Change management wasn’t always at the forefront of business leaders’ minds in North America, but Sarah-Mae Amde, the dynamic CEO of Paragon Digital Consulting, saw a shifting trend that emerged two decades ago. She positioned herself uniquely, catalyzing a remarkable transformation in her career as a business and management consultant by focusing on innovative technologies and solutions to tackle distinct business challenges.
Over a decade of independent consulting saw Sarah-Mae honing her expertise, but it was in 2016 that she took a pivotal step. She formed a coalition of specialists united by a common vision of supporting a client’s digital transformation journey. Since then, she has painstakingly built a dedicated team of Associates, each an expert in various facets of management consulting. Sarah-Mae’s approach is founded on her unwavering belief in a fresh perspective for guiding people through change and her unique framework for orchestrating large-scale transformations. Her strategies and plans elevate not just businesses but also the leaders, managers, and teams within them.
In Sarah-Mae’s own words, “I have always dreamed of finding a space to help others in a real and practical way. From an early age, I always sought ways to mediate disputes, stand for what mattered, and lead my peers by example as a devout follower of Christ.” Her vision for a collaborative space where individuals could enhance their strengths while sharing similar goals began to take shape in her early career, where she effectively managed projects and teams. However, it was during her journey, navigating the intricate web of competing priorities between HR, IT, Finance, and Operations teams, that a common thread of success in complex projects revealed itself: the people.
Envisioning a Faith-Driven Transformation
As a woman of faith, Sarah-Mae has founded Paragon Digital with a profound vision — to inspire purposeful, positive, and pragmatic change in the world. Her guiding principle is simple yet powerful: “We are a dedicated team of Associates that help organizations transform their customer and employee experiences through a sustainable model that creates meaningful engagements and impactful interactions while preparing them to implement next-gen technologies to compete in this rapidly changing digital economy.”
In any transformation, whether personal, professional, or otherwise, the challenge lies in replacing legacy systems, ideas, or processes while carefully balancing the desires and necessities of impacted leaders, stakeholders, and teams. Paragon Digital isn’t just a consultancy; they are trusted change advisors. Clients view them as partners in their journey to success, setting them apart from competitors who may hesitate to candidly reveal what’s truly essential for success. As Sarah-Mae firmly states, “We are committed to providing solutions that are in the best interest of our clients, strategies that meet their goals and objectives, and ensure that the implementation plan results in all parties winning.”
Paragon Digital specializes in guiding businesses through the complexities of transformational change. Whether it’s business, digital, or HR-related transformations, these programs often revolve around enhancing internal processes, adopting new technologies, or improving corporate culture by breaking down departmental silos and eliminating redundancy. Sarah-Mae emphasizes the significance of having a Trusted Change Advisor to navigate this intricate process, unlocking employee engagement, technology adoption, and productivity through their Change That Sustains framework for Operational Excellence.
What sets Paragon Digital apart is its faith-based approach to managing change, wisdom rooted in the Bible. Sarah-Mae expounds on their service approach: “We serve our clients by guiding them along their transformation journey, starting with recommending what’s best for the business, customers, and their teams. We ensure that the activities bring cross-functional teams together, balance the needs of all stakeholders, streamline processes, make all content easy to understand, communicate messages with compassion, build results-oriented plans, and serve everyone who’s impacted equitably.”
Offering Change Management Excellence
Many organizations were initially skeptical about change management. However, Sarah-Mae’s insights shed light on this issue. She explains that although the industry has evolved and there are now more certified professionals, companies still face challenges in accurately assessing the impact of changes, determining the benefits of managing the change, and estimating their team’s capacity to handle the change process.
Today, Paragon Digital is a beacon of guidance for senior leaders who want to understand how to achieve transformational change. Their services provide these leaders with invaluable tools and techniques to minimize risks and maximize benefits. Sarah-Mae emphasizes, “We changed who we were willing to work with; we only work with senior leaders and businesses where we align on the expected outcome and results.”
Mentorship is a core belief at Paragon Digital, and they consider it an important aspect of professional life. They believe that everyone needs a mentor, coach, or advisor, just like how people have mentors in other aspects of their lives, such as wealth, fitness, and career. Paragon Digital values inclusivity and welcomes diverse perspectives from Associates around the globe who have different religious beliefs and ideals. “Doing what’s best for our clients, their customers, and teams is at the heart of what we do,” pinpoints Sarah-Mae.
Time Management and Service: Formula for Success
In Sarah-Mae’s philosophy, time management and dedicated service stand as the keys to unlocking success. She firmly believes, “We all have the same time in a day, so prioritizing what’s most important is essential and serving others in a way that elevates their best interest.”
For Sarah-Mae, any worthwhile endeavor demands time, effort, and unwavering perseverance. She advises, “Anything in life that’s worth doing will require time, effort, and lots of perseverance, so choose wisely. Don’t give up when times get tough; this is when your true character develops.”
Furthermore, she underlines the significance of self-investment. According to her, “Investing in yourself through personal development books, professional mentorship groups, or business coaches is not just beneficial but required to succeed and remain competitive.”
Pioneering Diversity and Embracing Change
Diversity and inclusivity serve as cornerstones of Paragon’s success, ingrained in its very DNA, permeating business processes, operations management, social procurement, and its affiliations. “The future of work has dynamically changed as many companies are challenged to create the same cohesive team environment with hybrid or fully remote employees. In addition, the mass introduction of Generative AI and other next-gen technologies has added pressure on business leaders to evaluate the risks vs. the rewards; the answer lies at the intersection of HR, IT, Finance, and Operations, and the business’ appetite for change,” shares Sarah-Mae.
In a marketplace seeking familiar, safe harbors, Paragon Digital takes the helm, guiding its clients through the turbulent waters. This entails helping clients discover the technologies that seamlessly integrate with their business processes, corporate culture, and expertly stewarding them through the RFP process to procure technology vendors.
Sarah-Mae envisions the next five years as a litmus test, revealing which companies invested in their transformation journey, emerging as industry leaders, while others faltered in providing their teams with the tools to adapt to a rapidly changing future. “We live in exciting times. The future is here,” she concludes.
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