Let’s connect with Nick Claypool of Early Childhood Alliance. Please leave your comments and questions for Nick below, and if you are interested in being featured in a member spotlight please email customerreference@8x8.com.
Read more about Nick's 8x8 journey here.
Tell us about your organization:
Early Childhood Alliance (ECA) is a nonprofit organization that provides early education services to children across northern Indiana. Our services include parent engagement programs, direct early care, and education in two accredited learning centers. We're based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Describe your role.
I'm the Director of Information Technology. My role is a little bit of everything, from tier one tech support through strategic level decisions such as choosing a phone system. I have one person on my team who assists with tier one support.
How did you get interested in technology?
I was interested in technology from an early age. My kindergarten classroom had an Apple 2E computer. I was infatuated with it and couldn't peel myself away! My parents quickly noticed my interest in technology and poured resources into getting me the mentoring and education to get me to where I am today.
What path led you to Early Childhood Alliance?
When I was in high school, I was fortunate enough to participate in vocational school being offered by a nearby school system. They offered computer classes, and arranged internships for me at IBM and Early Childhood Alliance, so I got my feet wet in technology right out of the gate. Later on, I worked at a computer store handling computer and printer repairs, and also for a managed service provider where we provided technology services for various clients. One of those clients was Early Childhood Alliance. One day, I called up the CEO and expressed my interest in becoming an IT administrator, and it just so happened they needed one. And so here we are. I've been involved with this agency kind of by accident for two decades now.
Who are your role models?
Two role models come to mind. First, my grandfather. He passed away during the pandemic unfortunately, but he had a ridiculously silly sense of humor. He always took things very lightly and seemed to be happy regardless of the circumstances. Another mentor was one of my mom's coworkers. Since I was showing such an interest in technology, she took me to work to shadow one of their IT employees, who had built the IT department, watching technology progress from punch cards and magnetic tape to the modern era of personal desktop computers. His wisdom, the things he had seen, his tenure, all left a lasting impression.
What is your advice to others who are just starting out in IT?
- Pay close attention to artificial intelligence and where that can fit in in the enterprise space as a tool.
- Don't be afraid of the cloud! I've been at Early Childhood Alliance for almost a decade, and early on I started replacing our on premise infrastructure. In the beginning I was making my case about it being somebody else's computer and not really being something that was viable. The pandemic pretty much showed us how valuable the cloud can be.
- Pick an area of focus. It used to be that someone who was a jack of all trades could do really well for themselves. Technology is just way too big now. There are too many moving parts. You can't be an expert at it all, so pick an area of focus that interests you and stick to that.
What prompted you to become an early adopter of the cloud?
There were a couple of things that stood out to me. Most companies that offer some sort of cloud service provide discounts to non-profit agencies. It became pretty obvious that we could save money by just going to the cloud. Also, a lot of cloud services could do more than I could do with in-house hardware.
What's the best piece of advice anyone has given you in your career?
GETMO, which stands for Good Enough To Move On. It's good advice for people who overthink and get stuck in the details and lost in the quest for perfection. I have it written on a whiteboard that sits behind my monitor.
What types of things interested you during the COVID lock down?
I picked up 3D printing. Three months into lockdown, I found an affordable printer and started cranking out functional and useful items. I've made a variety of items ranging from writeable tablets to pencil holders. It's become a fun, useful hobby.
Last question: What's your favorite 8x8 feature?
I really enjoy voicemail transcription. It helps me identify and avoid listening to robo calls.