Charting Her Own Course: A Business Analyst’s Story of Success
Charting Her Own Course: A Business Analyst’s Story of Success
CATEGORY
Blog, Life at EPAM
Alyse VanAcker
Lead Marketing Specialist
DATE
Jan 13, 2025
Meet Leaf Chi, a Senior Business Analysis Manager with over ten years of experience working at EPAM.
After graduating with a degree in Information Systems, Leaf began her career as a programmer, writing Java, JSP and HTML codes to build function transitions from different platforms. Due to technology limitations at the time, Leaf was responsible for completing many things herself, from gathering requirements from business users to writing codes, testing different environments, developing new features and providing operational support.
At the time, she was uncertain about her career's exact direction. Still, she knew that she loved working in STEM and committed herself to the notion that self-development and continuous growth were vital parts of her developing career.
“I feel lucky I found my passion after graduation. I’ve loved my career from day one and never regret choosing it. Working in STEM, you will never get bored because the digital world changes so fast. You always have opportunities to demonstrate expertise while knowing new things await you to explore. For me, it is important to have an environment where you can develop yourself with support around you.”
From Words to Action
学如逆水行舟，不进则退
“Learning is like sailing against the current; either you keep forging ahead or you keep falling behind.”
A popular Chinese proverb, this phrase has become the cornerstone of Leaf’s approach to work and life. Much like sailing, professional development and success require continuous effort and commitment to charting your unique course.
“To me, this means that when we are complacent in our current state, we are not improving. I always feel excited when I see new challenges because they open my mind to learning new things and enrich my experience. It also reminds me that I must keep developing to catch up with the new tide. For example, I usually set yearly learning goals when a new year begins. These goals may focus on learning more about technology, developing new skills or gaining knowledge, which will help me prepare for the future.”
A Strategic Shift
Partway through her career as a developer, Leaf realized she found the most joy in discussing requirements with users and proposing solutions. “My happiest moments were communicating with users and understanding how to help. I always knew communication and analysis were key strengths of mine, so I used these skills to help me pivot into a business analyst role.”
As a business analyst, Leaf continued to tackle new challenges. Her latest project involved collaborating with an automotive client to reach the Chinese market by creating a mini application on WeChat (a popular Chinese social media platform).
EPAM was responsible for the end-to-end delivery of this project, from the discovery phase through to post-discovery implementation, delivered by our team in China. Within three months, they successfully designed, developed and released the app to introduce the client's brand and products ahead of market sales. The team in China worked closely with the client's product owner in the UK and EPAM's global team in Europe. This collaboration was highly effective and received substantial recognition from key client stakeholders for agility, high performance and quality application.
“Working with the client's digital, business and IT teams on their first product launch in a new market was an exciting and fantastic experience. During this period, our team demonstrated the spirit of a self-organized agile team. We went above and beyond standard deliverables by assisting the client with various accounts and operation setups in China. I felt like a part of the client’s team, united by a common goal to ensure the product’s success.”
Leading by Example
Leaf has become a trusted leader at EPAM, offering patience, positivity and support to those around her.
“I often ask myself how to motivate my colleagues to invest time in their self-development. My best answer is to keep learning and sharing lessons that shaped my professional life. The great thing is that EPAM is evolving too, and we can easily find helpful resources to support self-development.”
When asked to share a piece of advice with current and prospective EPAM employees, Leaf comments:
“Don’t limit yourself to what you’re doing now. You will never know how much you can achieve unless you do it. In my journey, I haven’t limited myself to a specific scope of work. Instead, I find what I can do to boost my overall success. So far, I’ve tried different roles, taken on numerous challenges, made mistakes and grown from all the above. You will be given opportunities you don’t think you’re ready for. However, it is okay not to be fully ready if you dare to try your best. Be humble, learn from others and challenge yourself to develop new skills — this will help you become stronger.”
Jumping for Joy
In addition to valuing continued development in her professional life, Leaf takes a similar approach to her personal growth. By constantly pushing herself to learn new skills and challenging herself to step out of her comfort zone, she's developed resilience and adaptability — qualities that have significantly enhanced her experience in life.
“I’ve been learning and practicing jump rope for over two years, and it has become an integral part of my daily routine. It effectively releases pressure and stress, providing a great way to start the day with a clear mind. Additionally, jump rope stimulates the brain by improving coordination and concentration. Continuously learning and mastering new tricks keeps it fun and challenging, mirroring my approach to work. Moreover, being part of a large jump rope community allows me to interact with like-minded individuals who share the same passion, making the experience even more enjoyable.”
To start your journey of professional growth like Leaf, apply to join our team!
Visit epam.com/careers for more information.
