Spreetail Life

Collaborating Across the Country

October 19, 2021

In April of 2021, Spreetail made the decision to expand our Software & Technology workforce to the six states we operate in (Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Texas) to achieve our goal of reaching thousands of additional candidates. Now that we’ve hired over 100 team members to work 100% remotely, we asked Spreetailers across the country why they joined and what remote work looks like for them today.

Donte McDaniel, Sr. Software Engineer – Philadelphia, PA

How did onboarding help support you in your new role and integrate you with your team?

Spreetail's onboarding is superb. Not only did I learn about the company, I also had specific technical questions that were answered during the onboarding. It was also nice to speak with the CTO, Jake Schmitt, and ask him questions regarding the trajectory/vision of Spreetail over the next 5-10 years. Lets face it, CTOs don't usually go above and beyond to talk to new hires during onboarding.

Describe the collaboration you’ve experienced so far amongst your team.  

Amazing collaboration. Everyone is welcoming and the energy levels are always high. Also they are always willing to help.

Robin Rees, Software Engineering Manager – Indianapolis, IN

What do you enjoy most about working remotely for Spreetail?

It doesn't feel remote to me. There is constant contact with the team and others so I never feel disconnected.

How did onboarding help support you in your new role and integrate you with your team?

The onboarding at Spreetail was the best I've had in my career. It was broad but deep enough to provide context. I had a much better picture of all of the teams and their roles afterward. The shared experience with others in my onboarding class was so great, we've continued to meet on a regular basis as a group since.

Robin leading the Marketplace Platform Engineering Team from his home in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Ali Shaffer, UX Designer - Lincoln, Nebraska

Why did you choose to join Spreetail?

I knew Spreetail was a place full of innovators looking to make a difference in e-commerce, especially through technology. I wanted to be in a place where I would be challenged but also supported along my journey as a designer. Spreetail has exceeded my expectations!

Describe the collaboration you’ve experienced so far amongst your team.  

From the very beginning, everyone has welcomed communication and collaboration. Our teams are quick to jump on a call or find time to work through roadblocks, whether through chat or a meeting. The number of times I've asked, "Do you have a minute?" to our Design Lead or my Product Manager is too many to count. But I think that availability and connection helps it feel like we're working together, even if we're working apart physically.

Bo George, Sr. Software Engineer – GA

Why did you choose to join Spreetail?

When Tom (my recruiter) reached out I had not heard of Spreetail. In my initial research I got a real sense for the growth and excitement at Spreetail that really peeked my interest. My interviews are what really cemented my decision. Everyone was smart, engaged, courteous and passionate and really made me want to work with them.

What do you enjoy most about working remotely for Spreetail?

I have worked remotely for nearly 15 years but I feel like Spreetail is the first time a company really treats remote employees as first class employees. So often with meetings, events and communications you can tell remote employees are an after thought. With Spreetail, things like sending remote employees things that in-person attendees would typically only get shows that Spreetail cares and includes us in everything.

Bo utilized his $1600 work-from-home reimbursement to purchase three monitors for optimal screen sharing.

Ed Jaros, Software Engineering Manager – Lincoln, NE

What do you enjoy most about working remotely for Spreetail?

I love that we can cast a wider net in our talent searches. I love that when I need to silence distractions and focus I can. I love that I get to eat lunch with my kids so often. I love that our IT team makes secure remote access trivially simple for me.

Is there anything that makes Spreetail stand out compared to other remote positions you’ve had before?

Earnest commitment to our values. Every company claims some abstract mission but Spreetail is the only place I have seen culture given real priority. We take time out to volunteer. We integrate mantra/competencies into how we evaluate and reward performance. We drive hiring decisions on culture fit. We put our money where our mouth is on work culture and it makes our rocket-ship growth and pace of change possible.


Ashok Matta, Sr. Data Science Engineer – Reno, NV

Why did you choose to join Spreetail?

Because of the grand vision and big goals the company had set forth in this decade.

What is your favorite thing about the tech stack (technology) we use at Spreetail?

Build vs. Buy gives an opportunity to think in an innovative manner and getting things accomplished. I love the Azure Cloud Platform which helps employees to build quick and deploy.


Jack Smith, Sr. Security Systems Engineer – Austin, TX

Describe the collaboration you’ve experienced so far amongst your team.  

We have a security and coffee stand-up with just the engineers, participate in bi-weekly meetings with the entire team, and weekly stand ups with the entire technology division. All the teams are producing a lot of weekly updates on activities going on. Microsoft Teams is filled with channels to find current activity as well. Lessonly, our Learning Management System, is available to brush up on high-level education about process and tools, with Atlassian there to delve into the deeper details.

How do you build relationships with coworkers while working remotely?

The key here is to be curious, patient and ask a lot of questions. Take time to get to know individuals and share stories before getting into business.

Jack joined our Security Team in Austin, Texas in 2019.

Last but not least, we asked this group to each share a word describing the remote culture they've experienced. If you want to work in a passionate, transparent, fantastic, dynamic, awesome, accessible, and curious culture - Spreetail is for you. Apply to join our Software & Technology team today.

Tanya Hewitt

Software & Technology Recruiter

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