#meetFlexe is an ongoing series profiling the individuals that make up the Flexe team. To learn more about Flexe, visit www.flexe.com/company.
Tell us about your background and role at Flexe.
I’m originally from outside of Detroit, MI. After college, I moved to the West Coast to become a software engineer. I spent six and a half years at Microsoft working on operating systems security and cryptography. Then I moved to Amazon, where I spent nearly a decade working on supply chain and fulfillment technology. I joined Flexe in January 2020, right before the pandemic.
After hearing about the company’s vision, I immediately recognized both the value of Flexe, as well as the complexity of the problem they are solving.
As Vice President of Product and Engineering, my team is responsible for building the Flexe Logistics Platform, which includes four key technologies:
- Flexe Warehouse Management System (WMS): Technology that helps control and manage the day-to-day operations in a warehouse.
- Flexe Order and Inventory Management Systems (OMS and IMS): Technology that helps Flexe customers understand their inventory within their Flexe network and more effectively get that inventory to customers.
- Flexe Transportation: Technology that helps Flexe customers move goods through transportation networks to the end customer.
- Flexe Integration Platform: Technology that enables our shipping partners to integrate with our systems and handle Flexe projects.
What drew you to Flexe?
I first learned about Flexe through a former Amazon colleague and current Flexe CTO, Dave Glick, who introduced me to our CEO, Karl Siebrecht. After talking to Karl and hearing about the company’s vision, I immediately recognized both the value of Flexe, as well as the complexity of the problem they are solving. Having spent nearly a decade at the biggest logistics company in the world, I knew that I wanted to be a part of building this solution.
In the world of logistics, problems that seem simple to solve on the surface often end up being the most challenging.
What makes logistics exciting? And, what do you think people would be surprised to learn about the industry?
In the world of logistics, problems that seem simple to solve on the surface often end up being the most challenging. When I first started in logistics, I thought: “How hard could it be? It’s just moving boxes.” But I quickly realized that the real world is messy, and writing software to manage that messiness is really difficult — especially at scale. Products get misplaced, conveyor belts break down, and unexpected weather changes delay inventory. Managing all of this complexity through scalable software systems presents a compelling engineering challenge to solve.
How do you solve this technical challenge at Flexe?
True magic happens when you put engineers in front of the customers, so they can design solutions that effectively address customers’ needs. Our software engineers actually go to warehouses to learn firsthand about the problems that our customers encounter. I spent my first week at Flexe on-site, directly reporting to a warehouse.
We also practice continuous integration and deployment. This means that Flexe empowers our software engineers to send code to production immediately to address customer problems. That decentralized decision-making allows us to respond to our customers’ needs nimbly. The people doing the work should be the ones making decisions because they understand the problems the best.
Are there any organizations that are important to you and why?
When I moved to Seattle, I became involved in a mentoring group called Community For Youth, which serves underprivileged high school students in the Seattle area. I formed several long-lasting relationships with students as part of this program, and it definitely has a special place in my heart.
My wife and I are also involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. It’s a fantastic organization that helps children have a safe space so that they can lead healthy and productive lives. My kids actually participated in a number of their programs, and it’s been really amazing to see the positive effects they have on young children.
My biggest advice to people just starting their careers is to get comfortable knowing that the work will always be there tomorrow. Make sure you focus on the highest impact and value work you can do each day, and then give yourself permission to let the rest wait until tomorrow.
How do you maintain a work-life balance?
I believe in working at a hard but sustainable pace. To me, this looks like starting the day with a workout to help me get centered, having breakfast with my kids, and then taking them to school before starting the workday. I make a point to wrap up work by 5:30 p.m., with a few odd exceptions, to make sure that we can have dinner and quality family time every evening.
My biggest advice to people just starting their careers is to get comfortable knowing that the work will always be there tomorrow. Make sure you focus on the highest impact and value work you can do each day and then give yourself permission to let the rest wait until tomorrow. For me, having hobbies and interests outside of work helps keep me balanced.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
We are a family of avid hikers. My youngest kid is five years old, and he just did his first six-mile hike. We also love strategy board games. Our favorites are Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Seven Wonders. My kids routinely beat me, which makes me very proud and infuriated all at the same time. On a personal level, I am really into CrossFit, which I compete in during my free time.
Dave Glick, CTO, on working with Anthony:
“There’s an old saying, ‘hire people who are better than yourself.’ I’ve done that with Anthony — three times. He is deeply technical, holds a high bar, and gets into the details. Whenever I take a new job, Anthony is one of my first calls!”
Find more #meetFlexe profiles here.
