The Paragon Podcast

Professional Development Session with QA guru, Jeremy Sims, on keeping your Cucumber scripts fresh. Jeremy has spoken at numerous DAQAA monthly meetings (Des Moines QA user group) and the Des Moines IBAAD conference. Jeremy is an experienced BDD practitioner with broad experience in software development and testing. He is a proven coach and trainer, that has helped several organizations define and implement agile testing practices and automation using Acceptance Test Driven Development/BDD. His specialization is in the area of test automation and has provided hands-on guidance to various organizations ranging from small teams to fortune 100 companies.

In our final episode in this 5 part series, Mike Wagner wraps up our conversation on Connected Leader. You can find out more about Mike and Connected Leader at White Rabbit Group.

More mojo from MIke Wagner as he dives into part 4 of 5 in this Connected Leader Series. For more information or to connect with Mike, visit http://whiterabbitgroup.com

As always, an incredible pleasure interviewing and chatting with Mike Wagner about Connected Leader. In this episode, we unpack what "correction" sounds like in the Manager / Direct Report relationship when done effectively. Learn more about MIke at his company website White Rabbit Group.

It was a great pleasure to have Shonna Dorsey in the studio to chat about her passions. Shonna is an amazing example of what's possible when we live life with passion and purpose. And for the record (you'll hear this in the podcast), Shonna DID finish up that website of hers and it's LIVE at www.ShonnaDorsey.com Shonna's Bio: Shonna Dorsey is Senior IT Consultant for Mutual of Omaha Insurance, a Fortune 400 organization. Shonna is an Omaha Nebraska native, a graduate of Omaha North High School and an alumnus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO). Her career includes business development (from launching to selling a company), training facilitation, project management, and web development. Shonna is also a community builder who serves on boards for several organizations dedicated to supporting workforce and community development initiatives throughout Nebraska. Shonna's board membership includes Heartland Workforce Solutions, Omaha Girls Rock, Defy Ventures Nebraska. Shonna is also a Commissioner for the Nebraska Information Technology Commission. She is dedicated to efforts to provide access to career advancement and professional development opportunities. As a panelist or sole speaker on the topics of opportunities in tech, women in tech, empowerment and leadership, Shonna enjoys candidly sharing her experiences including successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way to hopefully inspire listeners to reach beyond any self- or otherwise imposed limitations.

Bryan Gill is an all around great guy and a real pleasure to have on our podcast. Bryan is an entrepreneur who loves helping small businesses succeed FASTER! For more information on Bryan, you can visit his website or email him at bryan@pixelayn.com

Thank you for listening to this professional development event. The audio for this episode is "best available" at the time. You can count on our next event to be live streamed with video and pro audio gear. Thanks for listening and subscribing! _______________________________________________ Tim Johnson was kind enough to deliver his entertaining and engaging talk on Creativity to a group of our consultants. Tim is a Project Management Consultant, Teacher, Author, Dad...and all around good guy. You can find all you want to know about Tim at his website: www.carpefactum.com About Timothy Timothy's achievements are many and diverse: Chief Accomplishment Officer of Carpe Factum, Inc. (formerly Delta Project Solutions, Inc.) Teacher - Timothy teaches MBA classes and - backed by certification in project management - assists with project management issues, allowing him to delve into both practice and theory. Project Management Consultant - Timothy successfully has led many high end projects and programs, serving as both a project management consultant as well as a business analyst consultant, not only in the Des Moines area but across the U.S. Timothy believes in delivering value, completing the deliverable, seizing the accomplishment, and getting out. He has little patience for consultants who burrow in for the long-haul (i.e., "cubicle parasites") just for the purpose of keeping their foot in the door and collecting an unearned check. Clients have included Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, Teva Neuroscience, Orchard Place (Children's Psychiatric Center), ING, Wells Fargo, Principal Financial Group and other, smaller local organizations. Noteworthy keynote and event speaker. Author of three books: Race Through the Forest: A Project Management Fable, Gust: The "Tale" Wind of Office Politics, SWAT - Seize the Accomplishment as well as numerous professional articles. Drivers Passion and Balance. Passion for what works. Passion for creativity. Passion for accomplishment. Passion for solid leadership. Balance among my family, my faith, and my career. Aversions Indecisive leadership. Inconsistent leadership. Absent leadership. Unrealistic demands. Absence of accountability. Passive-aggression. Contact Timothy for more information on Carpe Factum services, or to schedule Timothy for your event or project needs. Interests Kids, Family, Friends, Church, Golf, Bicycling, Canoeing, Writing, Drawing, Painting, Photography, Reading, Music, Movies.

Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group dives deeper on Connected Leader sharing on the power of Connection. This episode will give you some great direction on establishing the leadership practices that will form winning habits.

Our guest today is Adam Carroll - and he's one of the smartest dudes you'll ever meet. He's a movie producer. He's an author. He's a world-class speaker, and an amazingly insightful mind on leadership and finance. He has an incredible passion around helping young men and women understand money. You can find more about Adam on his website. Enjoy.

This is the first in a five part series that takes a deep dive into the Connected Leader framework. Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group is an amazing speaker, coach, mentor, and facilitator located in Des Moines, IA.

During the course of our daily business, we at Paragon realize our clients have varying degrees of knowledge surrounding immigration law and what is required for H1B extensions. Because the denial of a visa extension can have a direct impact on your day to day productivity, we invite you to join us for a webinar with immigration attorney, Furqan Sunny Azhar as we discuss the most common hurdles we run into with consultants and their H1B visas. We'll touch on: Current happenings in the immigration world Most common reasons for denial or delay in approval Specific actions you as the employer can take to ensure visa renewals, resulting in greater workflow continuity Q&A for any questions you may have about specific experiences you have and are dealing with.

Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group delivers a fun and interactive talk with a group of local Paragon IT Consultants on the topic of "Response Readiness." About Mike Wagner: Mike Wagner is President of White Rabbit, a business consultancy he founded in 2004. He is a skilled communicator, facilitator, and business consultant. Mike serves leadership teams in the creation of competitive advantage and growth strategies. His approach is a unique combination of leadership development and organizational culture, informed by the tools and process of “design thinking”. Mike has been speaking professionally for over 30 years. He started his career as a Pastor and Church Planter before entering the business world. Mike engages audiences with fresh ideas and tells compelling stories to inspire them to keep creating! Mike's mission is to release the wisdom and capacity of each organization he serves.