Thread by @nateliason

Just saw the news about @zapier selling some of their shares to Sequoia at a $4b valuation.

I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to hear company fundraising news.

I owe a huge part of where I am today to Zapier, @wadefoster, and @dannyaway

Short thread 👇

Back in Fall 2014 when I was a senior in college, I knew I wanted to work “on a startup” but had no idea where to start.

I decided to learn content marketing, since then I could at least use the writing skills I developed as a philosophy major.

I started my personal site to show I knew how to “do content,” and after writing a few pieces, decided to try to get some freelance writing gigs.

The first two places I contacted were Buffer and Zapier, since I admired both companies.

Buffer said no, but Zapier said yes.

After a couple months of writing for them, Zapier put up a “marketing internship” job listing.

I asked if I could apply, and I don’t think they had realized I was a college student before that.

Danny laughed, said yes, and I ended up getting selected for it.

That winter I flew out to San Francisco to stay with Wade and the rest of the exec team, get a crash course in content marketing from Danny, and play lots of board games.

It was such a great, warm, welcome to the company, that really made it feel like a small tribe.

After my 4 month internship, Wade gave me a full time offer, but I declined to take on a role at Sumo I was more drawn to.

I go back and forth on that decision.

Everything has worked out great, but Zapier was such a better company, team, and community.

I built @growthmachine__ by trying to emulate Zapier’s greatness, while avoiding what made Sumo a mess.

Zapier is a humble, hard working, community driven company, that cares first and foremost about creating a great life and place to work for its employees.

It’s always been remote first.

It hires a huge range of people from all over the world.

It cares about family, balance, and incredible support.

And they absolutely crush it.

Zapier taught me how important it was to focus on people first, to not build a startup bro culture, to find talent all over the world, and to take care of your people.

They also taught me the power of SEO, which defined my next 5 years and gave me the resources I have today.

So thank you @wadefoster, @dannyaway, and everyone else at @zapier.

You’re the best company and people I’ve worked with (besides @growthmachine__ 😜), you taught me more than you know, and I couldn’t be happier to hear this news.

You all deserve it 🥰