For This Operations Lead, Spin Provides Opportunity and a Place to Grow
At Spin, we strive to do the right thing for our employees and the communities we serve. Over a year ago, we took a step no other operators had yet taken — using W-2 employees vs. 1099 contractors to maintain our scooters. Once we made this shift, we started running everything in house, from deploying scooters to collecting, charging, and rebalancing them. In doing this, we found that building reporting lines, providing a pathway to grow within the company, and taking care of our employees is not only the right thing to do, but it also allows us to offer a safer experience for our customers.
In our new series — Faces of Spin — we share stories from team members and give you an insider’s look at what it’s like to work with us.
Jason S.
Role: Operations Lead
Market: Memphis
Started: June 2019
Fun Fact: Jason is a lifelong scooter enthusiast
Jason S, an Operations Lead in Memphis, is a Spin team standout. Not only did he start out in an hourly role and work his way up to his current salaried position, but even better, he dubs himself a “lifelong scooter enthusiast.” When we asked him what he means by this, he explained, “When I was a kid, I was always the dork at the skate park with a Razor scooter.”
When Jason was 12-years-old he found a discarded blue electric scooter in his neighbor’s trash can. He knocked on their door and asked them if he could have it. They told him it was broken and that it was his for the taking. So Jason took the vehicle home, tinkered with it until he figured out the ailment, and had it up and running within a couple of days. “Of course, my neighbor was irked that I took his scooter and got it working…” Jason added with a chuckle.
Undoubtedly, the scrappiness and resourcefulness illustrated in this childhood anecdote are some of the same qualities that have shaped Jason’s professional life. With a background in operations management, he finds great satisfaction in working tirelessly to understand how a system works and how to improve it. “I love processes, efficiency, and figuring out new ways of doing things,” he said, emphatically. “Our operations are ultimately what makes everything happen, and I love being part of it.”
From the outset, Jason’s dedication to his craft did not go unnoticed. He quickly climbed the ranks from an hourly Operations Specialist to his current salaried role of Operations Lead, where he leads a team and oversees an entire market. The combination of Jason’s passion and drive and Spin’s focus on empowerment and growth was a perfect fit. “It’s been nice to have the chance to grow internally,” he shared. “It’s cool to be part of a company where the opportunity’s on the table for those who want it.”
As an Operations Lead, Jason manages the entire scooter fleet, oversees deployment and maintenance, and tracks key operational metrics. To succeed in these responsibilities, he knows that a team-first, all hands on deck mentality is essential, something we institute at every level of our company. “As a manager, I’m always focused on how I can engage my team to help define and shape who we are as a whole,” he explains. “We actively seek to get everyone involved because we believe that each person has something to bring to the table. And that’s pretty cool. It’s unique.”
In calling Spin’s work environment “unique,” Jason speaks from experience. Having briefly spent time as a 1099 employee for another operator and witnessing some of the challenges inherent in a disparate workforce, Jason knows that Spin’s approach is special and effective. “We’re working cohesively together to achieve something,” he says. “At the end of the day, the emphasis is about quality and a focus on the overall goal of what we’re doing.”
From a wide vantage point, the overall goal which Jason references is to serve the community, to provide people with a safe, affordable, and convenient form of transportation. At Spin, we are dedicated to improving the way people get around. “I’m just excited to see where things go,” Jason reflected in closing, “What we’re doing today in micromobility has a real opportunity to impact what the world looks like tomorrow. And that’s super cool to be a part of.”
