What It's Like to Work at Riskified

What drew you back to Riskified?

Riskified grew exponentially during my first four and half years. I joined within six months of opening the first New York office when there were 20 to 25 people there. When I left, we had moved to a building with three floors, opened global offices and most importantly went through an initial public offering  on the New York Stock Exchange. 

Being public comes with changes, and I started to miss the startup culture of early Riskified, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and tested the waters at two early-stage startups. I was grateful to expand my experience beyond sales leadership to oversee customer service and build out the sales operations. 

However, I learned that no matter the role, you have to fully buy in to a product and company to truly enjoy your work. It became clear I didn't fully believe in the product and, as a result, the company. 

I realized I was missing key elements that existed at Riskified. Namely: an unshakeable faith in the company and its future longevity, proven referenceable results, innovative tech, great clients, a sense of community, a consultative-based sales approach and a process that made everything work. 

Every company has its own challenges; but having experienced four and a half years at Riskified and thinking back on other companies I was part of, I’d choose Riskified every time. 

Since returning, what are you most excited to have back in your professional life?

Having pride not only towards your work but also the company you’re a part of is invaluable, so I would say that’s what I’m most excited to have back in my professional life. I genuinely believe in Riskified as a company. I see the value we deliver to our merchants every day, and I enjoy working with everyone here.

What first attracted you to Riskified? When did you know it was the right place for you and your career?

I’ve always been passionate about data science and analytics, and transitioning to tech was a goal I had been working toward for a few years. I came from a background in civil engineering, where I found many processes to be manual and labor-intensive, which wasn’t where my true interests lay. When a recruiter from Riskified reached out, it felt like the perfect opportunity. At the time, I was finishing a data science bootcamp and had completed a capstone project on fraud detection — the same area Riskified specializes in! 

During the interview process, I immediately connected with the team. They were young, friendly and approachable, fostering a culture that felt collaborative, inclusive and refreshingly non-corporate. I wanted a workplace where I felt genuinely connected to my coworkers, and this was it. I knew this role was the perfect fit for both my career goals and my personal values.

Share one exciting challenge or project you are working on right now. What impact will this have on the business?

I’m currently working on a tool to automate the sandbox validation phase for merchants. This project has the potential to cut down time during integrations, helping merchants go live sooner. Looking ahead, we aim to expand the tool to production validation as well, creating a more efficient and scalable integration process for our business.

If your company culture was a car, what would it be, and why?  

If our company culture were a car, it would be a Jeep Wrangler — a fun, adventurous ride with the top down, ready for anything. It’s rugged and flexible, much like our startup-y vibe, but still capable of navigating the road ahead as a public company. The Jeep embodies our non-corporate, social atmosphere where coworkers feel more like friends. Just like the way our office is dog-friendly and full of energy, the Wrangler is all about good vibes and adaptability, making every journey an enjoyable adventure.