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Austin ebanking company Q2 expands staff, moves into new quartersJul 24, 2013 (Austin American-Statesman - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CEO Matt Flake of Austin-based ebanking software maker Q2 characterizes his company as being in a David vs. Goliath fight against the nation's largest banks. The only problem with the analogy is that this David is putting on muscle, growing quickly, increasing its workforce by almost 75 percent last year and planning on hiring another 60 people by the end of the year. The company, now with 350 employees, this week unveiled its new headquarters at Aspen Lake One, near U.S. 183 and Texas 45. The company has even outgrown its original name, Q2ebanking, choosing to now be known simply as Q2. Founded in 2004, Q2 provides electronic banking services to more than 400 banks and credit unions, increasing that number by 25 percent in the past six months. Its banking and credit union customers have more than three million active users of tablets, smart phones or online banking. The company's software allows "anytime, anywhere, any device banking," Flake said. "Whatever device you use, it's the same experience." He said a bank's customers can do anything on the Q2 software that they would do at a brick-and-mortar branch. It's the slingshot that allows regional and community banks and credit unions to compete with national banks. "Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo, that's who we view as competitors," Flake said. "We're building technology for the community banks and credit unions to compete." Flake, 41, comes to his competition with the nation's giant banks naturally. He started out in high school as a teller at a community bank in his hometown of San Antonio. He said he's been in Internet banking since the late 1990s. "I understand community banking," Flake said. "I can barely work the remote control. While Flake isn't a techie, Q2's new headquarters has its techie roots intact. The 85,000 square feet on three levels includes amenities that a young technology workforce wants: An on-site fitness center, shower facilities, a kitchen stocked with fruit and snacks, a music room for in-house musicians to jam, and the proverbial ping-pong tables. There's also work spaces. Q2 also has had to be innovative in its recruitment of technology workers. Each quarter, Q2 holds recruiting nights at Pinballz, an Austin vintage arcade, where job seekers are encouraged to play arcade classics with Q2's software development team. "Recruiting talent in Austin is tough," Flake said."The (company's) culture is what drives the business." The new headquarters factors in the assumption of continued growth: It's equipped to handle at least 500 employees. There are 14,000 banks and credit unions in the country, Flake noted, adding. "We've only got 400 of them." ___ (c)2013 Austin American-Statesman, Texas Visit Austin American-Statesman, Texas at www.statesman.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |