Celebrating 7 Years at SevenRooms: Alexa Detzi

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, Alexa Detzi, Senior Director of Enterprise Success, hit her 7 Year milestone and spoke to us about her SevenRooms journey, her nickname Deetz and the lessons she’s learned.

Justin Stevens (JS): Alexa, let’s dive into your SevenRooms journey! Can you take us back to the beginning and share your experience?

Alexa Detzi (AD): When I joined SevenRooms, we were a small team of around 23 or 24 people. We had just launched our dining product, and most of our customers were from the nightlife industry. In those early days, it was all about ensuring our customers understood the product while working closely with a small team to improve it. It truly felt like all hands on deck. It was exciting and challenging at the same time. Whenever something broke, our mentality was always, “Okay, let’s fix it” or “Oh no! We need to address that.”

Back then, we only had two Slack channels. It didn’t matter if it was about a broken air conditioner or a major product issue; everything happened in those channels. It was like the Wild West, where we had a room full of brilliant people trying to figure things out together.

JS: What a way to start? Let’s take it back a little bit more, can you share how you first came across SevenRooms?

AD: I actually discovered SevenRooms while working at NeueHouse, a co-working space that was implementing their system. Unfortunately, I got laid off from NeueHouse, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it led me to SevenRooms.

I had a lengthy job search, and during that time, I was dating someone who worked as an engineer at a major tech company. He suggested that I check AngelList for companies that had received funding and look for a customer success role where I could excel and learn. So I visited AngelList, searched for hospitality, and the first result was a customer success manager position at SevenRooms. Two weeks later, I was hired. 

I actually have a funny story about my final interview. All of my interviews had been conducted virtually up until that point. I was ready to log in for my final presentation when I received a text from someone at SevenRooms asking, “Where are you?” It turned out that I was supposed to present in person at the office to several team members. I pulled everything together and arrived at the office in under 20 minutes, and there were three people in the room: Joel Montaniel, our CEO and Co-Founder; Allie Page, our CPO and Co-Founder; and Jeremy Pfund, our Principal Software Engineer at the time. I began my presentation, but Jeremy kept interrupting me and acting quite rude. I did my best to remain calm, answering his questions, and finally finished. As soon as I stopped speaking, Jeremy apologized, explaining that he wasn’t normally like that, but he wanted to simulate how our customers sometimes communicate with us. Luckily, I nailed the interview, and now I’ve been here for 7 years!

JS: What a wild story. I’ve only been at SevenRooms for just over a year, and everyone knows you as Deetz, not Alexa. How did that start?

AD: It all started a week before I joined SevenRooms. I received an email from my manager at the time who told me that there was already another employee named Alexa in the company. Since we were a small company at the time, I needed a nickname. Luckily, I had been called Deetz throughout my life, so from that day forward, I was Deetz.

My favorite story about my nickname actually involves Joel. During calls with customers or important prospects, you can see him pausing and contemplating whether to call me Alexa or Deetz. Sometimes he accidentally calls me Deetz, and instead of correcting himself, he tells the customer that everyone close to me calls me Deetz, and that they can also call me Deetz. It’s his little sales tactic, and it always brings a smile to my face.

JS: That’s so special! Speaking of that, what makes SevenRooms so special?

AD: The people at SevenRooms are what truly make it special. Despite our growth, our company culture has remained the same. We have always focused on bringing in people who are not only hardworking but also genuinely kind. When you have a team of compassionate and dedicated people, you can accomplish anything!

JS: You mentioned our team, are there any Roomies who have made a lasting impact on you?

AD: It’s difficult to single out anyone because I feel so fortunate to have been part of this company for such a long time. However, one person who stands out is Tim McDermott. I’ve had the opportunity to work with him for all seven years. He’s held various roles, wore multiple hats and handled everything from billing to support tickets. He taught me invaluable lessons on problem-solving and understanding how we can best serve our customers’ needs.

I also want to mention our founders, Joel, Allie, and Kinesh. I’ve been lucky enough to work so closely with them because I’ve been focused on our enterprise customers for such a long time. When we first brought those enterprise customers on board they were highly involved. I’ve been in so many pitches and I’ve learned so much from them. They’re also just amazing human beings who I consider friends. 

JS: Can you share a couple of lessons you’ve learned during your time at SevenRooms?

AD: One important lesson I’ve learned is that no detail is too small. It’s allowed all of us to have a voice and a seat at every table. Whether it’s a product observation or a valuable insight from a customer, everyone is encouraged to share every thought. We have an environment where we celebrate that transparency and we have a true open door policy. I think that that’s helped me because I feel I’ve been able to add to a lot of different types of conversations, even when it’s something that feels really small.

I often tell my team, and specifically women at SevenRooms, to use their voice. Not because we have an environment that doesn’t allow you to, but because, sometimes, there aren’t a lot of women in the rooms we’re in. Even if you feel like you’re asking an obvious question, ask it, because in my experience not everyone has thought of that, and if you’re thinking it, then there’s value to it.

JS: I’d love to know, where are you heading for your 7 Wonders of the World experience?

AD: I’m heading to Italy with my partner and family in September. We’re heading to Florence for a wedding before traveling on to Rome and we’ll spend our first few days together exploring Rome’s food scene and visiting some historical sites like the Vatican. After a few days in Rome, we’ll head to the island of Ischia to meet up with some more family and spend time together relaxing on the beach and checking out Ischia’s famous hot springs.

JS: Is there anything else you want to share about your seven years at SevenRooms?

AD: I’m immensely grateful for my first seven years at SevenRooms. When I first started, I could have never imagined my journey and all of our accomplishments. We’re all really passionate about what we are doing. At SevenRooms, we don’t often pause to take a look at all that we’ve accomplished, but when we do take the chance to reflect, it’s amazing to look at all we’ve achieved together. 

I just have so much gratitude for the people that I’ve met and the friends that have come into my life. I really try to appreciate every moment because SevenRooms is a truly special company. It’s remarkable to think that we now work with customers whom I once thought were beyond our reach. I am immensely proud to be part of this organization and all that we have achieved together.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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