“Don’t you love New York in the fall?”
If you’re anything like Tom Hanks’ character in the classic ’90s movie, You’ve Got Mail, this sentiment has resonance. Detailing his adoration for “The City That Never Sleeps,” Hanks goes on to wish that he could express his appreciation for the season by sending his virtual pen pal a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils.
For some people, fall is a season of familiarity and comfort. For others, it’s a season of change — an opportunity to welcome new beginnings without the pressure of a new year.
Even as the tech industry faces uncertainty, companies in New York City continue to grow. According to TechRadar, job listings in 2022 are trending to capture talent through a candidate-first mindset.
Whether you’re looking for an inclusive team with thriving employee resource groups (ERGs), an organization with mission-focused leadership or a work culture that supports exploring your curiosity, many companies are putting their people first.
Built In NYC, gathering its own version of the pencil bouquet, sat down with leaders from 11 local companies to learn why they joined their teams and what projects or challenges they’re looking forward to seeing through in the coming months. Best of all, each company is hiring now — from product and operations to engineering and marketing.
What they do: With offices all over the globe, Adyen is building a financial technology platform to help businesses like Facebook, Microsoft and Uber solve the problems that come with processing payments.
On staying as a tenured team member: “When interviewing candidates for our growing teams, the question I am most often asked is, ‘What keeps you at Adyen?’ While the answer has evolved over the six years I’ve been here, I truly believe that Adyen helps businesses achieve their ambitions faster; attracts, hires and retains incredibly smart and motivated people; fosters an environment of winning as a global team; and encourages you to own your career by offering incredible opportunities.
“Looking back on my career path at Adyen, I joined as an individual contributor, focused on helping our customers implement our in-person payment solution. I worked cross-functionally and around the globe to continually improve our product and work methods. Along the way, I went from managing one team to three teams. Fast-forward to today, I am leading our 140-person North American operations team. I am proud of the team and all that we have accomplished. In my time at Adyen, I have come to learn that I am a part of something that doesn’t exist in many other workplaces. We are doing something truly special here.”
What’s on the horizon: “Adyen has big plans for the future, and our global operations teams are foundational to our success. I am focused on how we scale our teams, while ensuring that operational excellence still remains front of mind. To do what we are setting out to do, we will continue to hire top talent, and being a part of the interview process energizes me. Every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new or sharpen an idea.
“Operational excellence is at the core of how we grow our teams — at scale, versus linearly — for the long term. I love fostering a mindset that seeks continuous improvement within the team. How do we do things better and faster? How do we automate what we do today, so we can improve something new tomorrow? With this thinking, we are able to scale quickly and in a way that works for everyone.”
What they do: Whether at a festival, tucked away in an intimate venue or from the comfort of your couch by way of livestream, live music can be life changing. On a mission to “get people out more,” according to North America Talent Lead Jozik Benitez, DICE’s platform helps music fans effortlessly find and experience the live shows that matter to them.
On joining the team: “Apart from DICE’s great benefits, work-life balance and relaxed company culture, I was impressed by their diversity and inclusion efforts, which ensure a safe and inclusive environment for their employees, fans, and partners when accepting my role here.
“Since starting at DICE those sentiments remain the same. Through exploring our ERGs, I’ve found a common connection with coworkers I now call friends and allies, and we are currently seeking a DEI Partner to expand our diverse global footprint.”
Looking ahead: “Expansion through the U.S., entering new markets and adding new features to our DICE mobile app excites me the most. The goal of my role as talent lead is to examine each vertical within DICE holistically and hire people who are capable of contributing to our expansion and share our mission to get people out more.”
What they do: Invested in by the likes of Fidelity, Goldman Sachs and Google Cloud, Dataminr expects the unexpected. The company’s AI-powered platform works in real-time to provide public data that signals and alerts its customers to high-impact events and risks around the globe.
On joining the team: “Innovation, big data maturity, culture, flexible work options and the opportunity to make my mark on an experienced go-to-market team were key in my decision to join Dataminr. It is an exciting time to be in cybersecurity, as every organization is wrestling with how to best allocate limited resources to mitigate the most risk. Throughout my career, several leaders have revealed that they are still playing ‘Whac-A-Mole’ with cyber threats, breaches and broader organizational risk, which is a reactionary approach — especially as breaches and risk exposure continue to grow exponentially.
“Adding on cyber point tools only solves part of the problem because they are often siloed, preventing organizations from responding quickly and appropriately. I felt Dataminr was looking at the complexity of cyber and risk challenges through a different lens — one that could help organizations shift from a single point tool to a solution. During the interview process with senior leadership, it was apparent that their level of commitment, focus, innovation and investments in cyber and risk capabilities were significant. It made me excited to help steer that future.”
What’s on the horizon: “We are working on very large, complex problems with an ease not typically seen in cyber realms. When it comes to cybersecurity, it’s extremely important to quickly understand the full context of an incident; be confident that the information received is accurate; have seamless collaboration between key stakeholder and decision makers; and innovate constantly, which we are continuously focused on.
“I approach value not from a cyber or tech perspective, but from a business perspective. What problem are we solving? What blindspots are we eliminating? What workflow or program are we maturing or making more efficient? How are we helping organizations react faster or communicate better around risk events regardless of vector, mode and volume? Recently, a CISO at a Fortune 100 company told me that he had great tools, a great team and mature processes, but he was concerned about what he couldn’t see in his blindspots. That really sums up why I am most excited about being at Dataminr. The value of the data we provide is critical to mitigating both cyber and cyber-physical risk.”
What they do: Beam Impact is building a bridge between retail brands, nonprofits and the consumers who connect them. Through one of Beam’s partners, customers have the option to put a percentage of their purchase toward a nonprofit of their choice, resulting in not only brand loyalty but also social impact.
On staying as a tenured team member: “There are three elements that make this an incredibly special place to work. It’s the combination of these things that has made me confident that this is where I want to continue to grow my career. First, it’s the mission. Beam is impact-first in everything we do. Whether signing new brand partners or developing new features, our entire team’s work translates directly to funding for nonprofits. This is such a motivating force in working hard every day.
“Second, it is the professional development and growth orientation. We set very specific goals focused on ensuring that Beam is a transformative experience for each employee. I knew I wanted to work cross-functionally, build new processes and build out our team. The progression of my role at Beam has been tailored to allow me to do exactly that: I help build functions and scale processes I’ve helped to establish. I’ve learned and grown so much in my time here.
“Finally, it is the culture of support and empathy. Our founding team goes out of their way to make Beam a place where people can thrive. There is a level of support that is unique and rare.”
Looking ahead: “I wholeheartedly believe that Beam is going to be ubiquitous and, in doing so, shift industry standards. We’re giving customers the ability to hold brands accountable, which means that impact is going to be a fundamental part of every e-commerce company’s tech stack. Because our product is so strong and we are the first movers, Beam will be the default company brands work with, allowing us to facilitate a massive amount of funding to nonprofits.
“We’re giving consumers control over their spending power in an entirely unique way. Where and how you shop is one of the critical ways that people influence the causes they care about and it’s often done without a lot of awareness or intentionality. The ability to be intentional with one’s spending, work towards specific impact goals and truly understand the ways in which they can make an impact on a day to day basis is revolutionary. We’re also building a culture that is unique, supportive, kind, diverse and talented, and I can’t wait to see it grow.”
What they do: Rightway helps its members make better healthcare journey decisions. The technology and services company combines care navigation and pharmacy benefits to offer personalized guidance and high-quality, low-cost healthcare.
On joining the team: “The biggest reason I joined Rightway was because of the career opportunities available. Since I started, I’ve always had the chance to have input and direction on where Rightway is headed as a fast-paced, growing organization. It’s really exciting to me to help create an innovative solution in the pharmacy benefits space, which is continually plagued with issues. Rightway’s culture has continued to deliver on its mission with incredible leaders who are passionate to do what’s right.”
What’s on the horizon: “We are about to take off from a growth perspective, and I’m incredibly excited to help lead that journey. Adding PBM to the Rightway product offering has really rounded out our organization’s ability to simplify the benefits experience and maximize the moments that matter. Clients want and know that they deserve better, and now that we have proven success, the sky’s the limit.”
What they do: The quip journey began at a dentist appointment, where one of its co-founders learned he’d made one of the most common dental mistakes: damaging his gums by brushing too hard. Today, quip’s lineup of user-focused products align with the company’s mission to create a simple, affordable and enjoyable solution to oral care.
On joining the team: “I am passionate about working with brands on healthcare missions, and quip is known for innovation in the oral care space. From designing to creating products that make everyday habits easier — and even sustainable — the vision for quip was extremely inspiring. It was something I could personally get behind. I also came to quip for the company’s culture and support of working parents. quip allows hybrid flexibility and is understanding of family needs, so I am able to drop my daughter off at school or take her to a doctor appointment in the middle of the day. This was something explained to me during the hiring process, and I am happy to say it remains true.”
Looking ahead: “I am most excited about quip’s journey to becoming a 360-degree oral care company. Influencers are a crucial part of our marketing and, so far, they have solely focused on sharing their favorite quip products with their followers. We have a real opportunity to bring our new digital offerings to life in a personal and authentic way by partnering with the right creators.”
What they do: Nibble Health is on a mission to change the healthcare landscape by removing the financial barrier that prevents people from having access to affordable care. Uniting financial technology and healthcare, the company’s platform offers a payment solution to support enterprises and their employees.
On joining the team: “There were many reasons I joined Nibble, but the biggest ones were the team and the culture. I was so impressed by how much such a small team could accomplish, and felt throughout the interview process that the team was genuinely excited about the work they were doing. After joining Nibble, I understand why: The problems we get to solve every day are incredibly interesting and rewarding. I feel lucky to work with a talented, welcoming and supportive team, and I’m excited to continue to grow in this role.”
Looking ahead: “I’m thrilled to help build a product that has the potential to really help people. I think it’s uncommon to have the opportunity to do work that can impact such a major part of a person’s life. Making healthcare more affordable to Americans is an incredibly motivating goal, and I can’t wait to see what we create together.”
What they do: To help put renters on the right track to own a home, Bilt Rewards partners with real estate owners to offer a program where users can earn points through rent payments. In addition to putting points toward a downpayment, users can also cash in on things like travel, fitness classes and home decor.
On joining the team: “I think Bilt is providing a service many Americans need. In major cities across the country, rent is only going up. And until now, tenants had nothing to show for their responsibility and commitment to make their payments month after month. As one of those tenants myself, being part of the major shift in this space is both exciting and rewarding.”
Looking ahead: “I’m most excited about being part of a company that is helping people by putting them in a better position than they were in previously. Having seen this company grow from its launch to where we are now, I understand the little things we need to do from a product and support standpoint to help people better understand our product and how to utilize it to its fullest.”
What they do: To stay ahead of virtual attacks and identify potentially risky gaps in security coverage, Axio offers a cyber risk management platform that gives business leaders the power to optimize and strengthen their security programs.
On joining the team: “The deciding factor that led to my joining Axio was my interactions with other employees — especially their passion for the work we do and their enthusiasm for the company’s potential.”
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Looking ahead: “There is a huge sense of fulfillment gained by actively participating in shaping the growth of a business that you believe in, where every team member’s contributions are tangible.”
What they do: Headquartered in the heart of Manhattan, Helix Sleep’s direct-to-consumer platform is dedicated to products — such as personalized mattresses — designed to make home a more comfortable place to be.
On staying as a tenured team member: “Our culture is motivating, innovative and respectful. This atmosphere has made Helix the ideal place to get hands-on experience in my field, challenge myself daily and watch strategies that I have implemented affect company performance in real and meaningful ways. The freedom to experiment and iterate has gone a long way to cultivate a level of curiosity in all employees that is unparalleled; across departments, every individual I work with is the best at what they do, and it’s incredibly rewarding to work with people who are at the top of their game.”
Looking ahead: “During my time at Helix, the company has experienced extensive growth and advancement. As a team, we have gone through multiple enormous transitions, and every employee and member of leadership handled each one with confidence, grace and, maybe most importantly, compassion. I have no doubt that the company will continue to grow aggressively, employees will continue to benefit from that growth and our products will continue to improve sleep quality — and overall quality of life — for millions of individuals for years to come. I’m thrilled to experience it all and feel honored to be able to play a small part in our shared success.”
What they do: Employee health and happiness is the bottom line for Healthee. The company’s AI-powered platform is designed to not only make health benefits more accessible and affordable but also easier to understand so that employees have the guidance and answers they need to take better care of themselves.
On joining the team: “The deciding factor for me was the powerful mission of the company and the way I was treated during the interview process. I was looking for a company that aligned with my values and would provide me the opportunity to change lives for the better. I am so happy that I found that in Healthee.”
Looking ahead: “What excites me most about Healthee is our potential to help millions of people. Health and wellness are far too important for healthcare and health insurance to be difficult to navigate. We are committed to changing the healthcare industry by making it easier for employees to understand and utilize their health benefits. As an account executive at Healthee, I have the unique opportunity to lead our growth efforts and partner with employers to empower their employees to be healthier and get the care they want, when they need it. Not only is change possible in the healthcare sphere, but it’s more realistic than most people think.”
