Our guiding force at Sparq is our mission: to create high-quality technology jobs in Middle America cities where talent is often overlooked. Our Mission in Action showcases Sparq colleagues who represent how this mission impacts individuals and the communities in which we operate.
Before starting at Sparq, Natascha Thomas worked for companies where many young developers have dreams of making their mark one day, including EA Games and Disney. With the exciting subject matter, however, came some drawbacks. Natascha’s work-life balance was basically non-existent, and she had become defensive and untrusting of her colleagues due to the competitive nature of the office. Plus, she wasn’t able to achieve her savings goals because of the high cost of living in Los Angeles.
From the ocean to the gulf
Natascha and her family decided to move to her husband’s hometown of Mobile, Alabama where she accepted an offer at Sparq. Here she found a much more collaborative and supportive culture: “I’m never ashamed to ask for help, and have never had anyone say to me, ‘you should know this.’ I can tell my manager if I’m feeling ‘underwater’ or have too much assigned to me without fearing that it could negatively impact my career advancement.”
A better quality of life
Natascha took to living in Mobile right away: “I think the things that really drew me in about Mobile compared to Los Angeles were the low traffic, clean streets, and polite folks with cool accents.” And while she hasn’t exactly grown fond of the “most massive insects I’ve ever seen,” Natascha feels as though living in Mobile and working at Sparq has truly given her the space to thrive.
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