Major(s): Anthropology, Philosophy
Minor(s): Religion
What is your current role? What was your journey in arriving there?
My official title is ‘Event Specialist,’ but as a founding team member at Peblla, my role encompasses marketing, operations, customer success, and key account executive responsibilities. I joined Peblla in October 2022 and am thrilled to contribute to this rapidly growing startup, providing advanced IT solutions to locally-owned chains and independent restaurants.
What do you enjoy about your work? What do you struggle with?
I’ve always had a passion for the food and beverage industry, but I never imagined I would be involved in it as a technology provider. I’m glad that our work at Peblla can assist restaurants, especially locally owned shops, in thriving.
In the post-pandemic era, restaurants across the US are grappling with increasing operational costs and losing customers to third-party platforms due to the growing trend of off-premise consumption. At Peblla, we not only offer efficiency and automation tools that enhance in-store operational efficiency, but we also provide restaurants with their own apps and websites, delivering a branded ordering experience across all channels. Supporting all of this are the versatile and flexible marketing tools integrated into our product suite, enabling restaurants to effectively manage and maintain customer loyalty.
How did your time at Wesleyan influence your career choice/journey?
I majored in Anthropology and Philosophy during my time at Wesleyan. Even though these fields may seem unrelated to my current work, I believe Wesleyan prepared me with the essential soft skills required for working at a startup company. In a startup, the work often doesn’t neatly fit into predefined job descriptions. Initially, this caused a lot of stress, but I’ve adapted well to these flexible work conditions, thanks to my ability for self-learning and independent thinking developed during my time at Wesleyan. Now, being on the talent-seeking side, I realize that this set of skills is more difficult to find in the job market.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about entering your industry?
For students majoring in non-STEM fields who aspire to enter the tech industry, it’s true that the industry often favors individuals with a strong foundation in coding and related knowledge. However, I believe there’s always room for non-STEM majors who possess fundamental tech literacy. Being an expert in the tech industry doesn’t strictly mean being a coding expert. It could also entail a deep understanding of the industry gained through work experience. In my case, for instance, I have expertise in restaurant-specific technology applications and their practical use in different setups.
Updated February 27, 2024
