With 15,300 coworkers, someone working solo is never really alone in their field. Because in a company the size and make of Visma, there’s always someone facing similar challenges and experiencing similar wins. That’s why our peer-to-peer communities – overlapping companies, countries, and time zones – are essential to our success. And those peer-to-peer communities would not be possible without our Champions: colleagues with knowledge of and experience with a specific competence, who dedicate time to help their peers with questions and challenges.
In this series, we interview Champions of our different communities and discuss what sparked their interest in becoming a Champion and helping others. This time around, we spoke with three Champions of the business analysis (BA) community: Hans de Bruin, a business analyst at Peple BV, and Armands Ķirītis and Sofia Johansson, both business analysts for Visma Software AS.
How and why did you become a Champion?
Sofia: “I was introduced through a former BA colleague, who used to be the community lead. I joined a few meetings, presented a specific survey setup we have in our app, and I guess that was my official entry into the community as a Champion! Getting to know other BA colleagues was the main trigger for me to sign up. I love expanding my network and hearing how they work through similar challenges.”
Hans: “I was approached directly at the beginning of the BA community! I was asked to present during a few meetings, which resulted in me becoming a Champion. What convinced me was the idea that there’s so many people in Visma that consider working more with business analytics but have no clue where to start or who to go to. I’ve been in the same boat myself, and the idea that I can be an approachable entry into BA is very motivating. By being a Champion, I can help make our very large organisation feel a tad bit smaller.”
How have you helped your community so far?
Armands: “As an example, I had several sessions with someone fairly new in their BA role that was encountering some challenges. I shared my thoughts and ideas with them and could offer valuable advice because I had been through similar situations in the past. I think that’s a very important aspect of being a Champion, helping peers through ever-changing environments by sharing your past experiences.”
Hans: “I think the “Ask Us Anything” sessions that we’re hosting are greatly appreciated by our members. Together with Armands I facilitate these sessions every month and anyone can join. It’s an easy, low barrier way to ask questions that often lead to great discussions. I like how our community leverages everyone’s individual strengths. I’m good at hosting and engaging, while others might be better suited for writing. We all contribute in our own ways.”
What do you get out of being a Champion?
Sofia: “To me, the biggest reward is the connections I’ve made and getting to collaborate with peers. I have gained so many new connections and built a stronger network within Visma, which has made it much easier to reach out to other colleagues or teams if I have questions or want to spar.”
Armands: “The concept of learning by sharing really resonates with me. If you’re able to explain a difficult concept or challenge to someone else, it helps you critically reflect on your own knowledge and how to apply it in different settings. Plus, the satisfaction of helping others is important to me. I guess as a Business Analyst you’re already customer-centric by nature, and being a Champion just adds to that.”
Would you recommend being a Champion?
Armands: “Absolutely. Regardless of whether you’ve just started out in your field of work, or have several years under your belt. As a community, having a diverse range of experiences is key to helping peers in various situations. Anyone can be a valuable asset there.”
Hans: “I would definitely recommend it. I’m even actively scouting additional Champions! We still have high ambitions for our community, offering even greater value and structure. I really see the benefit of this type of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. You’re learning and helping others at the same time – what’s not to love about that?”