Settling into the holiday season is a welcome change from a busy year, and a much-needed reset before launching new initiatives. And while your post-Thanksgiving shopping spree might not include a Virgin Galactic ticket to space, plenty of other brag-worthy purchases are available. Just ask Slickdeals, a local crowdsourced coupon platform where users can find anything from VR sets to discount airfare.
This month, we’ve featured Slickdeals and 10 other local companies that are key players in their industries — and looking to hire new talent. Whether you’re scoping out a new role or just curious about Los Angeles tech, keep an eye on these growing teams and the perks that set them apart from the pack.
What they do: With six decades of experience in national security, The Aerospace Corporation is a nonprofit leader in federally funded research and development.
Where they do it: The company’s offices are located in El Segundo, an established hub for major aerospace organizations like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Boeing.
Working together: Donald Yang, principal director of the company’s Electronics Engineering subdivision, previously shared what characteristics he looks for when growing his team: “A standout systems engineer has the ability to solve problems that satisfy all stakeholders, from the customer to the contractor to the user.”
What they do: Step aside, cable. Pluto TV is a free online television service that offers more than 100 live channels of TV shows, movies and internet videos.
Expanding globally: Just in time for the holidays, Pluto TV recently added 10 new free channels streaming Christmas specials. The company has also extended its reach to Italy, launching 40 original channels across multiple genres.
Diverse benefits: Employee benefits include adoption assistance, tuition reimbursement, 401k matching and more. With 48 jobs opening across multiple departments, the team is looking to grow.
What they do: Route’s e-commerce platform directly connects consumers and brands, offering a suite of features that provide merchants with the tools necessary to enhance the (often overlooked) post-purchase experience.
A wide network: Since its 2018 launch, Route has built a network of millions of app users and more than 10,000 merchants. Real-time shipping updates, buyer protection and the ability to investigate brands’ positive change initiatives are just a few of the perks the app offers.
Brand case studies: A few years ago, Route helped local Los Angeles health and wellness organization House of Intuition achieve a 26 percent decrease in customer inquiries, a 40 percent decrease in time spent on inquiries, and 100 percent satisfaction rate in buying experience.
What they do: In partnership with 23 state and province esports associations, PlayVS operates youth, high school and college esports leagues in the U.S. and Canada. In specific states, competitors can earn a varsity letter and compete for state championships in Rocket League and League of Legends.
Backed by giants: Leading game publishers like Riot Games, Epic Games and Activision Blizzard are among PlayVS’s partnered brands bringing competitive esports to youth.
The right match: Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition Meredith Kaplan recently shared with Built In that the team looks for candidates who embody the company’s core values, which include “a player experience first,” “all-in,” “teamwork” and “impossible is our favorite kind of possible.”
What they do: Data sharing, security and consumer privacy go hand-in-hand. Spring Labs is helping institutions across finance, healthcare and media securely exchange data directly among themselves in order to verify identities and reduce fraud, while protecting consumer data.
Big benefits: Spring Labs recognizes that its employees are its competitive advantage, and its leadership has reflected such through extensive human resources. The company’s many benefits include a documented equal pay policy, free daily meals, relocation assistance, unlimited vacation and time allotted for professional development, to name just a few.
Building new leaders: Co-founder and General Counsel Anna Fridman recently shared how Spring Labs empowers local women with success in tech: “We make a concentrated effort to empower women in technology as early and as often as we possibly can, whether it’s hosting a meetup at our office, mentoring children at schools or providing lesser-experienced employees with opportunities typically reserved for veterans.”
What they do: Your Super is a startup with a mission to make healthy eating easier, offering organic, plant-based superfood mixes. With a 100 percent transparent and sustainable supply chain as well as a one-for-one food donation program, Your Super is working toward a more sustainable future.
Prime location: Their Abbott Kinney office is in the heart of Venice Beach, within walking distance to the beach and some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles.
Making healthy achievable: Your Super’s products “are made with busy, modern lifestyles in mind, and our customers can’t imagine their lives without superfoods because they love how they feel when they take them regularly,” Co-founder and CEO Michael Kuech recently told Built In.
What they do: The pandemic reinvigorated home gyms and indoor exercise, but as many class-goers know, a key component of the fitness world is encouragement and energy from the community. Since its launch in 2014, Zwift has been helping millions of people to ride or run in virtual worlds with an app that connects them with a motivating community.
Endless options: Zwift’s app offers more than 1,000 on-demand workouts, and connects with popular fitness apps like Strava, Fitbit and Garmin. It also offers training plans for all levels, from those just starting their fitness journey to seasoned athletes.
Fully remote: While their offices are located in Long Beach, the Zwift team is currently working from home and hiring remotely. Throughout the interview process, the Zwift talent engagement team leans on these three factors for a great candidate experience: transparency, timely communication and empathy.
What they do: BCG is the corporate innovation and digital business-building arm of Boston Consulting Group. Working closely with clients, they employ rapid iteration to bring ideas to life in less than 12 months, focusing on sources of new revenue streams and competitive advantages.
Success stories: Some of the organizations BCG has founded include Spotlyte, an editorial site featuring stories on beauty and medical aesthetics, MYIA, an intelligent health platform for chronic conditions, and Glyde, a virtual assistant that manages and streamlines business travel.
Global presence: With offices around the world, BCG counts Manhattan Beach as its West Coast home, in a tech-heavy region known as Silicon Beach.
What they do: Collaborating in creative, visual ways can be difficult when many employees are remote. Miro’s online collaborative whiteboard helps distributed teams work together on brainstorming sessions, workshops and product design.
Super-scaled: With a customer base of more than 21,000 customers and 80 percent of the Fortune 100, Miro has built its headcount to 1,000 to meet the growing demand. Read more about how Miro’s sales team is preparing for continued growth and hiring waves here.
Ad-miro-ble perks: Miro’s many employee benefits include unlimited vacation, 401k matching, and a home office stipend for remote workers. Going beyond internal generosity, the company also supports the local community with quarterly volunteer programs like beach cleanups and preparing hygiene kits for houseless individuals.
What they do: That Black Friday feeling? For Slickdeals, the joy of savings should happen year-round. Their platform allows users to search for deals, coupons and stores to save on everything from laptops to DJ sets. To date, they’ve saved consumers more than $6.8 billion.
Front and center: With an office in the heart of Hollywood, Slickdeals is a neighbor to Capitol Records, Netflix, and multiple studio lots. Their space in a high-rise building maximizes natural light and sweeping views of Los Angeles, with plenty of lounge spaces to appreciate the view. Check out our feature of their certified Green Business office space here.
Insider knowledge: While interviewing with Slickdeals, Director of Product Esha Shah could tell that the company culture was “extremely supportive, transparent and employee-centric.” Now on the inside, she can say definitively that the team “is super smart and thoughtful — not only do they strive to innovate from a product perspective, but they also have a very thoughtful long-term vision of where the company is going.”
What they do: With more than 160,000 customers and 40 percent of all mobile users in the U.S. consistently receiving communication from its solutions, EZ Texting is helping businesses personally connect with consumers through SMS marketing.
Working together: Director of Engineering Wojciech Szela shared how his department breaks down tasks without losing connection: “Each team owns a specific part of the product and the system, is given a wide range of autonomy, and drives their own goals. Working in such a way requires a high level of collaboration, diversity of thought and mutual support.”
Powerful perks: Backed by Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital, Investor AB and ROCA Partners, EZ Texting and its global team are focused on growth. To attract top talent, they offer benefits such as fully paid medical insurance (including dental and vision), a continuing education stipend, and a home office stipend for remote employees.
