Using a Maker Mindset to Shape a Successful Career

In 2018, only 26 percent of the workers in “computer and mathematical occupations” were women, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but did you know that 46 percent of Quick Base builders are women? In an industry where app development is a predominantly male occupation, we’re proud to be bucking the trend. So, in honor of International Women’s Day (March 8) and Women’s History Month we talked to Joanna Schreck, Senior Manager of Operational Excellence and Data Analytics for Digital Reach at Informa Exhibitions (and self-taught Quick Base power user) about why not being afraid to try has led her to where she is today.

“I think the number one thing anyone looking to be a Quick Base builder needs to have is a passion to problem-solve,” Joanna says. “It doesn’t hurt to be tech or data savvy either but getting your foot in the door is less about coming to the table with specific knowledge and more about a mindset and desire to make a positive difference.”

While Joanna’s existing job wasn’t focused on building in Quick Base, her education, skillset, and maker mindset enabled her to take advantage of an opportunity that has shaped her career path.

“My first Quick Base app was one I volunteered to redesign for my team. At the time, I only had a small amount of back-end experience with the app, but I had a strong understanding of the department’s operations and that, along with a passion for problem solving, and the fact that the platform is designed for business builders, made me want to give it a try. I also felt that the relational database knowledge I had just gained from earning my master’s degree in Library Science and Informatics would be helpful.”

Quick Base takes all the disparate spreadsheets you deal with everyday (called tables in the parlance of the software) and connects them together so that you can stay better organized and streamline your workflow. Apps are highly customizable ways to view, organize, and connect tables and can have different purposes and different sets of users, so you won’t have to deal with the clutter of a one-size-fits-all interface. If you can work an Excel spreadsheet, you can build Quick Base apps for everything from order fulfillment and customer service to contract management and sales processes.

With Quick Base, Joanna had the power to build custom applications for her business. Since she’s closest to the ins and outs of everyday tasks, it empowered her to make the apps her organization needs to get work done — without the middleperson of a traditional pro coding experience.

And finally, what’s her advice for new women builders and makers everywhere?

“Don’t be afraid, don’t worry about failure, don’t let fear hold you back. Taking that first step is the hardest part, but once you do, don’t look back, and you’ll be amazed at where it will take you. I can honestly say I would not be where I am today without having thrown my hat in the ring for a project I was only mostly sure I could tackle.”

Visit quickbase.com/make for a free Builder’s License and let Quick Base be the makerspace of your workplace!