What does your team do at On?
We power our direct to consumer business by spreading magic to our website and to the On digital channels. We hope to get more people active and out there - wearing our gear, of course.
What On teams do you work closely with?
As we are an interdisciplinary team, covering everything from engineering and digital marketing to UX design and data science, we work across the full business. We also share the On brand to existing and potential new customers, collaborating on projects with Customer Service, Business Intelligence, Marketing, IT, Operations, Sales and Finance.
How is your team different from counterparts in other companies?
All skills are in-house so we can take quick decisions based on customer insights and turn around ideas from one day to the other. There’s no diversion or lengthy process of coordinating with agencies. Instead, we work with speed, ownership and responsibility.
What can you tell us about your team members?
We’re a curious and creative crowd, and we get up each morning to make the day more colorful. We are yoga teachers, juice makers, coffee fanatics, downhill skateboarders (and skateboard makers), design and architecture lovers, cross-fitters, trail runners, skiers, downhill bikers, limbo dancers, honey producers and craft beer enthusiasts. We’re located across Zurich, Portland, Berlin, Shanghai and Yokohama, covering more than 18 languages and nationalities. So, a pretty fun and diverse crowd.
What is a typical day at work like?
Number crunching, insight sharing, stand up meetings, deep-diving into opportunities and potential business threats. We usually have a lunch workout then share a salad in the sun, before going back to collaborating and driving results.
What is one thing your team achieved last year that you are proud of?
We reached some pretty ambitious global growth targets with a group speaking different languages and using lots of different terms — from Ruby, SQL and HTML, to PLA, UX and CDP. But at least we all understand AIV, IPO, CR and ACV, right?
How do you celebrate success as a team? And how do you have fun as a team?
We always place bets on how well new products will do during launches. Guesses can be data driven or a bit more creative. Somebody once won using Zlatan Ibrahimović’s birthday and career highlights as inspiration for their bet. Besides sharing drinks, dinners and workout challenges, we like to surprise people on birthdays with gifts (plus a lot of cake, candles and bad singing). These are amongst our celebration hacks. And, in terms of fun, sharing a goal or challenge as a team is part of our DNA — whether that’s doing a marathon, running a trail run, taking part in a no sugar challenge or enjoying mountain bike rides over lunch time. We also started a tradition that has become something of a company-wide classic: limbo dance-offs. Everybody tries, but the champ is on the E-commerce team.
What is a must for someone who joins the team?
Other than having the necessary skills, it helps to be friendly. On the first day, we do a breakfast so newcomers can indulge in some tasty food specialties from Canada to Turkey, then back over the ocean to Chile. Everything is prepared by the team so enjoy and relax.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to a new team member?
Decide on a mission and attack it. We are big fans of builds, hacks, getting things done and enthusiasm. We work in a fast-paced environment, so a strong entrepreneurial spirit is key.