There are more reasons to live in Los Angeles than just In-N-Out Burger. There’s also Worldwide Tacos, Randy’s Donuts and something called Moon Juice. Food aside, LA is home to a bevy of fast-growing tech companies boasting innovative mission statements, entrepreneurial leaders and market-changing products.
We talked to 11 local tech companies who are looking for fresh talent at all different stages of their careers to join their ranks. Read on to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be an employee in Silicon Beach, all before your first interview.
Apeel Sciences allows farmers, retailers, and suppliers to keep products fresher longer using a family of plant-derived coatings. Vice President of Operations and Co-Founder Jenny Du described their mission-driven workplace.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
The mission will attract you to us, but the people, culture and values will bring you across the threshold. Apeel provides an amazing combination of being able to do meaningful work while also having those essential pieces of your work life fulfilled as well.
Every single person here is genuinely committed to the mission and vision.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
Everyone on our team really cares; everyone is very selfless. There’s not a single person here who is just going through the motions. Every single person here is genuinely committed to the mission and vision. You never have to second guess intentions or motivations. This allows us to be candid and transparent every day and to truly focus on what needs to be done.
Mediacom works to help grow businesses through media. Account Director Beverly Wang explains how that approach is also applied to its employees through something called “Inspiration Day.”
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
One thing that may surprise people about Mediacom is that they offer an “Inspiration Day” once a year where an employee can take the day off to do something that inspires them. I love that Mediacom offers this perk to allow people to unwind, get outside and do something they love. The only criteria is that the employee has to share their experience with the team afterward to help inspire others.
Training is one of the key initiatives in our office...”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
The trait I admire most is everyone’s willingness to learn. Training is one of the key initiatives in our office with time set aside every week for various learning programs that range from technical skills, presentation training and leadership workshops. Management sees the importance of investing time into its employees to strengthen skills in all aspects of the job.
Pluto TV now brings over 100 live channels to any device for free, no TV required. Head of People Sheela Abdi tells us that because of her cross-collaborative team, there is more than enough entertainment for everyone’s taste.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
When I first joined Pluto TV I was pleasantly surprised at how cross-collaborative the company is. It's refreshing to see that our departments all need each other and work together to achieve our goals versus other companies where you may never know someone in finance or advertising. But here, each department is represented in everything we accomplish, and we lean on each other's expertise to achieve the goals we are all working toward.
The one trait everyone here shares here is passion.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
Pluto TV is incredibly diverse, with many different verticals that all contribute to the architecture of the company as a whole. The one trait everyone here shares here is passion. We are all equally passionate about what we do, and how we can continue to evolve the landscape in exciting and new ways.
Who says scrubs have to be boring? By creating a line of fashion-forward medical apparel, FIGS is dressing confident health professionals who want to perform their jobs and look good doing it. Vice President of Brand Jenny Seyfriend said she is inspired from not only the medical professionals she serves, but also the heart and dedication of her team.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
How dedicated each and every team member is to our core mission of celebrating medical professionals and serving others. People that work in healthcare inspire and inform everything we do. From product development and design to how we format our site to our catalogs, everything we do ladders up to the same thing: improving their lives and empowering them to feel awesome.
Our team gives their all every single day and we show up for each other.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
I think every member of the FIGS team has heart. You have to, to create something new, push boundaries and constantly move forward at such a fast pace. Our team gives their all every single day and we show up for each other. They've got heart!
Zwift is the app built to make indoor training not only fun, but also a community. Co-Founder and Head of Member Experience Scott Barger talks how that mentality of train hard, play hard, begins in the office.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
As the fitness company born from gaming, we’re a diverse set of incredibly creative individuals. We have hardcore gamers, former professional athletes and Olympians who have reached the top of their sport. It's an extremely rare mix of talent and I think this is what makes Zwift a great place to be. We all come together and share our expertise in pursuit of a common goal: making fitness fun.
As the fitness company born from gaming, we’re a diverse set of incredibly creative individuals.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
What binds us together is a shared passion to create experiences that our community will love. We are committed to make indoor training fun.
scorpion
Scorpion helps legal, healthcare and home service businesses build their online presence through digital marketing. Senior Vice President of Scorpion Systems Sami Kretz said having a passionate team is the secret to making a team of 750 employees feel like family.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
How small it feels despite its size! In many ways, the Scorpion of today still feels like the Scorpion of five years ago (with less than 200 employees), even though we now have a significantly larger team. There is a sense of family amongst the various departments that really helps everyone feel close. We have some aggressive goals and ambitions and knowing that you’re working with a team makes it feel so much more attainable.
...what doesn’t change is that we funnel that passion into hard work and then results.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
Definitely passion! Being passionate about what we are doing — whether it’s the success of our clients, innovating or about our teams — is such a core element of what it means to be a Scorpion. Everyone has a different way of feeling or expressing their passion, but what doesn’t change is that we funnel that passion into hard work and then results.
By incorporating AI technology, Convoso is changing the conversation between call centers and their customer base. Head of Talent Jenn Nguyen shared how a company full of risk-takers pays off when it comes to creating innovative ideas.
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
Some tech companies focus on getting it right perfectly the first time. But at Convoso, we know that getting it right perfectly the first time means nothing if we don’t make a difference. Our team of dreamy risk takers are in touch with a greater purpose. We want to revolutionize the way agents connect with leads. We know changing the status quo isn’t easy; it never is. But as we grow through the process, we pin our strength on curiosity, resilience and creativity.
Our team of dreamy risk takers are in touch with a greater purpose.”
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
Convoso is all about team work. That’s why every Tuesday and Thursday you’ll hear somebody giving a special “shout-out” to someone who’s made a difference in their day. These fun moments — when ‘inside voices’ simply don’t make the cut — help to keep our scrappy little team inspired and connected.
You can get insurance for almost anything these days. If you do, SURE is the company that helps digitize your policy, making getting the coverage you need easy to obtain. Wayne Slavin, CEO, shares how a team with a diverse background allows them to operate with companies on every level.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
Besides the fact that the idea for the company came from a flight to Las Vegas? The diversity and complexity of the problems we solve across industries within insurance is the one that surprises people most when they learn about SURE’s business. Our core offering includes a SaaS platform, CRM and developer tools for global consumer brands and insurance companies to sell and manage any insurance product digitally.
We deliver what we set out to deliver, we outlast our competition and we do it all as a cohesive team.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
Given our team's incredibly diverse backgrounds it would seem like a challenge identifying a common trait, however one that everyone on the team exudes is a high degree of quiet professionalism. We deliver what we set out to deliver, we outlast our competition and we do it all as a cohesive team.
From Series A startups to tech giants, Single Grain prides itself on treating each client with the same dedication and personalized attention they deserve. Head of Business Development Hilary Brown details how that same personalized support works inside the office.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
The one thing that would surprise people about Single Grain is that we are an anti-agency agency. Typically in agencies, media managers juggle 15+ client accounts, so they don’t have time to be a true partner. As a result, a lot of people burn out in run-of-the-mill agencies. At Single Grain, we value the growth of our employees and clients and find the perfect balance to achieve both.
Progress and growth are tracked and discussed in meetings and one-on-ones.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
One trait that all team members share is accountability. We're a close-knit team and encourage open communication. Progress and growth are tracked and discussed in meetings and one-on-ones. You have to be accountable for your results because that contributes to the success of the entire company.
LeafLink is a wholesale ordering platform between the cannabis industry and the retail marketplace. According to Director of CX Rebecca Campbell, dedication to the customer and the business is what propels LeafLink company to shape the future of the cannabis industry.
What's one thing that would surprise people about your company?
People are often surprised about how much influence we have in the development of the regulated cannabis industry. Our team is building industry-defining tools and working with industry-leading brands to shape the future of this space.
We're dedicated to our customers, both in terms of creating stellar tech as well as building great relationships.”
What's one trait all the members of your team share?
Dedication, in so many ways. We're dedicated to our customers, both in terms of creating stellar tech as well as building great relationships. We're also all committed to sustaining our positive and collaborative cultural internally. We're growing quickly and our dedication ensures we're all working in the same direction and moving to the same beat.
