Smarty, a leader in address data intelligence, has been named one of Utah’s Top Workplaces for the second consecutive year. A total of 166 Utah businesses were recognized. Smarty ranked 17th of the 81 companies with fewer than 125 employees. Nominations are based entirely on employee feedback surveys administered by a third-party service. The anonymous 24-question employee questionnaire measures 15 cultural driving elements like advocacy, alignment, collaboration, and inclusion.
While Smarty has become known for its fun perks like team lunches, events, and trips, employees say the company’s “outward mindset” culture is the key to its award-winning workplace. Outwardness is one of Smarty’s core values, based on the principle of seeing people as people first rather than objects or obstacles.
“We’re honored to be once again recognized as a leading Utah Top Workplace,” said Doug Edwards, President of Smarty. “Creating a fun and productive environment has always been important for employee satisfaction and retention. However, our outward mindset fosters stronger interpersonal connections, empathy, and growth. Trying to truly understand coworkers as individuals with unique stories and dreams unlocks creativity and innovation, leading to better collaboration.”
While the core value of “Fun” undoubtedly contributes to the dynamic work environment, it’s the values of “Outwardness” and “Wizardry” that genuinely resonate with long-standing employees. These principles emphasize recognizing individuals for their unique contributions and supporting their journey to mastery in their roles.
Brady Amundson, a 6-year Smarty veteran and staff meeting host, expanded on the significance of outwardness: “Adopting an outward mindset is like turning the subtitles on when watching a foreign movie. Suddenly, you understand your coworkers better—their daytime drama, dreams of leaving the farm and becoming a Jedi, and why they stole your lunch from the fridge! When you adjust your mindset, it feels like getting superpowers to swoop in to lend a hand in the most effective way possible. Now imagine that everyone starts doing this—boom! You’ve got an office that feels more like a buddy-cop movie than a courtroom drama.”
In addition to Top Workplace awards, Smarty credits its outward approach for year-over-year employee retention of over 90% and sky-high job satisfaction scores. Even with stiff competition for top tech talent, the company’s supportive and engaging culture continues to attract passionate professionals.
Smarty’s outward focus also extends beyond employees to its customers as well. “We aim to understand each client’s unique challenges and data needs deeply. This empathy allows us to deliver solutions that drive real business impact,” said Edwards. “At the end of the day, an outward mindset improves all relationships and interactions, whether inside or outside the organization.”
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