Thumbtack was founded in 2008 after the founders were scratching their heads as to why it was so difficult to hire local professionals. They believed that in this day and age of technology, local professionals should be more accessible. Instead of taking a few hours to research, call and compare plumbers, Thumbtack is devoted to making it easier. Now, the company is used by millions of customers to find and hire small businesses across the country.
The best part is that not only is the company helping busy moms, commuters, homeowners, pet parents and people with big plans, but they're also helping landscapers, painters, personal trainers, dance teachers and entrepreneurs. At Thumbtack it's less about the product and more about building local economies and stronger communities. The company strives to level the playing field so even the smallest company has a chance.
"In our industry, you hear a lot of talk about the future of work. What I've come to believe -- because I see it every day -- is that the entrepreneurial spirit of independent professionals is the most precious resource we have as a society. They're the ones transforming the economy. Here at Thumbtack, it's our job to help them get there," said Marco Zappacosta, CEO.
Diving Into the Values at Thumbtack
Every big moment in your life will take work to accomplish. From hiring caterers for your wedding to finding a realtor to help you sell your house, those moments always come with a pile of tasks. But that's what Thumbtack is there for. Rather than focusing on those tasks, Thumbtack's mission is for you to find joy and purpose in those moments. And along the way make it possible for the pros to build a career on their own terms. The technology that is used by Thumbtack takes human talent and enhances it. That way people are able to create the lives they want, project by project. And while all of this is great, the company wouldn't have been as successful as it is today without the four core values guiding everything they do. The employees at Thumbtack live and breathe these values:
*Be passionate about knowing the customers and professionals. Thumbtack employees strive to help the customers and professionals reach their goals.
*Solve challenges by reasoning from first principles. What worked in the past isn't the only way forward.
*Help make the team better through collaboration, support and honest feedback.
*Get the work done.
These values contribute to what makes working at Thumbtack so great. FORTUNE and Great Place to Work both named Thumbtack as one of the 2019 Best Medium Workplaces after analyzing feedback from an anonymous survey. Thumbtack employees responded to the survey by answering more than 60 questions that helped them rate the company. But this wasn't the first time this has happened. "It's an honor to be recognized as one of the Best Medium Workplaces for three years running," said Justin Angsuwat, Vice President of People. "We're proud to foster a culture that puts people first, and equally values the impact we make and the community that we build; it's a commitment we'll always stick to."
The Community at Thumbtack
Tack Yourself to a Supportive Team
One of the first things Thumbtack wants you to know when you start working there is that everyone is in it together. You fail and succeed together. You learn and have fun together. That's what the team at Thumbtack is like. Collectively, the company has built an inclusive environment that celebrates everyone's differences. And while the company has several ways of showing this, the employee resource groups are what they're most proud of. The groups are a way to ensure everyone feels like they have a place at Thumbtack. The groups include:
*¡VAMOS!- For Hispanic and Latinx employees.
*WOMEN- For women.
*TACKVETS- For veterans.
*ACCESS- For employees with disabilities.
*NOBLETACKS-For black employees.
*PARENTS- For parents and caregivers.
*PROUDTACKS- For LGBTQIA employees.
*APACTACKS- For Asian employees.
By providing these resources, Thumbtack is continuously finding ways to bring out the best in the people who work there. The team there is always pushing each other beyond what they believe they're capable of and giving honest feedback. And while most companies claim to work and play hard, it's something they live by at Thumbtack. But unlike those other companies, Thumbtack actually cares about their employees' well-being. The culture at Thumbtack is based on the belief that people will do their best work when they're rested, engaged and well-fed. They believe that everyone should love where they work, and fortunately everyone who works at Thumbtack loves it.
The community at Thumbtack is very supportive of each other. As an example, Engineering Manager Joe Tsay started out with the company as a backend engineer. When the company was looking to add more Android engineers, Tsay's manager encouraged him to switch into that position. "I decided to do it -- it was always something I wanted to try," he said. Thumbtack paid for him to attend a week-long training course. And while he was worried that wouldn't be enough, the company gave him the space he needed to figure out how everything worked.
"They made it easy for me to pair with other Android engineers and become productive very quickly," said Tsay. "They really made sure I had the resources I needed to succeed. Thumbtack is a great place because we put a lot of trust in everyone -- not only to do what they were brought on to do, but to grow beyond those expectations." So Tsay ended up becoming an Android engineer and then later was supported to take on a leadership role.
The Benefits at Thumbtack
Thumbing Through the Fun Stuff
As previously stated, Thumbtack isn't all business. They like to have fun from time to time. Throughout the year, employees enjoy regular happy hours, off-sites that promote team building, and company-wide celebrations. There may even be a costume contest or two. This isn't
At Thumbtack, your wellness is something of great importance. With a generous PTO policy, discounted gym memberships, an in-house culinary team that prepares fresh meals every day and kombucha on tap, your wellness is a way of life. Yes, you read that right. The company has their own culinary team. The team creates fresh, delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners for employees every day. Yum.
On top of all of the industry standard benefits, the company goes a step further to ensure you're happy there. That's why every employee receives $450 to spend on Thumbtack services per quarter (hello, learning how to play the piano). In addition, employees get to enjoy a $1,250 annual education stipend.
The Tackterns at Thumbtack
Tack Yourself up for Success
Previous interns at Thumbtack feel like the experience they received there helped prepare them for their career and life after the internship. Not only do Tackterns leave with a more professional-looking resume, but they also have a sense of self that they didn't have before. "I've met some incredible people here, worked on some pretty cool projects, and learned a bunch not only about engineering and building a product, but about myself and what I want out of a career. As far as internships go, I feel like that's about as much as you can ask for," said Jeffrey Liu, a previous Software Engineering Intern.
Interns have reported that the company's culture is a huge bonus to working as an intern. Thumbtack actively invests in the culture to promote a healthy workplace. And it shows. The people who work there are always looking out for one another and helping each other out. In addition, everyone respects each other and their positions within the company. Plus it doesn't hurt to have "FriendsNotCoworkers" written on the wall. It's this sense of community that draws in both employees and interns to Thumbtack.
The internship at Thumbtack isn't for everyone though. The interns are given a lot of independence and responsibility. They work within small teams and learn by performing tasks. "Being able to feel valued, be mentored, and have direction while still doing impactful work and making decisions that affect the bottom line of the company is an ideal situation for me as someone whose goals are to learn and grow as much as possible while still making meaningful contributions," said Liu. After completing his internship, Liu was invited to continue with Thumbtack as a full-time employee.
The opportunities that are provided at every level, including the interns, really speaks volumes about what makes Thumbtack such a great place to work.
