Why did I join a small startup?

I recently joined Drift as the Chief Product Officer. Drift is a startup based in Seattle. More on that later.

I have been creating meaningful experiences and products for many years in both Europe and the United States. I’ve overseen large teams comprising product, innovation, user experience, research, design, marketing and technology.

Having worked with some of the largest consumer brands (Hearst, CBS Interactive, Getty Images, Indra, etc,) several friends asked me why Drift.

Drift is the smallest organization I’ve ever joined. And it’s also among the best.

It fits my values. It speaks to the most valuable lessons that define what drives me and energizes me:

Build stuff that matters – Cool design and technology are great, but building things that improve people’s lives is meaningful. Sure, we use artificial intelligence (and all the other cool kids available in the neighborhood right now,) but what matters is that Drift is doing it to modernize the energy industry and believes that clean and free energy is everyone’s right.

 Everything starts with a story – “A story can go where quantitative analysis is denied admission: our emotions.” Drift was founded by two musicians after they met farmer Dave. Farmer Dave wanted to install enough solar panels to power his community. But... regulations, financing, marketing… he gave up. Greg didn’t.

 Inspire and be kind. I’m often described as a motivational leader, with an informal style and a reputation of spreading enthusiasm to those around me. I can be myself at Drift, and everyone appreciates it because everyone is kind, everyone is here because we feel we are part of something much greater than ourselves.

Before I joined, and driven by curiosity, I researched the company, the founders, articles about what they were doing, their mission, their goals. My interest and excitement rapidly grew the more I learned and thought about it.

 Then, I met the team. I went from being intrigued, to strongly wanting to pursue it. I fell for the challenge, for the altruistic and humanistic nature of what Drift is about, for its people.

Drift is committed to leave this world better than it found it. And that’s contagious.

Joining a company with such great aspirations, a company that embraces transparency, fun and big hearts was more than exciting. It felt important.

It felt important not just because Drift was using the latest technologies to modernize the energy industry; not just because Drift was committed to make electricity clean and free; not just because I liked the CEO. It also felt important because while we are spectators (and some times victims) of racism, gender inequality, bullies, and lack of integrity and transparency in the workplace (no matter the industry), Drift felt like a whole lot of fresh air. And still today, it feels as if every day I’m the first person breathing that air for the first time.

Drift cultivates and promotes a culture of transparency, of caring, of genuine diversity that’s refreshing. Drift doesn’t care about gender, age, race, color or size. It cares about people, intelligence, passion and intention.

Drift cares. It represents the ideal company of the future. But it’s here and now.

That’s why I joined Drift. It's simple.