We’re excited to welcome Derek Weaver to our team as Customer Support Specialist! Join us in learning more about the latest member of the growing BrightGauge crew…
In the Beginning
Hailing from Ohio, Derek grew up in the rural farm community of New Paris. After high school, Derek went to college at Miami University (not to be confused with BrightGauge’s local University of Miami), where he majored in sports studies with a minor in contemporary American literature.
After college, Derek spent time working in Pittsburgh and Aspen before moving to sunny South Florida in 2008. Settling in at Key Biscayne, Derek managed the daily operations at Island Athletics, a sporting goods store where the business model centered around customer experience and developing real relationships with customers and vendors.
In 2013 he hit the road to work for a Cleveland-based startup that provided college students the opportunity to gain entrepreneurship experience by running their own home services businesses. While Derek loved the job, it didn’t take long for the harsh reality of Ohio’s winter weather to sink in. So he left the cold and gray city behind, returning once again to Miami and Island Athletics. Taking the lessons he learned in Cleveland and applying them at IA, Derek was able to help the company continue to grow revenue while strengthening their community outreach presence.
When Island Athletics was sold in March 2016, Derek took 6 months off to travel Europe and spend some time thinking about what he wanted to tackle next in his career. Ideas came and went, but nothing stuck until he shifted his focus from what do I want to do to what kind of life do I want to live… and suddenly things became more clear. In September, Derek took a job in Operations with Globe Ship Management where he had the opportunity to learn a new industry and serve as the communication link between vessel owners, their ships, and vessel service providers. Though he enjoyed the company and his role, he knew his career goals would not be met by the shipping industry. A fortuitous happy hour conversation with his friend and our Integration Product Manager, Randall, turned Derek on to BrightGauge and from there he saw how working in tech and at BrightGauge could help him achieve his personal and professional goals.
Joining Team BrightGauge
Making the move to a new employer is a big decision for anyone, so we always ask our new teammates about what drew them to BrightGauge. Derek explains that prior to his interview, he read everyone’s blog on our About page, and it became clear how much of an emphasis we put on fit, or the right collection of people - which he values too. Once he had the opportunity to meet everyone, “it was obvious how talented, driven, and helpful this team is. It’s a positive work environment where everyone enjoys spending time with one another. Not to mention that we have an incredible product that I am proud to support in an industry I am excited to be a part of.”
Derek tells us that he’s most looking forward to working with our new customers to help them get BrightGauge up and running. “I’m excited to work directly with our customers and our Sales, Customer Success, and Product teams in getting new clients comfortable with our platform so it can begin adding value to their business.”
Just for Fun
In his free time, Derek likes to be outdoors and take advantage of living only a block from the beach - ultimate frisbee and beach volleyball are some of his favorites. He also enjoys checking out local breweries and beer bars, which is a great hobby considering the South Florida craft beer scene is growing faster than ever. New York Times’ infamous crossword puzzles also made the cut on Derek’s list of favorite things to do (except the Saturday version, which we hear is a beast to tackle). Last, Derek tells us that he’s always been fascinated with the idea of people living their lives in other places - possibly as a result of growing up a bit isolated in Ohio. Subsequently, he wants to see and experience as much of the world as possible. Up next on the list of destinations is South America, particularly “Colombia y Ecuador”... a great opportunity to practice what he’s learning in his current Spanish classes!
Derek takes in the view: Innsbruck, Austria
Join us in welcoming Derek to Team BrightGauge!
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