Our Fronteer Spotlight series highlights some of our awesome team, the work we do, and what inspires us every day. Interested in joining us? Check out the openings on our jobs page.
Tell us about yourself.
Matthew: Well hello there! My name’s Matthew, and I’m a Customer Success Manager here at Front. I’ve always had a natural curiosity for the ways in which people work. Before coming to Front, I channelled that curiosity into the scientific reasons behind how we work, biologically speaking of course, with a concentration in global health sciences. Over the years, I‘ve been extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to live and work around the world (the US, East Africa, and Central and South America), conducting global health-related research.
What I came to realize through these experiences, however, is that I was ultimately more interested in how individuals worked in a structural sense, rather than a biological one: What motivates them? What tools and systems do they have access to that help or hinder their work? Are they “working happy”? Once I started to ask myself these questions, I knew I needed a change from research and academia to join a team where I could begin to find answers…
What brought you to Front?
M: …so, I started my search. Based on my experience, I knew I wanted to find a tight-knit team, full of caring, humble, and hard-working individuals. I also wanted to tackle tough problems that have a true impact on the way people work. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a Fronteer and visited the office to meet some of the team. Instantly, I knew this was where I wanted to be, so I applied. Throughout the whole process, I was consistently impressed by the intellect and empathy of every single person I met, and I was also floored by the power of the product itself.
What’s your favorite Front feature?
M: From my first day on the job, I fell in love with the ability to share and collaborate on drafts. Coming from outdated email platforms, I spent so much time (and so many emails) just trying to send one message (i.e. “see my edits in blue”, “now see my edits highlighted”, “CC’ing Emily here to get her input as well”). While sharing drafts, I can ask my teammates for feedback, thoughts, or any radical candor they may have on how I can improve my work. Developing my tone and voice, adding insightful information, or just getting a thumbs up by collaborating on drafts are just a few of the reasons I am obsessed with draft sharing!
What motivates you?
M: I have always been motivated by learning how people work, so I can help make them feel valued and important. In fact, my favorite part of being a Customer Success Manager at Front is that I have to opportunity to help people and teams accomplish more together, fulfill their needs, and work happier.
I am also constantly motived by those around me. At Front, every single one of my teammates challenges me to be more curious, ask tougher questions, and strive for higher goals. I did not just find a great place to work here at Front — I found a family, and that is the biggest motivator of them all.
What’s something you love about Front’s company culture?
M: To be honest, there are so many examples to choose from, making this a fairly difficult decision. I’d have to say my favorite part of Front’s culture happens during our weekly All Hands meeting. You see, each Monday morning at Front, two Fronteers are recognized with an award in front of the entire company. One is the “Fronteer of the Week” award, where teammates nominate one another to celebrate an event where an individual exhibited particularly high standards (one of our values).
The other is “Stumble of the Week”, a self-nominated award where a teammate gets up in front of the company and describes an event where they stumbled and would like to improve. In fact, I actually nominated myself for “Stumble of the Week” and had the opportunity to tell everyone about a mistake I made and what I learned. It was incredibly humbling to remind myself that we are all constantly growing, and we all mistakes. (Plus I got a LEGO trophy for my desk!)
Interested in joining us? Check out our jobs page.
Written by Emily Hackeling
Originally Published: 17 April 2020