Employee Spotlight: Anthony Rizzo

For January’s #dimeofthemonth, we are excited to spotlight our Product Manager, Anthony Rizzo! Anthony has played a crucial role at Cents for over four years, and always brings the perfect mix of good ideas, tough questions and humor to any project or meeting he’s in. We caught up with Anthony to talk work, life and everything in between!

What gets you out of bed every morning?

My Hatch alarm clock and moka pot get me going. Two great products, one incredibly modern, the other's been around since the 1930's. Good sleep and a strong coffee are a great combo.

What makes Cents different from other places you’ve worked?

We found product market fit at an ideal time. The industry is ripe for innovation and we're primed to deliver it. I've been lucky to have worked at other startups but Cents is unique in that success is dependent on execution. There isn't a major technological barrier to being successful; we, as a team, just need to deliver on the promises of our product.

What has your career path looked like?

My background is in electrical engineering and computer software, having worked at a couple large corporations before interning at WHOOP, a wearable startup in Boston. I started at Cents after finding a job posting on my college job board and ended up starting as a contract software engineer. From there I've worked on hardware and software projects before landing in my current role as a Product Manger. My technical background has helped to deliver products while remaining grounded in what it takes to get there.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Tough one! I would probably urge myself to be patient. In my career, that might be finding the right role. I didn't end up working in product overnight, it was a journey but I'm happy for the experiences that led me to where I am today.

What is your secret to making progress each day?

For me, it's garnering small wins early in the day to carry into larger initiatives later on. On top of that, starting my day by getting outside puts me in the right headspace to take on the day. Typically that's a walk to the co-working space in Denver or taking my coffee on the roof deck of my apartment. Momentum starts in the morning!

A typical weekend for me is…

Living in Colorado, it's all the typical outdoorsy activities: skiing, biking, running, and hiking. I have two sets of skis and two different bikes so I do whichever I can depending on the season.

If you could switch your job with anyone else within Cents, whose job would you want?

Is it bad if I say no one? I like my job right now. I feel like I'm constantly learning about the product and business. If I HAD to pick someone, it'd likely be Adam on the expansive business development team. He gets to explore new verticals and integrations to both broaden and deepen our project. The opportunity to explore new concepts that improve our business is similar to my work today but with a bit less rules to play by.

What advice do you have for prospective Cents team candidates?

Try pick-up and delivery for your laundry! Visit a laundromat! They're EVERYWHERE. Once you notice how pervasive they are in the community, it's hard to not notice them. If you want to succeed at Cents, you need to understand our customers first and that means visiting laundromats and talking with laundromat operators.

What Guiding Principles of Cents do you feel like you identify with?

Run through walls! At it's core it means to do whatever it takes to get the job done which in a startup is a necessary mindset to have. No job is beneath you, no goal is above your pay grade. If you want to succeed, you have to be willing to do the dirty work at times.

Motto or personal mantra/Words to live by?

I don't necessarily have a mantra but I like to remind myself to have a bias for action. Rather than think, just do and typically that will drive your goals forward more than debating if the approach is correct.

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