Please join us in congratulating Nick Blake on his promotion to Vice President of Client Services. Nick had served as the Director of Client Services since joining Briljent over 4 years ago. He has most recently taken the bull by the horns by building a line of business delivering value-based consulting services focused on Health Information Technology (HIT) for clients across the country.

Briljent president, Matt Odum, posed a couple of questions to Nick about his journey at Briljent so far and what he values most about his role.

Matt: What are a couple things you have learned since joining Briljent that have been key to your role, success, etc.?

Nick: The years since joining Briljent have been among the most challenging and formative I have experienced, and perhaps, not surprisingly, also the most rewarding. When I first started, I figured my large Medicaid network, relatively strong understanding of CMS policies, and vague grasp of the English language would make for a smooth transition to sales. While I was optimistic, the reality was I knew nothing about sales, and, oh boy, did it show—talk about a bull in a china shop. Through exposure to exceptional mentorship (luckily, I did not have to look outside of Briljent for this), a lot of studying, and a drive for self-improvement, looking back, it is incredible how much I have learned since starting at Briljent. Chief among this list is the importance of developing solutions (not just identifying problems) and having an independent drive for improvement. No one has all of the answers all of the time. I have learned how to be my own advocate for success and improvement, and I feel extremely fortunate to have had Briljent support to empower my ambitions.

Matt: What has been critical to the HIT team’s recent success?

Nick: It has been an enormous privilege to be given the opportunity to start a new sector/market for our professional services. Last year, the first year Briljent had a dedicated HIT sector, was extremely successful. Now, 2019 carries over high expectations, which our team members are excited to meet and exceed. None of this happens without the support of Briljent leadership; so, a huge thank you to Matt and Kathy for allowing us to venture off into these uncharted lands. In my opinion, Briljent has always separated itself through the caliber of its employees and that is no different on the HIT team. What has made us successful to this point and will sustain us into the future? First, I think a common drive and motivation. Our entire team is dedicated to the benefits of widespread adoption of HIT and committed to improving the healthcare industry through our efforts. Second, we have developed a team made of industry experts, and the result has been a fast-growing reputation for extremely good work. This is so important because the market is small, and word travels quickly. For this reason, we are starting to get referrals and continuing to work in new states. Finally, but certainly not least, our team is a fun group of people that truly enjoys working with each other. I know for a fact comradery like we have is rare and it is something that I am very proud and excited to be a part of.

Hats off to Nick and the entire HIT team on their 2018 success. We wish you the best as you tackle 2019’s goals.