Testimonials

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION - " The assessment is eye opening. I know that I have worked hard to be different from my parents, and that I see people as people, with equal rights to live their lives and love, without me needing to "understand". This has served me well with all of my kids. But in taking the assessment, and in the followup, I realized that a:while I have thought a LOT about my own privilege in the past several years, and I understand parts of my Polish heritage, I really can't speak a lot to my own larger societal culture, and I really do need to spend time learning to understand the culture of others. Looking forward to working on my improvement plan"

Michelle Voelker, Iowa

COACHING - "Paula coached me in preparation to speak and present at BASummit 2020, this included framing the abstract, collating the presentation and doing a dry run. Through each engagement, she provided me with the recording which was handy to reflect on and also practical advice on ways to strengthen each artefact. Paula supported me all the way, which made me feel well prepared and ready for a successful speaking engagement. I learnt a lot through our interactions and would definitely recommend any aspiring conference speaker to get in touch with Paula"

Inga Davids, South Africa

CAREER DEVELOPMENT - "I was looking for a business analyst position and wasn’t feeling confident in my abilities due to lack of relevant experience. Paula was the perfect career coach for me because I needed someone who is an experienced business analysis professional and can conduct mock interviews that are relevant to the positions I was applying to. Paula went above and beyond with my last minute request and her professional approach helped me to gain my confidence back. I believe she played an important role when I landed a Senior Business Analyst position at my dream company."

Anonymous

SPEAKING - "Well done! The emails and comments are well deserved. You did a great job - thank you. Adrian was right - you were awesome (and we Brits say that rarely!)"

Penny Pullan, UK

COACHING: "I really appreciate you too Paula, and I have to say you are a VERY rare breed in corporate America, heck you're a rare breed in America period. People like you don't exist, seriously. You have such a bright spirit coupled with an incredibly brilliant mind, razor sharp business acumen, and you're the most disciplined, hardest worker I know, AND you're a freakin black belt! 😁On top of that, and even more important, your foundation is laid in God, your integrity, and building up people. It's truly been a pleasure learning from your example, and I can honestly say, whatever I do it will be in no small part because of your influence. With that being said PLEASE don't leave me now!!!! 😁. I'd love to remain a mentee of yours as I feel there is so much more I can learn from you to pay forward. "

Chris Solomon, North Carolina

INTERVIEW PREPARATION: I was looking to move my career to the next level, I had been working with the same company for 5 years so I was a very rusty and my CV was slightly dated. Paula revamped my CV, prepared me for interviews and sharpened my interview skills. She did more than that, she gave me strategies I could use to ace any interview. Previously I would walk into interviews so nervous not knowing what to expect, which almost stopped me from applying for good roles. Paula worked with me on my weaknesses in interviews, the mock interviews were very beneficial and valuable plus you get a feedback after each interview. I now go into interviews with confidence and in control each time. This was a worthwhile investment for me. Paula Bell is now my Career Mentor.

Toyin E, London

RESUME REVIEW & INTERVIEW PREPARATION: Several years ago Paula mentored me when I was looking to transition to another career path, she helped me redo my resume, gave me 1:1 consulting and interviewing skills. I not only was offered the position but she gave me the confidence to request an increase in the hiring offer and received that as well.

Tarrita Spicer, Iowa

RESUME REVIEW: I approached Paula Bell because I was looking to transition careers and become a Business Analyst. Paula helped me by revamping my resume that aligned the skills I already have to that of a Business Analyst. One thing I like was her professionalism and attention to detail. I found the experience rewarding and I would recommend Paula to people who are considering a career change to a Business Analyst.

Keith O, Texas

INTERVIEW PREPARATION - I would highly recommend working with Paula Bell. I so appreciate her professionalism, and efficiency. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the Business Analyst job role, and interviewing techniques. If you want to increase your success rate in impressing a hiring manager, I would highly recommend mentoring sessions with Paula!

MK, USA

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - Webinars

"I find webinars very useful, however at times find myself zoning out, lose interest and exit before the end. Paula’s webinars are very engaging. She uses some very interesting analogies with martial arts, and that’s very effective. She also keeps a good pace! She manages to convey the message very clearly and to the point. In Europe we often think of US folks as very wordy and going on and on and on (no offense), but Paula manages to hit it right for the international crowd too! Thanks Paula!"

Pavlina Fox, UK

TEMPLATES -

"Business Requirements Document (BRD)

Paula’s Business requirement template hits it right. It’s very comprehensive, has all the relevant sections, looks professional and most importantly keeps me on point, without the general fluff no one is reading about! Even developers like it, and that’s a tall order☺!"

"Prioritization template

This template is a real gem. I’ve used it during workshops to focus business stakeholders, help them see the big wins, get clarity, make decisions and even commit to action in one meeting! Imagine that! It’s to the point and very easy to slot into presentations. Highly recommended!"

Pavlina Fox, UK

COACHING & CONSULTATION - "Getting to the “aha” moment. Although I am an experienced BA, I’ve never had a mentor and it’s safe to say, my toolbox of various analysis techniques I’ve built over the years had a serious layer of dust on. I mostly reused the well tested popular approaches and I just couldn’t connect the dots at times. Very frustrating! Paula was recommended to me by a participant on a BA blog as someone very passionate about helping professionals to get better and outgrow their fears; to get out there and confidently hold their ground even in the most challenging situations. Paula helped me to think differently and she just has a way to pick up quickly on my muddled explanations, break it down and provide very practical advice. She makes it all seem easy and I feel empowered after a session. She is incredibly flexible and willing to work around each other’s busy schedules, especially considering the serious time difference (I am in UK). Thank you for all your help! I find Paula’s newsletters very inspirational, especially when I feel low. It’s all very simple, yet I often get carried away and stop seeing the bigger picture. Thank you for going into that level of effort! It’s much appreciated.

Pavlina Fox, UK

EVENT PLANNING - Wedding Directing - Paula and Tyler really made our wedding rehearsal and wedding day a success! It was effortless for us, we just gave them the itinerary and they ran the days like a well-oiled machine does. They worked very well together as a team and were always willing to be flexible with us when things had to change at the last minute. Tyler stepped up and was the candle lighter for us when we totally forgot to have someone picked out for that important job. Both of them dressed to match on the wedding day and looked sharp as a team, complimenting our wedding flowers and colors and not clashing. Paula took charge at the wedding ceremony, when little things caused delays or went wrong, she stepped up immediately and knew just what to say to reassure our guests and keep them informed on what was going on backstage (the flower girl had spilled concealer on her dress 5 minutes before Go time). Both Tyler and Paula also worked amazingly with the chapel coordinator so that he could do his job on the big day and keep the music we had selected rolling smoothly.

At the reception, the skills of Paula and Tyler shone even more brightly than before. Paula kept everyone informed of the wedding party's time frame for arrival, orchestrated the grand entrance to the hall with the DJ, and made sure everything was just perfectly ready for dinner to be served. Tyler and Paula helped serve the wedding party our dinners and Tyler went around taking drink orders to and from the bar in quite a wonderful fashion. This kept us all so calm and worry-free, and my extended family so impressed with their hospitality and organization. Paula and Tyler also worked double time to keep the DJ in line and playing what we wanted at the volume we wanted it, as he was not at all what we had expected or been promised by the company we hired. They were kind and courteous, showing perseverance throughout the entire day and night, especially with the spontaneity and last minute snafus that I had at times. Paula was always right there to reassure me that I was fine, things were going great and it was all going to be wonderful! She would also cue me if I forgot something or prompt me kindly when she needed information for her "next step." Paula also took charge of making sure the parents and wedding party knew when they needed to be nearby for the special songs of the night, cake cutting, etc.

To make a long story short, Paula Bell and Tyler Thayer were nothing short of lifesavers for our big day and they were on point in each and every moment! I cannot thank them enough for all that they did for us. Our wedding day would have been a total flop without them, but with them, it was a success and a fabulous memory for all in attendance, especially the bride and groom!

With All Due Gratitude,
Rachel & Ryan Buckingham
Bride from West Des Moines, IA and Groom from Tulelake, CA.
Now living in Lakeport, CA

Rachel & Ryan Buckingham, Iowa & California

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - IIBA Webinar - The Effective BA - Going from Good to Great: Collaboration, Not Toleration - There is a DifferenceW - Thank you for a great and enlightening presentation today. Your speaking skills keep the audience engaged and your insight and research on this topic was very interesting. I gained some valuable information and am glad that I took the time to join today's webinar. Thank you!

Sue Myers, Wisconsin

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - IIBA UK Webinar - "The Martial of Arts of Change - Unlocking Your Inner Ninja" - "Just wanted to say thanks for the Ninja/Change management IIBA webex today, your presentation was really insightful and engaging and I will be sharing the key points with the rest of my team, so thanks again"

Johanna Guiney, UK

CAREER DEVELOPMENT/INTERVIEW PREPARATION - “Preparing for an interview can be such an overwhelming process, however what I found with working with Paula is that she makes the prep work simple. She provides a relaxed atmosphere and gives great feedback in a mock-style interview. Paula continuously stresses the fact that “interviews are nothing more than a conversation, so just conversate”. This helped with my own personal interviewing experience. I went in relaxed and answered questions confidently. As a result of working with Paula, I was able to land the position.”

Laura Thompson, Iowa

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - "Paula Bell is a dynamic and energizing speaker. I had admired her for several years and this year she spoke at our annual conference. She spoke with her colleague Tyler Thayer. This made the presentation that much better as they are truly a team. Paula has a plethora of business analysis knowledge but she also speaks to the soft skills. Many people can be great technicians but if they can’t relate to people their other knowledge does not matter. The topic they spoke about at our event would fit any organization “Let’s Collaborate, Not Tolerate”. Collaboration is important to success in any industry especially with any project teams. Your organization needs Paula Bell to speak to your group and if she has Tyler Thayer with her, that’s a bonus!"

Judy Alter, Nebraska

CAREER DEVELOPMENT - "Paula is extremely effective as a business analyst mentor and coach. Her knowledge about the industry is very helpful in preparing for an interview. She knows what hiring managers are looking for and is very helpful in preparing answers for potential interviewing questions. I liked working with her and will use her again. I also got the job I interviewed for."

Allison Bishop, Texas

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - "Paula, I cannot thank you enough for all your hard work to pull together material for a presentation on estimation. Our audience all felt you had a great grasp of the subject matter and enjoyed hearing about your experiences. I hope to have an opportunity to work with you in the future on other subjects that will greatly enhance the business analyst role in our company."

Kimberly Kuennen, Iowa (Cuna Mutual Group)

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - "Thank you for speaking at our Business Analysis/Project Management Top Careers in Des Moines meeting. Your presentation was very well received by our members. The information in your presentation on Business Analysis was timely and insightful. We hope that you enjoyed meeting the members of the Des Moines Jaycees and that you will consider returning in the future to continue the discussion.Thank you again for taking time to speak at our meeting."

Shawn Wagner, Iowa (Des Moines Jaycees)

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT - "Hi Paula,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to tell you how much I enjoyed the IIBA meeting today. I am not currently in the field so it was my first meeting, and it turned out to be very interesting and informative."

Brock Toll, Iowa