Spotlight Series: A Conversation with Yoni Rodriguez

In the PayNearMe Spotlight Series, we shine a light on the people that make our company thrive. In this month’s interview, we sat down with Yoni Rodriguez, Strategic Account Manager, to chat about his role in the company, why he loves working at PayNearMe and his life outside of work.

Yoni Rodriguez: I’ve been with PayNearMe for just over a year. I’ve really enjoyed everything about the company so far. It’s been a great experience and change of pace. I love being a part of the gaming team. Things move and evolve quickly, so there’s always something new to learn. 

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

YR: In college I majored in business and played baseball. I got hurt my last year and that changed my plans to pursue baseball as a career, so I extended my academics and earned an MBA in finance. After graduation, I began my career at another payments company in the iGaming industry. Because I was a baseball player and have always been into sports, the sports betting industry was really interesting to me. There was a synergy between my interests and my career path, so I wanted to be a part of it.  

I’ve learned so much since joining the industry. It’s been really cool to see the rapid changes as new states come on board, company consolidation and new adjacencies being introduced to the market. 

Q: Have you always wanted to pursue a career in Account Management?

YR: No, my original career plan was to be a financial advisor to major league athletes.

Q: How has PayNearMe helped you in your career development?

YR: From a professional standpoint, having exposure and regular interactions with the executive staff has been a great learning experience. Being a younger professional, I get to see and hear the “OGs” of the business in their element—it’s like a masterclass in sales and client relations! 

In my role, I make client presentations, go on road shows and attend trade shows where I get face time with clients and industry professionals. Those face-to-face interactions have helped my confidence and speaking skills, as well. 

Q: Being that you’re so young in your professional career, 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? 

YR: My advice for anyone fresh out of school that’s trying to join the job market is to not sell yourself short and don’t give up. The application process can be grueling, but to borrow a sports analogy, you have to shoot your shot!

As far as the fintech industry goes, it’s really important to be nimble and adaptable. Things change quickly, and you need to be open to learning new things and adapting quickly.

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

YR: Being remote and flexible is great, but I love that PayNearMe holds in-person company meetings and events. It’s great to have the opportunity to connect in-person with your colleagues and peers. There is a good balance between remote and in-person interactions. 

Additionally, PayNearMe has a strong team of leaders that are transparent and focused on growing and developing the company and the team members. I feel like even though I’m young, I’m heard. When I make recommendations, my leadership team values my opinion and really listens.

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?

YR: I value openness and honesty in my personal life, so Transparency really resonates with me. I really love the value of Together, too. At PayNearMe, we really do work together as a team to reach our goals. 

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

YR: Like most Account Managers, I wear many different hats. I start the day off reading the news to get the latest updates in gaming, such as new states that have legalized gaming and sports betting. Then I check in on clients. I make sure new accounts are up and running and there are no service issues. Client satisfaction is incredibly important to us at PayNearMe. We aim to treat each of our operators with white-glove service.  

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

YR: We do a really good job of staying connected throughout the week by having weekly meetings and checking in with each other via Slack. As an Account Management team, our leadership does a great job of keeping us informed by having open office hours, and we stay connected on a more personal level by having the occasional virtual happy hour. 

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

YR: A cup of coffee is a must-have. I always have pen and paper because I like to physically write things down and I always have a candle on my desk.

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

YR: I’ve learned that I’m more of a social butterfly than I thought! I love remote work and I can be really productive in my home office, but I really enjoy the collaboration and comradery that develops during in-person interactions. 

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

YR: I enjoy going to Major League baseball games. My fiancé and I are on a mission to watch a game in every MLB stadium. We are collecting pins from each stadium to create a memorabilia piece of art on a corkboard. So far, we’ve made it to 10 different stadiums including both New York stadiums, Atlanta, Miami and Baltimore. 

Other than that, I just try to stay active by working out, playing tennis and generally staying healthy and in shape. 

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

YR: Baseball was my first love, so I would have definitely been a professional baseball player. 

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

YR: I’m getting married next year, so my fiancé and I have been in full wedding planning mode!

Q: Do you participate in any volunteer work or have any organizations you’d like to shine a light on?

YR: I volunteer at my local church. My future sister-in-law runs the youth group at our church and we recently came back from a youth camping retreat.