Inside the People Team @ Tackle.io

At Tackle.io, team members’ calendars are fully visible to the rest of the company. They mark off time if they need to pick their kid up from school or take an afternoon walk with their dog. Bonus points for updating a Slack status with one of the fun customized emojis created by the team.

This transparency is more than just a logistical convenience — it's a reflection of the trust and open communication that drives the culture. Tacklers are encouraged and enabled to bring their whole selves to work. Whether it’s a virtual meeting where a toddler pops in for a quick hello or a moment shared over Slack about a colleague’s recent wedding, these personal touches create a sense of community that transcends remote work.

Behind the scenes, Tackle’s People team, led by Chief People Officer Ellen Thorne, Senior Human Resources Business Partner Aryn Atchison, and Senior Manager of Recruiting Phil Mosberg, are the architects of the company’s unique culture. We sat down with Ellen, Aryn, and Phil to hear more about their work — including their inside take on why this software company for Cloud Marketplaces is a great place to work.

The cultural architects

“Culture is at the forefront of any program design,” Ellen shares, emphasizing that every initiative at Tackle is aligned with the company’s core values: Start with the Customer, Explore & Experiment, Learn & Grow as a Team, Celebrate Wellness, and Tackle Together. These aren’t just corporate buzzwords; they are deeply ingrained in the company's DNA and guide all decisions and actions.

Aryn also plays a crucial role in maintaining this culture by bridging the gap between the people and the business. Aryn’s work is about engaging with employees to ensure they have the support and resources they need to succeed. She believes in the power of relationships and spends time building trust with employees, creating a safe and non-judgmental space where they can share their feelings and needs. “Through relationships built with Tacklers, I can often quickly identify themes amongst our teams where there may be resourcing, staffing, development, or compensation needs,” Aryn explains.

For Phil, recruiting is more than just filling positions — it’s about finding people who will bring new perspectives to the workplace. His role involves building strong partnerships with hiring managers to identify top talent in the job market. “Through my deep understanding of our culture and values, I look to best identify candidates in the market that can help uphold our company’s values while continuing to add and enhance what we have built here,” he shares.

Phil is also committed to providing a top-notch interview experience for every candidate. He views himself as a brand ambassador, ensuring that every interaction reflects the company’s values and commitment to respect and care.

With the guidance of these three human resource experts, Tackle has cultivated a workplace defined by a few characteristics.

Recognition

Ellen and her team recognized early on how Slack’s shoutouts and kudos positively impacted Tacklers, so they took it up a notch.

Enter Motivosity. This recognition program allows employees to celebrate each other in a way that aligns with the company’s values and cultural attributes. The response was overwhelming; in the first week of its launch, nearly 80% of the team adopted the program. Today, it remains one of the most popular initiatives within the company.

Transparency

“Our calendars are 100% open, so you know what anyone is doing across the company,” Ellen shares. Many colleagues will take “walk talk” meetings on their cell phones when they need to get out of their house or even join a meeting from their backyard or local coffee shop.

“It is also not uncommon to see musical instruments, posters of favorite music, plants, and desk accessories that share more about your co-worker behind the camera,” she continues. “The ability to show up on a Zoom camera call without judgment and to allow your peers to have a glimpse into you as a person is one of our key ingredients in driving an authentic culture.”

Aryn adds that despite being a remote-first company, this focus on transparency leads to a deeply connected and supportive community. “We genuinely take interest in one another not only as professionals and colleagues, but as humans,” she shares. The company celebrates each other’s life milestones, from graduations to first home purchases.

Employee wellness

Tackle’s “Wellness Your Way” program, which offers employees a monthly allowance to spend on wellness-related items, reflects the company’s belief that productivity stems from self care.

“We offer remote-first work and flexible work-life balance, and this truly does help empower us to promote a place where employees can first and foremost take care of themselves,” Phil says. “Through our competitive benefits, performance management program, and internal mobility opportunities, we offer our employees a lot of resources to be successful.”

Become a Tackler!

Think Tackle might be the right workplace for you? Ellen advises candidates to be prepared for the unique challenges and opportunities of a remote-first, fast-paced startup environment. “Certain teams and functions are in different stages. Some are growing, some are fine-tuning, and some are re-building,” she says. “The start-up world isn’t for everyone, so [during your interviews] ask about the pace, calibrate your own personal experience with this, and assess whether this is a company where your strengths would complement the team.”

Aryn echoes this sentiment, reminding potential candidates to be themselves in their interviews. While Tacklers take their work seriously, they’re equally passionate about enjoying their work together. “If you’re interested in joining Tackle, be prepared to work really hard, pivot quickly when needed, and lean into areas that might be new to you. If you’re good with all of the above, you’re going to love it here.”

“We are building something really special, and a big part of our success is our people,” Phil adds. “We offer a unique experience to work in a growing and exciting industry for an organization that is helping define the future of Cloud go-to-market. If you are interested in any of our current open roles, please do not hesitate to reach out, and I look forward to connecting with you.”