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As we get underway into the new year, I have some pretty big news to announce on a personal level. I will be joining the amazingly talented team over at Yikes Inc. as a PHP/WordPress developer here in good ol’ Fishtown Philadelphia, PA. I can’t emphasize how excited I am to be joining such a well established and successful team of designers and developers. Yikes has been around for just about 22 years, so they have a serious foothold in the web (and more specifically WordPress) world here in Philadelphia.
Why Yikes inc. Stands Above the Rest In My Eyes
Their level of talent certainly places them high up on the WordPress totem pole, but that’s not the only reason I’m stoked to be joining their team. They do some absolutely amazing things in and around Philadelphia. Things that 99% of all the other companies around would never consider doing. For one, the company donates a portion of their profits back into the direct Philadelphia community. This in turns creates a better community for everyone to live in. When I learned this about the company, I knew they were more than another web shop. They are really trying to make a difference in a city that otherwise is struggling.
YIKES has a Volunteer Time Off (VTO) in its list of employee benefits. The purpose of this is to support activities that enhance and serve the communities we live and work in. The intention is to participate in giving back and allow employees to share in supporting the community.
Yikes is also based out of a Leeds Platinum Certified building (read about it here and here). Read about the companies philosophy around social responsibility here. Below is a quick list of facts off of the b-corporation website:
- 50% recycled office supplies;
- 75% recycled paper use;
- 50% renewable energy use
So again, its quite clear that Tracy and Mia of Yikes inc. really care about the community and the environment.
The employees over at Yikes also donate a lot of their time to community service in the city, which I can almost guarantee you wont find at any larger companies here in the city. I wouldn’t mind if all jobs required this frankly. Giving back to the community is rewarding and beneficial to everyone.
WordPress Community
Finally, Tracy does so many things within the WordPress community. She’s a member of our local WordPress meetup, attends as many WordCamps a year as she possibly can (and has taught at a few) and teaches a WordPress class for an all girl development meetup called Girl Develop It. To use WordPress as a tool to directly benefit themselves is something many companies do, but to give back to the WordPress and Philadelphia community on such a high level shows a level of dedication and enthusiasm rarely found at other companies. Tracy is doing some amazing things to help grow the WordPress community by bringing in new users that would often find WordPress overwhelming and shy away from it.
The Future Is Bright…
I’m so excited to be joining the Yikes family. I can’t wait to see some of the great work that’s produced. I’m even more excited to be able to be apart of such an influential company here in Philadelphia. My involvement in the WordPress community will continue to grow, and hopefully I’ll be attending a few WordCamps of my own. All I can say is I am really looking forward to the coming years.
