My Name Is Alex Bartlow — This Is Why I Joined Aha!

I just joined Aha! and was asked to share my story. Every new employee does. So, here it is.

I came from an established software company where I worked with a veteran team of developers. I was responsible for infrastructure and ensuring security, stability, and speed for all our customers. Prior to that, I spent time at JPMorgan Chase as an application developer, scaling established applications for millions of customers worldwide.

I thought I knew what a successful team looked like. But deep down, I knew there was something more I was missing.

Then one day it hit me. The most successful teams constantly challenge their members to stretch and grow. I have always tried to be greater tomorrow than I am today. So, I needed to find an opportunity with a rapidly growing software team that was pushing the limits of technology and what distributed teams could achieve.

When I was approached by Dr. Chris Waters — the CTO of Aha! — at first I was surprised. I was not actively looking for a new job, and was skeptical about leaving the one I had. So, I did what any inquisitive engineer always does: I created a trial and got my first look at the product.

I knew instantly that the team had a clear vision and was executing against it. Aha! was clearly infused with deep care and knowledge. Their goal to help product managers build better software and be happy doing it resonated with me. I have been working with product development teams and software technology for most of my life.

But I still had no idea if Aha! was the place that would bring out my best. Would it really challenge me every day?

I quickly discovered that Aha! hires the best and asks them to be better. Aha! has a talented engineering team that works with cutting edge technology and loves solving problems. After a few more conversations the decision was clear. I needed to be part of their team.

I knew I had made the right call within a few days of starting to work at Aha! The transparency and kindness of my colleagues is only surpassed by their vision and passion. I quickly connected with the team. I knew that when we talked about vision, we were not using the word lightly. The word represented our collective, internal drive to build something meaningful and lasting.

The most compelling aspects of this job are the challenges that we face together. How can we continue to improve an already amazing product with dozens of powerful integrations? How do we continue to scale an already booming company that serves over 20,000 users? How will we keep finding and hiring great technical people?

I know these opportunities will push me forward. I have faith that my team will sharpen my skills and give me the space I need to grow.

I am lucky to have had the chance to redefine in my own mind what a successful team really looks like. I look forward to seeing where this new adventure takes us.

That is why I joined Aha! — and why you should too.