations and stay ahead in an evolving landscape. 

Read the full article here to dive deeper into the key takeaways, trends, and insights from the Salesforce Manufacturing Summit 2025. 

Join Our Salesforce Team   

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and join a Salesforce team that’s leading the charge in digital transformation, we’d love to hear from you. With roles available such as lead technical consultant, senior project manager, and solutions architect, there’s a place for you to make an impact.  

Explore our open roles and become part of a global team dedicated to solving complex business problems through the power of Salesforce.   

Learn about current opportunities here. 

By joining Perficient, you’re not just advancing your career. You’re becoming part of a global community striving to shatter boundaries, obsess over outcomes, and forge the future.  

In 2025, communications, media, and entertainment companies are continuing to focus on shared goals and strategies to drive innovation, improve customer experience and reduce operating costs. The most successful companies in the industry are not doing it alone – they’re working with trusted advisors in the IT space to strategize and implement the most effective solutions. 

Our expertise in the communications, media, and technology (CMT) industry has been growing and strengthening due to extensive work with clients in the space and investment in cutting-edge technology. As a result, Perficient has once again been recognized by a leading global technology research and advisory firm’s report highlighting notable telecom, media, and entertainment industry consultancies in the U.S. and Europe. 

“As communications and media companies are looking to leverage AI, IoT, Cloud, augmented experiences and more, Perficient is partnering with them to consistently deliver positive results.” Kevin Colletti, Director of Strategy and Communications + Media + Technology Industry Lead, Perficient. 

Experts Guiding the Transition from Telco to Techno 

Perficient is not only closely watching but actively participating in the major shift from “Telco to Techno,” which involves the evolution from telecommunications to technology that many of the leading brands are experiencing. Business model shifts and expansions into new markets are calling for the full range of support from Perficient’s end-to-end capabilities and leveraging expertise in other industry verticals. 

Open Partner Ecosystems and 5G 

Specifically, open partner ecosystems are changing the game, especially with the evolving  technology making it possible for telecom operators to use different suppliers for multiple parts of the network. With many companies starting to decouple infrastructures and service layers, this has led to many new opportunities. Perficient is supplying what these organizations need to take advantage of expanded network access and new revenue streams and build sustainable growth. 

While the road may be longer and more winding than expected, achieving near-limitless connectivity will pave the way for new services and innovations. To reap these benefits, telecommunications will need a trusted partner who can guide them in efforts like exponentially increasing network capacity, improving data throughput and spectrum, and reducing latency and energy consumption. 

AI-Enabled Immersive and Personalized Customer Experiences 

When it comes to curating content and providing excellent products and services to customers, personalization and immersive experiences are important differentiators. Customer experiences can be made stronger by better understanding the target audience, gathering and analyzing data on their behaviors and preferences, and using those insights to refine offerings and journeys. Personal touches can be made across their experiences, from products and services recommendations to their interactions with customer service. In return, loyalty will strengthen in a customer base that has high expectations. 

To do this more effectively and at scale, organizations in the industry are delving into how AI can enable more immersive and personalized experiences. Across industries, we’ve developed GenAI solutions that ensure the consumer feels heard, seen, and understood. By leveraging AI foundation models, we’ve created virtual assistants that mine a library of ingested documents and return tailored, reliable answers based on the customer’s plan. Further, we’ve integrated virtual assistants into websites that help narrow search results and navigate visitors through their buying journey to increase conversions and customer satisfaction.  

With the pace at which telecom, media, and entertainment companies are expanding, there’s no shortage of work that needs to be done. Learn more about Perficient’s communications, media, and technology expertise. 

The L&D Tech Ecosystem is a group of interrelated tools, assets, platforms, and networks to help our colleagues in LatAm (México, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay) learn and develop themselves. The idea behind the Tech Ecosystem describes a strong and comprehensive landscape full of resources and educational tools that encourage colleagues to learn tech abilities, sharpen and keep updated their skills, contributing to their upskilling and reskilling.

Taking the Lead in Digital Transformation

This approach contributes to Perficient’s success in leading digital transformation.

Perficient is a global digital consultancy transforming how leading enterprises and biggest brands connect with customers and grow their businesses. Our teams bring an end-to-end approach to digital transformation through our comprehensive portfolio of digital solutions.

With unparalleled strategy, creativity, and technology capabilities, we bring big thinking and innovative ideas, along with a practical approach, to help the world’s largest enterprises and brands succeed. Our teams span national, industry, and geo business units across nearly 40 global locations and deliver compelling digital experiences for our customers.

To develop a solid portfolio of digital solutions and unleash creativity and innovation, we broaden our capabilities, expand our knowledge, and take the thought leadership pathway.

A Way of Working in Our Technical Capabilities

We have multiple ways of improving our technical capabilities. One of them, which has proven to be highly relevant, is the way that the L&D LatAm team talks to the business. At Perficient LatAm, L&D is part of the Tech Team. That means that our learning strategy and decisions are made with a technological mindset, allowing us to align the strategy with the execution in the learning and development dimension.

Making a Difference

Aligning goals, devising and co-creating L&D strategy with the Tech Team was a big bet, but after we did it, we immediately realized it was a game-changer move. It allowed us to improve the technological ecosystem and make a difference by moving even faster than we did in the past. As we moved forward, conversations between L&D and Tech became more straightforward, more frequent, and exclusively tech-oriented. L&D rapidly incorporated the tech mindset, managing to grasp the business strategy and needs clearly and without effort.

The Impact on Our People

The move also had a great impact on our people. After some months of working this way, we realized that colleagues were noticing the learning opportunities of the Tech Ecosystem to improve and grow as professionals. They quickly saw the benefits and started to take advantage of all the learning assets, easily identifying the resources and support to learn, develop, and get certified. Therefore, people started to learn and get certified at an unprecedented pace.

Final Thoughts

Aligning goals and devising and co-creating L&D strategies with the Tech Team proved to be a faster and easier way to progress. This pathway has proven to be a game changer with a tremendous impact on business and people. The L&D Tech Ecosystem demonstrated to be a highly valued tool for faster progress. Our boldly advanced technical capabilities became even more robust and burst with health. Certifications started to go to the sky, meaning that not only were colleagues learning and improving their careers but also that Perficient strengthened their technical capabilities, adding accredited skills to our solutions portfolio. As a final thought, this alliance between L&D and Tech Team has shown us to be a win-win strategy to drive growth for everyone.

In this episode of “What If? So What?” Jim talks with Neelima Sharma, SVP of ecommerce, digital, and technology at Lowe’s about the challenges and successes of transforming the retail industry through digital innovation. Neelima highlights the importance of teamwork, trust, and a customer-centric approach in driving the company’s growth and also emphasizes the significance of personalization and building long-term relationships with customers. The conversation touches on topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on retail, the role of AI and human intuition in decision making, and the importance of accurate inventory management. The conversation provides valuable insights into the strategies and mindset required for successful digital transformation in the retail industry.

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or visit our website.

Subscribe Where You Listen

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Overcast

Meet our Guest

Neelima V. Sharma,  Senior Vice President, Digital Commerce and Technology

Neelima Sharma, SVP of digital commerce and technology at Lowe’s, oversees the company’s online business and customer- and vendor-facing technologies. She enhances omnichannel experiences, core merchandising, and competitive pricing strategies. With more than 25 years of experience, Neelima has driven significant tech advancements at Lowe’s, including migrating Lowes.com to Google Cloud, and previously led Staples’ $8 billion B2B ecommerce tech division. Her career also includes impactful roles at JP MorganChase and Deloitte.

Neelima holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Delhi and a master’s from the University of Indore. Recognized as a leader in retail technology, she was named among the Top Women in Retail Tech by Retail Info Systems in 2023 and honored as a Top Woman in Hardware & Building Supply by HBS Dealer. Neelima is an adviser to tech startups, serves on the board of Charlotte Center City Partners, and co-chairs Lowe’s Asia Pacific business resource group.

Connect with Neelima

Meet the Host

Jim Hertzfeld is Area Vice President, Strategy for Perficient.

For over two decades, he has worked with clients to convert market insights into real-world digital products and customer experiences that actually grow their business. More than just a strategist, Jim is a pragmatic rebel known for challenging the conventional and turning grand visions into actionable steps. His candid demeanor, sprinkled with a dose of cynical optimism, shapes a narrative that challenges and inspires listeners.

Connect with Jim:

LinkedIn | Perficient

Introduction Automatic Speech recognition:

In the world of artificial intelligence, one of the most fascinating advancements is the ability to convert spoken language into written text. This process, known as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), has a wide range of applications, from transcription services and voice assistants to real-time captioning and more. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to use OpenAI’s Whisper ASR system to transcribe an audio file into text using Python.

What is Whisper? 

OpenAI developed Whisper as an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) system. It trained on a substantial volume of multilingual and multitask supervised data gathered from the web. Whisper offers a Python library that makes it easy to transcribe audio files into text.

Getting Started :

Before we can use Whisper, we need to install the openai-whisper Python package. This can be done using pip:

The ! at the beginning is used to run shell commands in Jupyter notebooks. If you’re running this in a regular Python environment, you can omit the !.

Loading the Model :

Once you install the package, you can import the whisper module and load the model:

Whisper provides different model sizes to balance between speed and accuracy as follow :-

Whisper’s model sizes, computational power is a key consideration when assessing the system’s ability to handle different model sizes efficiently. The required VRAM and relative speed mentioned in the table showcase how different model sizes demand varying computational resources, impacting performance and the ability to process tasks with differing degrees of efficiency and accuracy.

In our case, we’re loading a “small” model.

Transcribing an Audio File :

With the model loaded, we can now transcribe an audio file. Here’s how:

The transcribe method takes the path to the audio file as its argument. Furthermore, the fp16=False argument specifies that the model should not use half-precision floating-point format (FP16) for computations. Consequently, this can speed up the process but might slightly reduce accuracy.

The transcribe method returns a dictionary that includes the full transcription and other information.

Detailed Transcription :

Additionally, Whisper offers a detailed breakdown of the transcription, encompassing the start and end times of each segment. This feature can be particularly beneficial for comprehending the chronological occurrence of each part within the audio file:

Conclusion:

OpenAI’s Whisper Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) system provides a powerful and easy-to-use tool for transcribing audio files into text. If constructing a voice assistant, developing a transcription service, or requiring transcription for audio files in a project, Whisper is adept at handling these tasks. If you have any query, you can directly discuss in with the community link

Happy transcribing!

The Women in Digital event series presented by Perficient and Adobe aims to celebrate the achievements of women and provide a platform for them to thrive further in an industry that is constantly evolving digitally.

Recently, we curated a panel of leading women in the digital space to discuss significant emerging trends that women should be aware of, tips for career advancement, their journeys as leaders, and more.

The panel was moderated by former LPGA golfer and current NBC/GOLF Channel analyst Morgan Pressel. Panelists included:

• Sarah Lacey – Director of Partner Experience and Engagement at Adobe
• Gina Hart – Head of Insurance Technology at Auto Club Enterprise
• Sara Dwyer – Product Line Manager, Web and Enterprise Search at Eaton

Watch the full replay of the panel here.

Memorable Moments

There were a lot of meaningful discussions during the event. Below are a few of the memorable moments that really resonated with the audience around innovation, creating opportunities, and the importance of mentorship.

No Competition, Only Creation

Sarah Lacey kickstarted the panel discussion by sharing a piece of wisdom that has been particularly valuable throughout her career. She talked about how there’s really no competition, only creation. Instead of getting distracted by researching what competitors are doing, she suggested taking an innovative approach and asking yourself what you want to create.

She said, ” It helps to lead with innovation and creativity versus the competition. And that’s really been something that’s driven my career.”

Bring a Chair or Build a Table

During the discussion, the panelists were asked how they are mindful of who has a seat at the table and who is missing. Sara Dwyer shared that being an ally and an advocate for those you lead and understanding how to help them succeed is important. She talked about how leading others is a privilege and that it is a leader’s responsibility to elevate and empower their team.

“People leadership is a privilege. And if you’re in that role, you need to find and create opportunities for growth and leadership for your team. So I say bring a chair, sometimes you need to build a table, sometimes you need to give up your chair for your team to have an opportunity” said Dwyer.

To Find Success, You Need to Build Your Triangle

Morgan Pressel asked the panelists how mentorship and networking have played a role in growing their careers. And Gina Hart said that the importance of mentorship couldn’t be overstated. Early on in her career, she was fortunate to have a mentor who taught her that the key to finding success was to “build your triangle.” Hart said when finding a mentor there are three key pieces of criteria to look for – or three sides of your triangle.

Side One: A Sounding Board

The first side of your triangle is someone within your own organization whom you can bounce ideas off and talk about challenges. It’s better to be a part of a team instead of facing challenges alone.

Side Two: Someone on the Outside

The second side of your triangle should be someone who is a peer outside of your organization. This is someone you can trust and someone who can give you unfiltered feedback. Hart said at one point in her career she couldn’t understand why she hadn’t gotten a promotion she felt she deserved. So she went to this mentor who gave her the feedback she needed to hear and helped her make sense of the situation.

Side Three: Your North Star

And finally, the third part of your triangle. This is what Hart calls the “north star.” This should be someone who is a couple levels up from where you are in your career. This person can mentor you on leadership expectations. They can give you better insight into the role you’re aiming for as you grow in your career.

Hart said, “That person can tell you the other side of what’s behind the curtain. The things we don’t know. The things they face every day and their challenges.”

By taking the triangle approach to mentorship, you have the ability to see where you are in your career, what’s going on outside of your organization, and where you want to go.

Watch the Replay

There were many more valuable insights discussed during this panel. Watch the full replay below and find out!

Future Women in Digital Events

Perficient and Adobe have partnered together since 2017 to host Women in Digital events to connect women in digital and technology roles. Each year, we continue to grow this series in hopes that we can bring even more women together and foster the impact of these connections in the digital landscape and beyond.

Stay tuned for more exciting Women in Digital events in the future!

Check out the other events we hosted this year

Teeing Up Success: A Recap of Perficient and Adobe’s Women in Digital Event in Cincinnati 

7 ‘Women in Digital’ Share Experiences and Advice at Adobe Summit 2023

Women in Digital Takes London

Today, September 7th, 2023, in commemoration of the Mexico team’s first year of joining Perficient, I’m sharing one of my favorite events (I’m sure it’s a favorite for many of my peers as well) that integrates and connects the team in a dynamic, joyful and lively environment.

One of the most highly anticipated events for the Perficient Mexico office is the annual offsite event. Celebrated on July 4, colleagues located in and nearby Monterrey, exchanged their laptops for aprons and shared an incredible evening connecting with their team members.

The team started the day at the office and met with new colleagues introduced to them through virtual calls. The opportunity to connect with colleagues in the office is cherished as it fosters a sense of community, support, and camaraderie among the team.  

Before leaving for the offsite event destination in Santiago, a town close to Monterrey, colleagues boosted morale with a delicious home-cooked meal. As part of the celebration festivities, the team gathered after lunch to enjoy an offsite kit full of Perficient merch. Our colleagues were thrilled to wear Perficient shirts, aprons, and hats as they prepared for an evening of making connections with their team. 

This year´s theme for Offsite 2023 was grilling, one of the most popular activities for “regios” or people born and raised in Monterrey. The team visited the Sociedad Mexicana de Parrilleros (Mexican Grilling Society) headquarters. An extraordinary grill experience was waiting for the team. Everyone could learn techniques and preparation methods for a wide variety of dishes with professionals from the Mexican gastronomic world. Our colleagues prepared steak kebabs with melted cheese, hamburgers, and other barbecue favorites at Offsite 2023.

The whole experience fostered integration and friendship and gave colleagues the chance to forge new relationships, have an enjoyable time, and share a passion for fire! 

It was a delightful experience full of fun and flavorful togetherness that our colleagues will not forget.  

Erin Rushman and Kim Williams-Czopek were recognized by Consulting Magazine with a designation for Excellence in Leadership as part of the 2023 Women Leaders in Technology Awards. This award recognizes Erin and Kim for their impactful and influential contributions in the continually expanding category of technology.

Consulting Magazine’s Women Leaders in Technology Awards

The Women Leaders in Technology program seeks to recognize select women within the technology consulting industry who demonstrate excellence in their work and are making an impact. The role of women in the technology field is essential, though women leaders in technology are often outnumbered by men in the space. Consulting Magazine recognizes the importance of leadership for women in technology, and Perficient is excited to celebrate Erin and Kim for their amazing achievements.

Erin and Kim join an esteemed group of Perficient colleagues to be recognized by Consulting Magazine. Our colleagues Mary-Beth Ostasz and Erin Moloney have also been recognized for Excellence in Leadership by Consulting Magazine in recent years. Our female leaders are generating strong contributions across the board and making a difference for our colleagues, clients, and communities. We are so proud that our colleagues’ hard work and dedication are making waves and getting noticed on a larger scale.

Our Women Leaders in Technology

Erin and Kim have shown success in various ways throughout their time at Perficient. Erin Rushman is the Managing Director of Perficient’s Experience Design practice. Erin has taken on a strong leadership approach in multiple areas within the organization, resulting in realized achievements, new work, and quality delivery.

Erin Rushman

“Receiving the honor of this reward is incredibly meaningful to me both personally and professionally as I have invested decades of dedication to the technology consulting industry,” said Erin. “It also reinforces to my fellow colleagues and women in this industry that women are recognized as major contributors and differentiators in this line of work. This type of recognition serves as an example to women in consulting of what excellence looks like, further motivating others to achieve more. It’s my honor to serve as that example.”

Kim Williams-Czopek is the General Manager of Global Commerce Solutions. Over her 25-year career in the technology consulting industry, Kim has seen digital evolve from nascent to transformational, and she’s worked with and guided some of the biggest organizations in their technology evolutions. She’s a recognized contributor and leader driving growth through delivery innovation, digital product development, and building global, diverse teams.

Kim Williams-Czopek

“Being recognized is an honor and provides more organic opportunities to work with and inspire other women who share my excitement and enthusiasm for solving technology problems, breaking down barriers, and making things happen,” said Kim.

Perficient is thrilled to congratulate both Erin and Kim. We look forward to sharing more of their insights and expertise on our blog soon. Stay tuned!

READY TO GROW YOUR CAREER?

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, TikTok, and Instagram.

One of Perficient’s core values is Pride, and with good reason. We’re proud of our work, our colleagues, and our accomplishments, all of which we celebrate. I recently got the chance to sit down and connect with a few colleagues who were felicitated with the delivery excellence awards and got to talk about their journeys with Perficient – and their pride at their accomplishments, both personal and professional.

The growth platform that keeps giving:

Madhumitha Gnanavel – QA expert

“I joined Perficient after taking a break from my career to raise my child and got the chance to work with the EHI team. I was determined to prove myself that my skills weren’t rusty, and not only got converted to a full-time position but was soon promoted as well. I’ve since then been offered the chance to lead my team which has helped me to grow as a leader.”

I’ve been turned away from several organizations when I applied due to my career gap, but Perficient not only took a chance on me, but provided me the space to learn and explore new technologies.”

“I started my career as an intern in healthcare solutions, and after a few years in the field, I sought new challenges, which led me to Perficient.” said Dharmendar Gajraj.  “My goals were clear – to become an expert in the field of healthcare and help the global community while doing so. With Perficient, you’re allowed the space to explore, and I got to work with different facets of healthcare beyond what I had previously worked on, while simultaneously getting to work on new technologies.”

Subramanian Nachiappan talks about his time with Perficient with pride. “My career here has been nothing short of a rollercoaster – I joined as a technical consultant for java development and have gotten the chance to work with close to 15 different technologies while continuing to grow my expertise in Java. I’ve been in several different projects and gotten the chance to lead multiple teams – sometimes simultaneously. Perficient’s allowed me to grow not just as a professional but as a person too.”

“I started off my career with training in legacy tools in 2001 – I can remember how the economy was at that point.” says Asokraja Somasundaram. “It motivated me to constantly upskill myself, gaining knowledge in SharePoint, and soon got the chance to visit the UK for a month to train as a tech application specialist. I’ve never looked back and have been able to grow, which only increased since I joined Perficient. In the project we were working on, due to the vast amount of data present, I helped lead the charge to shift from manual to automation. This led to further challenges where the validation would in turn take a long while, so we decided to start a process where the validation would work along the automation.

Technologies’ always been a passion to me since I entered the field, and both Perficient and my team have enthusiastically supported my efforts to explore new solutions, encouraging a culture of creativity and collaboration. Innovation, and Perficient’s dedication to it as a core value, has always stood out to me during my time here, where we constantly look at our methods and improve on them.”

Leadership and excellence:

“I love that Perficient trusts you to deliver, and the freedom to set and complete your goals. I try incorporating the same culture in my team. I’ve always felt that I was never a supervisor – first and foremost I was a team member as well. I believe in the democratic process and would have conversations across the team to decide on the best solution for any problem. For me, leadership is calmness under pressure and to be the captain of the ship – especially when things get stormy. They have to be able to deliver on time, keep up morale, and make tough decisions, when necessary, with no space for second guessing. So far, I think I’ve been able to uphold the trust my manager had in me when she recommended me for a leadership role.” – Madhumitha

Dharmendar Gajraj – Healthcare Solutions Expert

“My team started with initially just 2 members which has steadily grown to seven, and as we grew, we started helping other teams and helped train new resources in addition to our own responsibilities. I’ve been able to conduct over 4 Java bootcamps and have helped train over 40+ interns. Beyond that, I’ve helped organize social gatherings and technical discussions where my team gets to participate in technical discussion and learn, while simultaneously being able to feel seen and heard.

To me, collaboration and engagement are important values for a leader – you need to be able to collaborate with everyone and check in on everyone while also bonding with your team on a personal level. Good leaders help make better leaders – and I try to encourage team members into taking on ownership of tasks and processes and pitch in with other colleagues where they can.”

“Before my journey with Perficient, I was rather hot-tempered and impatient. After a lot of guidance not just from my manager but my peers too, I’ve been able to improve myself a lot. I’ve gotten much better at handling situations and conflict resolution – which has helped my personal life too. I can now analyze situations with a cool mind and can communicate much more effectively. I’ve learnt the value of a calm word over a heated sentence.” – Subramanian

“I like to look at the big picture and use all the tools possible to build for the future. I believe for leaders, planning ahead for the future is an important quality. Anything that seemed less efficient, I would drop a note to colleagues and any fixes were shared immediately, so we were proactive rather than reactive. I also believe in being accessible – something I’ve learnt from my time here. In Perficient, I’ve never felt any disconnect with top management. It always feels like talking to an old friend, which is something I love about our culture.” – Asokraja

Milestones of Pride

“It was an amazing moment when I got the Delivery Excellence award. It was humbling to be able to directly interact with the C-suite Leadership and get appreciated for our efforts, and how they play into the big picture. Beyond that, I felt pride in my professional work, while able to be a good mother to my child.” – Madhumitha

“I was recognized for my efforts and got the chance to lead the entire offshore development center, something I’m very grateful to the Leadership for trusting me to drive the project. During the Delivery excellence awards, It was a great meeting the C level executives and hearing them talk about our core values. For them to take the time to meet us and get to know us while they have so many responsibilities running the organization, it was truly a very proud moment for us all.” – Dharmendar

Subramanian Nachiappan – Java Expert

“Something great about Perficient’s culture is how there’s no barrier in communication between the leadership and the people on the ground. You can reach out to anyone at any time, and more importantly, the leadership interacts with you as well and knows the pulse of the people. During the delivery excellence awards ceremony, we got to meet with C level executives. Tom Hogan, Andrea Lambert and others from the C-suite took the time to get to know us all personally despite it being late at night for them and their huge responsibilities. We felt seen and heard – and it was touching that they went the extra mile to get to know us.

If I could pick one thing in particular that I’m proud of during my time here at Perficient, it’s my personal growth – where I evolved myself into becoming a better person.”

“Something that’s stood out to me about our culture is how we celebrate our people. I’ve gotten a lot of awards in previous organizations, but they were just mails which had zero impact on me emotionally. In Perficient, our successes are highlighted, and the entire organization celebrates right alongside us. The leadership cheers us on, where every single individual’s efforts are recognized.

I wasn’t even aware of winning the delivery excellence award, and only got to realize it when all the wishes from my team and colleagues poured in. It was a huge honor to interact with the C-suite in recognition of our work, and to hear about the impact our work was having on the organization’s future.” – Asokraja

Planning for the future – and advice for the present

“I plan to keep growing in the field of QA and work towards becoming a subject matter expert in the field. I’ve gotten the chance to mentor and onboard five interns and am constantly reminded that you can always keep learning. To those I mentor, and to those entering the field, I’d advise the same and to have confidence in yourself – especially to take up new opportunities. If you don’t try, you’ll never know.” – Madhumitha

“I see myself continuing to contribute to making Perficient a market leader and help build and establish us as experts in the field of healthcare.

During my time with the intern bootcamp, it was a unique experience teaching the next generation of consultants, many of whom come in with grand, almost unrealistic expectations. I got to guide them into the corporate world, teach them with practical examples and help them set realistic expectations while still encouraging them to strive to do their best. The most important message I try to pass on is that it’s okay to ask questions, and it’s okay to ask for help – all of us needed to at some point or the other.” – Dharmendar

“I’m interested in being techno-functional, leaning more towards technical expertise. It’s a journey of constant learning and adapting.

When I mentor interns, (one of my more challenging tasks) – this is the same advice I give them. To be truthful and sincere in what they do and have the willingness to keep learning throughout their career. To respect the job and their commitment to their role. It’s an ongoing process in the transition from college student to consultant– but I’m hopeful.” – Subramanian

Asokraja Somasundaram – Sharepoint Expert

“I’ve always been more of a techie than a people person, but I’m learning and growing, and happy to keep doing the same. I’ve always believed that in the long run, easy fixes only cause more problems. I rather prefer to analyze the code, and work on solutions that while it may take longer to implement, pay off in the long run, and more importantly, can be a base to build upon in the future. I’m not afraid to extend my hours for quality delivery of projects – something I’m grateful to my family for supporting me in.

I’d recommend growing your networks and being active on forums that have been formed about your interests, so you can always keep getting fresh perspectives and brainstorm new and unique solutions.”

It’s been quite the journey for all of our colleagues so far, and one thing is sure – we’re all excited for the future!

Let’s talk about unicorns. What do unicorns have to do with business? According to Investopedia, a unicorn is an organization that has a valuation of more than $1 billion. No, that doesn’t mean companies like Oracle, Microsoft, or Apple (at least, not anymore). Unicorns are typically technology companies touted as start-ups with no proven track record of success.

According to CB Insights, more than 1,000 unicorns exist worldwide with a combined valuation in excess of $3 trillion.   

The 8 Healthcare and Biotech Unicorns

Of these unicorns, 80 fall into the category of healthcare and biotechnology. Here are the top eight healthcare and biotech unicorns (based on valuation by CB Insights):  

1. Devoted Health | Devoted Health offers Medicare advantage plans and partners with trusted doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other providers to make sure patients receive the right care at the right time. 

2. Biosplice Theraputics | Biosplice Therapeutics is developing first-in-class, small-molecule therapeutics based on pioneering science of alternative pre-mRNA splicing. 

3. Tempus | Tempus brings the power of data and artificial intelligence to healthcare to accelerate the discovery of novel targets and predict the effectiveness of treatments. 

4. Caris Life Sciences | Caris developed the world’s first and most comprehensive tumor profiling service, providing a complete molecular blueprint and guiding personalized cancer treatment that improves outcomes and saves lives. 

5. We Doctor | Founded in 2010, WeDoctor — named Guahao before 2015 — has grown into a multi-functional platform offering medical services, online pharmacies, cloud-based enterprise software for hospitals, and other services.

6. Ro | Ro is a direct-to-patient healthcare company providing high-quality, affordable healthcare without the need for insurance. Ro seamlessly connects telehealth and in-home care, diagnostics, labs, and pharmacy services nationwide. 

7. Doctolib | Doctolib’s mobile application allows consumers to manage health more simply. Access the availability of tens of thousands of healthcare professionals. Make an appointment online, 24/7, for a physical or video consultation. Receive automatic reminders by SMS or email. 

8. Hinge Health | Hinge Health is a patient-centered digital clinic for treating chronic musculoskeletal conditions.  Available to nearly 200 enterprise customers, Hinge Health empowers people to reduce chronic pain, opioid use, and surgeries. 

The Future For Healthcare and Biotech Unicorns 

With a startup failure rate of 70-80% within the first five years of operation, surviving and thriving as a new healthcare organization is a struggle. It takes embracing emerging technologies, especially after the pandemic, for a startup to succeed at achieving unicorn status.  

According to Apoorva Bajaj, practice head of financial markets at GlobalData, “…startups aim to disrupt healthcare using emerging technologies and investors’ focus also remain high on tech-driven healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly triggered massive disruption in the healthcare industry and forced several healthcare businesses to implement emerging technologies to ensure business continuity. New opportunities will keep emerging in the healthtech space across the globe, which bodes well for the startups.” 

GlobalData anticipates new opportunities in the following healthtech domains:  

• Connected care & mobile health  
• Continuous monitoring 
• Coordinated healthcare  
• Digital therapeutics  

• Genomics  
• Intelligent treatments  
• Oncology  
• Precision & personalized medicine  

Healthcare and Life Sciences leaders rely on us for strategic and technical expertise to achieve their missions in a technologically advancing industry. Our thought leaders are here to support you in achieving business goals and solving your most complex technology challenges. Contact us to learn more. 

This is an update to a blog published on February 3rd, 2016 by Eugene Sefanov.

Perficient announces the release of two business podcasts to kick off 2021. The new podcasts titled What If? So What? and Intelligent Data offer audiences expert insights on how digital technology can transform business and reshape customer experiences today.

Click on the logos below to listen to the first episodes.

What If? So What?

This podcast discovers what’s possible with digital and figures out how to make it real in your business. In Season 1, hosts Jim Hertzfeld and Kim Williams-Czopek, members of Perficient’s Digital Strategy team, interview experts and veterans of digital transformation to put the hype and big ideas into perspective by asking “What if?”, “So what?”, and – most importantly – “Now what?”

Season 1 includes episodes on:

• What if Everything Really is Digital?
• What if I Convinced the CEO to Embrace Design?
• What if You Could Do 5 Years of Digital Marketing in 6 Months?
• And much more!

Intelligent Data

This podcast investigates the value of data and technology to reshape your business. Join Arvind Murali, Data Chief Strategist and principal, as he explores data trends and topics that will help move businesses forward. In Season 1, hear Arvind and guests discuss the value data provides key industries, trends across enterprise technology, and the immense capabilities of data.

Season 1 includes episodes on:

• Data and customer experience trends in financial services
• Data and analytics, AI and data privacy in healthcare
• Business intelligence trends
• And much more!

Don’t Miss a Single Episode
New episodes will be released regularly, with new seasons planned for the future. Subscribe to both podcasts on your preferred platform – Apple, Spotify, Google, and Amazon Music – to listen along when new episodes are released.