Meet Zach: World Traveler and Rockstar
Team Member Interview
Name: Zach Young
Role: Software Support Specialist for Eleyo
Time spent at Persolvent One year
Zach climbing Mount Everest
What do you do at Persolvent? What would I come to you for?
I handle any questions regarding how to use our Eleyo product. I help set up courses and registrations and troubleshoot technical issues like logging into your account. The majority of people who I get to help are school district administrators.
What would you tell a new team member on their first day?
Oh man, you’re gonna have fun. Persolvent is the most fun place and team I’ve ever been a part of. I would stress how awesome the company culture is for both our customers and team members. Persolvent really focuses on customer satisfaction and advocating for our clients. I would also mention free LaCroix. My favorite flavor is grapefruit (pamplemousse), but I’ve recently been digging the watermelon (pasteque) flavor.
What’s your most interesting or embarrassing office story?
I’ll go with interesting. During my interview process, I discovered that Ruthie’s sister has been cutting my hair for the past six years. Here’s how it happened, one day, between Persolvent interviews, I went to get my haircut and my hairstylist asked how job searching was going. I explained I just had a great interview and was really hoping for it to work out. She said, “Hey, if it doesn’t, I should get you in touch with my sister who works in hiring and HR at a small company.” I asked where and she said Persolvent. Small world after all!
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oh, that’s easy - A Rockstar. And an Astronaut. I made my first set of drums out of ice cream buckets at five years old. My band is actually what brought me to Minnesota from Montana. Check out our band “Going to the Sun” here.
Going to the Sun
Where is your favorite place in the world?
It changes the more I travel, but currently, it’s between Nepal and Banff, Canada. I love the mountainous scenery. I also find that immersing yourself in another culture is a great experience. I always enjoy doing that in new places, and then that place becomes my new favorite place. Traveling makes the world feel so much bigger yet puts your life back into perspective when you get home.
If you were stuck on an island with one food of your choice, what would it be?
Tacos. I never get sick of them and they’re easy to make. And it’s a good way to sneak in chips and queso. If I make queso, although buying it is my favorite method, I mix Velveeta and salsa. Mexican food, in general, is my favorite.
Zach and wife, Jess, enjoying some Mexican cuisine
Do you collect anything?
Yes, turtles. Not real ones. I always collect turtles (typically brass or wooden) when we travel places. I relate to turtles as my spirit animals - mellow and relaxed. For our 10th anniversary, we went to the Galapagos Islands and swam with the sea turtles and walked on the beach with giant tortoises.
What’s your next adventure?
Switzerland and Austria. I’d love to experience the Swiss Alps. My wife and I have family members from Germany and Austria, so we would get to see the natural beauty of the area and also gain some family history.
Are you a coffee or tea person? Or neither?
Mostly neither, not a big fan of hot or bitter drinks. However, I do enjoy the occasional English breakfast tea. I get my caffeine from Costco energy shots, they’re just like 5-hour energy shots. Pomegranate is my favorite flavor.
How do you like your eggs?
I like them all ways (other than raw!). Scrambled is my favorite because of the flexibility. Cheese and garlic are two things I like most on my eggs, along with other veggies.