Team Continued: six sides to Lyle Smart, quality assurance manager
At Continued, we have a team that is more like a family. What’s our common DNA? A willingness to collaborate, high levels of motivation, an appreciation for others, creative thinking, and a passion for lifelong learning. Get to know our family member Lyle Smart and how he illustrates the six sides to our story.
Lyle Smart joined the Continued family as the company’s first—and at that time only—quality assurance (QA) team member.
Nearly five years later, he serves as the QA manager and oversees a team of engineers and analysts who work to ensure Continued’s projects are delivered to a high standard and with minimal issues so that the end users—Continued’s members—have a positive experience on our learning sites.
Prior to joining Continued, Smart spent more than a decade in various technology roles for a financial services company.
Originally from Luton, United Kingdom, Smart lives in Chicago with his wife, Brooke.
Lyle Smart enjoys long-distance races and has participated in 15 marathons. Pictured, Smart as he finishes the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
What do you like best about your job?
I enjoy making sure that our end users experience a quality product. I also enjoy working with a variety of different people within IT and in the business overall. I especially love it when developers show me more of the technical side of things and when we work on test automation.
What is your home office like?
I work in my attic, which I had converted to an office. It has a lot of natural light thanks to the skylights. I almost always have a cup of tea on my desk.
What do you do to get rid of stress?
I love to run. I’m a member of the local running club that offers a selection of weekly runs, such as track workouts and long runs. Also, there are a group of runners at Continued that I enjoy meeting up with at company gatherings.
"I love that what we do helps improve the lives of others." - Lyle Smart
Lyle and Brooke Smart on a recent trip to Australia.
What is your favorite company memory?
In 2017 we went kayaking in the mangroves near St. Petersberg, Florida. I had never been to the mangroves before, so it was a thrilling experience, and it was especially nice to feel the sunshine in December!
Excluding faith, family, or friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Running: I’ve run 15 marathons and love to participate in long-distance races.
Travel: I love traveling to somewhere new. This year my wife and I went to Australia, and a couple of years ago we went to Hawaii.
Restaurants: Chicago has fantastic cuisine, and I always enjoy trying a new restaurant.
What makes you most proud to work for Continued?
I love that what we do helps improve the lives of others. We’re helping train professionals who in turn improve the everyday lives of those they serve.
From a personal standpoint, shortly after I joined Continued, our daughter passed away. The support that we received from our family at Continued helped us get through a very difficult time.
