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10 Things You Didn't Know about Reed Shaffner

If you are keeping up with developments in the tech world, you will probably have heard the name Reed Shaffner. This technology expert started out at Microsoft, and made contributions to Microsoft Office and Bing Social Search. He then moved on to join Zynga, a mobile gaming company. From there, he joined Scopely – another gaming company – where he met Chris Ovitz. Shortly afterward, Chris Ovitz and Reed Shaffner founded Workpop, a revolutionary hiring platform.

It allows people to make videos and personalized profiles, and gives employers a way to check out a lot more details about their prospective hires. It has taken off in many industries since its release. Reed Shaffner is a great entrepreneur, and he is also a pretty cool person. He has some strong opinions on the world and doesn’t lack a sense of humor. If you wish to learn more about this up-and-coming CEO, read on to learn Ten Things You Didn’t Know about Reed Shaffner.

He Roomed with Chris Ovitz

When these two were still working at Scopely together, they eventually were put in the same room at a company retreat. This helped them get to know one another much better and start to form a plan for their own business venture. It also helped them form the strong friendship they would need after going into business together.

He and Ovitz Started Workpop in a Shack

There are a lot of tales of garage-built businesses in the tech world. The Workpop story is unique, as they originally started out in a converted shack behind a Mediterranean restaurant. Reed Shaffner, Chris Ovitz, and two more employees all had to cram together in this Venice, CA location when Workpop started out.

His Dad Was an Engineer for NASA

Reed Shaffner’s father helped to develop the solid fuel rocket program during his time at NASA. These are some pretty big shoes to fill. Of course, it was his father’s frustration while he was job-hunting that inspired Shaffner to create Workpop in the first place. And since its release, it has really taken off – likely making his dad quite proud of him.

He Was Named One of the Best CEOs

A list from Comparably.com named Shaffner and co-CEO Chris Ovitz the seventh best CEOs in the business. It is worthwhile to mention that these lists are based on employee reviews. Thus, only a great CEO with a welcoming company culture would ever make it on this list. So, he and Ovitz clearly treat their team well.

He Is a Gun Control Proponent

The day after the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year, Reed Shaffner tweeted a criticism of the president. He says that Trump believes that unity means standing behind the status quo, or the same old laws. Instead, he wants people to unite behind improved gun control and change.

He Has a Sense of Humor

Reed Shaffner will not shy away from making sarcastic jokes. For example, he posted one picture that featured a bunch of sunny days in a weather broadcast app. The only exception was Monday, which was labelled “partly cloudy”. Shaffner called this “unacceptable”, showing his sense of humor.

He Appreciates Google Surveys

Google Surveys are a fantastic source of information for many applications. Reed Shaffner has a particular preference for the ones with targeted panels. Presumably, he used them for marketing or data collecting purposes. They also have a wide reach for those who have a proper social media following.

He Likes Self-Driving Cars

When self-driving cars first started becoming more prominent, Reed Shaffner saw an ad about the Mercedes one that he decided to tweet about. The ad boasted that the Mercedes car had already made it 10,000 miles – something Shaffner was pretty excited about. Clearly, he’s a true tech junkie – and it shows in his choices of work and business.

He Does Real-World Testing of the Workpop UI

Arguably the most important feature of a product is a strong user interface. Reed Shaffner tested the integrity of Workpop’s by allowing his wife’s grandparents to use it. He wanted to ensure ease-of-use for the program, and a barely-computer-literate old person is a great test subject. After all, if they have a good experience it should be that way for everyone.

He's a Jimmy Buffet Fan

Back in 2015, Reed Shaffner attended a Jimmy Buffet concert with his dad. He posted a picture of their “pre-game” celebration, and seemed pretty pumped to be heading to the show. Shaffner clearly has a lot of respect for his father – not to mention a decent taste in music.

Garrett Parker

Written by Garrett Parker

Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.

Read more posts by Garrett Parker

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