Joining us for the latest edition of MD Culture Club is contract lifecycle management distributor Summize.
We spoke to three of their team members to find out what working at Summize is like!
The talent lead…
Katy Hazley, People and Finance Manager
Can you tell us a bit about Summize and its culture?
Summize is the world’s first integrated contract lifecycle management (CLM) software, uniquely designed to make contract workflows smarter and up to 85 per cent faster by digitising and automating contracts and their processes.
Summize was established in 2018, which means we are in the unique position to have created our company culture from the ground up. It has been refined around the acronym GROW (Growth mindset, Respect others, One team, Will to win), which helps our employees know the behaviours we value and promote.
One common theme across our culture is also the idea of continuous improvement. We encourage the business to suggest and implement 1% improvements each month to encourage continuous growth and development, and the winner of the best suggestion even gets a bonus!
Summize puts its people first, and we aim to always look at the world from multiple perspectives. We are inclusive and actively embrace and promote diversity through our DEI programme, as part of which we host regular meetings and activities throughout the year.
We share our successes and failures as a company and host bi-weekly business-wide meetings to share these moments together.
How does the company go above and beyond to attract and retain tech talent?
Each Summizer receives a personal learning and wellbeing fund of £400 per year to spend on wellbeing and development. This could include gym membership, online learning courses, healthy eating subscriptions, or loads of other options! We also have a work-from-anywhere policy, where employees who have been at Summize for over a year can work from anywhere in the world for a month annually.
We are also very conscious of our employee’s mental health and maintaining that work-life balance, so we have a company-wide subscription to Calm, alongside a generous sickness and mental health day policy.
While many offices have discarded their physical office, we have just invested in a new, larger space on Portland Street. The office contains several communal spaces (including a treehouse!) that harness collaboration and in-person meetings. We offer hybrid working, but everyone loves coming into the office and being around each other. It’s also a dog-friendly office, so we have plenty of pets around to brighten your day!
To ensure we’re listening to our employees, we also send quarterly employee engagement surveys and incorporate that feedback into our plans. Each Summizer also attends quarterly GROW sessions to discuss progression and development.
What does the future look like for the company and its employees?
The future is bright for Summize. We have had an incredibly successful twelve months and are even opening an office in the US later this year. Each team is constantly growing and evolving, with an increased headcount planned for every department at an organic and sustainable level.
It is an incredibly exciting time for the business. We are solving a genuine business problem for our customers in a red-hot market, and the opportunities to be a part of our journey are endless!
The new starter…
Kyle Schmidt, Customer Success Manager
Can you describe your role at the company?
As a Customer Success Manager at Summize, I am responsible for ensuring that our customers are happy and get value from Summize. I love that I can build close relationships with my clients and get a lot of satisfaction from helping them solve problems with their contract lifecycle.
What was it about the organisation that attracted you to the role?
One thing that really attracted me to work at Summize was the opportunity to build my own processes within the team and really own the role. I’m encouraged to take responsibility for my own clients while being supported by the wider team.
I also wanted to work at Summize because CLM is a huge market. Traditionally, lawyers were very wary of adopting legal tech, but they are now realising its value and potential within their business. I enjoy guiding new clients through this journey, especially if it’s the first legal software they’ve used.
In my role, my KPIs are based on my customer’s happiness and satisfaction, which is a huge motivator. I work with departments across Summize to ensure my customers are successful and receive the very best experience. It is great to work closely with the entire business; it always feels like we’re working towards a common goal.
And I can’t forget about the culture! The office is brand new and has great spaces for collaboration and meetings, everyone genuinely enjoys being together. And, of course, I get to bring in my Corgi, Odin!
Can you describe the onboarding process you’ve experienced?
The onboarding process at Summize is fantastic. On my first day, I had a pre-planned timetable for the week ahead, which included meeting with the heads of each department the understand each aspect of the business.
Summize also hosts quarterly business reviews and kick-offs where the entire business comes together to discuss the success and key learnings each quarter, followed by a social. I was invited to attend a QBR before my start date, which was a great opportunity to learn more about the business and meet my colleagues in a relaxed environment. It definitely helped me feel more comfortable with everyone before I even started!
Another thing I enjoyed about the onboarding process was that I could get stuck in from day one - meeting customers and attending business reviews helped me understand my role and the type of customers Summize has.
The long-term employee...
Zoe Peterkin, Head of Marketing
Can you describe your role at the company?
My role involves managing and running the Summize Marketing Team. As Head of Marketing, I lead the day-to-day operations, and I also particularly focus on marketing data analytics to determine the performance of our team and the quality of leads. I am also responsible for the organisation’s SEO performance and website upkeep.
I joined Summize in February 2020 as their Marketing Manager before being promoted to Head of Marketing in January 2021. I have maintained that position as we’ve grown over the past two years.
You’ve been at the company for several years. Can you tell me what has kept you at the company for so long?
Where to begin?!
The biggest reason would be the people at Summize, particularly my team. Everyone is incredibly driven, and we learn so much from each other, but we also have a lot of fun. There’s a reason that we’ve got an office in the city centre! Having many very bright and ambitious people in one place, all working toward the same goal, is very motivating.
Our CEO and Co-Founder, Tom Dunlop, is also a very inspirational leader, but he's very down-to-earth and approachable, which you don’t always get at every company. He lives and breathes Summize, works hard, and genuinely cares about every Summizer.
Another thing that has made me stay at Summize is the experience I get from the role. No two days are ever the same, and I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in areas I would never have been exposed to in a larger company. I actually look forward to coming in every day and get a huge amount of satisfaction from every project I complete.
What would you say to a person considering joining the company?
If you want to be part of a company on an incredible growth journey, see what positions we have available! If you're driven and ambitious, want to make a name for yourself in the tech scene and work with a lot of inspirational people, then Summize is the place for you.
You have to be prepared to work hard and at a rapid pace, but you will definitely be rewarded for it. It’s an amazing chance for any self-starter to come in and really make any role their own.
To find out more about careers at Summize, click here.
