A Love Letter to VOLO

Today is Valentine’s Day. The perfect day to profess my love to you, VOLO.

How rare it is to wake up every day and want to go to work, see your team, and look forward to creating something special together. And this is exactly what you’ve given me.

There are so many companies out there that are great, but most of them are great in one specific area. One may be known for its product of the moment, one for the well-above-market salaries it pays its employees, another for the active part it plays in the community... But you aren’t just one thing.

You are a tech company that ably takes on a number of complex, life-changing projects, houses some of the country’s brightest tech minds, and appreciates its people not only for their professional output, but also for their hearts and loyalty. You are fiercely competitive, professional, and purpose-driven, yet you’re unbelievably generous, collegial, and gracious in how you present yourself to your clients, to your partners, to your community, and to the world at large.

If I had to choose just one word to describe you, it would be balance. Balance in how you navigate the competitive landscape, in how you communicate with and manage your employees, and in how you create a delightful yet constructive culture. You are great, yet humble – a trait that you pass on as a torch to your now 300+ team.

If family is the building block of society, then teams are the building blocks of a company. Over the years, you have and continue to build high-performing teams that deliver superior outcomes with just the right mix of autonomy and supervision. Everyone is conscious of his or her contribution not only to their particular project, but to the company as a whole. But it's not just about the work - we truly care about each other. This is why, in times of crisis and high-pressure situations, we know we can rely on our robust network of colleagues outside our teams that are driven by your values, not bound by rigid, superficial hierarchies.

I hear far too many people complain that the cutthroat cultures in their workplaces suck the life out of them, which is why I appreciate working in a company that values kindness, empathy, and comradery all the more.

For all of this, and more, I love you. “Who, being loved, is poor?” asks Oscar Wilde. If we are to believe that, then you, VOLO, are infinitely rich.

Yours truly, 
G. M.