Lack of innovation has never been a problem for Chicago tech. Whether it’s a mobility data and analytics company designed to improve transportation, a cloud-based platform that allows for loan automation, or an edtech company developing high-quality online programs, there’s always something exciting happening in the Windy City tech scene.
If you’re looking to land a gig in the city’s flourishing tech sector, look no further. Built In Chicago connected with leaders from seven fast-growing companies in the city to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a part of the team. They shared narratives of professional growth opportunities, giving back to the communities they serve, helping clients reduce their environmental impacts, and more.
As the largest credit union in Illinois, Alliant Credit Union offers users the ability to manage their bank accounts and credit cards online. The company provides online services that include financial planning tools and educational resources to help users save on their loans, make payments and increase their savings.
A convincing company culture: “The way employees at Alliant championed the company is what swayed my decision to accept a position here,” Woods said. “Everyone I spoke to thought highly of the company culture and their fellow employees, and that really stood out to me.”
Adding value: “There’s a lot of change happening at Alliant right now and it’s very exciting. As we grow in membership and headcount, it gives me the opportunity to bring new ideas and initiatives that will benefit our members. Now that we’ve solidified our digital channels with the core features, my goal is to take things further by perfecting processes and continuing to add value to our digital channels.”
Founded by The Allstate Corporation in 2016, Arity is a mobility data and analytics company focused on improving transportation. Arity collects and analyzes large amounts of data and uses predictive analytics to build solutions that make transportation smarter, safer and more useful.
Career development opportunities: “At Arity, I get to work on interesting and diverse analytical problems that have real-world, everyday impacts,” Wong said. “I appreciate how much Arity encourages and provides numerous learning and career development opportunities for all of its employees. Lastly, I feel fortunate to work for a company that emphasizes building a great work environment and culture that supports its employees and their lives both inside and outside of work.”
Game-changing technology: “I’m excited to be a part of the team that is bringing new ideas to how insurance should work for all of us. Our recent launch of Arity IQ enables insurance companies to provide more accurate and fair pricing to its new customers based on their driving behaviors. This is a game-changing technology and I’m proud of the work we’re doing.”
Supernova is a digital wealth management lending software that’s designed to democratize access to flexible liquidity solutions. The company’s software is cloud-based, fully customizable and allows for automation from origination through the entire loan cycle.
An opportunity to make a difference: “For most of my career, I spent my time consulting numerous companies across a variety of industries on their technology and management approaches,” Donahue said. “However, I had never sat on the other side of the desk. When I came to work at Supernova Lending, I found that opportunity and jumped at it.
“Supernova Lending represented the tenacious, can-do environment that I treasured as a consultant while also being in the startup phase of growth. It allowed me to influence the company more directly than at a multinational conglomerate. My choice to work at Supernova came from the opportunity to make a difference by disrupting an industry, creating the structure that would move the firm into the next phase of its life and make an impact that I could be proud of for years to come.”
Continuous innovation: “Working at Supernova has represented an opportunity to learn and grow as the firm continues to disrupt the securities based lending industry. Even as Supernova continues to grow, it maintains that entrepreneurial spirit to find the next challenge ahead of us while continuing to make our products and services better. I’m excited to see how we continue to innovate in the securities space and the impact we’ll make to our customers and their customers. I’m also excited to watch Supernova mature into a company that garners recognition from our customers, competitors and the market. We want to be known as a place that continually seeks to innovate and improve, so that everyone has more opportunities to succeed.”
SDI Presence is an IT consultancy and managed services provider (MSP) that leverages its strong team presence to advance clients to a secure digital enterprise. To optimize their technology experiences, SDI delivers IT consulting and hybrid infrastructure solutions.
Valued members of the family: “SDI’s presence-based culture combined with the opportunity to work alongside some of the smartest IT professionals I know were the biggest deciding factors for accepting my role,” Ramlogan said. “SDI is committed to making a positive and meaningful impact by taking care of its employees and cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment — from our IT service delivery to giving back to the communities we serve. I feel fortunate to work for a company that truly cares and treats its employees like valued members of the family. Not only that, but we are also empowered with the right tools to advance in both our personal and professional lives. When I look back to my first day at SDI, I am confident I made the right choice to continue my career.”
A powerful presence: “SDI has established a powerful presence in the Chicago and West Coast regions in recent years, boasting a client portfolio that includes some of the nation’s largest airports, utilities, commercial real estate portfolios and government agencies. Our company is growing tremendously with a commitment to continue to serve as a trusted advisor to improve our clients’ IT environment through technology change and innovation — and I am excited to be a part of SDI’s journey.”
Bringg’s proprietary SaaS platform provides enterprise companies with strategies for managing their delivery systems.
Committed to helping others succeed: “There were a lot of reasons I was excited to join Bringg, such as the hot industry and rapid growth,” Hall said. “But the real deciding factor for me was the positive energy I experienced from everyone I met during the interview process. High-growth environments present their own unique challenges, and the people you are surrounded by and the attitudes they bring to work every day make all the difference. Everyone at Bringg is committed to helping our customers succeed and Bringgsters freely share their expertise and time to help their colleagues — which is critical as we work across time zones in a hybrid work environment.”
A focus on sustainability: “Bringg is uniquely positioned to help our customers compete with ever-increasing consumer expectations around their delivery experience. Our solutions help them stay competitive from an operational efficiency standpoint while enhancing the brand experience and improving customer loyalty.
“Access to consistent and predictable delivery service makes people’s lives easier. It’s fun to think about all of the individual lives touched by our solutions, and I’m excited to be a part of that. I’m also proud to be part of a company that’s leading the industry in sustainability. The global supply chain is responsible for over 50 percent of carbon emissions, and we are focused on helping our customers quantify their efforts to reduce their environmental impact through our BringgGreen Tech Practice.”
SMS Assist provides property management solutions designed to simplify maintenance services for residential and commercial properties. The proprietary software is utilized across more than 200,000 properties and a network of 20,000 subcontractors.
Promoting from within: “When I started here in 2016, SMS Assist was a fast-growing company with tons of opportunities to make an impact,” Berish said. “Four and a half years later, that has not changed. From day one, I internalized SMS Assist’s values of being ambitious and relentlessly innovative. After starting in operations, I developed a passion for SMS Assist’s technology. The company encourages promoting from within and provided an opportunity to learn from some of the brightest leaders in the industry, who guided me and challenged me to try new things.
“Today, as the VP of product, there isn’t a day that goes by where I’m not learning. SMS Assist fosters an environment where people are recognized for asking questions and trying new ideas. That’s how we’ve broken into so many different verticals, introduced new products for our growing list of customers and continued to deliver an exceptional maintenance experience to communities across the country.”
Creating a better user experience: “SMS Assist is at such an incredible inflection point for the growth and development of product managers, UX/UI designers and software developers. We have the spirit of a very entrepreneurial team and company. Yet unlike a startup, you have access to the plentiful resources, support, mentorship and leadership of an established company that is a trailblazer in its market –– it’s the best of both worlds and a great place to be for learning and growth. What separates us from many companies in the industry is our focus on usability and making our products enjoyable for our end-users to interact with. With every product sprint, we push the limits of how much easier or better we can make their experience, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here.”
Everspring partners with educational institutions to design and scale high-quality online programs with an innovative approach that bridges the gap between its partner’s capabilities and their evolving needs.
A culture of respect and positivity: “I’ve stayed here for almost seven years because of the people and the opportunities,” Erickson said. “The team I work with is fantastic. I can’t recall the last time I had a personality conflict with someone. I enjoy collaborating with them, learning from them and getting to know them. There is a culture of respect and positivity that I really appreciate.
“Since I started working here, I’ve had three different roles. Both times I changed roles it was because I started helping out with work for which there was defined no role. Over time, I started to like the new work and wanted to pursue it fully. I was supported as I made a case for a new role and was able to officially transition to doing the work that interested me.”
Opportunities for creativity and collaboration: “I’m most excited to scale our operations and see the company grow. We have ambitious growth targets that will require our current operations to become more codified and streamlined. I’m looking forward to helping transform some of our small-scale processes to the enterprise level. There will be lots of opportunities for creativity and collaboration coming up.”
