When you pull up a company profile, you will likely find its vital statistics like revenue, employee size, and years in business. Rarely, do you see the people behind the organization.
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Rockstar
Jordan Allan is the man behind ZayZoon's ZZ Radio. The Senior Developer curates playlists on Spotify with titles like Summer Vibes, Get Da Funk Out, Post-Rock where the rest of the organization is encouraged to add their own songs to the lists. This initiative came from Jordan’s love for music; he is a guitar player and gifted singer.
The Edmonton native attended NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) graduating in Computer Systems Technology. He moved to the Okanagan in beautiful British Columbia after graduating. In 2015, he made his move to Calgary to further his career in software engineering, where he met VP of Technology Yuval Kordov. “We have been inseparable ever since.” Jordan joined ZayZoon in early 2019; he saw it as a great opportunity to continue working with Yuval, mentor other developers, all while helping people and making an impact in financial wellness.
The cat dad of two gorgeous Siberian cats is an outdoor enthusiast. He loves hiking the Rocky Mountains, even taking fellow ZayZooners along with him on some of his outings. Jordan is also a skillful chess player who may have schooled a couple of ZZ employees during a company virtual game.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Queen of Quick Wit
When Leanne Poda joined ZayZoon earlier this year, the team was excited to work with her. After all, she came highly recommended by none other than Co-Founder and CFO Jamie Ha. The Calgary native felt comfortable jumping into the role of Customer Success Representative.
She had no hesitation in joining the organization. “I worked with Jamie Ha from a previous job. Knowing his personality; morals, and values, I knew that he would be surrounded by like-minded people.” In her current role, Leanne is known for her patience, the ability to deliver a world-class customer experience, and providing valuable feedback to the internal team so we can continue to improve.
Aside from excelling in her role, Leanne has a delicious sense of humor. She is notorious for having the best comebacks and perfect comedic timing; constantly delivering mic-drop moments. No one is safe, albeit, she seems to take a lot of pride in teasing Customer Success Manager, Lem.
As a mom of four kids, Leanne acknowledges that knowing her kids are happy is her top priority. Although, she looks forward to a time where things slow down a bit, relaxing, and hanging out with friends and family.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Rolling Stone
Adlai Brown has bragging rights at ZayZoon as the only employee to host their very own ‘Drink & Think’ on their first week on the job. The weekly event is held every Friday with the speaker presenting a topic of their choice to the broader Zayzoon team. Adlai gave a presentation on stone masonry; covering topics such as tools and techniques for shaping and stone extraction, cultural differences, and building with stone. This earned him the nickname Stoner.
Adlai has lived most of his life in Calgary and went to the University of Calgary graduating in Mechanical Engineering. Originally working in the oil and gas industry, he transitioned to tech two years ago. The software developer was drawn to ZayZoon, not only for its mission of, “helping people with their finances,” but also for its down-to-earth and team-oriented approach. His impression has been correct, having enjoyed lunch with teammates and mountain hikes.
Adlai enjoys a lot of hobbies including guitar, running, gardening with his kids, and going to the mountains. He’s also a big fan of sumo wrestling. It looks like we now know what his next D&T topic is going to be when his turn comes up again.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Sweet Tooth
Ralph Azucena knew for a long time he wanted to work on a product he believed in. He wanted something that was meaningful, making a positive impact in somebody’s life. ZayZoon fit the bill for the software developer because as he puts it, “I hate predatory practices such as payday loans and ZayZoon helps solve that issue.”
Born in the Philippines, Ralph moved to Canada in 2003. He completed his Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering with Nanotechnology Option from The University of British Columbia. Aside from joining the organization for its mission, Ralph knew he was working with the right people early on when he found himself absorbed in the debate everyone was having between the preference for cats or dogs.
Ralph took a month in 2018 to travel through nine European countries. Prior to that, he spent a whole summer with friends going through four different Asian countries. He is weighing his options on what the next big adventure will be. A bicycle trip across Canada, he admits, would be a challenge but also a really fun thing to do. The Vancouver resident reveals he is happiest when he is eating Southeast Asian desserts like cendol, leche flan, turon or as he points out anything with coconut, pandan, or sticky rice.
#people #dreamteam #financialwellnessDescription goes here
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Ale Connoisseur
This week, our VP of Product, Shayan Rahnama is in the spotlight. Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Shayan who is known as Shy in the organization, moved to Ontario to complete his degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo. Later, he went on to earn his MBA from the University of Toronto.
Shy got the bug to work in rapid-growth, early stage companies shortly after completing his undergraduate degree. This decision took him to projects in France, Botswana, and Trinidad & Tobago. Joining ZayZoon felt like the perfect fit for him. “The mission is incredible. It's at a great size and I felt I could come and make an impact in moving us towards our vision. After meeting the team I had no doubt about the people.”
When asked what hidden talent he possesses, the father of one boasts he is able to rap, in its entirety, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s mini-rap from Moana’s, “You’re Welcome.” Shy loves his coffee and beer. The latter is such a passion that he considered starting his own brewery a few years ago. For now, he is happy trying different, tasty crafts.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Mountain Man
Meet Casey Woods, Director of Digital Marketing.
Casey is as Calgarian as they come, born and raised in this extraordinary city. He lived in Edmonton a few years ago to attend the University of Alberta, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Physical Geography. He returned to his hometown in 1995 and hasn’t looked back since.
Joining ZayZoon was an easy decision for Casey, not only because, “we are helping people to get off the treadmill of predatory payday loans and overdraft fees” but also the corporate culture. “I like the fact that we have a good time and that people also seem to genuinely care about each other.”
Casey loves to ski in the winter and mountain bike in the summer. He’s proud to mention he spends more than 30 days out of the year enjoying his winter past time. The father of two university and one high school students, hopes to travel more internationally with his wife, now that their kids are older. Casey is a laid back person, although he realizes his pet-peeve is the planned obsolescence of items like furnaces, dishwashers, or computers. He acknowledges this makes him sound old and follows it up with, “Hey you kids... get off my lawn!”
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Work Dad
This week's Meet the Team spotlight is on ZayZoon’s VP of Growth, Shubh Sidhu.
Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Shubh grew up in Edmonton, Alberta and went on to graduate from the University of Alberta with an Engineering degree. Shubh has known ZayZoon CEO Darcy Tuer for many years and jumped at the opportunity to work with him.
He found joining ZayZoon to be “an opportunity to do good while I was doing my job, and those opportunities don't come along every day.”
When asked to list his favourite ZayZoon memory, Shubh concedes it's an impossible question to answer as every week, there is someone doing something new that makes him happy or makes him laugh. He points out, if he was asked this in a month he would have more wonderful memories to add. If he had to pick, he will most likely say going to Minneapolis with Darcy or heading to Orlando with Tate.
Shubh’s aspiration is to be the best partner and dad he can be, "the thing that makes me happiest is when the people that I care about are happy.” The father of three takes a very active role in mentoring; empowering team members to do their best and think outside the box. This is why many see him as their unofficial work dad.
#paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Medieval Newlywed
This week’s Meet the Team is Angela Ogle who hails from the Gateway to the West, South St. Louis. The Sales Executive was born and raised in Missouri. Six years ago, she moved from the neighbourhood she grew up in to Granite City, Illinois, however, she is still close to her roots as it’s only a 30-minute drive to her hometown.
Angela made her move to ZayZoon earlier this year. She had worked with ZayZoon's Shubh Sidhu a few years back and kept in touch. When a sales position opened up, she jumped at the opportunity. “I knew I made the right choice the first week. I have never felt so supported and included in a workplace before.” Angela proudly proclaims Apryl is her work BFF.
Last Halloween, Angela married her husband in a Masquerade Ball that was both Medieval and All Hallows' Eve inspired. Attendees even decorated their vehicles and stocked them with candies so the kids at the wedding could still go trick or treating. The newlyweds went to Destin, Florida for their honeymoon.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Busy Bee
This week’s Meet the Team profile is ZayZoon’s Customer Success Representative, Victoria Ngo. Born and raised in Calgary, Victoria graduated from the University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business with a Major in Operations Management.
A volunteer for the JA Southern Alberta program, Victoria mentors high school students who want to start and run their own company. This is what attracted her to ZayZoon.
“ZayZoon is a good fit for me because there is emphasis on financial literacy, and that directly relates to what we try to teach our students at JA.”
Victoria admits she's a busy body. While her friends can frame a day around one event, Victoria is the type of person who can fit in several, without skipping a beat. Among the things to keep her busy, Victoria has a bucket list she's always updating. Near the top of the list includes visiting Japan because as the self-professed foodie explains, “it's Japan!”
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Jazz Man
The spotlight shines on Sales Executive, Wayne Mitchell in this week’s Meet the Team profile. Wayne was born and raised in New York City, although he now calls the San Fernando Valley in southern California home.
Wayne joined ZayZoon earlier this year and what attracted him to the HRTech company was our commitment in helping our customers achieve financial health. What cemented his move was the camaraderie he experienced in initial meetings with Shubh, Shane, and Darcy. He also mentions the warm welcome he has received from the rest of the company and continues to be impressed with the collaborative and tight-knit company culture.
Music is a huge part of Wayne’s life. He can easily listen to jazz music 24hours a day. Going to jazz concerts is truly one of his favorite things in life.
A boxing aficionado at heart, Wayne is also an avid traveler, having visited countries like England, Scotland, Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago to name a few. This explains his ultimate bucket list goal to live on a boat.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Creative Whiz
This week’s Meet the Team profile is ZayZoon’s Product Designer, Victor Platon. Born in Winnipeg, MB, Victor is passionate about many things. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a BA in English and Art History. He was also an emcee in the underground Hip-Hop scene in his hometown. He went on to graduate with Honours in Digital Design from the Vancouver Film School.
Victor identifies with ZayZoon's core values. His favourite being, ‘Mastery’ as he has a thirst for knowledge and is constantly striving to improve. This is pretty clear when you hear the father of two speak about anything relating to design, notably when he talks about things like ‘the ubiquity of design,’ or ‘the importance of inclusivity in design’ to name a few. If you get excited about those things too, Victor would like to meet you.
Recently, Victor hosted a Drink & Think on creativity and how it can be found everywhere. He took attendees on a journey of his stunning creations like commissioned murals, logos, and even painting collaborations with his kids. The session was such a success, it launched an internal team channel called 'Look What I Made' where team members share their own creativity.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Proud Canine Dad
Marketing Associate Chaz Somers is in the limelight in this week’s Meet the Team series. Chaz was born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, a place he still calls home. Although it’s a small town, he describes it as a place rich in culture, with excellent food and good people.
ZayZoon is headquartered in Calgary but Chaz has no issues working remotely, however, he does have moments where he would like to attend meetings in-person because of his love for the positive team dynamics. He admits he has “fun times virtually with Drink + Thinks and other team building exercises.”
When he’s not hard at work producing marketing content, Chaz can be found spending quality time with friends, biking, or playing video games, NHL and Call of Duty being amongst his favourites. Chaz is known for his adorable laugh, constantly ribbing Shubh Sidhu, and expressing love for his dog Molly. On several conference calls, team members have noted they thought Chaz was complimenting them only to realize he was talking to his Shih Tzu.
Always in a good mood and bubbling with a positive attitude, Chaz does have one pet peeve: people who don't adjust TV volume in multiples of fives. “It's just the way it should be,” he claims.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Fintech Mastermind
Meet Co-Founder and President of ZayZoon, Tate Hackert. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Tate sees himself as a British Columbian at heart since his family moved to Vancouver Island when he was younger. He attended the University of Victoria to study Economics and finished the final semester at the City University of Hong Kong.
Tate is the brain behind ZayZoon, developing the idea of providing access to funds before payday, in 2013. He feels gratified knowing “we get to improve the financial health of people each and every day.” One of his favourite ZayZoon experiences involves a business trip to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania where he helped film a Holiday Inn Express testimonial video. Wearing a ZayZoon shirt at the local Walmart, someone saw Tate and exclaimed, “Hey, ZayZoon! I use that!"
Tate is learning Spanish, loves to travel, and partake in activities that require him to be fully present and focused, like martial arts or a difficult hike. He admits he's happiest when he's “in the sun and close to an ocean, lake, or river.” Also a musician, Tate enjoys listening to and playing music of all types, with the flavour of this month being Lana Del Rey, Alexisonfire, Mike Posner, and Lamb Of God.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Vinyl Aficionado
In this week’s Meet the Team series, we introduce you to Randy Humphrey in Business Development. The Arizona resident was one of the first people ZayZoon President Tate Hackert spoke to when he was formalizing the idea of our Wages On-Demand employee benefit.
Randy along with his step-son and fellow ZayZooner, Shane Edrington, were working on providing hardworking Americans with access to capital before payday. Tate and Randy continued to touch base every couple of months until he officially joined ZayZoon about four years ago. He feels the best thing about ZayZoon are the people, “compassion is in our DNA and that shows with every customer and partner experience.”
The father of three and grandfather of six is a huge music fan who has amassed a substantial and quite impressive vinyl collection, The Rolling Stones being his favorite band.
Sometimes called Randolf on the team because of his wisdom, Randy is also known for his vast collection of baseball caps. To this day, it is unclear as to how many he actually owns but it’s safe to say it’s worth a small fortune.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Tech Goth
Our very own VP of Technology, Yuval Kordov is this week’s Meet the Team profile. Yuval joined ZayZoon in 2019. His admittedly career-long obsession with startups, having worked at seven since 1998, coupled with his desire to help and do good things for people made his move to ZayZoon effortless.
Born in the UK, Yuval moved with his family to Canada when he was 10 years old. Growing up, he read the Dragonlance fantasy novels, deeming them as life changing. He considers himself an artist at heart, and has published several books on a number of topics ranging from poetry to Dungeons & Dragons. His current love is building custom LEGO in the hopes that one day, it will evolve into either a movie, novel or video game.
A family man at heart, married with two kids, Yuval admits he went through a goth phase and feels he may still be. Yuval is incredibly talented and fosters a team culture of pushing to be the best; making mistakes, owning it, and growing from the lessons learned. This is exemplified by several ZayZoon team members having worked with him at different companies previously.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Harrison Branson
On this week’s Meet the Team edition, we are getting to know Sheldon Maloff, Senior Software Architect. Sheldon was born and raised in Calgary, graduating from the University of Calgary in Computer Science.
Sheldon joined ZayZoon in 2020, being drawn to its important purpose. “I love that we stand for financial responsibility and help out the many people living paycheque to paycheque.” Being based in his hometown further cemented the deal. Sheldon puts his development, infrastructure and architectural skills to good use, ensuring he will help take ZayZoon to the next level. He hopes to show the "world that Calgary is not just all Oil and Gas,” but rich in technology and talent.
The father of one is multi-talented and always on the go. He plays volleyball and cycles in the summer. He is notorious for taking incredible photographs as well. He also delves into 3D printing and woodwork. He’s built dining tables, armories and desks. Recently, he combined his love of technology and design when he built a retro 1980's-style cocktail arcade cabinet.
If you think Sheldon looks familiar, it may be because he gets mistaken for actor Harrison Ford or business titan Richard Branson.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Mr. Nice Guy
This week’s Meet the Team is ZayZoon's Co-Founder and CEO, Darcy Tuer. Darcy, who grew up in Calgary and Edmonton, started his first tech company in 2000. “I'm passionate about Calgary's technology ecosystem.”
Co-Founder and President Tate Hackert pitched ZayZoon while Darcy led another technology company in the city. The idea of bringing financial wellness to the masses and creating a social impact around the world was something he could not ignore. “We believed that if we had one person that needed us, that we could keep away from a predatory loan, we knew that there would be hundreds of thousands of people that we could help in the same way.”
Darcy considered a career in music and still plays the piano everyday. He loves to ski in the winter and mountain bike, hike, and camp in the summer with his wife and kids. Known as DT, Darcy admits to being a perpetual optimist. He is adamant that everyone has superpowers that can be harnessed. Despite having a busy schedule, Darcy takes time to be kind and extraordinarily nice to everyone around him - those would be his superpowers.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Nighthawk
In this week’s Meet the Team, we want to highlight our Channel Development Representative, Chad Pfeifer. Born and raised in Calgary, ZayZoon is Chad’s first professional gig after graduating from Mount Royal University's Bachelor of Business of Administration program with a degree in Marketing. Chad is also ZayZoon’s youngest team member.
Starting his career, Chad was adamant he wanted to work for a purpose-driven company. After meeting ZayZoon’s CEO, Darcy Tuer and learning more about the company’s mission and vision, “I was instantly engaged. It got me really excited to start at ZayZoon and the culture I was about to be a part of.”
Chad loves to play sports like hockey, golf, ski, and softball. To stay active at home, Chad is considering turning his living room into an at-home-gym or a fort; both solid options.
Chad has many nicknames from Chadwick, Chaddy, and Chadly. He has been dubbed Young Randy after fellow ZayZooner, Randy Humphrey. They both share the ability to make connections with everyone. Still, Chad is hopeful the nickname “Nighthawk,” which he gave himself eight years ago, eventually catches on.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Fitness Guru
As we continue our Meet the Team series, our next ZayZooner is Director Sales and Business Development, Shane Edrington. The Arizona native began his career with ZayZoon about four years ago following a meeting with co-founders Jamie Ha and Darcy Tuer where they expressed interest in entering the US market.
Shane had been working on getting employees access to capital between paychecks for quite some time. "The thought of joining a team of people with the same mission and having there be a real chance of it coming to reality was extremely intriguing." While being passionate about delivering financial wellness to the workforce, Shane admits, "what makes me stay is the people. ZayZoon is a great team to be a part of."
Shane graduated from Arizona State University with a major in Justice Studies, originally in pursuit of a career in the FBI or CIA. The father of two is a music man as well, holding the position of Drum Major for the ASU Marching Sun Devils. Shane's passion for helping people extends beyond ZayZoon. He is passionate about health and fitness as well; he and his wife own a CrossFit gym and yoga studio. Those noises you may hear in the background of Zoom meetings are the barbells.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Cardi G
General Counsel, Garth McAdam is this week’s Meet the Team profile. Garth, otherwise known as ‘Cardi G’, loves wearing cardigans because he feels they are, “the greatest article of clothing ever invented.” He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary and his Law degree at University of Temple in Philadelphia.
Going in-house and joining ZayZoon in 2017, rather than following the typical route of joining a law firm was an easy decision for Garth. “I believe in what we're doing and I know, without any doubt, that people here genuinely care and are actively working to improve lives. And in my small way, I get to contribute to shaping how best we can realize that goal.”
In his free time, Garth loves to spend time with his wife and daughter as well as read. He proclaims Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables as “simply the greatest book ever written. It touches on all aspects of humanity.” He also loves blacksmithing in his free time; he has an anvil and forge in his garage where he’s made kitchen and bushcraft knives
The ZayZoon team has a hunch that this Christmas, all of Garth’s gifts to his colleagues will be home-made.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Master Linguist
Our latest Meet the Team profile is our Marketing Manager, Susy Alfaro. Susy was drawn to ZayZoon because “what we do positively impacts real people every day.” She loves the company culture, being able to put all her skills to good use, and the frequent bad jokes shared amongst the team.
The Costa Rican completed her degrees in Photography and Advertising in her native country. Upon completion, she moved to New Mexico where she earned a scholarship to study Film and Creative Writing. She flew across the ocean to do her Masters in Digital Marketing in Dublin, Ireland. Susy moved to Canada in 2019 with her now husband after globetrotting together for a couple of years and now loves to see the Rockies from her house every morning.
Susy speaks several languages fluently as well. Aside from speaking Spanish and English, she is also fluent in French and Italian. She is currently learning sign language as well.
Although Susy has done a lot of travelling in her life, the one thing that has eluded her thus far is seeing the Northern Lights in person. Calgary is north enough to see the aurora borealis so it is only a matter of time before she gets her wish.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Thunder Dan
Software Developer Daniel Sabourin is this week’s Meet the Team profile. Born and raised in Calgary, Daniel went to the University of Calgary, graduating with a BSc in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interactions.
Daniel began his career with ZayZoon on March 17, 2020, a day after the province went into lockdown as a result of the pandemic. Nonetheless, Daniel jumped in and quickly became recognized as a rockstar, so much so that he is referred to as Thunder Dan! Promoting financial wellness was one of the main points that attracted him to ZayZoon. “Too many people live paycheque-to-paycheque.”
In his free time, Daniel and his wife foster kittens from the Calgary Humane Society. He is also a certified open-water scuba diver and has had the opportunity to dive in Hawaii, Mexico, Barbados, and the Philippines. The latter has been his favourite due to the large variety of sea life like; mantis shrimps, giant clams, nudibranchs, sea turtles, moray eels, electric clams, lionfish, sting rays, and his personal favourite, clown fish.
The next dive he has his heart set on is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Ms. Braxton
Our Meet the Team segment this week is on ZayZoon’s Controller Kike O. Kike began working for ZayZoon in 2019. She is known for her strong work ethic and her ability to keep up with the fun ribbing that happens in the office. She found ZayZoon to be a great fit because of its diverse work scope, the focus on deliverables, and the flexibility to work remotely.
Kike was born in Nigeria and grew up in Lagos, a place she refers to “a small city." The population of Lagos grew to eight million people by the time Kike moved to Canada in 2002. She admits in high school she was called Braxton after the music artist Toni Braxton because of Kike similar hairstyle and her love of Braxton’s music.
Prior to the pandemic, Kike was passionate about her volunteer work with Sonshine Community Services a second stage shelter serving women and children escaping family violence and abuse.
Kike's bucket list includes taking a break for six months to a year to travel around the world on the Star Alliance Round The World ticket. She also wants to start her farm. The latter is not your typical farm and she has gotten most of the company to want to invest in her future project.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Mr. Worldwide
Calgary-born, Ryan Madden is this week’s Meet the Team profile. City Ryan, as he is affectionately called in the company, spent his early years in British Columbia, returning to Alberta in middle school. This move may have been the catalyst for his love of discovering new places.
Ryan lived in New Zealand for a year and took many road trips with his partner around the country’s North Island. “Seeing where the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea meet was amazing.” The Product Owner can also tick-off the following countries off his bucket list as places he's visited: Japan, Mexico, Brazil, England, Scotland, USA, Australia, Cuba, and the Cook Islands.
The hip-hop fan was eager to join ZayZoon when, during the interview process, he felt the people were open and authentic. “I got the feeling that this was a solid team of people that genuinely cared about each other. This is the first time where I feel part of a cohesive team where everyone is pulling in the same direction and has each other’s backs.”
Ryan is known for his positive attitude and kindness but there is one thing that will set him off. "Loud eating burrows its way into my soul and tears me apart from the inside.”
We have been warned.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Fintech Farm Boy
For our latest Meet The Team series, we are happy to introduce Christian Pfeiffer. Christian joined ZayZoon in July 2020 after making a career switch after 10 years of environmental work to becoming a Software Developer.
Christian finds ZayZoon to be the right fit for him, not just because it helps a lot of people in their financial health journey but also because of the company culture. Christian’s parents moved to Canada from Germany to be grain farmers in northern Alberta. As a result, he is highly proficient in operating heavy equipment. Even after making Calgary home, Christian heads back north every year to help with the harvest. He is also fluent in German and has traveled to Germany often to visit family.
Christian loves to travel, play many different sports, cook, make wine, and spend time with his daughter. Although he has been with us less than a year, Christian has led and supported various initiatives within the Wellness Team from holding virtual hangouts, a socially distanced team walk, and bringing in speakers for the Friday Drink & Think.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Chef Extraordinaire
This week, we are shining the spotlight on ZayZoon’s Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer Jamie Ha, in our Meet the Team series. Jamie describes himself as an open book where “what you see is what you get.” He instills this authenticity in his three kids with the mantra, “you be you.”
Jamie, who has lived in Calgary most of his life, joined ZayZoon shortly after meeting Darcy Tuer and Tate Hackert at a Startup Calgary event. He found the company’s mission and solution to address the financial wellness epidemic was not only “obvious and simple, but elegant and tremendously scalable.” He was originally attracted by the amazing people involved at ZayZoon and continues to be impressed by the expertise, passion and character of this team on a daily basis.
Jamie is enthusiastic about self-improvement. This is evidenced by the fact that he learned how to swim after turning 40. He also loves to ski with his wife and kids in the winter months and golf in the summer. Anyone who has spent time with Jamie knows he is a foodie and a great cook. He hosted a session where he shared his passion for BBQ, leaving every ZayZooner hungry.
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Canadian Adventurer
Our latest “Meet the Team,” Jolene Hoadley hails from the Maritimes. Born in St.Catharines, ON, Jolene has called New Brunswick home for a year. The move with her partner and three-year-old son was not the only thing that marked a new chapter in her life. Jolene embarked on a search for a new job but not just any job. She made a list of all the things she wanted from her future employer like the culture and the company’s mission.
The serendipitous moment came when her friend, neighbour, and ZayZoon employee, Kim, mentioned the company was looking for a new Customer Success team member. “I feel ZayZoon found me. I knew we would be a good fit after the first interaction we had.”
Jolene loves interior design and DIY projects. Her talent is in full use with all the renos and updates she has made in her new place, describing the look as “boho contemporary.”
NB is the fourth province in Canada Jolene has lived in and Oromocto the ninth city. For her, it’s about finding unique attributes and trying new things wherever she is; from going into mountains in the west to visiting the ocean in the east.
Glad to be in this journey with you Jolene!
#people #zayzoonmeettheteam #dreamteam #paydayjustgotcloser #financialwellness
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Team Cheerleader
One of the core elements that make ZayZoon stand out is our people. We are introducing our new “Meet the Team” series, where we will shine a light on the incredible talent that runs the ZayZoon machine.
Meet Apryl Hudson, a member of the Customer Success team, recently marked her first year anniversary at ZayZoon. Apryl chose ZayZoon as her next career move as she was excited to work for an innovative organization within finance.
The Calgary native is known for her positivity and ability to always see the silver lining in everything she does. From her interactions with customers to giving product feedback, Apryl maintains an infectious positivity and upbeat nature. Additionally, this podcast aficionado has taken an additional role within project management for ZayZoon.
The mother of one majored in Art History and minored in Archeology. She hopes to one day visit the very ancient sites she studied like Pompeii and the Necropolis. Her talent for the arts was on full display when Apryl hosted a portrait session for the whole company: a team favourite to this day.
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