Digging In with Meg Chamblee

Digging In is a regular series of blog posts profiling UDig employees.  We hope this series helps you get to know our team and understand why we dig what we do! Today, we are sitting down with Meg Chamblee, Executive Vice President of Tennessee.  

UDig: Tell us a little bit about your background and your role at UDig.

MC: I started my career in human resources after majoring in Sociology-Psychology. I thought I wanted to be a therapist, so at the wise suggestion of my professor, I volunteered at a crisis center in Birmingham for a night shift during my senior year, and I quickly realized it was not the right path for me. I then moved to Chicago with friends and went on a lot of job interviews before finally getting hired at a legal recruiting firm as an administrative assistant. I lasted all of one Chicago winter and then moved back to Birmingham, where I started working as an HR Generalist for a software company. After five years there, I joined a local IT consulting firm as a corporate recruiter. As they expanded across the Southeast, I became the Talent Acquisition Manager, where I had a fun opportunity to build a recruiting team from scratch. After that team was essentially running itself, I decided it was time for a new challenge, and I was looking for a reason to move back home to Nashville. I moved back in 2014 shortly after the firm opened its Nashville office. I transitioned to a business development role to help grow that office and become involved in the local community. 

All of that led me to UDig, where I have the opportunity to build a local office alongside Matt Dean, my longtime colleague of twelve years and counting. My role at UDig is to lead our local office, which allows me to use all aspects of my background, from operations to sales. 

UDig: Why UDig? What made us the right decision for you?

MC: I have always enjoyed working for smaller companies because you can be involved in many aspects of the organization. My background has provided me with experience in many different areas of the business, and I love that I get to use all of that here and continue to learn and experience new things. The entire UDig team has been very welcoming from the start. One thing I noticed in my first conversation with Andy was his focus on continuous improvement of the organization and the culture, which I think is exactly what you want in a CEO – someone who is constantly pushing the organization forward and pushing you to be better while also giving us the autonomy to build and lead the office in our own way. 

UDig: What are your aspirations for the Nashville office?

MC: I want to help people build careers. I love the idea that every person we hire has the potential to be a leader in this office. I have had so many people throughout my career cheer me on and give me opportunities to grow, and I am excited to pay that forward. I want us to be trusted and known for delivering high-quality, innovative solutions for our clients. I look forward to the day when we have so many clients and consultants that we can justify another office and further expand our Southeastern presence, giving our team even more opportunities to grow. 

UDig: What does “Do What You Dig” mean to you?

MC: If everyone enjoys the work they do, we are all better off. When you are passionate about what you do, you will do a better job. We care about our people and their careers, which creates a better product for our clients.  

UDig: What is your favorite procrastination tool?

MC: Sometimes, I’ll scroll through Instagram or LinkedIn or read the latest news. But I really procrastinate with seemingly productive things so that I can check something off my list. I’ve been known to create unnecessary spreadsheets and re-organize closets…often.

UDig: What did you want to be when you grew up?

MC: When I was a kid, I wanted a job like Angela Bower had in Who‘s the Boss – an advertising executive in the city. I really just wanted to wear fancy clothes and work in New York. I eventually did spend a summer working in New York but never did find my passion for advertising. She is, however, still my work fashion inspiration.  

UDig: What’s the most played song in your library?

MC: Whatever my kids want to listen to…my Spotify year in review was filled with Hamilton, Descendants, and Frozen II.  

UDig: How would you spend your day if we told you to take the day off?

MC: My mind immediately goes to what‘s on my list that I could get done. I would probably go for a run and then pick some project around the house to finish. If my kids were home, I‘d take them to the zoo or Cheekwood. I recently took my daughter to the Picasso exhibit at the Frist, and we had a great time there.