Meet Aaron Bauernfeind – Engineering Management

At Punch Through, we encourage everyone to proudly be themselves and want you to know the people behind the work that we’re so proud of. That’s why we launched our “Meet the Team” series, where we introduce you to one of our team members each month. 

Meet Aaron Bauernfeind, Engineering Manager, who, as Aaron would put it, ensures our team has the room and resources to continue building cool things. He’s been a great advocate for our engineers. In his off hours, Aaron enjoys doing whatever it is that his kids like doing (he and his wife have two small children). He also likes to spend his time riding motorcycles, learning German, watching movies, and going on dates with his wife, which is a hobby he’d like to be doing more of.

What were you doing before working at Punch Through?

In one form or another, much of my professional journey has involved technology and manufacturing. The focus wasn’t always the same, but those have been the primary sectors of my career after graduating from college. So, that’s what I was doing prior to Punch Through. You could find me working on project management, business analysis, and continuous improvement of operations – timewise, moneywise, and so on.  Basically, I was leading and facilitating conversations that brought people process and technology solutions together to maximize a given deliverable.  Eventually, I moved into the areas of mobile and websites, which then led me to this opportunity.

What is your favorite thing about Punch Through culture?

My favorite aspect about the culture at Punch Through is twofold. For one, we do what we say we’ll do, which isn’t always the case at other companies. We also choose people over almost anything else, really. The company truly values the people who make what we do possible.

Tell me a story about your most memorable moment while working at Punch Through

I’ve had a lot of memorable moments during my short time here at the company. But the one that stands out the most would be the final interview question, where candidates are asked to, “Teach us anything in 5 minutes.” If you hadn’t guessed, the question is all about learning something new from everyone you meet, and that could be anything from a technical codebase to how to win reliably at Fortnite. I taught the team on how to start, shift, and drive a motorcycle. I used the whiteboard to help illustrate my key points clearly – with a few motorcycle sounds thrown in to demonstrate how the engine revs up before shifting gears. The reason this moment stands out to me is because it not only showed me that Punch Through wasn’t just about filling an empty seat but demonstrated that the company, culture, and leadership team encourages lifelong learning from everyone within the organization.

What cool or rewarding things do you get to do on a regular basis?

Empower leaders. That’s something rewarding that I get to do on a regular basis. I get to build relationships with engineers and learn what they find joy and fulfillment in. Then, I try to uncover ways to unlock that potential through whatever means they might find rewarding or meaningful. It’s not about just getting some certification but more so about identifying opportunities that will be rewarding to the individual.

What is the most valuable part of your work to you on a personal level?

What I find most valuable is that I get to be myself. Punch Through has done a great job of building a culture where people don’t have to put on that proverbial suit when they come into the office. Everyone can proudly be themselves, and that acceptance has a way of building trust within the team. You can share that goofy side of yourself, without a concern of being judged. There’s still professionalism but not to the detriment of being an individual.

What is different about Punch Through versus other places you have worked?

One of the biggest differences between Punch Through and other companies is the transparency from leadership. We’re not working at a company where you’ll find some ivory tower from which all decisions are made, and then handed down to employees. You always know what’s going on. Actually, you always know the “why” behind the work, which allows everyone to run faster and really unlock the potential of each individual. You won’t find that at a lot of other companies.