Meet the Team: Sydney DeVries

Tell us about you! (Where are you from, hobbies/interests, things you do outside of work!)

My name is Sydney, and I'm from little ole Omaha, Nebraska. Outside of work, I am either planning my next trip, doing yoga, or picking up a random hobby (most recently, it's been an unhealthy amount of puzzling). I've also rediscovered my love for reading in the past year, which has been a great escape from the chaos of life.

What does a Lifecycle Marketing Manager do anyway? How did you get into Marketing?

Great question, and a tough one to answer because my day-to-day seems to vary quite a bit. Much of what I do, though, as a Lifecycle Marketing Manager at Going, involves creating and improving the communication we have with members. I work closely with team members across departments to develop new messaging and optimize our current touchpoints with members to ensure we are getting the right message out at the right time.

Pardon the cliché, but Marketing really did seem to find me. I wanted to study Anthropology but was too influenced by the voices around me who told me there would be no career in that field. So business it was. Ultimately, what drew me to Anthropology and continues to inspire me about Marketing is the focus on people–delving into behaviors, exploring diverse perspectives, and unraveling needs and desires. I think humans are fascinating, and it's amazing that as a marketer, I get paid to: 1. Work with incredible people every day (marketing teams always have the most fun 😉) 2. Better understand our members' motivations for travel and their choice to utilize Going as their platform of choice to explore more. Here is some of my work!

What's your favorite thing about your role here at Going?

There is a lot I love about Going – the mission and members, the people and culture, the flexibility and benefits. At the end of the day, I am really passionate about the work we do here. Every day, we provide people the opportunity to travel and access the world. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle of the day-to-day (and trust me, we work really hard around here), but when I do take a step back, I love reading about the trips members booked, the experiences they gained, and the memories they unlocked because of us.

And wow, did I mention the people?! Everyone at Going is amazing—amazing at their jobs and amazing as humans. I feel so lucky to get to work with and learn from such talented, caring, hardworking, and creative individuals. I am really pushed each week to learn more and be better.

What advice would you give to a candidate interested in working at Going?

I'm likely stating the obvious here, but come prepared if given the opportunity to interview with Going. Familiarize yourself with our work and prepare thoughtful questions because it's not just Going choosing you, but you choosing Going as well. Use the interview process as a time to show us who you are, and let us show you who we are to ensure the culture and mission align with what you need to thrive. And don't worry about asking tough questions–we don't shy away from those here!

What brought you to Going in the first place? What's your why (why Going?)?

I first learned about Going when it was still Scott's Cheap Flights, thanks to a family friend who knew of my passion for travel and would often send me job postings. Years later, when I saw a posting that perfectly matched my skills and experience, I jumped at the chance to apply and have never looked back! Travel has always been a big part of my life. I've been living abroad and nomadically on and off for the past five years. So, working for a company that is centered around enriching lives through travel and exploration is something I deeply resonate with.

What country do you most want to visit and why?

Wow, all of them. But if I had to choose, Rwanda has been at the top of my list for a while. I'm interested in understanding their history and how they've recently rebuilt after such a complicated past. Plus, experiencing the infamous mountain gorillas in their natural habitat would be an absolute dream.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Easy! I wanted to be the next Mia Hamm. I played soccer most of my life and grew up admiring the US Women's National Team. Nowadays, I stick to the occasional pickup game at the park and usually end up unable to move for many days afterward.