Alumni Spotlight: Rick Fillmore

It’s always great to catch up with ModSquad alumni; it brings us back in touch with wonderful friends like Rick Fillmore. Rick joined ModSquad as a Mod and worked his way up to project lead and eventually assistant project manager. Now enjoying the married life, Rick works at the Department of Justice. We’d tell you what he does, but then we’d have to… well, you know how that one goes.

When we spoke with Rick recently, he recalled his time with the company with fondness, sharing a photo taken at a games industry event that he attended with fellow Mods.

“A bunch of us from the office carpooled to Vegas to attend. I got my picture taken with the ‘Fat Princess’ from the game of the same name. It was a great experience that I owe to ModSquad!”

What was your background prior to ModSquad?

Before I landed at ModSquad, I was a proper Jack of all trades. I had worked a little bit in IT and did a lot of customer service in retail and the insurance industry. I also had a touch of blue-collar experience, stocking lumber with a forklift and unloading trucks. At one point, I was even an entrepreneur.

What brought you to ModSquad?

A Craigslist ad, actually. This is going to sound crazy, but I was literally living in a refurbished toolshed at the time. That sounds worse than it is. When I say refurbished, I really had gussied the place up. I added insulation, cut a hole for a window and another hole for an air conditioner, and even ran power to the thing. I know “living in a shed” sounds like the worst, but once you were inside, it was just a detached bedroom.

As you may have guessed, I was just recovering from my failed stint as an entrepreneur. One night, feeling down about how far I’d fallen on the socioeconomic scale, I was playing a game called The Secret World. The thing about that game is that it’s an MMO with a built-in web browser. You can open a window in the game and browse the internet. I was up really late playing this game, dealing with life, and a feeling hits me that I should browse for a job real quick. I opened the in-game browser, went to Craigslist, and one of the first listings under the part-time category was for a position at Metaverse Mod Squad (now ModSquad).

The opening line was, “Do you love video games?” I was sold immediately. I sent my resume, and a few days later I had an interview with Matt Hostler.

Why did you join ModSquad?

I was in the middle of a rough patch in my life when I found ModSquad. After running a failed business and spending years in stuffy office environments, I loved the casual culture of ModSquad. It was such a refreshing change from the corporate culture I was used to, and I just fell in love with the place. The exposed brick in the office definitely helped, too.

What were your thoughts as you worked for ModSquad?

My exact thought was, “I can’t believe I found a job that I don’t hate. I must be dreaming!”

What did you learn from ModSquad?

I learned to be more confident in myself and my abilities, especially in a leadership role. I attribute a lot of that to Matt Hostler. He’s an excellent manager, and I learned more about being a leader from watching him than I have anywhere else.

Did the flexible scheduling help you out?

It wasn’t absolutely mandatory for my schedule to be flexible, but I did enjoy not having to start work until noon every day.

How was it working with the other project managers?

Great! I worked primarily with Josh Hagood and Matt Hostler, and those dudes are awesome, so my experience was quite positive.

What was it like working for ModSquad’s clients? What was the most challenging thing?

The most challenging thing is trying to think of what was challenging! The clients I had the privilege of working with were amazing. They were very clear about their expectations, and I always felt like I was on the same page as them when new instructions were issued. What I enjoyed most was that I had participated with our clients as a consumer for roughly a decade before working with them, so it was very much like peeking behind the curtain of your favorite production.

What skills did you take away from your time here at ModSquad that have made you more marketable?

Management and leadership skills come to mind, but honestly the biggest thing I took away from ModSquad was confidence. All of the marketable skills in the world won’t help you if you aren’t confident in your own abilities.

Why do you think the ModSquad strategy is optimal for both Mods and clients?

ModSquad strikes a delicate balance between the two groups. The Mods benefit from flexible schedules and a variety of work opportunities, while the clients benefit from a low-cost specialized workforce whose tasks and responsibilities are very fluid and negotiable. When utilized properly, it’s a real win-win for both groups.