Hello! My name is Allison Martyn and I’m a Malbek Business Analyst who recently joined the Malbek team. I assist customers with the implementation of our solution, refining their contracting processes, and helping them configure the solution in a way that works best for their business to ensure it meets their business objectives.
Transitioning in my career from a large corporation to a small, tech start-up was a big change for me, and it was not a decision I took lightly. As I considered it, I thought a lot about the benefits of choosing a smaller company.
Cultural change between corporate and start-up
My whole career has been at larger, established corporations. While this provides a sense of security and stability, it can also be harder for an individual to get things done when dealing with many layers of management, approvals, and redundant processes. The company can grow stagnant and can’t get out of its own way on even small matters. It was very appealing to think of working for a small, nimble company that makes decisions, executes, and adjusts when needed in near real-time without getting buried in numerous meetings and discussions while many weeks go by.
The trap of “that’s not my job”
In some large companies, “that’s not my job” might as well be the company slogan. Roles are narrowly defined and everyone works in silos. Instead at Malbek, I hear: “How can I help?” Everyone pitches in, everyone answers my questions, and everyone is working towards the same goal of building the company through a great product and customer satisfaction. It’s a refreshing change to have so much support and help.
Variety
Doing the same tasks everyday can get boring. In a small company, everyone wears many hats and there’s a lot of opportunities for variety during the day. Over a single morning, I may be learning a new function of the solution that the team built overnight, guiding a customer through a tricky setup, testing an unreleased enhancement to provide feedback, or creating new configurations for a customer to test. It’s never the same day twice, and it never gets repetitive.
Using my PMP
Two years ago, I completed a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. For people in the know, this is a big deal. PMPs are specialists in Project Management principles and add value in any industry. After putting in so much effort to get certified, I was hoping for a company that valued my new title. When Malbek came calling, they were specifically looking for a PMP to add those project management skills to their resources.
Working from home
I mean who doesn’t want to work from home? Think of all the money you save on gas and dry cleaning! Not to mention saving time — lots of time — getting two extra hours back in my day by not commuting. You are less tired, more energized, and can be a lot more productive. Yeah sure, you don't get to hear the occasional water-cooler office gossip, but hey, you can always schedule a lunch with old friends and catch up on it whenever you like!
Given all of these reasons, I was more than ready to take a job at a start-up company, and I haven’t regretted it for a moment. If you think joining a startup is risky, and not ideal, think again.
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