As we near the end of Q1, many companies are continuing to set their sights on new phases of growth. Across Colorado — where more than $154 million in capital was raised in January 2022 alone — tech teams are looking for the best and brightest to boost their potential in the coming months.
Although funding and revenue often play a significant role in how organizations project their goals and determine how to reach them, digital marketing company AdCellerant remains focused on its team. “While profits matter, they don’t matter more than people,” said the company’s COO and co-founder, Shelby Carlson. She believes that, as important as it is to hire smart people who are eager to make a difference, there is inherent value in operating a workplace that offers employees a safe place to grow.
Similarly, the team at Maxwell is looking for new hires who thrive in an autonomous environment. Leading the digital mortgage platform’s product team, Andrew Vincent fosters a culture of ownership for his direct reports. “If we told them precisely what to do and what to build, we’d be wasting that talent,” he explained. By creating opportunities for exploration in problem solving, Vincent’s team can avoid limiting the scope of what they build next.
Built In Colorado sat down with Carlson, Vincent and leaders from six other local tech teams — including Artifact Uprising, Conga, FluentStream, SambaSafety, Wowza Media Systems and Skupos — to learn about the projects and missions that will allow their growth plans to come to fruition. Wondering where you might be able to fit on their open teams? Learn more below.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
We are growing in every department — especially engineering, product and operations. Our team of about 125 will add more than 75 positions this year, nearly doubling the size of the company. We’re looking for the future leaders of this industry as our company begins to change how local advertisers buy digital marketing both in the United States and around the globe.
What’s fueling your current growth?
AdCellerant is focused on helping small businesses ensure that the dollars they spend in digital marketing deliver more meaningful revenue on their books. That is done through the perfect blend of technology and human touch. We believe that technology can make us better, but relationships and trust still matter more than ever. We are focused on filling small business owners’ needs for easier access to expert and intelligent platforms and products that will help their businesses grow while also opening up the need for experts in many different fields. It’s time to put our best efforts into helping businesses succeed in these unprecedented times, which is why we are growing so rapidly. Our team, technology and services have never been needed more.
We believe that technology can make us better, but relationships and trust still matter more than ever.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
Hiring is the most important thing we do at AdCellerant. Our focus is to hire the smartest, most hard-working, kind and willing people. Our promise in return is to provide them with great career opportunities, growth, transparency, proper compensation, the most modern platforms and technology to work on, and a company focused on both now and the future. AdCellerant is a place where applicants can feel safe and cared for, but also grow their mindset and skills. Our company is focused on doing the right thing in every aspect of what we do. We are also focused on giving back to the community that’s given so much to us. While profits matter, they don’t matter more than people. If you’re someone who wants to make a difference, solve a major problem and work with the brightest in the field, then AdCellerant is the place for you.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
I’m hiring eight more people across product management and product design. I look to everyone on my team to contribute. What best practices can you share? Which pitfalls can you help us avoid? How can we collectively continue to learn together every day? This growth mindset is the key to creating a lasting and impactful product team.
What’s fueling your current growth?
Maxwell is experiencing enviable growth thanks to the positive impact our products and services have on our customers. We’re solving problems in clever ways, and when a product’s value proposition is backed up by indisputable metrics, that tends to get customers’ attention.
Maxwell uses a clever, future-focused strategy and is on a mission to help small and mid-sized banks compete with national brands so that more people have an equitable opportunity to own homes. That means eliminating barriers to entry for traditionally underserved borrowers and creating a more efficient, less daunting mortgage process. When we help local banks and credit unions serve their communities and increase homeownership, we’re having the right impact. We raised our Series B in 2021 and are using that to scale across the organization, especially in product and engineering.
I trust my teams to find clever ways to solve impactful problems.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
Maxwell gives its product teams ownership. We hire brilliant people across the organization. I trust my teams to find clever ways to solve impactful problems. We also have a clearly-communicated and measurable product strategy companywide. Each product team is given a problem to solve, clear metrics to move and the autonomy to decide how to get there. As they solve these problems, we achieve our goals.
Product management, design and engineering face challenges together. Product teams have the autonomy to identify experiments, execute research and test minimum viable products. They create their own roadmap to move their metrics and solve the problems our customers and users face. None of this is done in a vacuum. I always strive to foster an environment where different perspectives can be expressed and considered, and this shared responsibility prevents a myopic view of what we build next. That ownership allows us to succeed.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
We are excited to continue our momentum into 2022 and plan to grow our headcount by about 20 percent this year. Specifically, we’re excited to grow our product, engineering and marketing teams. This will allow us to improve our on-site and mobile experiences, launch new and improved physical products, and connect with our community in new ways. From copywriter to production coordinator and senior product designer to SEO manager, Artifact Uprising is quickly expanding and adding innovative thinkers who are passionate about helping customers bring joy to their lives. If you’re looking for a new start, we might have the perfect opportunity for you.
What’s fueling your current growth?
Our growth has been fueled by our continued focus on our digital experience and overall product offerings through both the launch of new products and the improvement of existing ones. We continue to look at where we can meet each customer in their life stage to make sure they’re able to document those important moments effortlessly and often. With many weddings being postponed over the last couple of years, we’re excited to help our customers document these gatherings in fresh and innovative ways.
We are a small and tightknit group that is truly passionate about the products we put into the world.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
At Artifact Uprising, we are a small and tightknit group that is truly passionate about the products we put into the world. Our customers drive us to create an experience through both our digital and physical products that allow them to honor the meaningful moments in their lives.
We empower our teams to think outside the box and put on their entrepreneurial hats to creatively solve complex problems. We value all ideas and give individuals the autonomy to make meaningful impact quickly. We also value growing the right way, which is why building a sustainable company is so important to us. When we win as a company, we want everyone in the company to benefit. Our hope is that employees will have a healthy work-life balance so they can be excited and bring their best to their work. Whether you’ve been with our company for several years or you’re just joining us, I truly feel the support and care between all of our employees is unmatched.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
We’ve got big ambitions for Conga this year, and they include hiring across all geographies and functions in the company. People who join us can expect to make an immediate impact, no matter the team.
Globally, the inside sales division alone will grow to nearly 50 representatives in 2022. We plan to add 24 of those roles in our Broomfield, Colorado, office over the next 90 days. We’re growing fast and looking for all-star sales developers ready to jump into sales-closing roles. In technical sales, it’s typical for a sales development representative to move into a sales role as part of their career progression. This year, we’re hiring the best-of-the-best SDRs who are ready to take that next step. We’ve found that as SDRs move into sales-closing roles, they want the opportunity to make more money and develop their skills.
There’s never been a better time to meet and exceed commissions and grow at Conga. We pride ourselves on our ongoing enablement programs that teach and certify our colleagues on the best prospecting and closing techniques. Our goal is to help inside sales representatives and other field-facing Conganeers develop skills that last a lifetime.
Conga has been described as a rocket ship, and since I joined in February, that’s been my experience.”
What’s fueling your current growth?
Conga has been described as a rocket ship, and since I joined in February, that’s been my experience. The company’s growth is fueled by both passion and purpose — a passion for living the Conga Way and a purpose to simplify revenue lifecycle complexity every day for every customer.
On the people side, there’s an infusion of energy from all the great talent coming into the company. We’ve hired key industry leaders like Rusty Jensen, VP of ISR global sales, and Ron Halbert, senior director of sales development, to lead the charge. And on the marketing side, we’re investing heavily in demand generation.
We also simplified our strategic approach. Past revenue solutions were complicated, disconnected and difficult to manage. Our revenue life cycle solution connects and standardizes processes across all teams to create one full revenue life cycle — not several fragmented ones. This makes it easy for colleagues to connect with the importance of the work we do and for our customers and partners to see the value we bring. That kind of clarity, as well as the quality of the product we develop and deliver, supports the growth we anticipate in the future.
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
Our approach is grounded in the Conga Way, which is a framework for everything we stand for and do as an organization. We don’t just talk about the Conga Way; it shows up everywhere. If their experience is anything like mine was, applicants will hear all about this framework — hiring, decision making, product development, recognition — in their conversations. New colleagues can expect to feel it from day one in the way teams collaborate and in the sense of unity, purpose and belonging we share.
Speaking for the inside sales team, we have three key goals: pipeline creation, closing at scale and innovation. Inside sales representatives in our Colorado office, specifically, can expect to make money, learn a specific sales process, have fun and enjoy delicious food from our in-house chef, Anthony.
I decided to relocate my family from Salt Lake City to Colorado to build the West Enterprise ISR team — not for the food, but because I believe so strongly in where we’re headed. I’m very excited and optimistic about this opportunity with Conga, and I’m ready to personally embrace Colorado as my new home.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
FluentStream is aiming to add about 30 new hires in 2022, which is a 40 percent increase to our total headcount. Growth is coming from all areas of the business, but the teams growing the most will be our tech, customer service delivery and customer support teams. Hiring for our tech team will be one of our top priorities.
What’s fueling your current growth?
With our award-winning onboarding and customer support teams working hard to keep all of our customers happy, we’re on a mission to simplify how small and medium-sized businesses communicate with their customers from any location or device. As we ramp up our partner program, improve our features and strive to provide an even better customer experience, we need more excellent talent to join our team.
We’re small enough for every employee to build meaningful connections, opening up even more opportunities to grow and develop.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
All applicants can look forward to joining a dynamic, rapidly-growing team dedicated to disrupting the voice over internet protocol market for businesses. They will have plenty of opportunities to grow their skills and make a tangible impact on projects. We’re also small enough for every employee to build meaningful connections with leaders and other departments, opening up even more opportunities to really grow and develop.
As a fully-remote company, we hire applicants from across the country and provide numerous remote-work benefits such as a monthly stipend and professional growth fund. We also have an annual event where employees get to meet in person and engage in fun team-building activities. Also, FluentStream has been regularly recognized as one of the Best Small Places to Work in Colorado by Built In since 2020, our CEO has a 100 percent approval rating on Glassdoor and we continually win accolades for customer satisfaction.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
We have a multitude of exciting, high-impact opportunities available right now. Nearly all of our departments are hiring, with the most open positions available to sales and marketing professionals, development and engineering talent, and product and operations staff.
What’s fueling your current growth?
We are further expanding our reach in the personal and commercial auto insurance industry, which has been losing money for the last decade. Our product allows insurers to accurately price and reduce risk in a way that they never could before. Because we are the market leader in driver risk management — and as employers add more drivers to their organizations — it’s our duty to guide them in keeping our roads safe. After all, we are all on the road together.
Because we are the market leader in driver risk management, it’s our duty to guide them in keeping our roads safe.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
Our mission is to “promote safer communities by reducing risk through data insights.” What we do matters — in a sense, we save lives. We have an award-winning culture, recognized by Built In as one of the Best Places to Work in Colorado three years in a row, and an excellent rating on Glassdoor. We also provide a robust benefit package and strong compensation, offer internal career advancement with more than 30 percent of our workforce receiving promotions last year alone, and grant true flexibility on work location — remote, in-office or hybrid. But most importantly, our people are exceptional.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
We are growing fast, both by expanding existing teams such as sales, and by adding new roles to our organization, like our director of product operations and software architect roles. We have exciting opportunities open around the company, including in development, finance, sales, product and marketing.
What’s fueling your current growth?
Wowza is an established leader in live streaming video. We’ve been around for nearly 15 years with tens of thousands of customers around the world relying on us for their mission-critical streaming every day. Our offerings — including deployable software, cloud-based services for streaming video and professional services consulting — continue to resonate with customers looking to engage audiences and leverage live streaming for their business goals.
We see growth in countless industries, from innovative medical solutions like live streaming of babies in intensive care units to remote test proctoring, university campus events and sports press conferences. Streaming is everywhere today, and Wowza is growing and building to support the next generation of the world’s streaming needs.
Streaming is everywhere today, and Wowza is growing to support the next generation of the world’s streaming needs.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
This is an exciting time to join Wowza. Not only are we growing, but we are also opening our new office in the Belmar neighborhood this month — with unmatched restaurants, services and entertainment right at our doorstep, plus a flexible, hybrid office arrangement that focuses on supporting individual employee preferences of where and how they want to work.
For years, Wowza has been recognized by Built In Colorado. This year, we were named one of the best midsize places to work in Colorado for the second year running, as well as one of Colorado’s best paying companies. In addition to great salaries and bonus opportunities, Wowza provides fantastic benefits including 401k matching and cash health savings account contributions.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
While Skupos was founded in San Francisco, we have greatly scaled our presence in Denver over the last three years. Like many companies, Covid-19 accelerated our work-from-anywhere philosophy, which has led us to hiring members of the Skuad across 19 states.
In 2022, our team will grow by more than 50 people. This growth is fueled across all organizations: product management, engineering, data science and engineering, sales, client management, customer support, design, the people team, and more.
What’s fueling your current growth?
Although Skupos is best known for powering data operations for more than 14,000 convenience stores across the U.S., over the past 16 months, we have added more than seven Fortune 500 consumer packaged goods companies to our roster of clients, in addition to many other household brands.
Our business model runs off of a flywheel effect — more stores equals more brands, and vice versa — and we’re spinning into escape velocity. Unlike some organizations, we firmly believe that growth-at-all-costs is not the solution. Instead, we focus on durable growth in a way that pushes our industry forward. Put quantitatively, our revenue-per-employee has grown approximately 100 percent year-over-year. None of this would be possible without our relentless focus on company culture. Each and every member of the Skupos team brings their full selves to work every day, which gives life to the values of our organization.
Every member of the Skupos team brings their full selves to work every day, which gives life to the values of our organization.”
What makes your company stand out to potential applicants?
Of course we have company strategies, goals and objectives, but more importantly, since day one we’ve recognized that culture eats strategy for breakfast. We also recognized early on that we’re not the best employer for everyone — especially if you’re just looking to punch a clock. But if you want to work on challenging problems, help small business owners and surround yourself with stunningly smart colleagues, read on.
Unlike organizations that try to adjust their values to fit the company’s state, we have continued to stand by our original cultural tenets, and more importantly, use them as guardrails for every new Skuad member bringing their authentic selves to the company. We are maniacal about increasing talent density. Everyone has worked for a company that recognizes that the talent around them is fine — but fine does not generate astonishing results. Instead, working with a group of force multipliers constantly brings you out of your comfort zone and allows you to stretch to new, previously unreachable levels. Our goal at Skupos is to ensure that you are constantly growing, learning and winning. Though I may be biased, I think we’re doing a good job.
