Walking into the office, he starts off his day with a cappuccino, some avo toast, and creating his playlist of the day (usually Pink Floyd). Indeed, CallApp’s Product Marketing Manager Alex Gitlin is the epitome of a successful millennial who, at 27, does not only boast one impressive record collection, but has navigated his way into the world of high-tech with style, improvisation and a cheeky grin.

So just how did a small beach town guy from Michigan go from sitting in AC, overlooking the beach, to becoming the Product Marketing Manager at CallApp? Let’s find out.

q) How did you come to work at CallApp?

It was actually quite the whirlwind. I was living in South Florida, and I decided to go traveling for a month and a half. But after returning I realized my life had become kind of monotone and I needed change. Less than two months later I found myself in a new country, interning at CallApp.

CallApp has a rule that they don’t hire interns, but I must have done something right…before my 5 months as an intern were over, they decided to hire me long-term, and here I am!

q) What does your job as a Product Marketing Manager entail?

Everything. There are so many aspects related to product marketing. I’m head of marketing and advertising, while also having a product management role. My job involves a fortune of data analysis.

Truth is my last job was more e-commerce, but I can say this- during my 5-month internship at CallApp I learned more than I did working 3 years in the United States. Think about it, we are a ten-man start-up fighting against competitors with over a hundred employees. That means everyone, including me, is constantly challenged and must pull their weight at all times. One thing is for sure, there is never a dull moment!

q) What has been your biggest breakthrough since working here?

When our head of user acquisition left over a year ago, they asked if I wanted the responsibility, and of course, I said yes. Watching our budget grow by over 400% in the time I took charge was something that was really exciting and humbling to see.

Another incredible break-through experience which challenged me was when I created a 50-page spec (for a CallApp CRM Platform) and brought it to dev team in hopes of bringing my theories to life. While that specific spec didn’t go into development, it was one of the things that sparked the need for the creation of our own BI (business intelligence). This gave the company a far clearer vision of what is happening with regards to monetization and analytics. Being part of that was really something special.

q) What is the work atmosphere like here in the CallApp office?

It couldn’t be better. We are a bunch of B-type personalities who have a goal. Unlike in a massive corporation where employees are just numbers, here we are all unique characters that are appreciated for what we give. Every person is thoroughly engaged in what they do, and one hundred percent needed in the business. There is no-one in charge of tasks like ‘getting coffee’, everyone is swamped with work and focused getting their part done.

The perks are pretty cool too- we have an amazing always fully stocked kitchen, there is a constant stream of good tunes in the background, and at lunch, you’ll probably catch us eating Asian food while the company dog, Shakira, begs to take part in the meal. You won’t find this kind of work atmosphere anywhere else in the world.

23 Years Old, Yaffa Abadi is currently completing her B.A. in Philosophy and Literature while working part-time as a content writer and social media manager. Her passions include creative writing, dancing, and reading. Her happy place is curled up on a couch with a giant cup of coffee and a Jane Eyre novel.