A Look Inside BombBomb

FOUNDED: 2006 | HQ: COLORADO SPRINGS

Winning Best Colorado Medium-Sized Business to Work For is no small task. It takes an talent and unparalleled dedication to people. To see what sets BombBomb apart, we took a look inside their unique and effective day-to-day.

RE-HUMINIZE

You might hear the term “Re-humanize” around BombBomb. Ethan Beute, vice president of marketing, talked about how modern companies have tried to “humanize” their operations. BombBomb believes in face-to-face communication. As a video email marketing company, the team feels people need to quit hiding behind text and communicate the humans have since the dawn of time, face-to-face. “There is nothing forced about our mission or our values … we are reaching out in a spirit of fun humility, flexibility and service in order to build relationships," Beute said.

RELATIONSHIPS, FUN, HUMILITY, SERVICE + FLEXIBILITY

Alec Boesel, business development manager, talked about how he worked odd jobs at Starbucks and Vans before coming to BombBomb.

“All of the large chains had claimed similar core values, like do the right thing, have integrity, but not always lived out on a day to day basis,” said Boesel. Relationships, fun, humility and flexibility are BombBomb’s core values. “It was rare to see a company actually live out their core values day to day … You can see it in the leadership and you can see it in your peers,” said Boesel.

TRICYCLES

Stepping into the world of BombBomb might make one think they are at a hot tech company in Silicon Valley. But the the laid-back atmosphere is evident the second the elevator on the seventh floor of the Wells Fargo building in downtown Colorado Springs.

Amanda Obringer, product manager talked about some early memories when, “they brought in tricycles grownups could fit on and we randomly decided to have tricycle races.” The tricycles still sit in the office ready for another bout. Catered lunches on Friday bring fun and laughter as the team takes the time to unwind, recognize excellence and have some fun with the new members. This week a chance to win the “Awesome Office” was up for grabs.

THE OFFICE

At BombBomb, if recognized for exemplifying one the company’s core values, members of the team could win the chance to sit in the “Awesome Office.” The “Awesome Office” is the corner office with a great view, typically reserved for the big boss. People are nominated by their peers and the previous winner chooses who wins next. Winning the nomination gives you the office for two weeks.

What happens if you do the exact opposite of winning recognition, what if you make a mistake?

YOUR BACK IS COVERED

Mistakes happen, some big and some small.

Christopher Bachicha, platform team lead, talked about a time when he accidentally sent out almost half a million incorrect emails to customers.

“It was a bad time for me, it was my fault … the entire company got on calls with customers and started apologizing, then the technology people showed up and had my back … We were all sitting eating pizza together,” said Bachicha. The entire ordeal left him stunned. “No one looked at me like, ‘we know you did it’… It was more like how do we get passed it,” said Bachicha.

GREENHORN ON DECK

During BombBomb’s Friday lunch gatherings, they take time out to play a game with new hires. A simple question-based game show asked the rookies personnel questions allowing the entire 140+ employees the chance to get to know the new folks.

Paul Jones, senior designer, participated in the new-hire game show, even announcing his affinity for Han Solo to be met with applause and concurring cheers. Jones had only been at BomBomb for four weeks and spoke about CEO Darin Dawson. “He was at my lunch table today … he knows my kids names already.”

Family is important you spend a huge chunk of your life at work and you want a job that, “when you come in you want to know what everyone you did last night, what they're doing this weekend and how their kids are,” said Jones.

UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WANTED

Different perspectives and life experiences are what make a person unique. Jonathan Bolton, senior vice president of operations, lived in an RV and traveled the country for a year with his wife and six-month-old daughter before working at BombBomb. Bolton spoke of his experience on the road.

“You start to think a lot about consumerism and how much money it takes to survive.” A tech startup has tight budgets and lessons of frugality have helped Bolton lead BombBomb to financial success.

What really matters to Bolton are his people. His time on the road provided him experiences with unique individuals. “I love taking that kind of disenchanted like brilliant person that feels misunderstood and helping retool or be like, ‘hey let's get you in the right seat.’”

BombBomb has lit a fuse under their competitors, setting new standards for how business should be done.