Caring in Common: A Customer Spotlight on Eric Friesen

How long have you been working for your organization?

I’ve worked here for 19 years and have been in my current position since 2013.

What’s a typical day in your role like?

There aren’t many typical days, which is why I like it here so much. I focus on different tasks depending on the time of year. Right now, with the 2019 campaign winding down, my time is spent planning for the next round of Andar/360 maintenance and rolling out improvements along with new functionality to our users in time for the 2020 campaign. Between enhancements and day-to-day Andar/360 support or training requests, there is always more than enough work.

What motivates you to come to work every day?

There are two things: First, I get to work with some incredible people who are all working toward building a stronger community. Second, I love figuring out solutions that help other staff spend more time on relationship-building and donor service, and less time on manual processes.

Above: One of Eric's hobbies is going for hikes to enjoy the great outdoors. The snow and cold weather don't keep him away!

What’s your favorite aspect of your job?

I find it rewarding to work with someone on a process they find challenging or time-consuming, test and offer possible solutions, and collaborate with them to implement a new method that makes their job easier.

What are your biggest professional challenges?

Even though we’ve been using Andar/360 for six campaigns, we haven’t rolled out all the functionality that we want to be using. The biggest challenge is to keep pushing the needle forward while focusing on day-to-day support requests, operational work, and system maintenance tasks.

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? Can you tell us why?

I’d like to have spent more time with my grandpa on my mom’s side. He came to Canada from Sweden, built a homestead, raised a family, cherished the environment, and contributed to his small community in a way that I admire.

What’s your personal mantra?

My high school French teacher used to tell us, “Don’t drown in a half-teaspoonful of water,” and I say that to my kids all the time. I don’t always take my own advice, but I do think it’s important to recognize the difference between small obstacles and the challenges that are worth focusing your energy on.

Above: Meet Archie, Eric's charming dog. Archie is known for keeping Eric on his toes and making every day a new adventure.

Do you have hobbies outside of work? What are they?

I like music and spending time outdoors, hiking, and camping. Our dog Archie keeps me on my toes.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Right now, it’s watching bushcraft camping videos on YouTube.

Caring in Common is a spotlight series that showcases different nonprofit professionals on the last Friday of each month. The goal is to highlight Andar Software customers from all walks of life, levels of experience, and areas of expertise. Their answers will inspire you, give you insight about the nonprofit industry, and motivate you on both a professional and personal level.