Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/738204
14 The PCB Design Magazine • October 2016 First, we're tackling a massive data problem, which is exciting to engineers. We're thinking about how we can throw the most cutting-edge technologies at this decades-old problem. One of our employees, Aaron Goebel, a recent Stanford engineering grad who is now a data engineer at SnapEDA, is applying the latest technologies like machine learning and image recognition in our mission to automate and verify design data. There is no shortage of learning opportunities, and every day is a new challenge. For our prod- uct manager, Mike Tang, this is what keeps him driven. Second, we empower millennials to have ownership and impact immediately. Before the end of their first week, they have generally de- ployed code benefitting thousands of engineers who use SnapEDA, which is hugely rewarding. And finally, our employees are drawn to the impact we're having in the world. The data we're creating is helping engineers create everything from drones, to medical devices, to industrial monitoring systems. Millennials want to know they're making a difference in the world, and seeing this impact is tremendously inspiring. My advice to companies trying to recruit millennials would be to give them the oppor- tunity to flex their creative muscles, empower them by giving them ownership so they can make an impact in your teams, and connect and remind them of the bigger impact they're having. How does your team's work affect the company? How does it affect the world? These are the things that many millennials get excited about. They want to make a difference. Shaughnessy: You're a young, female business owner in an industry dominated by "graybeards." How does this affect the way you run your com- pany? Baker: It doesn't. I wake up thinking about how we can make our vision come to life faster, and create value for users, customers, partners, and investors so that's where my focus is. Shaughnessy: SnapEDA has a pretty revolutionary business model. Do you think your young staff is a critical piece of this? Baker: Absolutely. Although this business model isn't new, SnapEDA was one of the first times it was deployed in the PCB and EDA industries, which raised a lot of eyebrows ini- tially. But it's a natural fit for how our team views services. We all grew up with the Internet — meaning we grew up using free services, such as Google. Not only are millennials accustomed to Freemium business models, they're come to INSPIRING MILLENNIALS IN THE PCB DESIGN COMMUNITY