We're thrilled to share the news that Allie Sperry is joining Resend.
Today, we're excited to share that Allie Sperry is joining the team.
Allie is a self-declared email nerd who loves to support developers and builders navigate the complexities of email at scale. Previously, she's worked at Litmus in support and Customer.io as a deliverability consultant. We are excited to have her join the team and help us support our growing customer base.
How did you get into software?
I grew up with a nerdy older brother (LAN parties, anyone??) who I wanted to be like, so early on, I thought anything computer-related was incredibly cool. He gave me my first computer, which he rescued from his high school computer lab dumpster: an iMac G4 named Bubblebeam Supreme.
My first experience coding was Myspace layouts and just generally messing around. I really enjoyed figuring out how to create what I wanted by breaking or modifying code I found online. Most of what I learned early on came from making mistakes and trying to take apart and rebuild other people's code. I think that approach set me up to enjoy working in tech support, where breaking down problems piece by piece is a valuable skill!
Later down the road, I was building websites and emails as a side hustle to my sales job. One of the women in a local code group I was part of sent me a posting for a tech support role at an email company, and that's how I found myself in the email space and technical support!
What does your desktop/home screen look like?
Normally I have a ton of sticky notes everywhere with thoughts and ideas, and a million screenshots as the day progresses.
Why are you at Resend?
I re-caught the building bug I had as a kid. Access to AI tools removed a lot of barriers, so I could build different ideas and be more creative with software, way faster. I ended up building an email sending app for fun, and that's how I found Resend!
I thought it was such a cool company, and I loved not only the product, but also the content Resend published about how they work and the company values. When I saw the opportunity to bring my experience in technical support and email to support builders, I knew I had to be a part of it! It really felt like different pieces of my own interests and career blended together at the right time.
Where do you find #inspiration?
Honestly, just this whole human experience of living life for the first time, and watching others do the same. Knowing and understanding people, hearing their stories, and seeing what others create is a big source of inspiration for me. I tend to feel inspired after a conference or meeting new people while traveling!
If you weren't programming, what would you be doing?
I'm not sure I'll ever not be doing something tech-adjacent, but if I do find myself in a life pivot, I could see it being something in high contrast to being on a computer. Maybe I'd become a backcountry ski guide or run a coffee shop again.
Favorite tool?
I'm a big notes person. Right now I'm loving Obsidian for my daily notes. I've also gone back to using a physical notebook more, and one of the best tools I bought this year was a refillable notebook. I'll draft ideas and sketches in the notebook, then upload photos to Claude or my digital notes.
Favorite hotkey?
Cmd+Z, because it's the closest thing I have to a time machine.
Favorite place to visit?
Japan has been my favorite place I've visited, and I can't wait to go back! The food, the snow, and the people made it such a special trip. It was also my first time traveling internationally, so that experience will always stick with me.
Advice for ambitious software engineers?
You don't have to know everything, you just have to want to learn it and have a plan to get there. Also, don't compare your journey to anyone else's! Your own background, way of thinking, and experience are what will make whatever you create uniquely yours. Just because someone has already done or built something doesn't mean you can't put your own spin on it.