A Day in the Life of a Tiler: A Look Inside the Company’s San Mateo HQ

With a shiny new office and big plans for 2020, everyone at Tile’s San Mateo HQ is focused on growth — growth of their team, growth of the business, and growth of their impact on the people they serve, both in and outside of the office walls.

We spent a day at Tile’s San Mateo HQ to capture scenes of a typical Wednesday. We found some of what you might expect — a community of ambitious people working hard and supporting each other, delicious snacks, and friendly people. We also heard lots of laughter, learned what it takes to actually make a Tile, and spotted details that hint at the heart and creativity that unites this small but mighty team.

There’s a universal sense that the company has reached a critical moment, and that all hands are on deck to bring the vision to life.

Stand up tall. Tile’s product, design, and engineering teams gather for 15 minutes each morning to share what they’re working on and big wins from the previous day. The standup is also a chance to ask for help or to raise questions to the group. Here, Director of Mobile Engineering Mike Chrabaszcz shares good news about a candidate who just signed their offer letter.

After the standup, the group disperses but a few Tilers linger. (Left) VP of Design Winnie Wong troubleshoots a significant bug with Principal Software Engineer Charles Choi, Senior Director of Product Management Matt Kramer, and Senior iOS Software Engineer André Gatti. The discussion is intense, but everyone listens thoughtfully to each other and they’re all laughing before heading back to their desks. (Right) Senior Android Engineers Ian Meyer and Barry Sia fit in a few games of chess before tackling the day. They play every day, using a game clock for the added challenge — and to ensure the day doesn’t get away from them.

Building what matters. When Mobile Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer Jennifer Slomowitz started on Tile’s Customer Care Team, she recommended fixes to the QA Team. Recently promoted to the QA team, Jen won the “Build What Matters” Tile Values Award for her commitment to helping fix those issues and bugs herself.

A quiet moment to reflect. Rosa Diaz, Recruiter and Recruiting Program Specialist, lists people — both colleagues and personal connections — who will help her achieve her career aspirations as part of Tile’s “personal boardroom” approach to career development. VP of People and Workplace Lissa Minkin runs the sessions. “Let’s align your strengths, which is where you get your energy, with both your goals that impact the business and how you want to grow your career,” Lissa says.

The eyes say it all. The product team jokes as they wait for remote team members to join a weekly meeting. It’s only 10AM and there’s already laughter coming from three corners of the office.

Director of Hardware Engineering Chris Wheaton and Hardware Engineer Riddhi Patel (center) do some hands-on brainstorming.

Tile moved into its new San Mateo headquarters in October 2019, but the group is growing. The team of 110 has added 52 people this year, with plans to hire across multiple teams here, in the new Vancouver office, and around the world.

All of that growth means more desks! Winnie designed the office layout, so it’s up to her and Senior Workplace Manager Lisa Enriquez to determine the best places to add spaces for new teammates.

Time to refuel. Team lunch is a much-loved daily ritual that brings everyone together around healthy, wholesome food in the office’s sunny kitchen. Above, Thomas Lew asks Brian Wang about his family and they joke about whether his college-aged kids may want to join Tile someday.

The quiet courtyard garden is a perfect spot to soak up some afternoon sun, or to host larger company gatherings throughout the year. The WiFi works out here, too…

Small details make a big difference in office life. (Above, from left) Tilers can’t resist a good “finding” joke; an idle doodle left behind after a meeting; and a sweatshirt to celebrate Tile’s mascot, Lost Panda, who relies on Tile to find his way home. (Below, from left) Team pride comes to life with a personal sign on a team member’s desk; a stroller delivery for a new addition to the Tile family; and a grassy welcome sign keeps the team, um, grounded on building what’s next.

Kelly’s design sense comes to life at her desk. As Product Design Manager she’s thinking through design at every stage of a Tile’s life. In a brief conversation, she mentions her love for mentoring up-and-coming designers in modular design thinking and system design patterns, and for shaping company culture as the team grows.

Associate Marketing Manager Sharon Borden and Director of Product & Brand Marketing Leela Voges huddle to plan Tile’s marketing initiatives for the next few months, a plan they’ll continue to refine as the company launches new services and partnerships with major market leaders.

Tile’s finance team meets in the Scully meeting room — inspired by famous finder Dana Scully. The team gets together at the end of each month to close the books and discuss ideas for creating efficiencies.

Everyone is charging toward a shared mission, but Tilers share their styles and bring their own routines and habits to the office. (Right) Senior Product Manager Muhammad Umair says he can’t resist his afternoon string cheese snack — a healthy dose of enzymes when he needs them most. Seriously.

Interested in joining the Tile team? Contact hr@tile.com or check out our open roles.