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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

From Mashable- Ten Early Employess Discuss Starting Up

Business

'An Offer I Couldn't Refuse': 10 Early Employees Discuss Startup Life

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Image: Flickr, Swipp Inc
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By Stephanie Walden
Being one of the early employees at a startup or a rapidly growing small company is a whirlwind of evolving roles, shifting responsibilities and exciting opportunities — with a little bit of improvisation along the way. It can be both exciting and stressful, both rewarding and exhausting.
See also: 'Building the Beast': What It's Like to Be an Early Startup Employee
In The First 100, we're talking to hires #1 through 100 at 100 different companies, from BarkBox and Groupon to Poppin and Pinterest. We're asking them about the rollercoaster that is building a business from the ground up: How their roles have changed since they first jumped on board, what they think about their company culture and the emotions they've gone through along the ride.
This week, we hear from hires #41-50, including employees from Fitbit, Vimeo and Indeed. Be sure to check out the full series to hear insights from hires #1-40, and stay tuned by following the hashtag #First100 to meet the rest of the group.

41. Michael Chauliac, Poppin

Michael Chauliac
Image: Michael Chauliac
On building the brand... Poppin's view that "work has changed so it's time we change the way we work" immediately resonated with me. I was drawn to the mission and culture of the company. Who doesn’t want to make people more productive, inspired and ultimately happier at work? To me, joining a small company meant joining a more dynamic environment; one where you can be innovative and scrappy. It also meant having the opportunity to actively take part in growing the company and further build the brand. Early on, my role was most focused on building the direct-to-consumer division. Fairly quickly it expanded to scaling our B2B business and telling our brand story across all our channels.
TGIM... In his book Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh talks about how your brand and culture should be two sides of the same coin. At Poppin,
we very much try to practice what we preach
we very much try to practice what we preach by creating a productive and fun environment. Mondays are widely considered as the worst day of the week, so every Monday, we end the day a bit earlier and all come together to celebrate “TGIM”! Two of our core values are "Be Yourself and Create Fun" and "Care and Connect." When you can be yourself at work and truly enjoy spending time with your coworkers, you're much happier getting into the office in the morning. Today, Poppin has 48 employees.

42. Oleg Krop, Fitbit

Oleg Krop
Image: Oleg Krop
The transition to Silicon Valley... Having lived in Kazakhstan and then Belarus, I had always dreamed of working somewhere on the other side of the world. Silicon Valley is known for developing the most innovative technologies and housing some of the most intelligent, professional people in the world –- the type of people I wanted to work with. There is a proverb in our country: "If you want to become smarter, you should communicate with people smarter than you." The people at Fitbit match this description perfectly.
A passion for the product... Before joining Fitbit in 2010, I worked at one of the top Russian product companies, hh.ru, which provides domestic online resources for job hunting and personnel hiring. I jumped at the opportunity to work at Fitbit -– consumer electronics is much more my speed. Plus, I was inspired by the opportunity to work on products that help people become healthier and lead more active lives.
After having been here for four years, it's still refreshing to work with a team that's passionate and continues to believe in its product and mission.
After having been here for four years, it's still refreshing to work with a team that's passionate and continues to believe in its product and mission. Maintaining company culture... I started out as a software engineer, working on various aspects of the Fitbit server application. Now, I'm leading a small team, and we're tasked with continually enhancing Fitbit's data storage so it's flexible, fast and efficient. Ultimately, this will enable the product team to continue to build innovative app features, and it provides users with more real-time as well as trend data to continue to stay motivated and reach their fitness goals. The company has grown in size tremendously since I first started — I was employee number 42 and now we have over 270 people. But even though it's grown, Fitbit has done a great job of maintaining its culture within the company. Also, the engineering team's organizational structure has remained flat. This is perhaps one of the best aspects of working at Fitbit, as it inspires collaboration, open communication between the team and a more efficient decision-making process.

Keeping pace with rapid growth... The exciting, fast-paced challenges of working at Fitbit keep me coming in every day. As our user base continues to expand (we had 67% of the market share last year, according to NPD), we're constantly faced with pushing the boundaries of keeping up with growth and maintaining the best products and experiences for our users. We also have many fascinating projects in the pipeline that I'm excited to work on. I can truly say I look forward to work every day because I get to tackle these problems and help provide cutting-edge products that literally change lives for the better.
Today, Fitbit has more than 270 employees.

43. Karl Clement, CanvasPop

Karl C First 100
Image: Karl Clement
An offer I couldn't refuse... I was offered a position at CanvasPop while I was traveling in Europe. I decided to join the team because I really liked where the company was going — they had a team of really smart developers using all the latest technologies. Their startup culture was great and it really allowed me to evolve with the company. Going in, I knew I had the freedom to work on multiple aspects of the product and really be creative. It was an offer I couldn't refuse.
On shifting roles... I started by joining the development team as a full stack software developer. When we launched the CanvasPop Photo Printing API, I attended the Mobile Photo Connect conference with our co-founder, Adrian Salamunovic, in San Francisco. As I started networking with possible partners, I started to really enjoy handling these partnerships. That’s when our team thought it would be a great idea for me to assume the role of head of API relations. Now, I take care of all our API partners like Microsoft, Fotor and East Coast Pixels. I help new partners integrate, organize events to drive more user engagement and develop new features.
This kind of freedom allows you to really feel like you're a vital part of the puzzle.
This kind of freedom allows you to really feel like you're a vital part of the puzzle. Valuing progress and diversity... My favorite part of working at CanvasPop? Freedom. We get to work on great new projects, have hackathons and even host events. What really keeps me going is the direction we are headed in; it's been incredible to witness the progress this company has seen in the last year alone. It’s rare that you can find such a great group of people doing such amazing things, and CanvasPop is one of the only startups in which you will see such a diverse group.
A culture to be proud of... At our Ottawa Headquarters, we have our production, development, marketing, design and even our customer service teams working under one roof. Most people think CanvasPop is a big warehouse filled with printers; in reality, we're a big team of really smart and talented people working on amazing new products. It’s the kind of culture that allows you think big and create something you're really proud of.
Today, CanvasPop has 57 employees.

44. Viktor Kalmus, Grammarly

Viktor Kalmus
Image: Viktor Kalmus
The advantages of staying small... Grammarly aims to improve lives by improving communication, and I can definitely get behind that. I like to work in small companies because the environment lends itself to making a significant difference in any project that you happen to be working on — and I like counting my teammates as friends. Everybody comes to the table with new ideas, a sense of purpose about our company values and a lot of energy to accomplish something special.
Experimenting with different roles... I joined Grammarly as automation QA, but the team was looking for new ideas in performance testing as well. I jumped in and gained a lot of experience there, as well as in dev-ops. It's been great to weigh in on different areas of the company and to learn from my talented colleagues; it makes my job even more interesting. Every day we work tirelessly to make our product better and try to find innovative processes that will help us with this as much as possible.
A globally social atmosphere... We have an annual team offsite event in which members of our San Francisco and Kiev offices meet in an awesome location — last year it was Turkey — and connect socially. Almost every week we go somewhere to spend time together not just as teammates, but as friends. Grammarly life extends beyond the office; it's also a lot of fun after work (and even during work). Everybody at Grammarly understands that if we want to be the top automated proofreader in the industry, it is imperative to be aware of all the latest technologies and ideas. To be a part of that kind of innovative atmosphere, along with such smart, creative people — it's incredible.
Today, Grammarly has 60 employees.

45. Christina Christian, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream

Christina Christian
Image: Christina Christian
Believing in what you do... I have been a longtime fan of Jeni's. I mean, the ice cream itself wins over anyone who tastes it, but the company — it's built from the ground-up. The values we stand by — the authenticity, the quality, the artfulness -– you'd be crazy not to want to work here and help that grow! Joining a company I already felt such a passion for was a no-brainer. I think the thought of joining a small company might scare some, but it didn't concern me.
When you believe in what you're doing, it’s easy see the immeasurable reward that lies in the challenge
When you believe in what you're doing, it’s easy see the immeasurable reward that lies in the challenge, which was part of the draw. Multiple hats... My role has evolved into one that regularly creates processes, plans and some structure -– in addition to execution -– to support our demand. I think small businesses, in general, are always in the "hustle" mindset (note: that should never go away), but it’s nice to have some support and strategy around why we're doing what we're doing. In a small business, success heavily relies on the flexibility of its team. Everyone wears multiple hats; that’s part of the beauty of working at a startup.
An upward trajectory... The company continues to evolve with our growth. Lots of new faces are being added to pursue new opportunities. Everyone is on a trajectory of "better," so in order to strive to be the best, we have to work hard, be smart and have a lot of guts. We make amazing ice cream. We're full of smiles, energy and goals. Our communities inspire us: We give back; we get involved; we use local ingredients; we’re committed to the arts, conserving the environment and fostering individuality. The best thing about working for Jeni's is that I am surrounded by a dedicated team of motivators, creators and curious, hardworking minds.
Today, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream has close to 100 employees.

46. Jeff Nimerofsky, The Orchard

Jeff orchard round
Image: Jeff Nimerofsky
Leaving big for small... I had always worked for large global conglomerates and wanted to try a smaller company that offered an entrepreneurial opportunity, and I was confident that The Orchard's business model would be successful. Prior to joining The Orchard, I worked as vice president of royalties and licensing for Warner Music Group. At the Orchard, the decision-making process was extremely streamlined; if a transaction opportunity existed, we were able to act fast. Separately, I was the first finance employee hired by The Orchard and was given the opportunity to build our accounting and finance team.
Expanding and evolving... My role has been to oversee the finance group including accounting, strategic financial planning and royalties. As the digital market expanded and The Orchard made global strategic partnerships and acquisitions, my role has also expanded as we entered into new territories. We've made smart, strategic transactions — we're now in a position to provide our labels with cutting-edge, global technology services and tools that allow them to grow their own businesses; we are also developing tools that allow our labels and rights holders to leverage massive data in a meaningful manner to better monetize their content. I am now on point to help assess strategic opportunities as the company continues to expand and evolve.
Today, The Orchard has more than 215 employees.

47. Diane Melchionne, Indeed.com

First 100 Diane M
Image: Diane Melchionne
From user to employee... Paul Forster, one of Indeed's co-founders, and Sophie Wood, director of HR and employee communications, came to one of my college classes to present Indeed and explain how new grads can utilize the site for their job search. I was in the second semester of my senior year [of college], so I had already begun looking for jobs and was an active Indeed user — and I loved the service it offered: a one-stop shop for all jobs. I'd even used the site to help my boyfriend find his job. After Paul and Sophie finished their presentation, I was keen to learn more about the company, so I stayed back to speak with them. Paul informed me that there was a newly available client services associate position and asked for my resume. The job seemed interesting, so I came in to interview with Jason Whitman, SVP of client services, and a few other members of the then-small office. Indeed was just getting off the ground and was filled with amazing, passionate people — I was so excited to be a part of the team!
International experience... As our client services team expanded, we needed to build out additional levels of management. So after being with the company for two years, I started managing a small group to support our growing ad agency business. A year later, we opened up our first international office in London, and I knew we'd soon need client services on the ground. Being a first-generation American, I've always had a passion for all things international, so I spoke with Jason about the opportunity to go abroad. Shortly thereafter,
I moved to London and then Dublin for a year-and-a-half to help open the first two international offices for Indeed
I moved to London and then Dublin for a year-and-a-half to help open the first two international offices for Indeed. Today, I manage all of our international client support teams, which span the globe: London, Dublin (HQ), Sydney and Tokyo. Enormous growth... Indeed has grown into the number one job site in the world! When I joined Indeed, I was the 47th employee; today we have close to 1,000 employees globally. We started off with three sites: U.S., UK and Canada, and today we have sites in 55 countries, covering 28 languages. Our initial product offering for employers included only Sponsored Jobs (for the jobs we aggregated). Today, we have Indeed Resume, a job posting platform (to cater to our small-to-medium-sized business that may not have their jobs online), Company Pages and the number one business app for mobile users.
A few of my favorite things... The best thing about working at Indeed is knowing that I'm contributing to a company that's passionate about connecting jobseekers and employers; we help people get jobs every day and we are driving hires for employers. I've seen friends get frustrated when looking for a new job and when I've introduced them to Indeed, they're instantly hooked and actually end up enjoying their job search. I'm also always learning and constantly being challenged. Seriously, there's never a dull moment! Whether it's learning about how business is conducted in a new market, or how our product team tests out new features, there's always something to push you to the next level and keep you engaged.
Today, Indeed.com has more than 900 employees.

48. Valerie Alde-Hayman, Gap Intelligence

Valerie Alde-Hayman first 100
Image: Valerie Alde-Hayman
A change in the game plan... To be honest, my initial goal was never to work at a small company; it was to work at a large and very established corporation. With that said, I couldn't be any happier with where I am today. Working at Gap Intelligence was my first “big kid” job out of college. I started as a research assistant and have since been promoted to the role of market analyst, which has presented me with new opportunities for growth and professional development as well as accountability for highly visible, client-facing reports — I've also had the opportunity to attend several industry events, such as CES, which has helped me grow in my role and learn more about the industry in which I work. Here's my advice for those who have hesitations about working at a startup:
Don't get hung up on the fact that you'll be working for a small company when you're really being presented with a great opportunity with tremendous room for growth.
Don't get hung up on the fact that you'll be working for a small company when you're really being presented with a great opportunity with tremendous room for growth. Working at a small company allows you to grow with the business and enables you to feel like you really have a role in its success. On restructuring and readjusting... Since I joined the company, Gap Intelligence has grown and taken on new business opportunities without sacrificing our culture. We have new ambitious and attainable company goals, and we recently underwent an internal restructuring, which has helped us to become more efficient and has also opened up new managerial opportunities.
Transparent values... The culture at Gap Intelligence is exemplified by our core values (accountability, professionalism, willingness, passion and transparency). The people I work with all share the same values as I do. In fact, I later found out that I was hired based on how well my values aligned with those of Gap Intelligence. The point is, we care — we are driven to grow, to be different, to be kind and to contribute our time, talents and treasure to the community. Our culture is all about balance and our drive to succeed in making a difference in our communities and in ourselves. There is tremendous room for growth — we're all about the "work hard, play hard" mantra, and we know how to have a good time without sacrificing productivity.
Today, Gap Intelligence has 50 employees.

49. Andrew Gottlieb, Blippar

Andrew Gottlieb First 100
Image: Andrew Gottlieb
Designing the future... While I was familiar with the New York startup scene (I'd previously worked for Brooklyn-based startup 3rd Ward, a community-based education and arts facility), Blippar was a huge departure for me professionally. Ultimately, the Blippar team’s excitement is what got me excited. Everyone I work with is so passionate about what they doing, the company they're growing and the massive potential for the future. We’ve already built the first fully functioning image recognition app for Google Glass — before we know it, we could be living in a fully blippable world where any object can digitally come to life through Blippar’s technology; the new capabilities in the pipeline promise to turn the augmented reality industry on its head. I think we’re on track to become a household name, right alongside Facebook and Google.
Limitless potential... Like any rapidly growing company, we all wear several hats at the same time.
Lately, a typical day for me could range from putting together furniture for our new office to giving product demos to potential clients.
Lately, a typical day for me could range from putting together furniture for our new office to giving product demos to potential clients. I feel like I got on board at just the right moment; it’s an exciting time for Blippar and new roles are cropping up quickly as we scale. I love that our team is incredibly open to ideas and input from all levels, from our interns to our co-founders. The potential for growth is limitless. On taking risks... Above all, I'd say we're a team of risk takers. Working in such a fast-paced industry is challenging, and we're all genuinely passionate about the work we're doing and Blippar's massive potential. We're an energetic group, and we thrive off pushing the envelope, dreaming big and building something that can revolutionize the way we interact with the physical world around us. And, of course, we also have a lot of fun together. A large group of us went to SXSW this year — and I can’t neglect the fact that when we moved into our New York office, the first thing we built was a custom bar.
Today, Blippar has 55 employees.

50. Andrew Tate, Vimeo

Meet Vimeo's Hire #50 from Mashable on Vimeo.
In the video above, Andrew Tate explains what it's like to be hire #50.
Creating a new role... When I first met with Andrea Allen, the head of production, and our CTO Andrew Pile, it was very apparent that there was a gap that needed to be filled [at Vimeo]. While we had great community and development teams, we still needed someone who could act as the liaison between the two. I was extremely happy to start out in a completely new role, in which I knew I had the full support of the teams I would be working with. Additionally, I was excited to join a company that was still small enough for me to carve out my own role, instead of joining a team that was already established.
Staying united during rapid growth... It’s definitely grown very rapidly — we're nearly three times the size we were when I first joined. Despite a much larger community team, and many more developers, Vimeo still remains a tight-knit bunch. I was afraid that the first thing to break down would be [communication among various teams], but everyone is so smart and agile that all of these things have been thought through — it never feels like anyone drops the ball or is left out.
On work and play... Our office is loud and rambunctious, and I wouldn't want it any other way, because it reminds me every day how easy it is to be myself and not sweat the small stuff. Our senior staff encourages us to take risks and do things differently, and because of that we end up with some pretty awesome pet projects, like “video jams” (kind of like “code jam,” but for making videos). It’s great because a lot of my coworkers came from the Vimeo community first, so internally, we're a reflection of the online community of directors and filmmakers that are creating amazing and passionate content every day. It’s easy to forget sometimes just how talented your coworkers are outside the office, but then we'll have a screening of videos that our staff have created, and you're reminded how amazing it is to work with these people. Not only is everyone here so brilliant, but since everyone feels pretty open to be themselves, I’ve managed to make some amazing lifelong friends that I love hanging out with both inside and outside the office. Also, dog Fridays rule.
Today, Vimeo has 126 employees.
Were you one of the #First100? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
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