A Little About Me
Life before Cledara was non-stop. After 18 years living in Scotland, I moved to the US for five years, before playing competitive professional golf for the next three years all around the world. I then stopped golfing in 2019 and booked a one-way ticket to New Zealand to start a new chapter in my life.
Then the pandemic hit…
With the world turned upside down, I returned to education to do a Masters Degree at the University of St Andrews back home in Scotland.
My story likely tells you 3 things about me:
- I’m naturally driven and ambitious
- I like to try new things
- I enjoy being challenged
The question was - where could I find this regularly in the workplace?
Why a Start-up?
Working for larger companies comes with certain benefits (they offer stability, structure, and you get a nice company name on your CV and LinkedIn) - and that’s awesome for some people. However, I felt working for a start-up was better suited for me for 3 main reasons:
- More influence - You can make a real impact from Day 1 at a start-up, as you are a lot closer to upper management, the company strategy and aren’t bogged down by bureaucracy and processes. At a larger company, I felt it would be more likely to become just another cog in a big corporate machine, which didn’t sound great to me.
- Quick career progression - At start-ups, there’s nowhere to hide. I see this as a positive as you can quickly stand out with the right attitude and work ethic. Larger companies often have defined policies that limit the chance for career progression rather than promote it (no pun intended).
- Chance to try new things - Start-ups are less structured and naturally encourage creative thinking. They also allow more collaboration across teams so you are regularly exposed to different parts of the company, which I think is pretty cool.
The next decision was picking the right one…
Why Cledara?
When people say “company culture”, some think comfy sofas, ping pong tables, and casual work clothes. For me, culture is centered on people - and that’s where Cledara excels.
From Day 1, it was clear that Cledara looks for people who fit with Cledara’s values was just as important as finding people with the right skills for the job.
On team Cledara we have ex-athletes, people who speak multiple languages, experienced tech veterans, and newcomers transitioning into SaaS and the b2b software industry. We have different genders, ethnicities, nationalities, and certainly personalities. Cledara’s diversity is its strength.
Our executives are an endless source of knowledge and thanks to the culture created by our founders Brad and Cristina, they are approachable and always open to chat. This is priceless access for those looking to learn.
Cledara ticked all my boxes, making it a no-brainer - And don’t worry, we still have comfy sofas, ping pong tables, and casual work clothes :)
Has Cledara Lived Up To My Expectations?
Yes - and more. In my first six months I’ve:
- Had the chance to work with marketing, product, and engineering teams, learning different aspects of the business which I find engaging and really fun.
- Exceeded my targets for 3 consecutive months leading to getting promoted (woop woop!!)
- Had a 3-day offsite in Barcelona where we met our amazing Spanish team, went on team hikes together, and enjoyed the finest food and drink you can imagine.
The next six months look just as exciting, with the company growing at an incredible pace as we approach our next funding round. For me personally, a path to future promotions has already been outlined, with Cledara investing in education and training to help me get there.
At Cledara, we often refer to ourselves as a rocketship since we are growing so quickly, and it’s a great launching pad for career growth. If you want to come to join us on the ride, check out our Careers page!
P.S My Favorite Part about Cledara…
The transparency.
Our founders Cristina and Brad have built and foster a culture of transparency at Cledara which I find to be one of our strongest assets. As founders, they are open with the mission and vision for the company, and what it takes to be successful by serving our customers. From my point of view, I find this refreshing and exciting as it gives purpose to what I do each day.
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