Appreciation all-star

Regardless of what time zones or countries your team is spread across, Gifted enables you to send meaningful and personalized gifts for any occasion.

Item: Gifted
Author: Matt R. Vance

Gifted was created for the dispersed workforce. Regardless of what time zones or countries your team is spread across, Gifted enables you to send meaningful and personalized gifts for any occasion.

His point

Distance is a logistics problem, not an excuse

A dispersed team turns a simple thank you into a shipping question. Different addresses, different currencies, different customs rules, and a birthday that passed three days ago while someone chased a courier quote. Most companies quietly stop sending anything at all.

Matt's read is that the occasion should decide the gift, not the map. Pick the person, write the note, and let the recipient choose from 4,500+ brands wherever they happen to live.

The interview

Fourteen questions, answered fast

Every appreciation all-star gets the same fourteen. Here are Matt's.

When you walk into the room, what song would be playing?: Yellow By Coldplay
How would you explain your job to a 5 year old in 10 words?: I listened to people to help make their experiences better. But if you ask them, for some reason it goes to designing cup holders on treadmills.
What was your first paying job?: Little League Baseball Scorekeeper
What is your favorite curse word?: Dang-it. Not a swearer in my house
What is the best compliment you can give?: The one that you think they're looking for ‍
What is the best compliment you can receive?: Probably just being a good listener ‍
What is your favorite Gift Card brand?: Anything Outdoor, like REI ‍
What book / podcast can you recommend?: “Work Inspired” By Aron Ain ‍
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?: Probably seeing satisfaction go up in ratings and scores and metrics, because I know those numbers represent people being happier ‍
Where do you want to go on your next vacation?: Alaska ‍
What was the last gift that you gave someone?: A 10lb bag of local granola for my father ‍
What is your favorite word?: Purpose
What is your least favorite word?: Busy
Do you have a motto, spoken or unspoken?: Perception is reality