It’s difficult to gauge a company’s culture from the outside. Culture is a living thing, with broad values and niche subcultures — it can be what guides a company or a jumble of contradictions, sometime both of those things at once.
Whatever it is, every culture is particular. To prove it, we researched four leading tech companies in LA to learn what life is like inside. Here’s what we learned.
HQ: Downtown LA
Headcount: 80
Industry: Consumer healthtech
Founder(s): Christine Carrillo and Helen Lee
Joany is a healthtech company focused on making the process of buying healthcare more transparent — because, let’s face it, today’s healthcare market is anything but. Beyond signing up for the right coverage (a feat in its own right), Joany’s tools help consumers understand the ins and outs of what their coverage includes and which plans are a match for their needs. And with more than $19 million raised, they’re well on their way.
We ask candidates to think of creative ways to go above and beyond as they prepare for interviews.”
Inside scoop
The company prides itself on its work ethic. Employees at Joany put stock in being creative problem solvers who push hard for out-of-the-box solutions. It’s a big part of how they hire, too. “[We ask candidates to] think of creative ways to go above and beyond as they prepare for interviews. One candidate created a deck showcasing new ideas and the impact they would have if they held the position. This was pivotal in differentiating them from the competition,” the company shared with us back in March.
HQ: Marina del Rey
Headcount: 45-plus
Industry: Real estate tech
Founder(s): Ben Widhelm, Erek Benz, Luke Morris and Michael DeGiorgio
Launched in 2016, real estate startup CREXi has quickly formed a name for itself in the world of commercial real estate. The app leverages big data to create a simple marketplace for brokers that tracks the whole process, from listing to closing, in one place. And they’re growing — the company raised an extra $11 million in funding in May.
High work quality, excellence in your daily tasks, leading by example and taking the initiative to go above and beyond when it’s needed.”
Inside scoop
The secret to success at CREXi is pretty simple according to folks inside the company. As one insider told us, a CREXi employer profile (put down on paper) would look something like this: “High work quality, excellence in your daily tasks, leading by example and taking the initiative to go above and beyond when it's needed.” Roger that.
HQ: Sawtelle (a.k.a Japantown)
Headcount: 50
Industry: Adtech
Founder: Amit Jain
Located in the food mecca that is Japantown, adtech company Bridg helps businesses learn more about their customers at the local level. By leveraging predictive analytics and transaction histories, Bridg paints a more detailed picture of who’s buying what and why, so businesses can focus on delivering what they actually want. Founded in 2012, the company is already making waves, most notably in the food industry.
We need people who are motivated to close the technology gap between brick-and-mortar and online enterprises.”
Inside scoop
At Bridg, it’s all about the mission. “We need people who are motivated to close the technology gap between brick-and-mortar and online enterprises, which currently favors giants like Amazon over companies with storefronts,” the company told us earlier last year.
“[We look for] people who are enthusiastic and take initiative, and who care about the company goals, the products they produce, the team they work with and the experience of the end user.”
HQ: Downtown LA
Founding year: 1989
Industry: Fintech
President & CEO: Craig Underwood
BLX Group specializes in all of the piles of paperwork that the faint of heart — that is, most of us — only see in nightmares. The company provides compliance consulting as well as investment and financial advisory services, and works with both the government and nonprofit groups. With a long history in the field — the company was founded in the ‘80s — BLX is driving the world of finance forward with a focus on improving workflows and delivering a better client experience. And did we mention that they’re hiring?
We also combine ‘50-person company’ feel with ‘international law firm’ infrastructure.”
Inside scoop
“We really value ingenuity, skill, and willingness to get your hands dirty,” the company describes in their Built In LA profile. “The core of our culture is that all our professionals, including management, do substantive client work. As a result, we don’t make decisions without truly understanding a problem space. We also combine ‘50-person company’ feel with ‘international law firm’ infrastructure.”
