Meet Angela, Our Operations Lead and #1 SLM Employee

To celebrate our 10th birthday, we’re spotlighting the people who helped shape our story from the very beginning. It only feels right to start with our first employee, Angela, who leads our Operations team and has been part of the company’s journey since day one.

Over the past decade, Angela has had a front-row seat to our growth, from the early days of Shared Mail and Solo Mail to the expansion of new solutions like Poplar, Insert Media, and Out of Home. As we look back on 10 years of milestones, memories, and meaningful growth, we asked Angela to reflect on her journey and the moments that have made her smile along the way.

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1. What’s one work memory from the past 10 years that still makes you smile?

‍ We grew dramatically during COVID while everyone was working remotely. We stayed connected through Slack and virtual events, but it never felt quite the same as being together in person. When we finally gathered as a company at a spot in FiDi, I remember looking around the room and realizing just how much we had grown. Everyone was chatting, reconnecting, and celebrating. Teju (our CEO) and I looked at each other and had the same realization at the same time. I felt incredibly proud of what the team had built and of Teju's vision for the company.

2. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen at the company since you started?‍

The breadth of our offerings has expanded tremendously. Early on, we had a great shared mail and Standalone direct mail offering, but we’ve now added solutions like Poplar, Insert Media, Out of Home, and Catalog. It's been exciting to watch the company continuously evolve to meet our clients' needs while staying true to what makes us successful.

3. If you could give your “first-day self” one piece of advice, what would it be?

Have patience. I've always wanted to move on to the next challenge and accomplish everything at once. Over the years, I've learned that building strong processes, teams, and relationships takes time. The best results usually come from steady progress rather than trying to do everything immediately.

4. In 10 years here, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

I'm most proud of helping build the Operations and Design teams into what they are today. We have an incredibly talented group of people who care deeply about our clients and each other. Knowing that I've played a role in helping grow those teams (and in supporting the company's success over the last decade) is something I'm very grateful for.