People often ask me what it’s like to work for a startup. I recently shared my thoughts oncreating a great company culture, but wanted to let some HT team members speak for themselves on the subject (collected anonymously by our Head of Editorial, so as not to bias their answers).
“The work environment is simultaneously relaxed and stressful. The office is a fun place and the team is definitely one of the most tight-knit groups I have ever been a part of – we are all friends and enjoy working together and hanging out whether over a game of ping pong or video games or at the HT Bar. There have been huge team events like the annual Vegas trip in addition to the usual, like weekly games of tennis or impromptu potlucks and get-togethers. At the same time, there is always something to do – more sales, more projects, more meetings, etc. Being able to find the right balance is really important to succeed and keep your sanity.
One of the biggest benefits of working at a startup is the ability to wear multiple hats and work across teams and product areas you are interested in. As the company starts to grow and scale, this definitely becomes increasingly difficult with larger teams and more defined roles. While it can become easy to get caught up in the responsibilities of your own role, it becomes even more crucial to be proactive and make your voice heard if you want to test out new ideas or get involved in cross-functional projects.” – Supply Team
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“I've heard stories of development teams at other companies getting the cold shoulder – isolated in another building and having their own set of meetings and social events. That hasn’t been my experience. At HT, the Supply and Engineering teams spend a great deal of time together, whether it’s working on a new product innovation or an afternoon Super Smash session. There's definitely lots of collaboration and communication between the different sides of the company, which is sometimes hard to find at other tech companies." – Dev Team
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"Working at a startup helps teach you the true meaning of a ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. At any given time, most of us are involved in multiple projects outside of our core focuses, which can mean working long after the sun's gone, but it also means that you can explore any passions that you might have and can challenge yourself to engage in areas of a business that you may never have had the opportunity to participate in before. In addition, this side of working at HotelTonight is easily balanced out by multiple team bonding events, happy hours, and even daily breaks at the cornhole set, the ping pong table, and the HT bar. The amount of effort we put into all the work we do here is probably the same amount of effort we put into having a great time and enjoying each other's company. What can I say — we're a dedicated team, no matter the task!" – Product Team
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“There's nothing quite like leaving work with the feeling that you've changed something (big or small) for the better. The hours can be long and the work can be hard, but there's a pride associated with building something that is really hard to find elsewhere. It builds genuine camaraderie and that translates into a better product, a stronger team, and a bit more joy in your life.” – Customer Support Team
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“Working for a startup is…electric. The energy and passion derived from the team is unparalleled, and as a result so is the camaraderie amongst the employees. No day is the same, the word ‘boredom’ does not exist, and if you're not flexible and adaptable you won't succeed.” – Supply Team, London Office
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“Life at a startup is unlike any other job experience I’ve ever had. You work your butt off, push yourself harder than you ever though you would and take on tasks totally outside your comfort zone – and it’s worth it, because what you’re doing matters, to you, to the rest of the team, and hopefully to the world.” – Marketing Team
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“To me, one of the coolest things about working at a startup like HT is that I can think up something new (whether it's a different approach to working with hotels, a feature change, or a company wide initiative) and actually run with it. In my eyes HT provides an elusive combination of freedom and resources like seasoned founders, a creative team, and strong financial backing, to not only think about innovation but make real changes that have a big impact on our success." – Supply Team
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“The best part of my job is coming to work every day and getting to spend 8+ hours with some of the most creative, hilarious, and unique characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Despite the long hours, it is so rewarding to see your own ideas and hard work directly affecting the direction of the company, and even when the workload gets crazy there is always someone next to you working just as hard. It's inspiring. For all of its craziness, I wouldn't have it any other way.” – Production Team
Would love to hear in the comments below from others who work/have worked at startups on what their experience has been like!
Photo: HotelTonight
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