Sonder: a startup in hyper-growth
A two year look back at my time at Sonder
Last week marked two years since I joined Sonder, and what a journey it’s been. I was employee 63 when I joined, today we are 425 strong, and growing rapidly!
Sonder is creating a new way for people to travel and live. Whether you want to stay for a few nights or more than a year, you can rest assured that the quality is consistent in every space, all while being authentic and unique. I’m extremely passionate about Sonder’s mission, I’m in it for the long haul and to help build the future of hospitality.
I’ve worked at Sonder since graduating college with a degree in marketing. In just two short years at Sonder, I’ve had the privilege of wearing multiple hats. I started as a marketing specialist to help the company establish the infrastructure needed to manage long-term leasing and went on to contribute to the operations of multiple departments, including financial analysis, item sourcing, and operational process creation. For the last year, I’ve been part of the supply chain department, where we’re focused on helping the company achieve a high degree of operational efficiency. As Sonder expands to new cities and countries, these systems will have profound impacts on our ability to scale and deliver jaw-dropping quality for our guests worldwide.
During the past two years Sonder has allowed me to grow profoundly in ways beyond my expectation. I’ve learned many skills, created many processes, and become a better individual contributor in a very short period of time. The company’s rapid growth and culture have allowed me to assume ownership over projects and take on high-level responsibilities that would have been next to impossible at a more traditional company. Importantly, I’m also trusted by my managers and peers and given the tools I need to succeed.
On top of that, I got to relocate to San Francisco with the company as we moved headquarters from Montreal to the Bay Area — one of the best decisions I have ever made!
Working at a rapidly-growing startup can provide an incredible amount of opportunity in just a short period of time. But Sonder’s Mission and Vision are long-term — to build the future of hospitality. I’ve seen Sonder grow by leaps and bounds in just two years, and I’m just as excited for the journey ahead as the day I started.
Why I’m in it for the long haul.
Disrupting an industry stuck in another era — When was the last time something truly disruptive happened in the professional accommodations industry? With a corner on downtown real estate and highly inefficient back-of-house costs baked fully into their business model, the chain hotels out there haven’t had much incentive to innovate. Homesharing and alternative accommodations have provided travelers with more choices, but are still largely hit or miss in their current state — we’ve all had those experiences texting akwardly with a host while searching for spare keys hidden under doormats or in planter boxes. And let’s not talk about the boring and soulless designs of traditional corporate housing, which have taken the humanity out of spaces that should be made to feel like home.
Beautiful spaces built for travel and life — Of course nobody would ever elect to stay in a space that feels cold and dingy if they had a choice. But just because a space is professional doesn’t mean it’s beautiful; I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels and apartments that were “furnished” but still lacked personality and style. At Sonder, we believe that our guests should feel at home wherever they’re staying while enjoying a space that remains authentic and true to the neighborhood. Working on the supply chain team, helps me fulfill this goal by ensuring our apartments are furnished beautifully while staying true to the unique vibe of each part of town where they’re located.
Culture is important — At Sonder, all employees strive to extend our hospitality to their personal interactions. It’s very easy to walk up to anyone, including executives, to get help on something. Transparency is a foundational to the way that Sonder works, especially when it comes to company goals and decisions. Most importantly, everyone is open to giving and receiving feedback, whether it’s positive or negative. This direct input is essential to maintaining the beautiful culture that we have, even as we grow rapidly in the coming months and years.
Employee growth — Sonder invests in employee growth and success. We have a leadership coach available to all employees for spot coaching as well as group coaching. I’m currently part of a small cohort of 5 employees participating in a group leadership training program, and I’ve definitely seen myself become a better person and colleague as a result.
High caliber investors and leadership team — Sonder has so far raised $135 million in funding from leading investors such as GreenOaks Capital, Greylock, Spark Capital, Structure, Harbourvest and others. And our growing leadership team come from the ranks of high-performing companies such as Google, Amazon, McKinsey, LinkedIn, Hilton, Uber, Airbnb, Oracle, Coupang and more.
Here’s to the future. Come join Us!
Two years is a lifetime at a young company, but I see myself staying at Sonder for the long haul. The opportunity to help create a new category of accommodations and work with world-class leaders in technology business and design is simply too exciting to pass up.
Interested in building the future of hospitality at Sonder? We have more than 120+ open jobs in Operations, Engineering, Hospitality, Real Estate, Analytics and more across many markets. Check them out here and drop us a line if you’d like to join us on this incredible journey.
