"When the Watermelon team grows, I get so much energy."
Thomas Leek
| 3 min
Building a team, hiring new Melons, giving the culture meaning, helping Melons become better professionals and better people, and even a little bit of sales. These are a few of the daily tasks of the always-enthusiastic Lisanne, Head of People at Watermelon. In her role, Lisanne has very diverse responsibilities where no day is the same. In this Meet the Melons article, Lisanne shares her goals, motivation and experience at Watermelon, also explaining what she feels makes Watermelon so unique.
The vibes and the energy clicked immediately
“After 7 years in recruitment & sales, it was time for a change. That might sound crazy, because other people thought I was really good, but suddenly I found myself on the other side of the interviewing table!” says Lisanne laughing. I had a number of conversations with companies and checked out roles at other firms, but when I saw the Head of People at Watermelon, I thought immediately: “This role has everything that I love!” After the first conversation with Alexander (CEO at Watermelon) I felt a click right away. There was a ton of great energy there. After my meeting, I still remember thinking that I dared to give up my full time job for this! I really wanted this and thought: this is going to happen.”
Watermelon’s unique culture
“It was very surprising to feel like I was part of the team right away. You don’t need to prove yourself first to be accepted - you’re immediately part of the group. Everyone can be who they want to be here. That’s unique, and helped me feel welcome right away.” explains Lisanne smiling. Preserving and enriching the unique culture is one of Lisanne’s most important responsibilities. This is accomplished by coaching all the Melons, and making adjustments as needed, but also in recruiting new talent. “I really get a kick out of seeing individuals learning and growing at Watermelon. For example, seeing how an intern arrives versus when her internship is over. There’s a big difference. At the end of their program they’re more assertive, speak up more often, have achieved goals and improved themselves professionally. That makes me really proud and seriously very happy.”
“No day is the same at Watermelon, but one thing that is always the same is starting the day with a standup meeting. We discuss the good news from yesterday, because there’s always something to celebrate - then we discuss what’s going on today, as well as what results there are to share. The meeting is also a great place to see if anyone needs help or wants to discuss how to get unstuck on a specific project.”
Work hard and have fun
“Things move very quickly here. That suits me, as I’m sometimes a bit impatient. So when things stay the same for too long, then I’m easily bored.” But what has changed at Watermelon since she started? “Watermelon has become considerably more professional. The quality of the product continues to improve, we go to market much more effectively and our internal processes have become more efficient. All this has changed, but the culture of the company has endured.”
Lisanne continues: “It’s quite cliché, since all companies say this: work hard, play hard. But Watermelon is the first company where I’ve worked that I can actually say that this is true. From the dad jokes and puns on the workfloor, through to when we’re saying goodbye on someone’s last day, to walking into the lobby where I can see photos that have been taken over the years. It’s little things, but these little things help bring it all together.”
Lisanne’s goals
Lisanne’s goals at Watermelon don’t lie. “I want to keep the team and the culture we have, but make it even bigger. I want Watermelon to be known worldwide. Whether you work at Watermelon, used to work here, or did an internship here, I want you to say ‘I learned a ridiculous amount about business and about myself. I really grew there.’ When more and more people say that, it makes me really happy” says Lisanne, beaming.
Since Watermelon is growing so quickly, there are continuous improvements being made. The feature that Lisanne’s looking forward to most? An enhanced version of the chatbot builder: “The development team has a new version of the chatbot builder well underway. When that’s live, it will be even easier (it already is super easy) for our customers to build a chatbot. The chatbot will also be available to launch on even more channels. Our product is a winner, and this new version will give us an even stronger foundation to grow.”
Are you one in a melon?
Are you curious to learn more about working at Watermelon after reading Lisanne’s story? You’re in luck! We’re seeking new, enthusiastic Melons to join our team. If you’re excited by a challenge and have a healthy dose of ambition, then take a look at our careers page to see if there’s something that might suit you!
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