PMO Parallax: January Wrap Up!

Think about things differently
Written By

Amanda Frye

Published On

January 29, 2025

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PMO Parallax

The PMO Parallax Helping Project Management pass the vibe check, one (chaotic good) retrospective at a time...

January came in hot—full of unexpected twists, exciting projects, and a few unplanned adventures (because life is nothing if not unpredictable). If 2025 is about anything for me, it’s about saying yes to new opportunities, rolling with the chaos, and finding the humor in every situation. Let’s get into it.


 

🚗 The road to CES: Because Why Not?

Instead of flying to Vegas for CES like a normal person, I decided to road trip my way there. 

You know me—I’m always up for a good adventure. When my husband had to drive to Las Vegas to haul some equipment for his company’s CES presentation, I decided to stow away and make it a working trip. After all, nothing says “road trip vibes” like piles of tech gear, hours of highway, and a couple of gas station snacks that we may or may not regret.

Here’s the bonus: I managed to check two new states off my “2025 Bingo Card” (yes, I made one, don’t judge). Missouri and Oklahoma were new additions for me, and they count toward my goal of seeing five new states by 2025. If you haven’t driven through these states, let me tell you, they’re not short on charm—or road trip food options.

 

🤖 CES 2025: Innovation Overload

CES was amazing. Two days packed with incredible tech innovations, fascinating people, and a chance to introduce Talentcrowd to a whole new audience. I saw some of the coolest gadgets, met some incredible contacts, and got our name out there in the best way possible. Plus, I had a stack of books with me to give away as promos, so Kind Transparency got into some new hands as well. Mission accomplished… or so I thought.

 

🔨 Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Literally)

Because no adventure is complete without something ridiculous happening, the day we left Vegas turned into an adventure of its own. Someone decided our truck was their personal treasure chest and broke into it with a giant rock. A GIANT ROCK. They smashed the window and helped themselves to everything that wasn’t bolted down, including our luggage, my husband’s tools, and hilariously—a stack of my books.

Let me just say, the irony of someone stealing Kind Transparency books is not lost on me. If they actually read one, maybe they'll reconsider their life choices? At the very least, maybe they’ll take some tips on communication and boundaries into their next bad decision. You’ve gotta find the humor in everything, right?

(If you’re reading this and you’re the person who stole my luggage, enjoy the books. Seriously, read them. Let’s talk after. 😉)

 

🎉 Axolotls & Trampolines: My Daughter’s 8th Birthday Party

You’d think I could get one day of “normal” life after all that excitement, right? Nope. Full mom mode. The next day, I immediately jumped into hosting my daughter’s 8th birthday party at Sky Zone, a local trampoline park. The theme? Axolotls. And when I say axolotls were everywhere, I mean everywhere—on the cake, on the table, on the walls and even on her.

The kids had an absolute blast. Trampolines, Ziplines, Slides, you name it. (Pro tip: do not attempt trampolines in your 30s. I learned my lesson from a previous visit and kept my feet firmly on the ground this time.) The best part? The kids burned off all their energy and I didn’t have to clean my house afterward! The presents were a fun mixture of glitter, goo, and all things fluffy—exactly what you’d expect for an 8-year-old’s dream party.

 

🎤 Jersey, Jitters & Jaw-Dropping Insights: My Public Speaking Adventure

And again, the literal next day, I headed out to my next stop: New Jersey. Now I know what you’re thinking; warehouses, Jersey Shore, and Port Containers abound… But no, it was actually to a very pretty part of New Jersey that I've never been before (near Princeton and the Pennsylvania border.) This was for a two-day intensive public speaking, communication, and speech-writing workshop that I was invited to.

Now, going into this I thought I was a pretty decent writer and an okay public speaker, but wow—this workshop was a game-changer. Sitting through sessions with some seriously accomplished people and hearing their incredible stories gave me a whole new appreciation for the craft of storytelling and communication.

It’s humbling and inspiring to realize just how much there is to learn. I had my horizons blown wide open by things I didn’t even know I didn’t know (which, let’s be real, is one of the best kinds of learning experiences). I walked away with tools and insights that are already improving everything I do—whether it’s the next PMO workshop, webinar, or any of the other Talentcrowd projects still in the works.

 

🔥 New Talentcrowd Swag & Conference Circuit

We’re hitting more industry events than ever this year—not just to hand out cool swag (though trust us, you’ll want to get your hands on it), but to meet real people, in real life, and have real conversations. The world of tech talent moves fast, and we know that the best ideas, partnerships, and opportunities happen when you’re face-to-face with the people driving change.

Whether we’re talking about the latest in AI, IT strategy, or how to actually build a high-performing team (without losing your mind), we want to be part of those discussions. So if you see us out in the wild, stop by, say hi, and let’s talk about what’s next—and yes, grab some of the awesome new swag while you’re at it! 🎩🔥

 

📣 Big Announcement Coming Soon

Behind the scenes, we’ve been working on something HUGE. It’s going to level up everything we do, and I finally get to spill the details next week. Stay tuned—trust me, you’ll want to hear this.

 

💡 Lessons from the Chaos

January was full of lessons, unexpected turns, and a whole lot of fun. If this month taught me anything, it’s that growth comes from embracing the unpredictable. Thank you for being part of this journey, for supporting us, and for helping make Talentcrowd what it is.

February is shaping up to be even bigger—can't wait see where this ride takes us next.

See you out there,
Amanda ❤️