Wyze Employee Spotlight - Gwendolyn Evans (They/Them/Their)

Hi, everyone!

The powers-that-be decided that I should take part in the Wyze Employee Spotlight! I think that they just wanted to give me something sweet for my birthday this month. Thanks for checking it out! :grin:

Name: Gwendolyn Evans
Pronouns: They/Them/Their
Team: Cross-Product Experience (Community)
Role: Senior Digital Community Manager

1. Why did you choose Wyze (Why Wyze)?

I actually joined Wyze before the launch of our first product. I had recently graduated from Indiana University and moved to Seattle. My original job prospect failed, so I was job hunting when I saw an interesting job posting in a Facebook group. I applied for it even though I was definitely not qualified and spent the whole night researching what I would need to know to be a Social Media Manager (different from community management because it has more of a marketing emphasis and often includes asset creation). They Wyzely didnā€™t give me that job after I completely bombed the interview. But they liked me and my writing skills so they decided to make a new position for me even though we hadnā€™t launched and didnā€™t know if our doors would be open by December.

Wyze chose me and I choose Wyze every day! I love my Wyze family.

2. What team are you on and what do they do?

Iā€™m on the Cross-Product Experience team! Weā€™re a little bit of the misfit crew because we work with pretty much everyone at Wyze so we donā€™t fit neatly onto any of the existing teams. Weā€™re currently under the Product Team umbrella.

Our primary areas are internal and external communication, hardware testing, and community management. However, my team is full of people with specialties. We have people that help with creating social content, drafting emails (such as Jimmy from Wyzeā€™s shipping updates), updating our online shops, and more! We have an incredibly diverse set of skills and it helps keep us integrated at Wyze and make things roll smoothly. Our manager, Mark, is absolutely fantastic at being a manager and makes sure we all have what we need to succeed and are doing well. It makes such a difference to be on a team that cares so much about each other.

3. How long have you been with Wyze and what do you do here?

Iā€™ve been at Wyze since October 2nd, 2017! While Iā€™m the Senior Digital Community Manager and work in Wyze Core Community on Facebook and in our forum, I also help lead our amazing team of volunteers and assist with copy editing, hardware testing, creating processes, and facilitating internal and external communication. I take the information you all tell me and send it where it needs to go! If an emergency happens, I camp out with the engineers on a video call and make sure that you all get information as reliably as possible.

4. Whatā€™s your favorite thing about working at Wyze?

Thereā€™s so much I could mention here. I find my career incredibly fulfilling and I love everything from my work to my wonderful coworkers. But I think Iā€™d have to go with my communities. I donā€™t have as much time to hang out in them as I used to, but you all make me smile so often. Iā€™ve made amazing friends in the communities over the years and some of you are people I would count as my best friends. So shout-out to my Mods and Mavens! I have the most amazing team ever! :heart:

5. How have Wyze product(s) impacted your life?

You mean besides the paycheck? Just kidding. While my Wyze Bulb Color bulbs light up my life (literally), I think Iā€™ll go a more conceptual route.

Part of what made my eyes bug out of my face when I first met the Wyze team and was introduced to a $20 smart camera was the fact that they made smart tech accessible for me. I didnā€™t have much money and honestly never expected to have that change. It opened up a wide world of technology that I always assumed would be such an incredible, unaffordable luxury that it would never be accessible to me.

I meet people every day that have had that experience because of our products and we make peopleā€™s lives better. I know many folks who are older, below the poverty line, and/or living with disabilities that now have an easier, happier life because of the impact weā€™ve had on them directly. The work I do makes a difference and I see it every day. Wyze has changed the face of smart tech and I canā€™t wait to see where we go from here! :rocket:

6. What is something that was discussed in one of your team Slack channels this week?

My team has a lot thatā€™s cooking! One thing Iā€™m really excited about is how weā€™ve been revamping hardware testing communication. Itā€™s been a challenge for us for a while and I think weā€™re finally getting the hang of it. We even have email templates that make me feel so fancy!

7. What is something Wyze related that only you or your team know about?

Weā€™re not really the team for keeping secrets. One of our main goals and roles is to make sure that information is shared effectively. So this would probably be a sign of failure, honestly. Weā€™re really transparent. But I think that I probably have a bunch of random trivia just because Iā€™ve been at Wyze for so long.

EDIT: carverofchoice called me out for playing semantics. So hereā€™s an actual answer!

8. What did you do this week at work?

I helped launch a bunch of software, put in shipping requests for hardware testers, helped draft Fatherā€™s Day messaging, helped design some features with community interests in mind (sorry, not giving details yet!), edited a bunch of external content like the monthly Wyze AI Newsletter, worked on designing a survey template, and helped in the community! Whew, I feel tired just writing all that.

9. What was your biggest win at Wyze so far?

Easy question! Iā€™ve had a lot of wins at Wyze, but I think my biggest would be assembling the team of folks volunteers that Iā€™ve been working with for years now. I feel so proud knowing that thereā€™s an entire team of people that love our communities and want to help as much as I do (and that they havenā€™t gotten sick of me yet!).

Wyze is growing! If youā€™re interested in joining a team of innovators, tech enthusiasts, and all-around cool people, check out our opportunities here: Wyze Careers.

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Congrats, Gwen! You really deserve this. This place definitely wouldnā€™t be the same without you. Thanks for all you do for us! :partying_face: :tada:

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Aw, shucks. Thank you, Newshound! I appreciate it and am honored for the time Iā€™ve had with you on our team! :hugs:

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:confetti_ball: Congratulations, Gwendolyn! :confetti_ball:

Iā€™m very happy to see you got recognized for the employee spotlight. One hundred percent in agreement with Newshound so, so, well deserved! We really appreciate you more than words can describe. Honestly the bottom line, Wyze just would not be Wyze without you. Thank you so much for everything! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Okay, then based on your answer, you practically asked for this question to be rewritten for your situation, so Iā€™ll do the correction for you. here is the updated question based on your response:

7. What is some Wyze related Random Triva that few others know about just because youā€™ve been at Wyze for so long?

Hey, you played semantics here, so I am just playing along with the game and fixing it so that you will answer the question and give us something juicy and fun here. :smiley:

Also, happy to see you get the spotlight! We are happy when you do have time in here. Thanks for all you do.

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Thanks a lot for all you do! We really appreciate your help around here. It was fun reading about your back story too! :grinning:

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Iā€™m so happy you all enjoyed it! Thank you for reading! I love this community and Iā€™m happy to be here. :hugs:

@carverofchoice, I love playing semantics! Hmmā€¦ Thought I had dodged this but now I need to think about it.

Okay! Hereā€™s one that outdates most folks! When I was first hired, my first assignment was to take iSmartAlarm support content that they kindly provided and make it relevant to Wyze. This was SUPER challenging because the Android app wasnā€™t super functional when I first started (iOS was more stable) so I was having to bug our engineer for confirmation all the time. It was a big job but I got it done and we had support content to launch with! Oh, and the first X amount of Wyze Cams shipped out with these super cute animal costume stickers. I got a fox! :fox_face:

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Congrats on your spotlight Gwendolyn! :smiley: Well-earned and well-deservedā€¦ your dedication, resilience, diligence and level of critical thinking is uber irreplaceable asset par excellence. Thank you for being here for us and kudos! thumbsup

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Golly, folks! I donā€™t know if Iā€™m flushed from the heat around Seattle or if you all are just making me blush! :heart:

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:tada:Congratulations Gwendolyn! :tada:
This recognition is very much deserved! I canā€™t imagine our community without you. I enjoy being part of your volunteer team. I appreciate everything you do for the Wyze and the community!

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Thank you for answering my modification of the question, youā€™re such a good sport.

You sometimes have a tough job, but you do so well maintaining composure and respect even when sometimes the environment you are presented with is a bit more hostile or emotional. Thank you for showing such courtesy and being willing to come in here and share things or answer questions when your other responsibilities allow you some time to do so. Weā€™re always happy to see and hear from you whenever you do have time. Thanks again.

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@UserCustomerGwen

First let me wish you a Happy Birthday. :birthday:

Now, you should know the value in what you do in these forums and assistance you provide is well worth it. If it werenā€™t for you, I may not have continued with Wyze with the same passion I entered this endeavor with. I am a staunch Wyze supporter and even with the minor bugs or issues find the products to be above par, and the price is great alsoā€¦ :slight_smile: Thanks for being you and being there when so many of us needed help.

You are correct, this is a great community of individuals who are willing to help and provide sound advice. Yes, you get some individuals that love to complain, but most of us take that with a grain of salt. Watching how you handle situations like this is inspiring. I try to do my best in these forums to help individuals in need, I can only hope I provide sound solutions as you and other community members do.

BTW: I am also glad to start seeing other Wyze Employees becoming part of the forum and providing the needed feedback. I can tell you a few of them have and are helping myself and other members. I like to feel we are all part of the Wyze Family. Keep up the great work and remember, you are not alone in these forums. :slight_smile:

I am looking forward to what Wyze has coming in the near future.

Congrats on your spotlight, it is well deserved.

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@UserCustomerGwen, pure grace under fire at all times. Congratulations on your spotlight and Happy Birthday.

Thank you for all you do and for always being nothing short of amazing!

GO! IU! Fight, Fight, Fight!

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A well deserved and earned honor. Iā€™ve enjoyed working with you very much - and Happy Birthday!
Maybe you can actually get some real time off to enjoy.

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congrats on the spotlight Gwen! Wyze is lucky to have you! I donā€™t know how u have any free time :slight_smile:

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Yay - Gwen rocks!!! :slight_smile: :+1:

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C :sunflower: N G R :a: :seedling: U L :a: :seedling: I :sunny: N S !


You are the ā€œAbsolute Adhesive Agentā€ @UserCustomerGwen whoā€™s role as part of the @WyzeTeam is solely responsible for keeping 99% of the forum members present (they would have otherwise departed due to miscellaneous technical problems).


H A P P Y :birthday: :partying_face: :birthday: B I R T H D A Y !

May you have continued good fortune and fulfillment with your extended Wyze Family.

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This is well deserved recognition for you Gwen, it has been great working with you over the years , when the goin gets tough you get goin :+1: your future is bright , you are just the best, cheers to you :wine_glass: :joy_cat: :100: :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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You all are absolutely the best! This kind of thing is one of the many reasons I wake up excited to get to work improving things for all of you and getting to read your posts. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much!!! :heart:

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