New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Lindsay Bergstrom
Editor’s note: Longtime readers may recall our “New Faces” series, in which we would introduce our new hires to Bamboo Nation. Shamefully, my count, there are nearly 20 “new” faces at Bamboo since the series last appeared (in the spring of 2011!). In other words, we’re long overdue to make some introductions, so let’s not delay any longer, and get right down to it. To kick off this new round of introductions, we’re going to turn the clock back to a 2010 hire whose role at Bamboo has changed substantially since her start date: Lindsay Bergstrom.
When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?
I first started with Bamboo as the Assistant Controller back in June of 2010. My current role, however, is Director of Finance and Operations.
What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?
Considering my role has changed dramatically over the past 6 months, my current personal goal is to be a strong resource for my team to rely on when needed. Focusing on both Finance and Sales is a hard act to juggle at times, but the common thread in my mind is being there for my co-workers and using any strengths or tools I have to help them succeed, which in turn helps the company as a whole to succeed.
What’s your professional background?
I began my career in 2005 as a DOD auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Throughout the years, my job has slowly changed from government accounting to government consulting with KPMG, to a mixture of government and commercial accounting at a software company, and now I am lucky to dip my hand into many pots between accounting, finance, sales, and anywhere else they let me here at Bamboo!
What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?
I was actually recruited by a former boss of mine who was, at the time, the CFO of Bamboo. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to join Bamboo at a pivotal point in the business, allowing me to work on setting up a sound accounting structure that would be able to keep up with the ever-growing organization here at Bamboo.
What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?
That I needed to get a gym membership ASAP! There. Is. Food. Everywhere. A kitchen stocked better than my own house, breakfasts, potlucks, and picnics, oh my! But all joking aside, the food was a minuscule perk in comparison to the people. It was such a friendly, motivated, and encouraging atmosphere. Working with this team made (and still makes) me want to come in every morning and do my absolute best.
With over 70 products to learn, did you feel overwhelmed? What was your strategy for getting up to speed?
Is it OK to admit that I’m still not up to speed? It was very overwhelming, especially because I don’t come from a software background. My mindset is numbers, debits, and credits – not SharePoint, Web Front-ends, and applications. But it’s a constant opportunity for me to learn, and I can honestly say that the software industry is where I feel I belong (I would have laughed in your face if you told me that 10 years ago). Getting more involved in the sales department and working with multiple departments such as marketing, product management, and customer support has really allowed me to gather more information about the company outside of “just the numbers.”
Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?
Ask any of my co-workers what one word describes me and I’m sure you will get the same answer every time: PITTSBURGH. That’s where I was born and raised, and we “yinzers” like to describe Pittsburgh as a lifestyle, not just a city. That being said, my interests include Steelers football, Penguins hockey (you can have the Pirates as far as I’m concerned), camping, fishing, softball, and-dare I say it- shooting guns?!? I also love cooking and baking, which may be why I feel Bamboo is the place for me.
