Why Work At Coupa?

Before working at Coupa, I was extremely dissatisfied with my job for nearly a decade. I felt trapped, imprisoned, frustrated to the point of not knowing whether to burst out bawling or laughing (and did both over the years), and nearly desperate.

Why did it take me so long to leave and find Coupa?

Before Covid and the social norm of using Zoom or Google Meets, I knew there were no other companies nearby my small, Wisconsin town that could provide a similar income without an hour commute, and as the breadwinner of my family with my husband an elementary school teacher along with our two high school girls, I could not justify trading my happiness to diminish theirs. Being a midwesterner as well as a GenXer, I talked myself into “sucking it up” and grinding for the next 20 years until I could retire for them to have stability.

Covid, Zoom and then Coupa changed my life.

With the global pandemic changing the way business worked, it was like my eyes were opened up to the entire world of possibilities. I made it my second job to read job descriptions and attend virtual interviews, refusing to settle for a company I wasn’t obsessed with.

My obsession with Coupa started before even my first conversation with Talent Acquisition, from the very beginning when I read the job description that included Coupa’s Core Values. Not only did I fully embody and believe in all three values from the start, but I was obsessed with a company that would even have values like this! I had no idea how important and embedded these values really were to this company at the time, but it was the first reason I wanted to work here.

Over two years later, I am not exaggerating when I say my overall life happiness has improved by 200%. Had I realized how much my job and company would affect so many parts of my life outside of work, I surely would have done something earlier to find Coupa. Most days would even be described as “delightful”. And yes, I’m sure there are frustrating or disappointing things that are part of any job, but with my perspective coming from just misery at my prior company, I have never come close to “sweating the small stuff” at Coupa.

Some of the things I love most about Coupa:

The greater good that that company is doing for all of our customers, partners, as well as the social responsibility to make the WORLD a better place
The open-mindedness to try any new idea and continue with what works
The flexibility and partnership that it feels between management and employees rather than a dictatorship
The programs Coupa offers to foster connections, like Employee Resource Groups and mentorship programs
The respect and care given not only to customers, but to employees as well
The humility of the company to know they can always improve, always Striving for Excellence, accepting that mistakes will be made but we can grow from them

Overall it’s the culture that brings people to Coupa, and it’s the culture that keeps people at Coupa. And even during times of economic stress to tech companies like Coupa, the focus on keeping the culture positive and falling back on our Core Values of Ensuring Customer Success, Focusing on Results, and Striving for Excellence, is what makes me know I have found the right company.