In “CatchUp with the Crew,” we take you inside life at ClickUp. You’ll get to know our team, see what makes us tick, and better understand what makes ClickUp such a unique place to work.
This week, we’ll hear from Architect Tony Meng!
Name: Tony Meng
Title: Architect, Infrastructure
When I joined ClickUp: July 2022
What made you want to join ClickUp?
I think ClickUp is a massive opportunity for engineering to enable the growth of a company rather than any single product or feature. We’re expanding quickly, so, in my mind, it was a huge opportunity to help facilitate this team’s growth.
What do you do at ClickUp?
Right now, I’m working on sharding our database and our infrastructure for scaling and improving performance. Sharding is the name of our project that aims to separate and re-home our customers’ data as we scale. It’s a huge project! I’m working with many different teams and people because we’re recreating all of the infrastructure and the database from the ground up in a way that will scale.
Tell us what a typical day looks like for you.
A lot of my day is spent syncing with people and teams. I’m always trying to prevent isolationism and siloes! Another big responsibility of mine is ensuring we’re all on the same page for this large project, plus all the other projects, and keeping expectations consistent.
We’re also very actively hiring, so I do about four interviews a week on average. And in whatever spare time I have, I try to plug myself into areas that could be high risk or where I think we could be moving faster.
How would you describe the culture at ClickUp? What makes it different from other jobs you’ve had?
People want to help! I’ve noticed that everyone here really contributes to our company and defines our culture. Because our company is still young (we just turned 5 this year), we’re still figuring things out but are very adaptable. It’s exciting, and a lot of people on the team are very enthusiastic about the opportunities in front of us.
What do you like best about your job?
I really like the agency that I have. Again, there are a lot of things to do and a lot of challenges to tackle and overcome, but when I have the time and opportunity to help with something, it’s always welcomed.
What’s your favorite thing about the engineering team?
The engineering team is growing quickly and changing all the time. Because we have so many new faces, they bring new energy, and it’s fun working with them. Everyone’s very open about things, and that energy isn’t something you get at a huge company.
What qualities do you think a successful ClickUp employee embodies?
I spent a lot of time thinking about this question. I think ultimately it’s a person’s attitude about working here. There are a lot of things to do, so successful folks are the ones that view these things as opportunities rather than burdens. It’s the difference between, “There is a lot to do, but I am focusing on what I can get done and enjoying the process,” and “Ugh, I have to do this.” Our team is all about growing and learning.
Fun Facts
Favorite food: Omakase! I live in San Francisco, and there are a lot of high-end sushi chefs here who do omakase, or chef’s choice. I love omakase.
Most binge-worthy TV show: “Friends”
Best movie to watch again and again: “Independence Day,” “Day After Tomorrow,” and “Contact”
Go-to ice cream order: This is a hard one. For me, it’s black sesame, earl grey, and cookie dough.
Favorite weekend activity: I love snowboarding and am so happy it’s almost winter again. I go snowboarding most weekends.
Most used emoji: I ask a lot of questions, which means I offer thanks a lot. So, 🙏!
Want to join the ClickUp Crew? We’re hiring! Check out our careers page to see the open positions currently on our job board and apply now.
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