We Didn’t Have On the Job Training Like This

Venture for America Fellow and Swipely employee, Sean Lane

On the job training used to mean getting the hang of the time card thingy, and learning to avoid the ornery office manager.

We caught up with recent Boston College grad Sean Lane, one of the new fellows at Venture for America – who’s getting far better experience, spending two years with a startup, learning every aspect of the operations. The program places grads at new companies in low-cost cities across the country. Sean documented his day for us – the latest in our Day in the Life series.

Three weeks ago, I started working at Swipely a startup in Providence, RI that offers a simple way for local merchants to track and grow revenue through its payment marketing platform.

My day starts off with a one-mile walk down Brook St. to Swipely HQ.

The space inside is gorgeous…white boards on the walls, couches, a gumball machine, and of course, the dangerously convenient snack room.

On the second floor, I sit with the rest of the Partner Success Management (PSM) Team: Stu, Dena, and Jason. We’re responsible for onboarding and maintaining relationships with all the merchants joining Swipely.

How do we know when the Sales Team signs a new merchant? Oh, it’s obvious: they ring the gong.

Checking in with the company’s Yammer page, I can monitor the announcements of newly signed merchants and those going live on Swipely’s Payment Marketing platform. 

Arguably one of the coolest perks of working at Swipely is the free lunch every day. Employees handpick menu items from local restaurants on Mondays and Tuesdays, and then we enjoy catering from other Providence favorites the rest of the week.

A startup isn’t complete without a fully-stocked fridge. Our selection includes craft brews from every city where Swipely merchants are located.

Many businesses have creative names for their conference rooms, but “The Fish Bowl” has to be my favorite. This awesome space with a blue, domed roof is the main conference room and overlooks the first floor of the office.

As I leave the office at the end of the day, this sign is the last thing I see. During my first three weeks on the job at a startup, I’ve realized that nothing is perfect. Building a business is a learning experience that you try to improve upon each and every day, and I’m looking forward to continuing that experience.

Get the latest updates on Twitter for: Sean, Venture for America, and Swipely.

Now go forth (and punch out).