Go Inside the Aha! Offices (the Perks May Surprise You)

Go Inside the Aha! Offices (the Perks May Surprise You)

Welcome to the office of your dreams. Here you will find your favorite snacks, cozy spots for your pets, and gear to play all the sports you love. Everything is expressly tailored to your exact specifications. You can even chat with family members while you are enjoying your freshly-brewed espresso. This may sound like a fantasy, but it is how our team at Aha! works every day. How?

Remote work — we believe that people who have the freedom to choose where they work will be happier.

I have written before that Aha! was founded on the premise and the promise of remote work. Six years in, we have seen the benefits of remote work firsthand. We are one of the fastest-growing software companies in the U.S. and we continue to hire exceptionally talented people across the globe.

Part of the freedom and flexibility of remote work is being able to create your own ideal workspace.

Some folks prefer a standing desk while others like to curl up on the sofa when it is time to power through to-dos. Each person can do whatever is most conducive to getting work done. But it is not just about the moments when you are working on your computer. Stepping away for a break is equally as important. And working from home, you can choose to surround yourself with exactly what you enjoy.

Our team is a special group of people. And we all bring a unique mix of skills and interests. Here is a glimpse at the unique “perks” in a few of our Aha! offices — the places and activities that help us recharge:

Baking “I love having all of my kitchen tools available whenever I need to decompress and treat myself. One of my favorite tools is this countertop steam convection oven, where I baked these gooey salted caramel brownies.” — Yuko Takegoshi, Engineering

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Beekeeping “I have an apiary in the garden behind my house. It can be quite hypnotic to watch our honey bees flying in and out of their hives. And the best part? Fresh honey on toast!” — Andrew Vit, Engineering

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Building “I love making things, whether I am working on a great new feature in Aha! or building something with my hands. LEGO Technic is one of my favorite things to make, and my two oldest boys enjoy helping me out. Here’s our current work in progress.” — Percy Hanna, Engineering

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Exercising “I work out in my home gym every day during lunch. I have everything I need to stay fit and energize myself for the second half of the day — a power rack, pull up bar, treadmill, and exercise bike.” — Danny Archer, Customer Success

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Gaming “I have a game room with pool, darts, and a shuffleboard table. Turning my mind off for a bit by playing games helps me refocus and come back to work recharged.” — Jennifer Bloom, Customer Success

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Gardening A lot of my daily tasks are abstract. The perfect foil to that is getting hands-on. My wife and I have a large garden in our backyard, and though shoveling several yards of topsoil is fun, fresh berries every morning are even better.” — Erik Johnson, Marketing

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Playing music “I love getting to share my knowledge with our customers every day. And I love playing music too. Since we work remotely, I can get in a little afternoon jam session. The creative expression gives me inspiration to solve tough problems.” — Mike Maylone, Customer Success

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Swimming “My apartment complex has a pool, so now that it’s warm outside I get to incorporate swimming into my lunch workouts. Not only is it beautiful, but it also helps me feel refreshed and ready to tackle my afternoon tasks.” —Nataliya Soloveva, Finance

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Tinkering “There’s no shortage of fun. You may find me playing a quick video game over lunch, building a new LEGO set, or picking at my guitar while thinking through a tough design problem.” — Jon Eckert, UX

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Water sporting “My backyard is a lake, and I definitely take full advantage of my proximity to the water. Swimming, wakeboarding, and jet skiing help me recharge and put a big smile on my heart.” — Julie Price, Product & UX

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These are not just fun diversions from work — what you surround yourself with is a big part of who you are.

Remote work lets you choose what makes you happy and give yourself the space to recharge. When you do, you will find you often come up with better ideas and make more valuable contributions to the team. Add doing meaningful work that you are proud of and you have the necessary ingredients to cultivate sustainable happiness.

So while our company does not offer traditional “office perks,” we give our teammates something much greater — the ability to live and work exactly how they like. No ping pong table necessary. (Unless you happen to have one already.)

What do you do to take a break from work?

About Brian and Aha!

Brian de Haaff seeks business and wilderness adventure. He is the co-founder and CEO of Aha! — the world’s #1 roadmap software and one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. He is also the author of the bestseller Lovability. Brian writes and speaks about product and company growth and the adventure of living a meaningful life.

Aha! is the world's #1 roadmap software. We help more than 250,000 users build and market products customers love. Sign up for a free trial today.

The company is self-funded and profitable, with an entirely remote team. We are rapidly growing and hiring. Customer Success Managers. UX Designers. Rails Developers. Product Marketing Managers. Join a winning team — work from anywhere in the U.S. and a few international locations too.

Tim Wilson

Sr Advisor, Services Marketing at Ciena

5y

I work best when my mind is clear. I start to feel "stale" when inside too long, so one tremendously effective mind-clearer (for me at least!) is working outside on those not-too-often low-humidity pleasant summer days. I have strong WiFi if I stay within about 100 feet of the house, so the shade of our big old maple works just like an office Remote working rocks! Companies that leverage it reap the benefits.

Ellen Anderson

Recruiter for 4S - Silversword Software and Services LLC.

5y

As I get older I realize that working remotely allows me to work where I am needed. Mom might need company for a night or two so I can work from there or semi disabled spouse needs a responsible adult to take him for a treatment so I can work while I wait or work layer when we get back. It may not seem relaxing but being able to physically and financially support those I need to reduces a lot of stress.

Howard Pedvis

Senior National Account Executive

5y

Sign me up!!

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Josh Justice

Ecommerce Marketplace Leadership | Retail Media | Amazon 1P/3P/Ads | ex-WPP | ex-LEGO | Experience with 235+ Brands

5y

1. I've got a adjustable standing desk so I can stand for a while and then sit when needed.  2. Back facing the wall and outside a window where I can see outside and a mountain off in the distance.  3. Second monitor... that's a given.  4. Loud sound system with a subwoofer that makes me move my feet. Typically in the morning when breezing through tasks and emails some good music keeps me going and then it's turned off when working on something that requires more focus. 

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