As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we are featuring three of our amazing Loop leaders: Nikki Martinez, Emily Matlock, and Maria Parks representing sales, merchant success, and engineering, respectively. Each of these Loopers embody our values, and their commitment to both our teams and our merchants is exemplified by their every day actions.
The following is a transcript of an interview by JP Arnaud-Marquez, Loop’s principal content marketing manager. Some of the questions have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Nikki Martinez, sales manager, pictured here with her partner, Courtney Price.
What does a day in your life at Loop look like? What keeps you motivated?
Every day is packed to the brim! My days consist of one-on-ones, pipeline dives, and a-syncs with my sellers. If I’m not meeting with one of them, I’m typically syncing with Marketing, Partnerships, or Operations – and the best part of my job is getting to strategize, and win deals with my reps.
I believe in my people, and in being human first. My teammates are the reason I get out of bed every day. Their success and happiness directly contribute to my personal feelings of success. Beyond that, the innovation, the collaboration, and the values our company embodies makes me come back; and want to keep coming back for a long time!
What unique experiences or perspectives could you share about being a woman in tech?
Being a woman in tech isn’t much different than being a woman in the world: we have to be strong, brave, and agile. I’ve always been focused on working hard, and finding ways to differentiate myself in measurable ways.
Once I realized I wasn’t a challenger seller, I focused instead on building strong relationships, ensuring I set my customers up for long-term success – which allowed me to find my niche and thrive.
Loop has helped in my journey in many ways, but in particular, due to our company values. There is such a conscientious effort to make them matter, known, and practiced that it makes way for a much better work life balance and meaningful relationships. We really live by our values, and it shows.
What is the best career advice you have for women aspiring to join tech?
Never apologize for your strengths and support each other! – Nikki Martinez
Emily Matlock, merchant onboarding team manager, pictured here with her husband, Jeff, her son, Jackson, and her daughter, Mae.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
I’ve been in various merchant success roles throughout my career because I’m passionate about helping people. This is most evident in my role today in two major ways: empowering my teammates and making merchants successful.
Besides working with amazing people, my favorite part of my job is the positive impact it has on our merchants. I’m continuously looking for ways to make merchant onboarding better to ensure our merchants implement Loop effectively – which supports their processes and their customers, it’s a win-win.
How has Loop, and our culture, supported you?
The empathy and understanding I feel at Loop is unmatched. It’s important to be seen as more than just a Looper: I’m a mom, a wife, and a human being – and Loop is amazing at recognizing that. Most notably, my direct leader understands the challenges (and rewards) of being a working mom, so to relate on that level is great.
Being a woman in tech can be intimidating, because it has historically been dominated by men. But the women in tech are incredibly supportive and inspiring. If your company doesn’t have a large number of women, find a place to network and get that support!
What is the best career advice you have for women aspiring to join tech?
Speak up and ask questions. Your perspective is important and has the power to shape the future of tech. – Emily Matlock
Maria Parks, engineering manager, pictured here with her son, Cooper.
What’s your day-to-day at Loop like?
A day in my life at Loop is full of fun, mostly thanks to the opportunity I have to meet with so many different people across various departments. The Loopers I get to work with everyday are a joy, and make coming to work incredibly rewarding; they are some of the smartest, most caring, and empathetic people I have had the pleasure to work with in my 20+ year career.
I also really enjoy helping people grow and develop, which I get to do as part of my job. Loop is as strong as it is because of the humans that work here, and I have the privilege of helping those humans be the best versions of themselves so they can achieve incredible things.
What can you say about Loop’s culture?
Loop is truly a safe space where you are able to bring your whole self to work every single day, and at any given moment. For example, I joined Loop in May, 2021, right before pride month – an important holiday to me. Once June came, I added a pride virtual background which I used in all of my meetings. Shortly after, I started to notice that nearly everyone had changed their backgrounds to support pride month; I felt welcomed and celebrated.
Every one of my peers and leaders, doesn’t matter which, takes care of me. They give me honest feedback, celebrate who I am, and make me a better professional.
What is the best career advice you have for women aspiring to join tech?
Be yourself. Be courageous. Be bold. Stop doubting yourself and just go for it! – Maria Parks