One of the many benefits of working for a startup? Accelerated career advancement.
We’re not looking for you to have 150 years of experience, 7 diplomas, or the ability to do back-flips on a trampoline. We’re looking for determined people who genuinely love what they do. We figured a little passion goes a long way, and our people thrive when given the chance to advance. This has been the case for Loïc, who was promoted to Engineering Manager after 7 months of being with Happeo. And who better to tell you how it went than Loïc himself.
Internal promotion
“My journey at Happeo is a bit unconventional. I'm Loïc Masson, one of the Engineering Managers at Happeo. I'm originally from France, from what you can hear. I joined as a software engineer, but then my manager left and I volunteered to replace him. And after a few internal interviews that went very well, everyone was happy for me to be promoted to Engineering Manager.”
New challenges
“All of a sudden I was working with a new team, and new people that had never worked together. So it was quite challenging, but everything went very well and I'm in the position I want to be in. What I actually do is convince our product manager on what we should be doing or not, and I make sure that all the engineers in my team have all the tools and all the focus they need to do the work.”
Trying inovative ideas
“I think one of the skills that really helps me is to be very proactive and happy with people, and always welcome change. It's very rare that we would give a blunt no to new ideas. So you can always try new things. And even if it fails, they might still be something to keep. We’ve all been in different companies that have made mistakes. But now we know how to avoid those mistakes and we know how to succeed. We have all the necessary people and resources to do that.”
All for one and one for all (one of Happeo's values!)
“Everyone is always very happy to jump in. They will always assist you and no one's door is closed. Even though we work remotely a lot of the time, you can ask anyone about anything and they will try to make the time for you.”
Founders with a background in tech to lead a growing company
“One thing that I noticed from my previous experience is if one of the founders has a technical background, it'll help shape the company from day one. Both our founders have impressive careers and are very mature in the way they work. It's hard to measure the scale of a company growing when you just see little blocks on your screen accumulate. But now that we’ve all met in person, you notice we can hardly fit in a big room. So it just shows how many people are there and how many people are working very hard to make Happeo grow.”
Come join Loïc and his team
We recommend Loïc 10/10 as a great manager and colleague. If you’re looking for a place to be creative, to think outside of the box, and have opportunities to grow and advance, Happeo could be the place for you.
How did Loïc transition from a software engineer to an engineering manager at Happeo?
Loïc transitioned into his management role after proactively volunteering to step up when his own manager left the company. Having initially joined the business as a software engineer, he put himself forward for the vacant position. Following a series of internal interviews that went exceptionally well, he was successfully promoted to the role of Engineering Manager after just seven months with the company.
This rapid transition highlights how the business supports accelerated career advancement for determined individuals. Rather than requiring decades of experience or multiple degrees, the focus is on finding passionate people who genuinely love what they do. This culture allowed Loïc to quickly pivot from a purely technical execution role into a leadership position where he could guide his own team.
Upon taking the role, he faced the immediate challenge of managing a newly assembled team of people who had never worked together before. Despite this initial hurdle, the transition was highly successful. He now spends his time collaborating with product managers to define project directions and ensuring his team of engineers has the necessary tools, focus, and environment to succeed.
What is the company culture like for sharing ideas and collaborating?
The company culture is highly collaborative, welcoming of change, and very supportive of innovative ideas. Employees are encouraged to be proactive and try new things, with the understanding that even if an idea fails, there is almost always a valuable lesson or element to keep. The company rarely gives a blunt negative response to fresh suggestions, creating a safe space for creative thinking.
Collaboration is also deeply rooted in the company’s core values, particularly the principle of “all for one and one for all”. Even though a significant portion of the work is done remotely, team members remain highly accessible. Employees are always happy to jump in, offer assistance, and make time to answer questions, ensuring that no one ever feels isolated or without support.
This open culture is further strengthened by the collective experience of the team and its leadership. Many team members bring valuable lessons from previous companies, allowing them to avoid past mistakes and focus on proven paths to success. Backed by supportive founders with technical backgrounds, employees have access to the resources and people they need to thrive.
How does the founders’ background influence the growth of the company?
The technical background of the company’s founders plays a vital role in shaping the organisation’s structure, processes, and growth from its very first days. Having leaders who understand the technical side of the product creates a mature working environment and a solid foundation for the engineering teams. Both founders have impressive careers, bringing a high level of experience to the business.
This strong leadership has helped steer the company through a period of significant growth. While working remotely can sometimes make it difficult to appreciate the scale of a growing business beyond the avatars on a screen, the physical reality becomes clear during in-person gatherings. The team has expanded so much that they can now barely fit into a large room together.
This rapid expansion is driven by a shared determination across the workforce. The technical maturity established by the founders ensures that as the team scales, new starters and existing employees alike are equipped with the resources they need. It creates an environment where people can think outside the box and find genuine opportunities for rapid career advancement.
