Talk with a Rōnin: From Code to Clarity, a Conversation with Business Analyst Mary Strickland

Finding her fit at Rōnin Consulting 

When Mary Strickland joined Rōnin in August 2021, she was searching for something different: a place where her work would be valued, her schedule more flexible, and her contributions rewarded fairly. 

“I was at a company where I was doing the job of three people and being paid for one,” she recalls. Around the same time, she had started quietly looking for a change and praying for the right door to open. 

That’s when Byron McClain, Rōnin Consulting’s founder, reached out unexpectedly. “He just said, ‘How do you feel about maybe coming to work here?’” Mary remembers. “It was wild. I hadn’t even applied anywhere yet, and suddenly I got this call, and Rōnin felt like the best fit. The culture was relaxed, the pay was competitive, and the job just moved fast. So I said ‘Why not!’”  

Fluent in two languages: people and code 

Mary wears many hats at Rōnin. Officially, her title is ‘business analyst, ’ but she often flexes into project management, QA testing, scrum mastering, or whatever else a client needs. 

“At the end of the day, the title doesn’t really matter, because I become the translator,” she explains. “I help bridge the gap between business language and technical language. Developers don’t always speak business, and business doesn’t always speak tech. Luckily, I’m fluent in both.” 

Her knack for language fluency and ability to quickly understand new systems have served her well at Rōnin. “If you give me a day in a system, I can usually figure it out. It’s just something that clicks for me, like a puzzle.” 

The culture and connection 

For Mary, working remotely has been a game-changer, and a commute is something she doesn’t miss. “Until you’re no longer commuting, you don’t realize the strain on your mental health that driving an hour and fifteen minutes one way really takes,” Mary says.  

But her commute to the office isn’t a chore, as she often goes in for the “fun events,” and loves working for Rōnin.

“I’ve been to pretty much everything at least once: Christmas parties, family picnics, Geek Socials,” she says. “We also used to have a quarterly brunch at the office, and one time I made a full breakfast bar: casserole, bacon, eggs, gravy, biscuits, it was pretty elaborate,” she laughs. 

And when she isn’t visiting the office or attending after-hours events, she finds a connection with the other BAs that work at Rōnin. “Sometimes you just need someone who understands the ‘BA problems,’” she says. “Occasionally, I meet for lunch with our other Rōnin BA’s and talk through the things only another BA would get.” 

Reflections on being a woman in tech 

Mary has worked in male-dominated industries for most of her career. While she’s faced her share of challenges elsewhere, she notes that Rōnin has been different. 

“I’ve had plenty of situations in the past where I wasn’t taken seriously because I was a woman. But I don’t feel that here. If something ever did happen, I know someone at Rōnin would step up. That makes a huge difference.”