How Identity Has Influenced a Project Manager's Career at Vaelynn Studios
Andreas, a project manager with eight to nine years of prior work experience, completed their undergraduate degree while working, focusing on strengthening areas lacking from their prior experience. This included mastering "the accounting side of things," such as "cost optimization" and financial terminology, which proved invaluable in their current role managing budgets and improving profitability at Vaelynn Studios.
Project Management, Cost Optimization, Financial Analysis, Profitability, Budget Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Andreas Lopez
Project Manager
Vaelynn Studios
Western Governor's University (WGU)
WGU Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Engineering, IT, Math & Data
Gaming
Cyber Security and IT
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Andreas's unconventional approach to completing his degree while working for eight to nine years demonstrates that dedication and self-directed learning are valuable. He prioritized his strengths and addressed weaknesses through focused study.
2. His emphasis on accounting, e-commerce, profit/loss sheets, and cost optimization showcases the practical skills and knowledge highly valued in project management roles.
3. Andreas's focus on understanding financial terminology, balance sheets, revenue, taxes, and employer regulations highlights the importance of a strong financial understanding for project managers to effectively manage budgets and improve profitability.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
This is obviously a bit different for me and for most people, as I got my degree in 2022. By the time I graduated, I had already been working for about eight or nine years.
During that time, I kept working and decided to pursue my degree in my free time. It was a program where you could reuse a lot of your gained knowledge at work and graduate at your own pace. I focused on my strong points first, knocking out the easier things. Then I focused on my blind spots, areas where I lacked formal education from not having been in a business program first.
I especially focused on the accounting side of things, particularly in e-commerce. This included profit and loss sheets and cost optimization. For example, I'd analyze how ordering one more pallet of a product would save money through wholesale rebates or cheaper shipping costs.
However, I lacked formal education in a lot of finance terminology and how things operate within a company. This included balance sheets, revenue, taxes in different states, and employer and tax regulations. I focused on all the things I didn't know and really wanted to learn.
These learnings have come in handy. As a project manager, I'm typically close to budgets and need to figure out how to make the company more cost-effective. Often, this isn't just about cutting costs but also improving profitability through investments or better systems and architecture.