Name: Kenny Wunpheng
Pronoun: He/Him/His
Team: Traffic Team
Role: Marketing Manager, Social & Community
1. Why did you choose Wyze (Why Wyze)?
I first discovered Wyze through a friend of mine while we were living together in the first (and scariest) year of the pandemic. Since we were spending more time at home, we wanted to install security cameras outside for added peace-of-mind. Without much smart home tech experience, we were fully prepared to spend a few hundred bucks. Then, my friend came home one day with what basically looked like a tiny white cube. She introduced me to something called a “Wyze Cam v3,” apparently made by a local startup we hadn’t heard of before. What really surprised us both was how, at the time, it only cost her $20! That meant we could actually purchase a few extra cams to improve security around our home without breaking the bank.
As a customer, this experience felt refreshing and so empowering. Discovering Wyze changed my perspective not only on what’s possible in my own home, but also what I should expect from the tech industry going forward (more on that later). Naturally, I had to do some more research and I fell in love with our core values ever since then. I came for the inclusive mission and stayed for the awesome people.
2. What team are you on and what do they do?
I’m on the Traffic team! If you take a look at our full Marketing org and then squint a little, you’ll find a smaller team of 8 ultra-talented communications ninjas. Except we’re definitely not as quiet as actual ninjas. That’s because our team creates all kinds of content and special events to encourage folks to check out Wyze. Either way, there’s a lot of cool stuff happening around here. From service updates to product launches, we work together to get the word out about it all using email, socials, and more. We also talk about Pop Tarts.
3. How long have you been with Wyze and what do you do here?
I’ve been with Wyze since October 2020, so it’s crazy to think that my second anniversary is coming up! I first joined Wyze as a Community Manager helping to run our Facebook Business and Instagram pages and connect our teams to the community conversations happening every day out there. I’ve recently started my new role as Marketing Manager of Social & Community where I still get to wear my Community Manager hat, but now I work more closely with the aforementioned Traffic team ninjas on communications projects! I spend a lot of time designing various content for social media, planning events, and curating our social storefronts where you can shop for Wyze products without leaving Instagram or Facebook.
4. What’s your favorite thing about working at Wyze?
Wyze is unlike any other company I’ve worked with in the past so it’s hard to choose just one thing, but it’s gotta be the genuine fun we have across literally every team. Even though most of us work remotely nowadays, I appreciate how there’s always a good laugh or two in meetings and messages. Our core values guide the business but our people make up the culture. That even carries over into the fun and friendly voice we all use to write our copy. Working at Wyze feels like a big group of friends making great products for an even bigger group of friends. That’s pretty cool.
5. How have Wyze product(s) impacted your life?
As first-generation immigrants from southeast Asia, my family didn’t come from very much money. Many of life’s luxuries - and sometimes even the necessities - weren’t always on the table. Growing up, I was always curious about technology and how it could make life easier. Since my Mom worked in IT, I loved to get my hands on whatever computers she’d bring home for the day and ask her millions of questions since I always wanted one of my own as a kid. I often reflect on how far technology is woven into every part of life, and how families like mine wouldn’t have been able to afford many of the modern solutions we have nowadays. Tools that make life at home so much easier if not more secure.
Our products changed my outlook on what I thought was possible from the tech industry. Wyze rewrote the book by creating super capable products without big markups and putting our friends first. This lowers the barrier-to-entry for everyone at the end of the day, so in a world of constant innovation and emerging technology, I’m thankful to be part of a team where accessibility remains at the core of everything we do. It’s a cool perspective that I now get to take with me for the rest of my personal life and professional career.
Wyze is growing! If you’re interested in joining a team of innovators, tech enthusiasts, and all-around cool people, check out our opportunities here: Wyze Careers