Meet Updater: David Cogan, Success Manager
We’re excited to introduce you to our Success Manager, David Cogan. David’s passion for riding giant parade floats to work is only surpassed by his love of falafel — serious love. In true Updater fashion, David out-moved a hurricane to join us in New York.
Do you have a moving horror story?
I actually just moved up to New York after escaping Hurricane Irma. It had been in the works for awhile, but the storm sped things up and I had to finish two weeks of packing in one night. I left half my things behind and still haven’t sold my car, and I basically couch-surfed for 10 days while my stuff and I bounced around the Eastern Seaboard. Luckily, I found an apartment quickly and I’ve been gradually moving in as boxes arrive from Florida.
How many times have you moved?
Seven
You’re about to move. What would you make sure to never do again?
Lose the key to my storage locker or accept an “upgrade” to a stick-shift truck twice the size of my parking lot.
What’s your best piece of moving advice?
Hydration is key.
What’s your favorite thing about working at Updater?
My co-workers are all amazing. It’s difficult to install a strong, open, warm company culture in any circumstance, especially when scaling. But it truly says something about the company when every single person is just so friendly, helpful, talented, and fun to be around.
What’s your favorite Updater feature? Why?
Definitely the Update Accounts feature. Providing a centralized hub to gather all those loose ends saves people who are moving so much time and effort.
What’s the best part about working on a small team?
I love working on a small team because of the camaraderie, and also the multiplier effect that comes from understanding each team member’s individual strengths.
What motivates you to come to work every day?
I love being able to contribute to a growing, innovative company and work with such an incredible team.
You can only eat one food for the rest of your life. What is it?
Falafel, for sure.
What’s the largest item you’ve ever had to carry on the subway?
I’m new here, so probably some kind of glorious sandwich or something. Maybe small luggage? Nothing too crazy, yet.
It’s the zombie apocalypse. Where do you hide?
Probably Walmart. It would likely be a popular destination, so we’re definitely talking a safety in numbers and establishing a pseudo-society type deal.
Which actor/actress would play you in a movie about your life?
I’ve gotten everything from Ben Affleck to Jonah Hill, so maybe the two of them combined using CGI?
What’s your favorite quote?
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
What are two personal tidbits about you?
I’m a huge news junkie, history buff, geography nerd, etc. Likewise, I’m a pretty avid nonfiction reader. Of course, I also love to travel and visited Iceland earlier this year.
What’s the first app you check in the morning?
Twitter. It’s a dicey proposition these days.
You have a time machine, but you can only make one trip. Where do you go?
Are we talking fixed timeline, dynamic timeline, or a multiverse concept? In a fixed timeline or multiverse, there’s no bearing on the future, so I’d probably just go back to the late 1960s in the United States and travel across the country by VW microbus. If we’re going with a dynamic timeline, the temptation to alter the course of human history for the better would be enormous. I suppose I’d try to prevent the outbreak of the World Wars?
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A Day in the Life by The Beatles. It’s the perfect combination of Lennon and McCartney. The song has everything.
If you were a food, what kind would you be? Why?
Probably falafel. First, it’s my favorite food. But it also has a crunchy, interesting exterior, and when you dig in, it has wonderfully complex and flavorful interior. Falafel has a lot going on.
What do you do to unwind?
Watch TV, listen to music, ponder existence.
If you could travel to work every day on a vehicle without wheels (think: hovercraft, broom), what would you choose?
The Snoopy balloon from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
What’s your favorite fast food restaurant?
Zaxby’s. The Insane sauce is glorious.
What are four things you can’t live without?
Family, falafel, quality TV, iced coffee.
What’s your favorite Saturday Night Live skit?
It’s a tie between Christopher Walken greeting Tim Meadows’ census taker (spoiler alert: the bobcat is Walken’s wife), and some of the obscure 12:50am sketches, like Bill Brasky or Give Up the Ham.
Where did you grow up?
Ft. Lauderdale by way of suburban Philadelphia.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
President of the United States or a sports agent.
More Updater Life
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16 August 2022
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