In arguably one of the most challenging labor markets in recent history, providing employees with opportunities for career development has never been more important. After living through a pandemic and shift to working from home, many employees have resigned, in part, to search for jobs that provide more purpose and professional growth.

Galileo Relationship Manager Richard Mortensen is here to tell us how looking for an employer that prioritizes career development led him to join Galileo, develop a new professional purpose, and expand his career potential.

Thanks for taking the time to tell us a bit about your story, Richard. To start, I’d love to know three facts that others may not know about you.

1. I read/speak/write in Spanish fluently

2. I am half New-Zealander

3. I can’t swim, even though I grew up next to the ocean

You live in Salt Lake City, UT, which has a booming tech industry (fondly called Silicon Slopes) and stunning mountain ranges. What is your favorite thing about living in Utah?

Richard: One thing I love about Utah is the family environment that is present all around. My kids love the area that they live in and the friends that they have. Every single person that I have talked to has been cordial and sincere.

You worked at one of the most well-known banks prior to joining Galileo. What inspired you to want to join Galileo?

Richard: I was at a crossroads in my career before I joined Galileo. I was at my previous job for five years and had thoughts of staying there for the rest of my life. However, I wasn’t progressing in the way that I wanted to so that I could better provide for my family. I needed a new opportunity to grow in my professional career, so when I came upon Galileo it felt like the right path.

I wasn’t progressing in the way that I wanted to so that I could better provide for my family. I needed a new opportunity to grow in my professional career, so when I came upon Galileo it felt like the right path.

What attracted me most to Galileo was that it allowed me to explore the other side of the industry that I had been a part of for half a decade. I had no idea what an API was prior to joining, nor any other technical terms that I use almost daily now. What drove me to accept this position was possibility; the possibility of growing in an entirely unknown area to what I was previously doing, yet still applying what I learned previously to help me succeed here.

What drove me to accept this position was possibility; the possibility of growing in an entirely unknown area to what I was previously doing, yet still applying what I learned previously to help me succeed here.

Readers, you can learn more about APIs here.

Tell us more about what being a Relationship Manager means at Galileo.

Richard: I establish and maintain relationships with clients and manage their technical and business issues to help them achieve their goals and grow. To do this, I ensure that our platform is working properly so our clients’ products have continuous functionality for their members.

Being a Relationship Manager is to be an advocate for my clients – putting myself in their shoes and doing as much as I can to help them succeed. What this means to me is that I become my client’s voice inside Galileo. It’s my responsibility to work closely with other teams internally to make sure that requests are moving forward, present clients’ concerns to my manager, and help find resolutions to any issues that come up. Most importantly, I connect with my clients to better understand their needs and how I can help deliver world-class service in every interaction.

What excites you most about where Galileo is going?

One of the things that excites me most about Galileo and where we are going as a company is the growth we’re experiencing. Being able to see the growth firsthand is fantastic, especially because I can see that I am a part of it all. As we push the boundaries and capabilities of the fintech industry, I see the value created when I support our clients and when they succeed!

I’m also excited about SoFi Technologies’ recent acquisition of Technisys, which will further help our clients expand their capabilities, and that is going to help speed up Galileo’s growth as well. The possibilities are endless.

Thanks for sharing your career path to Galileo, Richard. We’re grateful you’re on this journey with us!

The individual featured is a Galileo employee. Their personal experiences, obviously, do not take into account your own specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. Results will vary.