TheBridge profile: Tom Manatos
Name: Tom Manatos
Current city: Bethesda, MD
Current job: Vice President of Government Relations, Spotify
Past job: Vice President of Federal Government Affairs, The Internet Association
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Swings Coffee
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job? Two skills that I learned early on have carried me through my career - hard work and attention to detail. As long as you are working harder than everyone else you will shine, but that hard work has to produce a good product and can't be riddled with errors. That is why you have to have attention to detail where all of your work product is double and triple-checked so your boss can be confident what they are getting from you is the most accurate and well-thought product you could have produced.
Q. Job advice in three words? Attention to detail
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Innovators need to understand that government is years, and in some cases decades, behind the technology sector in use and understanding of technology. Innovators need to appreciate this gap and seek to improve it in a respectful and impactful way.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Policy makers need to appreciate that innovators need the freedom to move fast and create but not at the expense of consumers or US antitrust laws. Policy makers need to better understand technology in order to properly fulfill the government's role in regulation of business and the protection of consumers.
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? All podcasts are available on Spotify of course, but the must-listen each day is The Daily.
Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? Being thorough and accurate. If each member of a team can be trusted to provide completely accurate and triple-checked information the entire team functions better.
Q. Last time you were completely unplugged? Sadly in 2008, during my honeymoon when my phone didn't work in Greece.
Q. How often do you work from home? Never, I have 3 young kids and unless they are asleep it's impossible to work from home.
Q. If you had to live in another city, which would it be? Denver, CO - growing tech city, incredible amount of things to do outside, and friendly people.
Click below to join TheBridge community and, among other resources, receive our bi-weekly updates with featured profiles.