14 Jun 2023
Meet the crew
Meet the awesome humans that make up the Cue Crew.
Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Celeste Vorster, I am the Talent Manager here at Cue. My focus is all about the people! I make sure everyone is engaged, happy and supported in everything they do.
I work on expanding our team by finding the right people for the right roles at the right time, motivating and retaining our current team, and working with the team to learn and grow.
I also support the team by problem-solving roadblocks and issues they are experiencing. All while keeping the company’s objectives in mind. I also work closely with the founders to make sure that they have what they need from a people perspective.
What do you enjoy most about being a Talent manager?
Watching people win! I relish being able to be a catalyst for the team's success, helping people grow and thrive.
I genuinely enjoy getting to know each team member, understanding their strengths and goals, helping them tackle tough challenges, and supporting their professional growth. Problem-solving is another aspect of my role that I find truly rewarding.
I thrive on finding creative solutions and removing any obstacles that stand in the way of our team's progress.
Tell us about your journey to Cue
I have always wanted to work and support people. At first, I thought this meant being a Psychologist and starting my degree, but found myself working in onboarding and training and fell in love with all things people.
I started off in the cosmetics industry and moved into international recruitment. I soon found myself in the start-up space as a Talent Manager.
Being a Talent Manager in a startup can be hugely rewarding. You get to support the company and the team at some of the most critical points of their journey. I was inspired by what co-founder, Richard Nischk, had to say when he reached out to me to join them on this journey. After the first conversation, I found myself planning all the things I wanted to do.
It was at this point I knew I would be joining the team. Meeting the other co-founders; Rhett, Ryan, and Donald really sealed the deal for me. It’s been great working with founders who are so passionate not only about the business and the product but about their people and culture too!
I've been with the Cue for a year and in the past 365 days we have celebrated some amazing wins, grown the team, and expanded into the UK and we aren't stopping. .
What is your mission in life? What inspires and drives you?
My mission in life is a simple one, I want every person who connects with me in any way to come off better for it. I want to always be a positive force for people, seeing people thrive, grow and learn is what drives me.
I like to surround myself with people who challenge themselves and are never closed off from learning something new because I find inspiration in constantly learning and evolving to expand my own knowledge and skills.
What do you get up to in your spare time?
I’m currently formalising my experience by completing a degree in Organisational Psychology so I often study in my spare time! Otherwise, you’ll find me out on the wine farms with friends and travelling around the west coast for weekends away.
Most of my friends and I consider ourselves foodies so we are always looking for great places to go out and eat. On Sundays, David (my partner) and I are on the beach with the pugs!
Building a remote team spread across the world can be challenging. Have any learnings to share with us?
A big concern with a distributed team is keeping us all connected. To combat this problem we have created channels and connecting points online. In other words, we have a kick-ass Slack communication culture!
We have channels that provide regular insights and updates to the entire team, and casual channels to share random articles or FPL news. It's easy to where someone is or what they're up to through their Slack status. We also love our memes, gifs, and emoji - you won't see a message posted on any of our channels without a colourful array of emoji and gif reactions.
We also meet regularly to partake in learning sessions, company catch-ups and team-building activities that keep us connected and aligned with the Cue mission.
Overall, I think Cue has a great focus on hiring great people, equipping them to their job from anywhere and empowering them with the autonomy and trust to make it a success.
Where do you see the Cue team by the end of 2023?
We will have almost doubled in size by the end of 2023 and we'll have a full team operating in the UK. No pressure...
Can you tell us more about the culture the Cue culture?
Cue is filled with awesome people who are all highly driven. We all go the extra mile and support one another when things get tough.
We encourage a culture of autonomy and trust, focusing on the output rather than 'being busy'. We also take the time to reward and celebrate our wins as a team.
If you want to challenge yourself, work with the best people in the industry, and have a good time while doing it, then you should consider Cue as your next professional move.
In your opinion, what do employees really want from their company?
Trust, transparency and recognition - That's it. Employees want to have agency over what they do day to day, they want to be able to try things, be empowered to learn and make decisions and this comes from a place of trust - if you hire the right person for the role you should 100% trust them to be successful.
Employees want to be communicated with honestly, they want to know when they are doing well, what they can improve, and how the company is doing.
Reward and recognise employees, build their strengths, listen to their feedback and support them in their growth. With all of this, an employee feels valued and a part of a company's journey, meaning that they feel like they are a partner in the business and are critical to the success of the business and they will continue the journey with you.
