Behind The Scenes At LightSpeed, The Fastest-Growing Company In Quebec

This year, Montreal-based start-up LightSpeed was ranked as the fastest-growing company in Quebec and the 24th fastest in all of Canada in the 23rd annual PROFIT 200 ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies by PROFIT Magazine.

They’re a pretty big deal right now and all that growth (over the past five years, the company has achieved impressive 1900% revenue growth!) means they’re hiring.

In the spring, we featured McGill arts grad Zack Brown’s meteoric rise from Junior Sales Rep to Sales Manager at Lightspeed. Today we’re going behind the scenes with two more LightSpeed employees.

Jad Tabara (left) is a 24-year-old born-and-raised Montreal-er who is passionate about two things: sneakers and interacting with people. He is a self-proclaimed “people person” who loves helping others, so he was a perfect fit for LightSpeed’s Customer Service Representative job. He has been helping LightSpeed customers since August 2010.

Sammy Walton (right), 28, also joined LightSpeed as a Customer Service Representative around the same time after living and working all over the world, including in Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and the UK. It was his adventurous spirit and previous experience at large technology companies around the world got him hired. Within six months at LightSpeed, he had the opportunity to transition into the Support Specialist role, where he provides technical assistance for LightSpeed’s popular point-of-sale software.

Keep reading to find out what it’s like to help LightSpeed customers and why these guys love their jobs so much:

Q. What is a typical day for you at LightSpeed?

Jad: You will usually see me on the phone with customers, filing voicemails, and responding to emails. My co-workers are awesome because whenever I need answers to work-related questions or need to say something, I know they are listening. Also, establishing a relationship with our customers is a key role of mine.

Sammy: My typical day involves me answering a myriad of questions regarding all different aspects of our software, and working closely with almost every department within LightSpeed to ensure the customers and resellers are given the most thorough support experience. Every day is a learning day because our software and the technologies that surround our software are always changing.

Q. What is your favourite part of your job?

Jad: My favourite part of my job is interacting with co-workers or customers and knowing that the information or suggestions that I bring up to them are important.

Sammy: It’s never a dull moment at LightSpeed. We work hard and play hard. It’s challenging at times, which I love, but the rewards are great. ‘Friend’ seems an appropriate word to replace ‘co-worker’ in our environment.

LightSpeed is a comprehensive suite of retail tools tailored to the Mac platform

Q. What is the most challenging part of your job?

Jad: The most challenging part of my job is making sure that anyone who has a LightSpeed-related inquiry gets an answer as soon as humanly possible.

Sammy: LightSpeed is complex software, so learning the more advanced areas like accounting can be a challenge. But it’s really satisfying to hear how grateful the customers are when you’ve spent the time to learn something to help them out.

Q. What’s it like to be a LightSpeed employee?

Jad: So many things at LightSpeed make it awesome to work here! The work environment. The perks. The people. The opportunities are endless: growth, great co-workers, knowledge, travel, and last but not least, awesome parties and gatherings!

Sammy: It’s true, the perks are pretty great. Who can complain about having a saltwater pool at work or the variety of employee benefits we get? Lightspeed is also a company that knows how to throw a party – our office feels more like a night club at times! How can you go wrong?

Q. Why did you want to work at LightSpeed in the first place?

Jad: I found the posting for my position in an online ad. When I walked into the Montreal office for my first interview, I was welcomed by nods and smiles from everyone. The decor and people were nothing but inviting. My first impression was that everyone was happy to work here. The environment was trendy and fresh. During my interview, they told me more about the product and I was sold. I wanted to work at LightSpeed.

Sammy: When you first walk though the door at LightSpeed you know you’re not entering a typical company. It strikes you as the place where the cool kids work. The way people interact with each other and the relationship between employees is something that’s hard to come by in most offices.

Inside the new LightSpeed office during its grand opening

Q. How did you impress them during the application and interview process?

Jad: I think I was hired because I am a people person and I’m also open minded. Everyone at LightSpeed comes from a different place and has all kinds of different stories.  Meeting the criteria for the position you apply for is important, of course, but getting along with co-workers is also key. LightSpeed is the only company I have seen that puts so much importance on both aspects of hiring.

Sammy: I impressed them by showing them that I really wanted this job. That I was made for this job. That hiring me, with my knowledge and willingness to learn, would be beneficial for the company. I really believed it was true and, when it’s as plain and simple as that, it really came across in the interview.

Q. What advice do you have for students and recent grads who are interested in joining LightSpeed?

Jad: They should check out the jobs at LightSpeed because they will have the opportunity to gain a large amount of knowledge from our products, our culture, and the people that will surround them every day at work.

Sammy: Show the company you’re willing to learn and grow. There’s massive room for growth within LightSpeed and it appears it’s only going to get bigger. If you show that you know how to be a team player, you’re sociable, you work hard and go that extra mile when the time calls for it, you’ll fit right in.

Q. Is there anything else we should know?

Jad: Apply and, if you get the chance, come for an interview. You will see what we’re talking about for yourself. Everything we mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg!

Sammy: You want to work here. Trust me.

LightSpeed is seeking out talent like yours to join them and take part in building, refining and promoting LightSpeed. Click here to view jobs at Lightspeed.

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