Getting Crafty
If someone told me three years ago that I would be moving across the country to be the first employee at a consulting firm, I would have asked them to recheck their crystal ball.
As far-fetched as it may have seemed, this scenario amazingly became my reality when I joined Crafted, a boutique product development firm based out of Denver. I took a huge leap of faith, left my safe corporate job, uprooted my life to Colorado and never looked back.
So why did I do it? I can assure you that it wasn’t just the perks of working for a startup (although those are nice too) or living in one of the coolest cities in the US (okay, okay, that was definitely a factor). With Crafted, I get to share my passion for product management with some of the most innovative emerging startups and help them implement valuable solutions.
Prior to Crafted, I was managing the mobile strategy for a well-known retailer and was on a “fast-track” management trajectory. I had the dream job but felt complacent as innovation stalled in our digital space. I got my start in product management by launching our brand’s native app. Our company partnered with a firm similar to Crafted to build the app which is where I became totally immersed in the best practices of lean product development. I couldn’t get enough of rapid iterations, our user-centered approach and constant feedback loops. I loved collaborating and learning from the experts. With our teams and those best practices, we developed one-of-a-kind products that our consumers loved.
But as time went by, and other priorities took place, the app became “good-enough” and our focus was placed elsewhere. As we moved farther from our engagement with that agency, I realized that I yearned for this creative solutioning and constant innovation. I wanted to be on the cusp of all things “cool” in tech and work with a diverse portfolio of brands. I wanted to see if the grass really was greener on the other side.
Let me tell you, the other side is not only greener but rather full of lush verdant pastures. Here at Crafted, we are building a team of experts grounded in a culture of collaboration. Crafted has reignited my passion for product management that I discovered so long ago. At Crafted, every day looks different. We move at a fast (but sustainable) pace to not only stay abreast of the leading trends in product management but also to drive them. We are constantly learning and making progress toward our goals as well as our partner’s goals. The passion that oozes from our employees and partners is infectious. With our approach, no problem is too large to tackle and we are determined to find solutions that users love. This makes for a stimulating environment and culture that is hard not to love. Here at Crafted, there is no room for complacency or the status-quo.
Working for Crafted also allows me to stay on the cutting edge of technology. Emerging breakthroughs are disrupting monolithic industries and most of these disruptors begin as startups (remember when Amazon only sold books?). At Crafted, we partner with some of the most innovative startups who are looking to drive such change. I am constantly inspired by our partners and their missions to make the world a better place. It is so rewarding to work with such highly motivated teams to help them achieve their goals faster. Additionally, I love working across a diverse set of brands and learning about the various industries that our clients are so passionately improving.
Even though we work hard, we love to have fun in the process. Collaboration across teammates is key for our success and in order to effectively do that, we must build strong relationships and trust with each other. Team ski days, weekly happy hours and camping trips are just a few of the things we do to let loose and relax together. The Colorado lifestyle lends itself nicely to the work hard, play hard mentality.
I can confidently say that working for Crafted has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. There is nothing more exciting than being part of the genesis of something that you believe in. I love being an early part of an evolving company that delivers real customer value and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for Crafted.
