Director Profile: Gina Miller

Our Squad would be much smaller if it weren’t for the person at the center of our latest Director Profile. ModSquad Director, People Operations Gina Miller has been with the company since 2009 and has helped find Mods for hundreds of projects, including Sony, Kabam, NFL RushZone, and many more. She knows the ins and outs of what it takes to be successful at every level, from Mod to Account Manager. We were lucky enough to find a few spare minutes in Gina’s busy day to catch up with her about what brought her to ModSquad and why she loves it here.

What was your background before coming to ModSquad?

Out of college, I started as a teacher, teaching physical science, biology, and chemistry to middle schoolers and teaching summer school science and American government to high schoolers. I also worked part-time jobs tutoring and contracted to provide weekend support for a tech company, then transitioned into consulting full-time and eventually took an employee role in business analysis and project management. I worked in the IT department for a Johnson & Johnson company, and from there I moved to a software company managing professional services and software implementation consultants.

Being in the middle of Silicon Valley, I jumped at the opportunity to work at a startup; I rode that wave for a while and saw the company through its purchase by a public company. When the tech bubble burst in early 2001, we relocated to the Sacramento area, where I stayed home to raise two children.

I was a stay-at-home mom, had just had my second child, and was caring for my grandmother when my husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As our lives changed, I decided to get back into the workforce. After working part-time at some local companies, I got an email from CEO + Founder, Amy Pritchard asking if I was interested in interviewing for a part-time job at her company called at that time, Metaverse Mod Squad. Intrigued, I said yes. I didn’t have anyone to watch my daughter, but Amy said “Bring her, I’ll have my daughter with me, too!”

We met at a great coffee shop in downtown Sacramento and talked while our daughters played together. Amy sold me on the mission of Metaverse, and I was convinced! We had just signed the lease for our Sacramento Operations Center. Sitting on the hardwood floor putting Ikea tables and chairs together with Amy and Rich Weil gave all new meaning to building a company from the ground up.

What are your primary responsibilities here? What is an average day like for you?

I am primarily responsible for finding unique talent from across the globe to join our pool of Mods. One of the reasons I love my job is the enjoyment I get from matching the right person with the right project. We look for people who are self-motivated, have experience working remotely, have good communication skills and excellent grammar and writing skills. We look for our Mods to be cool and level-headed with a bit of sass!

I’ve reviewed thousands of resumes and am committed to ensuring that every person who applies to ModSquad receives a personalized response. It’s neat to get to know someone, their passions and then find a match – it’s a win-win!

That said, I never really have an “average” day at ModSquad, which is why I love it here. Each day brings with it new challenges and excitement to keep me motivated. I wear many hats: I’ve painted Christmas scenes on office windows, adorned new ModSquad babies in swag, sent flowers to team members who suffered a loss and life-size stuffed puppies to sick children of employees, turned a Porta-Potty into an iconic red phone booth, and organized an online baby shower… you really never know what the “Other duties as assigned” portion of a job description might entail.

What sets ModSquad apart, in your opinion?

ModSquad is a trailblazer. Our image may be retro, but we have certainly embraced the future and are redefining the traditional workplace. This awesome company runs, for the most part, remotely. While we do have three operations centers, the vast majority of our Mods work remotely, from home or wherever they can find a quiet and secure location. That impacts more than just the way we can engage: it removes the barriers of living near your office, keeps cars off the roads, and drastically reduces the amount of paper we use. So, while our logo may have red in it, we are a very green company, storing everything electronically. Not to mention, we can marshal the Mod forces and provide some pretty stellar customer service and engagement to boot.

What memorable or rewarding experience have you taken away from your time at ModSquad?

A very rewarding component to my job is interacting with people worldwide, getting them excited about ModSquad, and bringing them onboard. I’ve watched numerous different people come in as Mods and then rise through the ranks to become Project Managers and Account Managers. The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing those I’ve recruited succeed.

I also appreciate working from home so I can be there for my kids, pick them up from school, or take care of them when they are home sick. ModSquad has seen my family through many happy occasions, some challenges, and some sadness. You may remember our CEO’s blog post about being there. ModSquad has allowed me to be there for my family.