One of the perks of working in a global company is that you get to interact with people from different regions. And sometimes even, travel!
Lily Bridgwood has first-hand experience with this, having lived and worked around the world in New York, Shanghai, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Sydney, and London.
As Head of Business Development for payments infrastructure for SaaS platform, Paddle, she guides Business Development Representative (BDR) Managers. She also leads a global team of twenty BDRs based in New York and London. This involves coaching and developing professionals in their career progression, from early-career sales roles to account executives.
Her extensive career history in business development is matched by her personal passions, including running marathons and ultramarathons. An upbeat, generous and loyal person, she has just the type of personal attributes Paddle aims to attract.
“I love that we’re helping companies of all sizes build and grow their dreams,” said Lily. “We take away the stress of all the ‘boring’ stuff, like billing, payments, and tax. This allows them to focus on their product and what’s important to them. Paddle is a rocket ship on its way to do amazing things! We move incredibly quickly with a lot of ambition.”
Lily shares some of the benefits you can expect from working in a global company like Paddle.
Culture: For those who love people
During Lily’s interviews to join Paddle in 2020, she met lots of different team members. To her, this demonstrated the company’s commitment to making the right hiring decisions. And it’s the people, Lily believes, who set Paddle apart.
“Our culture of work hard, play hard isn’t just a fad! We live and breathe what we do – but we have a lot of fun while doing it. It’s the first company where I feel like I can completely be myself.”
Paddle believes in celebrating all successes, big and small. Team members share these moments through Slack, office parties, birthday gifts, and Paddle anniversary gifts.
“Recognition is an important part of our culture. I recently received some feedback from a member of my team. They had some negative experiences with management in the past, and said I’ve always been there for them when they need assistance or support.
“Here, we’re more than just colleagues – we’re genuinely friends. This creates a culture where we’re all happy and excited to go to work. It’s never a chore.”
Inclusion is another important part of Paddle’s culture.
“We work hard to ensure everyone feels included no matter where in the world you’re based. With the changes we’ve experienced with COVID, we’re now ‘digital-first.’ So, there’s always the option for people to join events remotely and feel the same impact as they would if they were in the room.”
Benefits: For those who love traveling
While there are several great benefits and perks working for Paddle, the thing Lily loves most is the “Navigate” policy. Employees have the option to work anywhere in the world for 45 days each year.
“I’ve worked from New York and Spain. It allowed me a change of scenery throughout the day, and the opportunity to spend my evenings enjoying a new city. When you travel, Paddle provides a £250 Airbnb voucher to contribute towards the holiday side of your travel.”
Paddle also offers leadership programs, competitive salaries, and flexibility to enable you to do your best work.
Find out more about Paddle’s employee benefits and policies.
L&D: For those who love career progression
Paddle team members receive an ongoing Learning and Development (L&D) fund each year, which Lily recently used for a public speaking course.
“I really appreciate having this budget each year, as it constantly pushes me outside my comfort zone to be better. The company is always looking for ways to improve – so working with people who are incredibly smart helps!”
Values: For those who want a shared purpose
“Our values, particularly ‘exceptional together’ and ‘execute with impact” really ring true to me. We’re all consistently learning and growing, and we can also own our failures together. When we execute, we do so through deliberate choices, investment, and passion, in a timely manner.”
If you want to succeed at a global company like Paddle, Lily recommends taking every opportunity that comes your way.
“If you stand still, you’ll be overtaken. Be ready to adapt to change and move at a fast pace! Be willing to get creative and take risks. Don’t be afraid to fail. Paddle looks after people and is conscious about doing the right thing. The company encourages you to be better, empowers women, and nurtures diversity and inclusion.”
