Category: Blog

Employee spotlight: 
Marisa Vivoda

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Life at LoopMe

What project or event has been your favorite to work on at LoopMe?
While being here at LoopMe, I have loved the sales offsites that we have at the beginning of each year. Since joining LoopMe in Covid and being mostly remote, it’s a great way to meet the people I work with frequently and get to know them a bit better. Typically, it’s a jam-packed few days of sharing knowledge between teams, celebrating successes and learning from mistakes that leaves everyone highly motivated for the year ahead!

Why did you decide to work in this industry?
I remember being on a field trip for my Environmental Sciences class senior year of high school, we went to Whole Foods. Part of the assignment while we were there was to look at the coloring of the walls in each section of the store and think about why the colors were chosen and how they affect the consumer journey. This assignment sparked my interest so much that I promptly went home that day and changed my prospective major at University of Dayton to Marketing instead of Physical Therapy. Go Flyers!

What motivates you to come to work?
My team! I get to work with the best people who support each other and work hard. We love to see each other succeed and are constantly learning from one another. I have made some of my best friends here at LoopMe and I am very thankful for that!

Who are you?

Tell us a bit about yourself
I am from the Chicago suburbs, now living in Chicago. The youngest child with three older brothers, I am a bit of an “oopsie” baby but definitely gave my parents the least trouble, so a blessing nonetheless!

Do you have any hobbies?
I consider myself a pretty crafty person! This year my craft of choice has been crocheting, I am so bad at it but it’s really fun! So far I have knit a beanie that is far too big to fit on anyones head and half of a baby blanket that is extremely uneven. By the end of the year my goal is to have something made that is somewhat usable.

Who would you consider your main role model and why?
My main role model was my grandma, Helen. She was very educated and intellectual, as a mom of 5 she got her masters in philosophy and worked in a lab doing cancer research. She instilled in us that it was very important to use your voice and advocate for yourself, and she did just that! Not to mention, she has a killer chicken cacciatore recipe.

We stand with Ukraine

Posted on | by Dan Wilkin | Leave a Comment on We stand with Ukraine

LoopMe stands with Ukraine, our colleagues and their families, as they continue to navigate the devastation of the Russian invasion. Following the recent increase in hostilities, missile attacks and the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam, we collectively condemn the invasion of and continuous aggression against Ukraine. LoopMe will always stand by Ukraine. We hope for victory and everlasting peace.

Our primary focus has always been the safety and wellbeing of our team in these difficult times. LoopMe is committed to supporting Ukraine:

  • Having set in motion an action plan from early invasion, LoopMe opened an office in Krakow, Poland followed by a second office in Lviv and supported all team members who wished to relocate
  • LoopMe has raised $240,000 through donations and fundraising activities, supporting a number of charities to directly help individuals affected by the war including winter clothing and heating support
  • We have provided humanitarian and financial support for Ukraine-based LoopMe employees
  • LoopMe will continue to raise awareness and prioritize the wellbeing of our colleagues

We salute the resilience and dedication of our Ukraine team.

Employee Spotlight: Daly Farrington

Employee Spotlight: Daly Farrington

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Life at LoopMe

Why did you decide to join LoopMe?
I was impressed with LoopMe’s PurchaseLoop technology. I liked the idea of having almost real-time insights on awareness, favourability and intent whilst activating my digital marketing campaigns.

My first role at LoopMe was in client services, so I would have a 360 view of a growing media business and the chance to learn and build relationships with colleagues across the company appealed to me.

I’d also heard positive feedback about LoopMe’s company culture from friends and family within the industry.

What project or event has been your favourite to work on at LoopMe?
Working alongside Jaimesh Patel to launch a new supply partnership globally. The project opened LoopMe up to new revenue opportunities and has now generated seven figure incremental revenue. I had the opportunity to pitch and onboard the partnership to new regions, develop best practices, activate tests and present to the leadership team.

The project gave me an opportunity to work closely with senior colleagues, improve my presentation skills and gave me an appetite for rolling out innovative projects and becoming more strategic. Ultimately, it opened the door into a new career path and helped me win the EMEA/APAC Innovation award for 2022.

What motivates you to come to work?
I have built good friendships within the company and have encouraged friends to join from around the industry. LoopMe has a hardworking but fun culture and there’s always something good happening on a Thursday.

I’ve been fortunate enough to prioritise projects which I’m passionate about and believe will have a positive impact for our clients. I’m looking forward to driving these forward throughout the year.

Tell us a bit about yourself
I enjoy watching football, going on city breaks around Europe and playing tennis. I like to host events, especially having BBQs, poker nights and cooking meals/ making cocktails with friends. My favourite show is currently Succession and I’m listening to a lot of Fred Again, Wet Leg and Franz Ferdinand.

What was your biggest achievement in 2022?
Moving to the product team was a long term goal of mine and I was excited to take on the role in October. Currently I’m primarily managing LoopMe’s DSP and working alongside Alex Koroid and Shah Auckburaully on LoopMe’s PurchaseLoop suite.

Outside of work, I moved into a new home with my partner and our dog, Wally. We’ve completed a lot of the work on the house ourselves, which looks great. I’m especially proud of us, given that neither of us have picked up a tool in our lives beforehand.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
Anywhere hot, with cold beer, good music and a pool nearby.

LoopMe logo in white on a background made up of the colours of the progress pride flag

Celebrating Pride and the power of community

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By Rachel Blank, Senior AE, Measurement

2005 was the year I witnessed the power of community. The previous year my friend, Dan and I formed the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), at our high school, Pikesville High, in Baltimore, Maryland. We attracted over 80 highschoolers in our introductory meeting. Our launch was an incredible success. 

Next Fall, we planned our own Pride week. Students who identified as LGBTQIA (A is for asexual) and/or allies were encouraged to dress up in ways that would echo the week’s daily themes. The night before our week kicked off, I received a call from a private school friend whose mom was in PFLAG, (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). 

The PFLAG meeting was centered around the surprising news that a local university’s radio station, in addition to a church group, were planning to stage a boycott at our public high school. Supposedly, Oprah, the Oprah Winfrey had called our principal and expressed interest in filming, and the Westboro Baptist Church was rumored to be there too. 

Our goal was to do everything we could to spread the word and organize a counter-protest. 

At the end of the next school day, our counter-protest took form on the front lawn following the last period. We completely outnumbered the protestors. And while our principal turned down my one and only opportunity to speak to Oprah, the news stations caught our relentless joy on camera, and we left the day empowered, knowing that our Pride week was a success. Kids from all over the state attended. 

Although our event was a hit, the LGBTQIA community still faces unfair scrutiny. The individuals who wanted to put a stop to the GSA’s Pride week are just one example of the growing list of folks who spew hatred and enforce their beliefs upon others.  While I am not a member of the LGBTQIA rainbow, my friend group has always consisted of a diverse crowd. It’s hard for me to fathom why people concern themselves with the personal lives of others and why hatred towards marginalized groups exists within this country. While some states are challenging the freedoms and safety of the LGBTQIA community, there are many organizations like the HRC and NAACP who are fighting to protect the community. 

Minority groups have always been resilient— they’ve had to be.  While I am certain that the tide will eventually turn, we need to encourage everyone to be vocal in their support of all marginalized communities.  

To any Looper in the DMV area, my theater company Stillpointe is hosting an event to kick off pride week in Baltimore aptly called, “Queerscape” on June 22nd. Queer-scape “UNDRESSED” a pun on Baltimore’s famous “Artscape”. We will feature visual artists, performers, and organizations tied to the community. 

Lastly, if you’re an ally who wants to support the community, but doesn’t know where to turn  check out the Trevor Project, who’s (thetrevorproject.org) mission is to end suicide among LGBTQIA youth. If you love drag and find joy in the art of drag then please help preserve their right to perform their art by donating https://action.aclu.org/give/support-drag-defense-fund.

16 year-old Rachel rocking a pink striped shirt during the GSA counter protest, (Fall, 2005).

Employee Spotlight: Georgia Watson

Employee Spotlight: Georgia Watson

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Life at LoopMe

Why did you decide to join LoopMe?
LoopMe’s technology and products really stood out to me. Giving clients and brands the opportunity to optimise towards their brand health or outcomes is a really powerful tool and a unique proposition in the market. LoopMe is also known to have a great work culture which is something really important to me when exploring opportunities.

Why did you decide to work in this industry?
Before knowing what I wanted to do with my career or really understanding the media or ad tech industry, I always had a love for brands. I was interested in understanding what gave one, or a couple of brands the ability to dominate a market and drive customer loyalty. After working with Adidas, I understood that way more small but crucial decisions went into building a brand than I could have ever imagined and that got me fascinated in brands and how they connect with their consumers. Media was a great fit for this interest, starting my career working on the L’Oreal account at Wavemaker (then Maxus) and then following my interest in the advertising technology space.

What motivates you to come to work?
Firstly, the people! The people in the business are amazing, here across APAC the culture is hard working but we always support each other through the busier moments. You will often find us getting together over a meal after work and we love over celebrating birthdays. Secondly, being in a role which is constantly having to adapt and change. This comes from the many markets we work across here in South East Asia – understanding both the similarities and differences between the countries and making sure our offering is constantly adapting to the market needs. It keeps things exciting!

Tell us a bit about yourself
I was born in the UK and have now lived in Singapore for the past 3 years. Travelling has always been a big part of my life, especially around Asia and since living here I’ve tried to see as much of this part of the world as possible. So far, my favorite trip has been to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam – the food is delicious and there is so much culture to take in. I’ve also played sports my whole life and even tried to start a career in hockey a long time ago but now enjoy playing hockey, tennis and running long distances for fun on the weekends.

What was your biggest achievement of 2022?
My biggest achievement is undoubtedly my move to LoopMe and shift into my current role here in the business, I’m very lucky to be part of such a supportive and motivated team and I’m excited to see what we achieve in the next few years. On a personal level, I got engaged out in Cambodia so gearing up for our wedding with all our family and friends back in the UK later in 2023!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
I would love to live in Rome for a short stint, mainly for the pasta!

LoopMe Celebrates Contributions to Math & Science

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Adele Cutler, researcher, statistician and recently retired professor at Utah State University, is special to LoopMe. At LoopMe where we use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve advertising results, we honor mathematicians that made a material impact in the world by naming the conference rooms in our NYC and London offices after them. Adele shares that honor with Katherine Johnson, John Von Neuman, Grace Hopper, Geoffrey Hinton, Ada Lovelace, Bertrand Russell,  Alan Turing, Thomas Bayes, and Mary Jackson.

Adele is a pioneer in computer science, and of all of the statisticians that we have celebrated at LoopMe, she is among the ones that are still contributing in this field. Due to her research and the development of Random Forest, a learning algorithm that helps with predicting outcomes (what she is most known for). Coincidentally, her research contributed to the core part of our AI solution that powers advertising campaigns for the world’s largest brands.

She joined us recently for an interview, with Leonard Newnham, LoopMe’s Chief Data Scientist, PHD, Machine Learning. In the interview she breaks down what led her to this field, how she views AI now, and what advice she would give the next generation of women in the field of math and science. 50% of our data science team are women, so it’s especially important to our employees to hear from leading women scientists and mathematicians, like Adele.

Research and Expertise

Prior to developing Random Forest with her colleague Lou Briemann, she focused on mixture models and optimization. Mixture models are cluster analysis (dividing up people in groups of similar people).  She transitioned from doing statistician based work to doing work related to machine learning. Adele shared that she enjoys applied mathematics because it showed her that real world problems can be solved with machine learning.

Random Forest and how it relates to machine learning

Random Forest is a commonly used machine learning algorithm that combines multiple decision trees to get a single result. Decision trees start with a simple question like what car should I buy? From that one question the computer can come up with several other questions in order to make predictions. This is quite useful when thinking about advertising and finding the right audience for a brand. Naturally decision trees have their limitations, however, when multiple decisions are made in a random forest their predictions tend to be more accurate. 

Many statisticians use this algorithm because it requires very little adjustment, it deals with a wide variety of data types, it can handle missing values, and can be used to predict how much someone will buy and/or whether they will buy or not.

Legacy

Adele is a brilliant woman who has helped improve how we help our clients using our own machine learning. She is an advocate of creating opportunities for more young women to join the computer science field as well. She believes that “you have to push yourself to learn new things, especially in this field because it is moving so quickly.”

Our heartfelt gratitude went out to Adele for this enlightening discussion – we appreciated her contributions and time to speak with our team. 

Employee Spotlight: Matt Costabile

Employee spotlight:
Matt Costabile

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Matt Costabile

Life at LoopMe

Why did you decide to join LoopMe?
When I was interviewing with LoopMe in the summer of 2017, I had exhausted some of the freelance consulting work I had been doing solo – I wanted to work with smart people doing smart things. Right from my initial interview to everyone I spoke with on my way in, it was clear LoopMe was doing exactly that.

What project or event has been your favorite to work on at LoopMe?
Getting Programmatic Guaranteed off the ground was a great end-to-end project! We needed to secure buy-in from sales execs, get status updates from product as well as our clients, and when the product was ready roll it out to our sellers, CS here and abroad alike. A wonderful six-month project that is still paying dividends today!

Can you discuss a skill you’ve acquired or developed while working at LoopMe?
I started here as the Programmatic Lead in CS, and the only dedicated programmatic resource in the US – as a result I had to get a lot of information out to people quickly. Above all else, my speaking to a group/presentation skills have excelled tenfold since I first started. People have legitimately asked, “have you done public speaking training?” and the answer is not quite – I’ve just spoken a lot in front of very attentive Loopers.

Who are you?

Tell us a bit about yourself
New York born and bred, I now live a whole 15 minutes from where I grew up out on Long Island. Dog and two cats in the home so things are always lively. Oldest of three kids, I’ve got a younger sister and brother.

Do you have any hobbies?
Many other Loopers in NYC that see my folding bike know I’m quite into cycling – if I’m just going myself I’d almost always rather bike than drive. Been playing guitar and bass since I was 14 with no signs of slowing down – it’d be insane to stop now! Quite a big vinyl record collection that you often see on my virtual meetings if I’m remote. As always a long-suffering sports fan of the New York Islanders and Mets (though hopefully that changes soon).

What was your biggest achievement in 2022?
This is not a joke – I got one of those 12 ft Skeletons from Home Depot for the yard and we haven’t taken it down. The plan is to keep it up all year. It had a little Santa cap and wreath for Christmas, is holding a heart for Valentine’s Day, and we’ve got a leprechaun cap for St Patrick’s Day next month. If anyone has any leads on 3XL Hawaiian shirts and giant sunglasses for the summer, please let me know.

Roman Antypenko

Employee Spotlight: Roman Antypenko

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Life at LoopMe

Why did you decide to join LoopMe?
I have always looked for employment opportunities that match my career aspirations. When my friend Mikhail mentioned that a suitable vacancy was open – I decided to apply and I am very glad that I made such a decision. I was very happy to receive an invitation for an interview. During the interview, I found that the information I knew about the company did not in the least exaggerate the company’s positive culture and supportive environment. A few days later, I received the happy news that I got the job. I was very grateful to Mikhail for the recommendation and I was eager to start my new career path in such a fantastic workplace.

Why did you decide to work in this industry?
When I was six years old, I saw a computer for the first time. I was in awe of this magical box that could do so many amazing things. From that moment, I was hooked. I spent countless hours tinkering with computers and teaching myself. Fast forward to today, I am now 34 years old and working in the IT field. It hasn’t always been easy, but the challenges keep me motivated and engaged. I love being able to solve complex problems and work on cutting-edge technology. The IT field is incredibly cool, and I feel lucky to be doing something that I am passionate about every day.

What motivates you to come to work?
The answer is very simple. Every day when I enter the office and take my seat, my colleagues greet me warmly. I am always surrounded by a group of highly qualified professionals, each an expert in their field. We work well together, sharing our knowledge and skills and helping each other every day. I am constantly learning something new from my colleagues, and they, in turn, learn from me. There is a camaraderie in our department and it is a pleasure to work with these talented people. I am incredibly lucky to be part of such a wonderful team.

Who are you?

Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Roman. I am 34 years old. I am a systems administrator and I am proud of my profession. I’ve been with LoopMe for a little over 2 years. I work with wonderful employees whom I appreciate and respect as professionals and as individuals. My hobbies are knife sharpening, fishing and cooking. I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world (although any man will say so – if he is happily married). With the outbreak of the war, I did a little volunteer work and tried to help where I could. In general, even despite the circumstances, I can say that I am a happy person.

Do you have any hobbies?
Sometimes I think I even have too many hobbies. But the main ones are sharpening and restoration of knives, fishing, archery and cooking. These things always comfort me. I have been dabbling with knives for as long as I can remember. Fishing too, since it is also a hobby of my father and grandfather. And what pleases me most of all is that fishing is also my wife’s hobby. I took up archery as it intrigued me a lot. As for cooking – I think that there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting at one big table with your family and friends and eating a meal prepared together. This is my ninja way.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
I thought about it a lot. I really like New Zealand. I love nature very much. My friends moved to New Zealand about 5 years ago and they told me a lot of good things about the standard of living, laws and conditions there. I plan to visit the country one day and see everything for myself.

LoopMe Global Wellness Day Recap

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month and subsequently LoopMe is kicking off Going Green in May – Sustainability Series. Sustainability is often associated with climate reform and highlights the various ways to help protect our environment, whether we recycle, compost, or grow our own fruits and vegetables. However, living sustainably is not just about how we treat the place we live, it’s also about how we treat ourselves. Friday, May 5th, we closed our offices for our Global Wellness Day. We take this day seriously because it is an opportunity  for Loopers to log off from work and use our free time to unwind and spend our free time the way we choose.

Some of us opted to enjoy the Spring weather by taking a nice walk and capturing the NYC skyline, others enjoyed live music at shows, like Jazzfest in New Orleans. Some of us made it a long weekend to take a last minute trip to visit friends. Many of us stayed in and binged watched television. One of the coolest ways a fellow UK Looper enjoyed their day, was by visiting a miniature pig farm.

Ensuring that you have a health body, mind, and spirit is essential for living a sustainable life.

Rachel Conforti and Johanna Bauman

LoopWe: Remote Leadership and the Global Workforce

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The Covid-19 crisis brought about many changes around the world, including a massive shift in corporate work life. Before the pandemic, working from home was considered a perk, and almost an incentive. Nearly three years later, remote and hybrid work has become the new normal. And just as workstyles have changed, so too have employees’ preferences and expectations.  

While working from home has allowed employees more flexibility and freedom, it has also come with significant challenges, especially for team leaders. Last week, Johanna Bauman, CMO at PubMatic, sat down with Rachel Conforti, SVP of Marketing at LoopMe, for our next edition of LoopWe, Remote Leadership and the Global Workforce. 

Whether you’re a new leader or you have years of management experience, managing a team remotely can feel overwhelming. An added layer of complexity is added when some – or most – employees begin returning to hybrid in-office schedules. Here are some of the biggest challenges and tips on how to overcome them:

Onboarding: Be prescriptive yet adaptable with onboarding plans to provide clarity and alignment on expectations. Make sure new starters know who to meet with in their first days and weeks to jumpstart their training even if you are not physically together. Create 30-60-90 plans so new employees know what projects to focus on, and then check in regularly and adjust as needed. It’s also a good idea to assign each new member a “buddy” (often someone on another team), whose personalities or interests align. This buddy can help create another touchpoint and connection within the org, and also teach them about company culture. Johanna also recommends investing in a learning and development system so new hires have access to all of the materials and training they need, and can consume the content on demand on their own timetable (PubMatic uses Mindtickle). 

Communication: Being a remote manager means building a system that balances trust and support for your team. Be transparent and thoughtful when it comes to communicating, and focus on documenting key actions and next steps. Remember that not everyone needs to be in the meeting, but they do need an opportunity to provide input and feedback on what was discussed, so pre-reads and follow-ups are crucial. This is even more important when managing international teams and juggling time zones. And similarly, especially when remotely managing a team that is physically together, managers should accept that discussions and brainstorms will happen without them there, and need to trust their teams to follow the same best practices of inclusive communication.  

Culture & Experience: Evangelize company mission and goals, and communicate them clearly. It’s easy for remote workers to feel disconnected from the company culture, so priority must be placed on solving for that. Hosting virtual or in-person team offsites at least once a year can help employees understand the company’s vision and more importantly connect to one another, which will keep motivation high. If hybrid employees are in the office, plan a casual happy hour or provide lunch to encourage face to face time. It’s also important to emphasize the ongoing importance of work/life balance. Make sure employees still feel comfortable needing to pause work to run an errand, exercise, or pick up their kids from school. 

As companies are figuring out how to work in a post-pandemic environment, it’s clear that remote and hybrid work is here to stay for the near future. The pandemic has resulted in a revolution in how we work, and like all revolutions, these work styles are still difficult to navigate. However, companies have found success in utilizing both options and will continue to be a work in progress as this becomes the new normal.