Celebrating our Values at Camp Thumbtack, Philippines

By: Jelena Djordjevic, Thumbtack’s VP of People

From October 12–14th, 266 of our Philippines’ employees headed to the beautiful Island of Boracay to celebrate our first-ever Camp Thumbtack, Philippines. During three fun-filled days of activities, Thumbtackers formed new bonds, built lasting connections and rallied around our shared purpose. Much like our North America Camp Thumbtack, we celebrated our accomplishments and how our values have been integral to the success of our mission to help everyone do their life’s work with joy and purpose.

Leading up to Camp, we asked Thumbtackers to nominate who they felt truly leads with why, makes it count, owns it, chooses teamwork, and says what they mean. We’re proud to introduce this year’s Thumbtack Philippines Values Award Winners — Marissa, Jark, Jim, Yen & Justin. Read on to learn more about what each of our values means to them.

Lead With Why Winner:

Marissa Auxilio, Manager II: Marketplace Trust & Safety at Thumbtack for 11 years

To me, “lead with why” means we drive and work on any initiatives with a strong sense of purpose. As a people leader, it’s most impactful to communicate why we need to do certain things, identify what the valuable outcomes are, and how we’re going to achieve them. When we anchor our actions to our main goals, we can reach our desired key results most effectively. Experience has shown me that confusion is often minimized and people collaborate best when everyone clearly understands what needs to be done.

I started at Thumbtack during my college days. When I graduated, I knew I wanted to continue working here because I had a profound connection to Thumbtack’s culture. The team is very talented, humble, and nice. I have a genuine joy working here; I never feel like I’m dragging myself to work. From my agent position to my current leadership role, my career journey has been meaningful and fulfilling. Thumbtack has provided me with the training and support to grow my skill set. I’m beyond grateful that I can financially support my extended family and take care of my child while working from home. Thumbtack has been with me from the beginning (when I had big career dreams) and is still with me today as I continue to grow in my career.

Make It Count Winner:

Jark Cruz, Senior Enablement Specialist at Thumbtack for 3 years

To me, “make it count” means showing up to make a positive impact in every moment. It’s also knowing that what I do and how it affects people matters a lot. I always put my heart and best effort into training. I do everything that I can to ensure that my trainees and colleagues feel welcomed and empowered — I want them to know that they made the right choice in joining Thumbtack. It’s important that I “make it count” by fully understanding what I’m doing and why I’m doing it so that I can deliver the best results. Our CEO, Marco, said it best, “You have to make a difference that people can feel.” I try to be very conscientious about doing this all the time.

I have completed a lot of professional training in both quality and enablement, and this was possible because of Thumbtack’s commitment to development and remote work support. As an ERG Lead, I’m very fortunate that I’ve had opportunities to attend leadership summits and conferences that broaden my understanding of DEI and other topics outside of my daily scope of work. Our leaders and people provide tremendous support and a safe space for me to build my confidence and reach new heights. Thumbtack has taught me the importance of betting on myself.

Own It Award Winner:

Jim Ibanez, Recruiter at Thumbtack for 3 years

To me, “own it’’ means having a high level of accountability and responsibility, making things happen (even with roadblocks), and making sure that we get to where we want to be. When I was interviewing to work here, I made it clear that I wanted to help grow Thumbtack’s employer brand presence in the Philippines. A few months after I joined, I was leading employer brand initiatives; from creating our Philippines-specific Employee Value Proposition, to establishing a solid TPH social media strategy. It’s been such a pleasure to watch Thumbtackers join me in growing our employer brand awareness. Our employees naturally and intentionally spread the word about how great it is to work at this organization. Our values are not just words, we really live them.

Thumbtack has opened a lot of doors for me. I’ve been able to learn new competencies as I continue to hone my existing skills and knowledge. Beyond our stipends for learning, our culture truly cultivates growth. Each day, I feel both challenged and trusted by my colleagues. In addition to growing my recruiting knowledge, Thumbtack has truly supported my personal and professional development; they’ve helped me purchase books (thanks Thumbtack for my home library) and paid for course fees. At Thumbtack, I’m in a great position to achieve my personal and professional goals.

Choose Teamwork Award Winner:

Yen Cacdac, Manager: IT Support at Thumbtack for 3 years

“Choosing teamwork” is a life skill — it’s about creating a space where people can freely share ideas, build upon those ideas, and work together toward a common goal. It’s about embracing differences and encouraging a culture of trust where you believe in each other’s character, capabilities, and that when we help each other, we all win.

Thumbtack is the first company I’ve worked for that has truly made me realize that work-life balance is possible. I spend time on work, log off feeling accomplished for the day, and still have enough time for my family. I’m humbled to have an amazing set of nurturing leaders that have paved the way for me to succeed. I also love that Thumbtack is invested in training and development. It’s amazing to me that Thumbtack truly bets on its own people because our leaders believe that Thumbtackers can and will succeed at getting things done. I have been able to achieve great success here through a combination of hard work and mentorship from my managers.

Say What You Mean Award Winner:

Justin De Asis, Senior Product Specialist at Thumbtack for 4 years

I think “saying what you mean” involves more thinking than talking. Thoughtless words mean nothing — no matter how loud they are said. On the other hand, meaningful words echo — even when they are whispered. To “say what you mean” means you pick the right words, choose the appropriate tone and speak plainly. I truly believe that If we want to be heard, we have to make sure that what we are saying is worth listening to.

My time with Thumbtack has taught me to be more vocal and express my ideas and opinions. As a timid person, I’ve always struggled to speak out. At Thumbtack, I’ve always been in a safe, open environment. Working here has grown my confidence and my ability to say what I mean. I’m thankful to be at a company where people take the time to listen to what others have to say. It’s incredibly supportive; we let one another know how we can be the best versions of ourselves.

Celebrating our Thumbtack Philippines Value Awards Winners was a highlight of our Camp experience this year. Congratulations again to this year’s winners and thank you for all that you do for Thumbtack. We are excited to see how this annual tradition evolves and continues for years to come.

We’re hiring inspired folks who embrace our values. Check out our opportunities at www.thumbtack.com/careers.