This is the perfect time to remember that teamwork makes the dream work. We at ezTagile are grateful for our employees, customers, and partners who have helped us to be where we are. However, if there is ever a bold and empathetic leadership story written, it will start with our founder and CEO, Camille Spruill.
ezTagile would still be a dream without Camille's vision. Her drive and dedication made our business possible. Our beautiful journey has been full of twists, turns, and a lot of bumpy roads. Here, we've compiled a snip interview of the ezT Story, as we are celebrating five years of business.
Getting to know our CEO, Camille Spruill
How did you get involved in the IT industry?
It was during the mid-90s, after graduating from high school, that my dad bought me my first computer. With lots of excitement, my mission was to not only learn how to use it, but understand the engine behind the screen. Since that day, I instantly fell in love with technology and never looked back. I followed my dream, first, in college pursuing my Associate in Applied Science Degree in Computer Programming and then with my Bachelors of Science Degree in Computer Information Systems. Later, I achieved a series of professional information technology certifications and gained extensive hands-on experience.
How did you get involved with Agile?
I got hooked on the Agile tech scene in 2007 when I was introduced to Agile while working in the local State Government as a Business Analyst and Project Manager. The amazing experience of true team collaboration to speed up the build, test, and deployment process ─ without the unnecessary overhead and series of formalities and titles ─ and delivering a product on time as planned made me promise to seek Agile opportunities in exclusion. The Agile methodology proved to be a sharp and efficient way of working while using the very same stages of software development.
What can you tell us about the bumps, cracks, and obstacles in the Agile industry?
The journey wasn’t easy! As a Black woman in Tech, I continue to face lots of challenges from racial biases, lack of representation, limited funding, and a saturated market with inexperienced self-proclaimed agilists who are misrepresenting the core of what it means to be Agile. This sometimes makes it hard for true agilists, like myself, who sincerely want to add value to an organization and have the skills to do so.
Other challenges are centered around leaders who haven’t had the training required to run Agile principles and practices. As a result, they often launch countless projects without a vision, hard deadlines, and poor prioritization. It is all with good intentions, but because of the lack of true Agile training and coaching, they often miss the benefits that Agile enablement can deliver, creating frustration and confusion within their organizations.
How did ezTagile start?
After several failed attempts, on July 1st, 2016 ezTagile was formed as an Agile legacy that provides tailored Agile thought leadership as well as sensible, innovative, and scalable Agile solutions, helping businesses and individuals become the best version of themselves.
I recalled a saying that I used to share with my peers, “Agile is easy, it’s people that make it hard”, so I decided to start a full-service Agile solutions firm. I came up with the initial idea to call the company ‘ezAgile’. Sadly, the domain was not available…. as I continued to search for the perfect name to fit my purpose, the words “Tailoring” and “T-shaped”, stood out in my mind. I believe that Agile is not one size fits all and throughout my career, I often pushed to tailor to the client’s needs and looked forward to cultivating depth and breadth similar to the T-shape model.
With a team that lives and breathes Agile and that is highly recognized for its expertise with Atlassian tools, I was determined to demonstrate how businesses can succeed with customized Agile best practices.
What do you value most about ezTagile culture and vision?
I value the transparency and trust that our team embodies. I love the natural space of always asking for feedback. These tenets enabled us to be accountable and to grow as a strong unit. This foundation of our culture stands true with our support of our clients.
What is your philosophy for leading an organization? and how do you create that culture?
Meet your team where they are and empower them to grow. Take the time to know what makes each individual tick. Pay attention! Nurture their inner aspirations by listening and being supportive to the human being you are working alongside. Recognize their accomplishments, show appreciation, be empathetic, be vulnerable as a leader yet firm in your vision and decision-making for the good of the team, and they will follow suit.
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