Spotlight Series: A Conversation with Steve Kramer

In the PayNearMe Spotlight Series, we shine a light on the people who make our company thrive. This month, meet Steve Kramer, VP of Product who champions partnership and believes curiosity is a career superpower.

Q: How long have you been with PayNearMe?

Steve Kramer: Six and a half years. It’s hard to believe how fast that’s gone.

When I joined PayNearMe, we were stepping into electronic payments. As a company, we were asking ourselves ‘how do we take what’s been great about our cash at retail product and transition to electronic payments?’ I’m somewhat biased, but I believe we have an industry-leading platform, and it says a lot about our entire company–engineering, product, marketing–every team that is involved in making our platform and company great.  

Q: Can you tell us about your career journey and what led you to PayNearMe? 

SK: My background is in computer science. I came out of college as an engineer, but I quickly learned that my real passion wasn’t just writing code—it was solving problems with people.

Early in my career, I joined a small company that had never had a product person. They handed me the role and said, “You’ll figure it out.” I made every mistake imaginable, but I learned fast—and that experience launched my product career. Over time, I found myself gravitating toward payments, which turned out to be endlessly fascinating. That eventually led me to PayNearMe, where I could combine technical problem-solving with a people-first culture.

Q: Have you always wanted to pursue a career in product development?

SK: Not at all. Coming out of college, I thought I’d be an engineer forever. But I had a professor who emphasized designing complete solutions rather than just writing code. That stuck with me. A couple of years into my career, I realized I loved the big-picture side of technology—the “why” and “how” behind the code.

I think I have a nice ability to translate “engineering speak,” and that turned out to be the perfect fit for product management.  

Q: How has PayNearMe’s culture helped in you and your team’s development?

SK: Great question. At this point in my career, it’s less about developing me and more about helping my team grow. What I value most about PayNearMe is our culture — we still have that startup mindset, even as we scale. There’s no ego, no jockeying for credit. Everyone’s focused on building great products together.

That kind of environment fosters growth naturally. People take ownership, collaborate transparently and learn from each other—that’s true development.

Q: Do you have any advice to share with those who are just getting into the fintech industry who might want to join a company like PayNearMe? 

SK: Be curious—really curious. Don’t box yourself into your own role. Learn how your company or product works end-to-end, as much as you can about your industry, and what your clients care about. You don’t need to be an expert in everything, but understanding the full picture will make you better at whatever you do.

Curiosity is the most underrated skill in fintech—and at PayNearMe, it’s part of our DNA.

Q: What are some of your favorite things about working at PayNearMe?

SK: The people, hands down. And the relationships we have with our clients.

We’ve always said we view clients as partners, not customers. What’s amazing is when they start using that word back to us. That shift—from vendor to partner—is incredibly rewarding.

And internally, the people-first mindset is real. I’ve been at companies that say “our people are our most important asset,” but here, we actually live it.

Q: PayNearMe’s Core Values are Together, Do the Right Thing, Results-Driven, Transparent, Flexible and Respectful. Which one most resonates with you and why?

SK: They all work together, but Do the Right Thing has always stood out to me.

That’s how I’ve approached my entire career. Growth and success matter, but how we achieve them matters more. Doing the right thing—for our clients, our partners and our team members—guides everything we do here.

Q: Let’s shift the focus to your role. What does a day in the life of a VP of Product look like?

SK: Every day is different—and that’s both the best and the hardest part of the job. One moment, I’m talking with clients about their challenges, the next I’m reviewing our roadmap, and then I’m deep in delivery planning.

It’s a lot of context switching, but it’s also energizing. I don’t need to be the expert in every room because we’ve built a strong, capable team. My job is to stay curious, ask questions and connect the dots.

Q: Let’s talk about remote work. How are you able to stay connected with your team virtually?

SK: We make time for human connection—not just status updates.

In 1:1s, I always start with personal check-ins before work talk. If we were in an office, we’d chat in the hallway first—why not keep that in remote work?

And we have fun with it. I’m known for my Friday dad jokes on Slack, and we’ve got channels for everything—travel, pets, cooking. It might sound small, but it’s how we stay connected as people.

The other key is boundaries. Remote work can blur lines, so we actively encourage people to unplug, take FTO and find balance.

Q: What are three things you have to have on your desk each day for a productive workday?

SK: A cup of strong, loose-leaf tea—that’s non-negotiable. My wife and I are serious tea drinkers; we brew pots throughout the day. Beyond that, it’s less about objects and more about mindset — being ready to pivot and stay focused.

Q: What are some things that you’ve learned about yourself while working at PayNearMe?

SK: I’ve learned that being “always on” isn’t sustainable, nor is it expected at PayNearMe. I used to feel like I had to respond to emails immediately—even if it was late at night, but that’s not healthy. 

I’ve also become more conscious of language — saying we instead of I.

Q: So what about you—what kinds of activities or hobbies are you interested in outside of work?

SK: My wife and I love to travel. One of my favorite trips was diving in the Galápagos Islands — another was camping in Antarctica. I’m one continent shy of all seven; we’re heading to India next year to photograph snow leopards.

At home, I play tennis and softball, and we have three Chinook sled dogs. We actually hook them up to a sled and take them out. It’s like a bad comedy show! It’s chaotic and hilarious, but so much fun.

Q: If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?

SK: Easy — first baseman for the New York Yankees! Totally unrealistic, but that’s what makes it fun to imagine.

Q: Any fun facts you’d like to share with us?

SK: My two older brothers are professional comedians. So while I’m the “serious” one with a tech career, the dad jokes are in my DNA.