Employee Spotlight: Joel Foo

In this ongoing blog series, we speak with WP Engine employees around the globe to learn more about their roles, what they love about the cities they work in, and what they like most about working at WP Engine.

In this interview, we speak with Joel Foo, WP Engine’s first hire in Singapore, to find out more about his role and WP Engine’s larger plans for the region.

Let’s start from the beginning. How did you first discover WP Engine?

I actually stumbled upon WP Engine on Youtube via a channel I follow. This channel interviews tech entrepreneurs and founders and actually had [WP Engine Founder and Chief Innovation Officer] Jason Cohen on for an hour-long interview about the company.

Tell us more about your current role at WP Engine

My role as an Agency Partnerships Executive is to forge new partnerships with digital agencies that could benefit from a business partnership with WP Engine. A huge part of my role is also to identify agencies that may not know much about WP Engine, and to educate them on the value we provide in terms of helping them scale their businesses.

What is your favorite thing about working at WP Engine?

My favorite thing is the culture here, where I feel motivated and supported on a daily basis. I am part of a close-knitted and passionate team, who I look forward to working with every day.

How do you contribute to the success of WP Engine?

I represent WP Engine as the world’s most trusted WordPress technology company and I educate agencies on the value of our platform and solutions. I identify and build relationships with agencies that will most benefit from a partnership with WP Engine and grow alongside us. My aim is to be the first touchpoint for these new relationships we are creating across the APAC region and to build on WP Engine’s reputation as a trusted hosting partner and driver of agency growth.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The most challenging part of my job is dealing with dynamic situations whereby every customer’s needs are unique. I take this as a positive because although challenging, it is vital to be able to alleviate key problems and bottlenecks in our clients’ businesses, ultimately helping them succeed at scale.

What is a good lesson you’ve learned in your career?

I have learned that environment is an important factor in one’s career. In order to become the best form of yourself in terms of your career, you have to surround yourself with people who genuinely support you and want to see you succeed. WP Engine is a prime example of this, and its work culture is something I really appreciate.

What’s your favorite part of the workday?

My favorite part of my workday is having that initial phone call with a new prospect. It gives me insight into different perspectives each time with every agency, and it is interesting for me to find out how our customers are dealing with their business hurdles. It’s also highly satisfying when we are able to bring value to these agencies in the form of our solutions, ultimately solving their problems and helping them build for the future.

What is one of the coolest projects you’ve worked on at WP Engine?

I am honored and grateful to be part of the WP Engine’s growth in Singapore and to be part of the team that builds relationships with agencies in the region.

Which one of WP Engine’s values speaks to you the most?

Built for Growth. I believe that growth is the number one priority, both for a business and for individuals. The individual is the nucleus of any organization, and having a growth mindset on the individual level translates into growth for the company. Without growth, there would be stagnation, which is not ideal.

What are some of your favorite things about working and living in Singapore?

Singapore is a convenient city to live in, to say the least. There is a huge variety of cuisines in Singapore, where you could get almost anything you crave that day. And of course, the infamous heat, which I have a love-hate relationship with, but have gotten used to it over the years.

What are some hobbies you enjoy outside of work?

I enjoy a variety of sports in my free time, my favorite being basketball. Also, I love being lost in new cities when traveling, just soaking up the local culture and not using Google maps on my phone intentionally.

Favorite TV show of all time?

I don’t watch much TV but would definitely be open to any recommendations!

Current addiction?

I am currently addicted to learning about Electric Vehicles (EVs). Not sure what got me into this initially, but it seems to be quite an interesting rabbit hole to go down.

What would you recommend others do if they’re interested in exploring careers at WP Engine?

I encourage them to find out more about WP Engine’s mission and work culture. Have a tour on our LinkedIn page and don’t be afraid to reach out to any of us if you want to know more. We are always looking for the right people to be part of our team, especially as we expand into new regions!

Thank you, Joel!

Want to find out more about what it’s like to work at WP Engine? Visit our careers site to see the roles we currently have open and check out our blog for more information about all the great people who work here!