Roomie Roundup: Jeremy Pfund’s 7 Years at SevenRooms

At SevenRooms, 7 is a magical number. So, when a Roomie reaches their 7th anniversary, we help them celebrate their accomplishments with the 7 Wonders of the World experience. What’s that? A 7-day, 6-night vacation to anywhere in the world, sponsored by SevenRooms.

This year, Jeremy Pfund, Principal Software Engineer, hit his 7 Year milestone and spoke to us about his time at SevenRooms, his favorite moment and where his 7 Wonders travels are taking him.

Justin Stevens (JS): Jeremy, we’re really excited to celebrate your milestone at SevenRooms. Let’s begin by talking about your journey here.

Jeremy Pfund (JP): Being here for 7 years, I’ve had the privilege of playing a formative role in the business with our founders, Joel, Allie & Kinesh. From day one, there has been a lot of innovation. In the early days of SevenRooms, we were inventing terminology, creating new features and leapfrogging a lot of the competition out there. In the beginning, I was deeply involved in building out and maintaining our product. Now that our team has grown so much, I enjoy being in a more centralized role. But, in many ways, I bear a lot of responsibility for the good, the bad, and the ugly of what’s been built so far, both directly and indirectly. 

JS: So, looking back on your 7 years, what’s been your favorite moment?

JP: Soon after we launched our platform, our first customer had a very busy night. I think around half of the players on the New York Knicks had reservations at that location that night. As a result, our site became incredibly slow and unusable. The issue ended up being a very simple bug but we rushed out a fix that night. In moments like that, it feels like the whole business is on the line and it makes you feel so alive!

JS: I didn’t know that story! Those moments will certainly leave a lasting impact. With that in mind, what makes SevenRooms special?

JP: The people! I find it funny that we’re all about supporting hospitality operators and delighting their guests because we have a great company that delights its employees. I thrive in an environment where I feel supported and encouraged to take ownership and I feel that way here.

The culture at SevenRooms has also evolved over the years. When I started, we had around 20 employees in one office and now there are more than 200 Roomies all around the globe. I often ask myself, “Am I loving my work and the people I’m working with?” And the answer continues to be yes.

JS: You mentioned the people at SevenRooms. Which roomies have made a profound impact on you?

JP: There have been so many people, how can I list them without leaving out anyone?! Joel, Allie and Kinesh are the pillars at SevenRooms. Kinesh has always been supportive of me and incredibly vital to our success. I’ve worked with Tim (Director of Product), Hunt (Staff Software Engineer), Deetz (Alexa, Director of Enterprise Success), Bianca (Director, Brand Marketing), Austin (VP, Sales), Maria (Senior Manager, Customer Success EMEA), and Breezy (Bobby, Technical Lead) for many years.

They’re not only strong performers but they’re also a joy to be around. Every day I’m working with our tech leads, engineering managers and the rest of our engineers who make this place special. Then there’s Sophia (Senior Implementation Manager), Matt (Director, Customer Support) and Scooter (Scott, Senior Account Executive) who always lighten up my day. I’m sure I left so many people out because so many people have left an impact!

JS: What a long list! I’m sure there are many more. You mentioned that you’ve worked with some of those people for many years. What’s kept you at SevenRooms for so long?

JP: Retention at SevenRooms is great. There’s been a lot of consistency with our core personnel and that’s contagious. Opportunities in the engineering industry are limitless so it takes something special to maintain the retention that we have. I’ve also felt very fortunate to be part of SevenRooms and hopefully, I’ve played a positive part in keeping people around. Also, I love the people I work with, the work that I’m doing and the culture here.

JS: Thinking back, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?

JP: The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the ability to measure your successes and failures. We’ve rebuilt a lot of our components and features and I’ve learned to embrace that cycle instead of trying to avoid it. It’s important to understand that some of the things you’re creating can fail and that’s okay. The fear of failure is a powerful barrier for all of us. One of the best ways to get past that is by having leaders lead by example and admit their mistakes. It’s something that I’m working on.

JS: Shifting gears, let’s talk about your 7 Wonders of the World trip. Where are you going and why did you choose this place?

JP: My family and I are heading to Wildwood Crest, New Jersey and staying in a place on the beach. It’s a great shore town next to Cape May and it’s very kid friendly. We have three girls ages 1 to 7. So we’ll be spending our days in the sand, ocean and pool. My two oldest are great swimmers. I actually just bought some lime green snorkels for the trip, so I’m sure we’ll be having fun with those!

JS:  I can’t wait to see photos from your trip. Is there anything else that you want to share?

JP: I’ve felt fortunate being part of the SevenRooms story. The company has played a role in my personal identity over the years and I have a good bit of swag. It feels really good when I or someone in my family is wearing a piece of SevenRooms swag. The vibes just feel right and I’m really enjoying what I’m doing.

Interested in a career at SevenRooms? Learn more about our open roles.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.