About Us
We come from various backgrounds: technology, education, business
development. We have all worked as project managers and business analysts in companies of all sizes.
We discovered that the fundamentals of successful projects are the same fundamentals of business problem solving - for any industry, for any size
company, for anything that is broken and needs to be fixed.
Our mission is to solve. deliver and teach so your business and your people
grow. Are You Ready?
Our purpose
We believe in making a difference. At the end of the day, if you’re successful, we're happy. When it comes to business, we value art, and we appreciate science. We know there's a set of repeatable tools and processes that can help you manage your business. At the same time, we also know that each situation and each person is unique, requiring just the right touch. We want to help you leverage the best possible soft skills and technical skills - the art and science - of project management and business analysis to add value. We believe in excellence, in a commitment to the greater good, and in sharing our knowledge and experience to help make things easier on others.
Our history & commitment to service
Founded in 2008, Your Clear Next Step is located near Des Moines, Iowa. We bring together a wealth of expertise and best practices from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds. Our founder created the company expressly for the purpose of helping those around us do more, deliver better results, and create more business value by getting better at both the technical and soft skills associated with project management and business analysis. Each of our team members has a heart for service. We're actively involved in volunteer organizations and in serving non-profit organizations through our time and talents. 10% of our company profits are donated back to community service and outreach organizations.
Our founder - Sinikka L. Waugh
Sinikka L. Waugh, PMP is a project management and business analysis consultant and coach. She's known for consistently helping teams find innovative ways to leverage effective project strategies across multiple disciplines and technologies.
With over a decade in project roles (primarily program manager, project manager, and business analyst) Sinikka has successfully applied project and leadership expertise to improve project performance in a wide variety of industries, including publishing, education, product fulfillment and distribution, insurance, event and travel management, human resources, and financial services.
As a coach, Sinikka’s down-to-earth, “try-this-now” approach blends with her passion for helping others improve. She's a highly sought-after presenter, and her energetic and engaging style helps make both the art and science of project management and business analysis accessible to those she works with.
Sinikka holds a BA from Central College, an MA from the University of Iowa, and is a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute.
Our coaches, partners, & key contributors
Missy Paxson
Missy Paxson is a business analysis consultant and coach. With over a decade in project roles (including process analyst, business analyst, data analyst, and test analyst), Missy has applied her leadership expertise and excellent interpersonal skills to drive teams to success in a variety of industries, including product fulfillment and distribution, insurance, and financial services. She’s known for her positive attitude and commit in helping teams find innovative ways to improve.
Missy is a highly sought-after mentor with a passion for teaching others the tools to succeed.
Jodi Rhone
Jodi Rhone is the founder of the Simple Logic, L.L.C., a consulting firm devoted to the practical application of business analysis and business process improvement skills.
With over nine years of project roles (including process analyst, business analyst, project manager, technical writer and trainer), Jodi has dedicated herself to exceeding customer expectations in industries including agriculture, performance marketing, event management, customer service, financial services, human resources, and health care.
Regardless of the position she’s asked to fill, Jodi inevitably finds herself filling the roles of mentor, coach, and trainer. Her relationship with Your Clear Next Step allows Jodi to build on her twin passions of people and process improvement.
Pam Mohr
Pam’s passion is quality and process improvement. She has over 10 years of project experience in many areas of the project lifecycle, including business and requirements analysis, process analysis and improvement, quality assurance and testing, technical writing and editing, and training. She has applied her skills and leadership in the industries of health care, human resources, finance, event management, performance marketing, customer service, insurance, and publishing. Pam believes that quality is everyone’s responsibility and she enjoys helping organizations improve the quality of each team’s deliverables that contribute to the overall success of a project.
