Between the Brackets: Sam Ruben, Project Manager at Webstacks

Welcome back to another edition of Between the Brackets! 🚀

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Sam and his deep voice have entered the building! His voice is hard to miss, and even he will admit it. He shares with us how much he enjoys the Project Manager role and how he's grown since starting his career at Webstacks.

About Sam

Let's start with an easy one - List three words that you think best describe Sam Ruben.

Fun - I consider myself someone who always tries to lighten the mood, even in the most stressful situations.

Fast - Not fast in the sense of running but fast in the sense of efficiency. I never want to take away from quality. I am always looking for a way to automate and get things done as quickly as possible. 

Loud - I’m a big guy with a big voice. When I used to go into the office, I would get DMs from people on the other side of the room saying to quiet down even though I thought I was talking at a normal volume.  

Project Managers are the glue that holds participating teams together. Tell us a little more about your role at Webstacks.

Every day is a little bit different here. But for the most part, my days consist of having standups, backlog groomings, and sprint planning meetings with all of my clients. 

After those meetings conclude in the first half of the day, I usually find myself cleaning up my Asana boards or getting my hands dirty in a content management system (CMS).

We love you, but we want to know more about Hudson!

Hudson is my best friend. He’s a super energetic and happy guy. 

Hudson was found in Tijuana roaming the streets all by himself and now lives the Santa Monica lifestyle. He loves going on hikes, walks on the beach, and hanging on the couch. Hudson is the best decision I ever made!

Project Management at Webstacks

Congratulations on your recent promotion to Project Manager, L2! What's one thing you've learned to value more as you grow in your career?

I would say the people I work with daily.

The internal teams I work with make my life and job so much easier. I owe credit to my promotion to the developers, designers, and SEO specialists who have helped me along the way.

What do you think is one of the most underrated skills to have as a Project Manager?

Transparency. It is important to never beat around the bush and let clients know exactly what is going on, whether the matter is small or large. 

I’ve learned that clients appreciate it when you own up to mistakes, but at the same time, present them with a solution to resolve them. 

Why do you think other Project Managers should consider a career at Webstacks?

If you enjoy a fast-paced environment where you are constantly learning, Webstacks is the place for you. 

You can forge your path as a Project Manager here and come up with new unique solutions whether it be for improving processes, feedback loops, or time management.

Being a Project Manager at Webstacks is nothing like my previous job experiences where I held the same role. So if you're looking for something new and exciting, Webstacks is the place for you.

Company Culture

How would you describe your time at Webstacks so far?

Easiest question of them all - It's been a freaking blast! 

I come from a corporate background where I felt like I was just another number in the system. 

At Webstacks, I feel like my opinion is heard and appreciated. I have the ambiguity to make decisions and act on them. The team is great, the vibes are great, and everything else is awesome.

Favorite Webstacks memory so far - Go!

My favorite memory so far as a Webstacker is having a shotgun race with our CEO (even though I lost 😔).

Tracy wants to know... does pineapple belong on pizza?

100% yes!

If you haven't tried BBQ chicken pizza with pineapple, you are missing out!

What is one question you want to ask the next team member featured on Between the Brackets?

If you weren’t in your current role, what would your job be in another life?

Editor's note: Webstacks is a full-stack marketing agency founded in 2020 that helps businesses accelerate growth by offering creative, marketing, development, and other services at scale. Webstacks is based in San Diego, California, with 30+ employees across the states. For business inquiries, please email hello@webstacks.com.