‘Inspire Inclusion’ is the theme for 2024’s International Women’s Day. In celebration of this day, we decided to shine a light on some of our amazing female-identifying colleagues at Taxdoo, to highlight their achievements and spark inspiration.
As the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Inspire Inclusion’, we asked the question:
‘In terms of your career, what does inspiring inclusion mean to you?’
“For a long time, white cis-men have been overrepresented and predominant in the startup world and the software (design) industry, and it’s up to trailblazers like Taxdoo to change this.
Our society is diverse, and our product is built to cater to various user needs and businesses, which is why diversity is crucial at Taxdoo. This also touches upon the issue of women in leadership roles, but it goes beyond that. We develop our product with a further developed team comprising different genders, age groups, nationalities, and backgrounds, with promoting inclusivity being paramount.
In my role, guiding through conceptualization and user experience of our Taxdoo product, I leverage my experience to promote and enforce inclusive practices, understanding that I need not identify individual barriers to promote inclusion. By advocating for integrative product development and design and championing these efforts, I aim to set a standard for equitable practices in the industry within my team, and Taxdoo.
However, we must not become complacent. We must continue to work on showcasing and incorporating diverse perspectives to create inclusive, accessible user interfaces, and simpler processes for Taxdoo’s users and customers, by listening and learning and then taking action.”
These inspiring words come from our Lead Product Designer, Christina Humpf. Christina is an exceptional product designer and leader, who combines her 13 years of experience in UX design, collaboration design, and inclusive leadership with holistic business needs, that bring useful and accessible product solutions to life in the hands of users and customers. Christina Humpf holds a “communication design” degree from the top-ranked HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd.
Inspiring inclusion is also very important to Julia:
“For me, everyone should have the same starting point. Show your dedication and we can achieve great things together. Your background – who cares? No matter what differences there are, these are opportunities, not obstacles. I love being in a diverse environment and would always encourage inclusion, in life and my career. Different perspectives and stories help to make us grow.”
As Team Lead Compliance Solutions at Taxdoo, Julia’s career at Taxdoo has been consistently brilliant; starting out as a Customer Support Associate in December 2020, Julia has been promoted three times during her tenure at Taxdoo. Her combination of drive, process-oriented results, and positive attitude make her a joy to work with. Originally a graduate of International Tourism, Julia proves that transferable skills and knowledge can get you far when applied correctly. Julia also holds a certificate from the University of Cambridge for Advanced English.
Laureen has achieved an impressive career transition from working in the hotel and hospitality industry to her current role at Taxdoo as an accountant. Proving the value of life-long learning, Laureen’s career switch was cemented when she achieved a professional qualification in payroll invoicing in 2022.
For many, inspiring inclusivity is a mindset, a view that Laureen Kainz and Britta Garbers both share:
“The words coming into my mind with regards to inclusion are respect, openness, but also self-reflection and communication. People are so diverse and at the same time, a lot of internalised biases exist. So inclusion should be inspired on every level of a company, the company per se and also each person.”
Britta’s background in marketing and international business lends well to our culture and business requirements at Taxdoo. As a senior in the Compliance team, Britta brings meticulous attention to detail combined with the ability to create articles that educate and inspire our customers and employees alike.
We also wanted to shine a light on the following outstanding tech professionals at Taxdoo, who shape and inspire our colleagues and businesses alike.
Elena is our leader, Chief Technology Officer, and shining inspiration. Elena’s stellar career thus far has seen her drive success by making products that are loved by humans. Elena values growth and is a regular writer and speaker. She also recently completed a qualification at the University of Cambridge where she could share and exchange expertise with like-minded peers. Elena brings reliability and a scale-up mindset combined with nurturing a best-in-class culture where each individual feels empowered to thrive and grow. Elena is someone everyone should have the privilege of working with.
Diana brings extensive Business Intelligence Analysis expertise from her career in the thriving Berlin tech scene and applies this to ensure Taxdoo delivers value, exceeds targets and remains market relevant. In addition to this, Diana brings an international mindset as she has also worked in Ecuador for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration.
We wish everyone a happy and healthy International Women’s Day and a hugely successful year ahead.
Are you inspired by these stories and would love to work somewhere where you can thrive too? Check out our open positions here.
It was March 2020; spring had sprung in Hamburg, the pandemic was about to hit Germany, and Carina had just started her new role as a Sales and Operations trainee at a growing taxtech company, Taxdoo.
Fast forward three and half years; Carina has scaled the career ladder and is now a Senior Sales Associate. We asked Carina about her time at Taxdoo and how she achieved her success.
What do you love about Taxdoo?
There are a lot of things! I am so lucky that Taxdoo allows me to work with so many wonderful colleagues, especially in the Tax Advisor Solutions Team. As our solution specialises in the field of e-commerce internationalisation and accounting, there is always something to learn and get your head around. Of course, with most scaling start-ups, there is and will always be a place of change. For some, that’s uncomfortable, however for me, it means that I am constantly evolving professionally.
Taxdoo has a great culture that thrives on timely, open communication and tight feedback loops.
What is the difference between working Sales and working in the Tax Advisor Solutions Team?
Tax advisors and online merchants have specific requirements and ways of working, so the team structures and different roles at Taxdoo reflect that. You are required to have depth of knowledge of the Taxdoo solution yet also taxes and accounting so that you are able to offer the best advice to tax advisors using our software.
It also involves taking care of partners and building relationships with the tax advisor firms. The aim is to create a multiplying environment- if one firm is happy with us, then they are more likely to bring on more of their clients, online merchants, who will also use Taxdoo.
What is special about working in taxtech?
Taxtech is constantly evolving. You need to be ready to keep learning new things, be open to mastering new skills, and even as you progress, stay operational and hands-on. There is no better way to stay up to date than by speaking to clients regularly.
Tech is renowned for being fast-paced and sometimes stressful. What has your experience been so far?
It is definitely fast-paced, yet I believe the benefits we have at Taxdoo contribute to a healthy work-life balance that accommodates a lot of different lifestyles. I am very much a people person and I am happy to say that I have many friends who I am lucky to call colleagues, as well as a great social circle outside of work. All of this is possible when a company like Taxdoo puts people at the core of its culture. Yes, tech is fast-paced, however, when you work in a supportive environment with people who care about each other, it makes all the difference.
Taxdoo really wants everyone to be able to thrive, in a way that is comfortable to them and their lifestyle choices. This is also reflected in the benefits we have such as gym memberships, the opportunity to work remotely, and steady, personalized career progression.
What is it like to work remotely?
It is basically like having the best of both worlds. I’ve worked remotely in Greece, France, Portugal, Malta and the Netherlands. My sister lives in the Netherlands, so working remotely makes it much easier to visit family. These experiences are cool because you get to extend a holiday by a few weeks without using up your annual leave allowance.
How would you describe the Taxdoo culture? How has it changed since you joined?
There always will be a special Taxdoo culture, because the founders and management have always made team spirit a priority from day one. When I started at Taxdoo, I was beginning my career, yet I was never made to feel like a junior. Respecting people and encouraging them to voice their opinions has always been something that I admired at Taxdoo. This has undoubtedly played a big part in my success and progression throughout my career.
Has the culture changed? At its core, it definitely hasn’t changed. I still feel that the company is putting people first and prioritizing healthy, sustainable growth with a long-term vision supported by a well-considered and transparently communicated strategy.
Considering a move into tax tech? Do you have a background in tax or accounting? We’re hiring!
Find out more about our culture by checking out our blog, following Taxdoo Engineering or go straight to jobs page to check out the latest vacancies.
Meet Joachim, also known as Joe, a vital member of Taxdoo’s Customer Success team for over 2 years. Joe excels in guiding new clients through onboarding and providing unwavering support. With a dedicated focus on customer satisfaction, he promptly responds to inquiries, leads meaningful conversations, and diligently works to win back customers. Beyond the office, Joe’s passion for adventure extends to dancing and staying informed about current affairs and politics. We are fortunate to have Joe’s expertise and genuine care contributing to our clients’ success at Taxdoo. Dive deeper into the interview we did with him.
Introduce yourself
I’ve been on Earth since 1965, arguably the best year. I did an apprenticeship as a bank clerk in 1984. After that I went to the German armed forces to do military service in 1987. Then I studied business administration from 1988 at the Leuphana University in Lüneburg. From 1994, I worked as an account manager in field service for a big IT service-provider for the Volks- und Raiffeisenbanken (cooperative banks in Germany). There I was responsible for migration projects in the core banking application. This was a great career and for twenty-five years, my role had me on the road traveling to and from projects. At some point, I decided that it was time to call it a day with the traveling. I started looking for a company that aligns more with how I’d like to live my life. Therefore, I am very happy to be at Taxdoo!
What does a typical day at Taxdoo look like for you?
A typical day for me is, well, never typical! And this keeps things exciting. I have a customer-orientated role, so I devote a lot of my capacity to understanding our clients’ needs, resolving issues, and helping them get the most out of Taxdoo with bespoke training and onboarding. Many people assume that working in my role is just about landing new deals, upselling, and preventing churn – which, to an extent, is true. However, I think the most important part of my job is building and maintaining relationships with our clients. Customer satisfaction is very important to our team!
What are the common misconceptions or misunderstandings about your work?
A common misconception is that it is a department where deals or upsells are made.
Customer Success is a very important department, as it’s the hub of all client relationships and knowledge. In Success, you always need to ask yourself, ‘What does the customer want? What do they need?’
Be obsessed with the client’s point of view and be this voice that represents them within the company. This is especially important in a tech company where thousands of users rely on our software every day. We need to make sure we are building a product our customers love, need and want to use.
Which was the most challenging project so far, and Why?
The most challenging aspect of my role has been mastering the ins and outs of EU-wide VAT (Value Added Tax) compliance. Not only is this a deeply nuanced and vast topic, but it’s also an area that is responding to changing market needs, so I’ve gotten used to always learning to absorb compliance information and legislation.
How do you keep on learning?
At Taxdoo, any new feature introduced to our product is an area we need to learn so that we can advise our clients accurately. Working for a tax tech company, you always need to be thinking ahead. This means being aware of upcoming changes to compliance services in the EU, extensive knowledge of bookkeeping, data export, and revenue generation are just some examples of topics that you need to be an expert on in order to provide the best care to clients. How do you find this information? Firstly, work with your teammates and be ready to listen and share knowledge. Webinars and podcasts are easily accessible learning methods, but a variety of learning experiences tailored to your needs are offered. To help you achieve your goals, you also have an individual training budget.
A major learning for me is learning how to be a ‘farmer’, which is a more nurturing way of helping the client get the most value from Taxdoo and understand which services fit their business best. This approach sows the seeds of goodwill and realizing product value for every client’s needs, rather than aggressively upselling.
What tips would you give someone who’s starting out in Customer Success?
Be customer-oriented. Know how to communicate with your customer; via email, in phone calls, and meetings, always try to understand the customer’s point of view and communicate in a way that will help them trust you. I’ve had years of experience in this, so it comes to me naturally. It is possible to learn this skill though, if you are open to it.
What did Taxdoo teach you?
That mixed-age teams can work together very effectively, for example, in our team a self-declared “baby boomer” together with colleagues from generation “Y”.
I really value and enjoy the fact that I can carry out my tasks mostly from home. Working from home means you can be productive and collaborate virtually, however I also appreciate the opportunity to work in an office environment. This mix is great for achieving a balance whilst establishing rapport with colleagues and clients alike.
Last but not least, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I’m really interested in current affairs, especially politics. But also I’ve been dancing with my partner at a dance school since 1996. For me, it’s a way of life. Dancing is so much fun; not only does it keep your body nimble, it also keeps you mentally sharp, improves your overall movement and when you have a girlfriend to dance with as lovely as mine, it makes learning new dance styles even more enjoyable.
‘Why dance when you could be resting from work?’, some might say. At the end of a long day, you should bookmark it with an activity you love. My role at Taxdoo is exciting yet demanding; it’s not uncommon for my day to be back to back with phone calls, completing tickets, onboarding new clients. I always strive to make the customer satisfied and deliver everything to a high standard (perhaps too high, sometimes) so committing to going to dance lessons in my free time reconnects me with the people and things that are most important to me.
If Joe’s interview has piqued your interest, I encourage you to explore our Customer Success Department page or take a look at our current job openings. By doing so, you can learn more about our department and the opportunities available within Taxdoo.