Today we sit down with Serge LeBlanc a Data Scientist at MyFitnessPal who’s been working with us for about a year now. After hearing our co-founder Mike Lee say, “MyFitnessPal has the largest database of human eating habits in the world,” Serge knew he had to work here. And now he does!
Serge, thanks for talking with us today. We’ll start with a couple easy questions: Where did you grow up? And what is one hobby you do outside of work? I grew up in a small town in eastern Canada called Shediac, New Brunswick—it’s the lobster capital of the world! As for hobbies, I try to play golf as often as I can—at least once a week.
So then do you have any favorite things about San Francisco? I actually live in Sausalito, which is awesome because I get to take the ferry to work every day—it’s a great way to start your day!
Aside from taking the ferry to work, what’s your favorite aspect of working at MyFitnessPal? For me there’s two things: one, the opportunities for a data scientist here are almost endless, and two, the work is challenging and always different so it never gets dull. I also love the people who work here—okay, that’s three things!
What then is the most rewarding aspect of working here? Definitely hearing the success stories of our users. As a data scientist, I am amazed at the amount of people who have lost large amounts of weight. There are users who have lost over 100, 150, and even over 200 lbs. Hearing their testimonials on how MyFitnessPal helped them change and improve their lives makes me feel proud to be a part of MyFitnessPal. It also motivates me to work toward helping MyFitnessPal become the go-to place for people who want to change their lives—we’re all about progress!
If a friend asked you about work here, what would you say? It’s a great company to work for, there are a lot of opportunities for growth, and they are also flexible with your working hours, which is a big plus. We also have two incredible leaders—Mike and Al—who each have qualities that balance the other out.
Would you say then that this is your ideal work culture? I would. Here you are free to share your creative ideas, you don’t have to be afraid to ask other for help, and there is a strong sense of teamwork and cooperation.
Okay, last questions: What is your favorite food and what do you use to stay healthy? Favorite food… does beer count? Otherwise I’d have to go with burgers and fries. As for staying healthy—a complete contrast to beer, burgers, and fries—I drink a green smoothie every day and haven’t had a cold in almost four years (knock on wood).
Serge isn’t the only one with insight on life at MyFitnessPal. Stay tuned for future interviews with staffers and let us know what you’d like to learn next about our workplace!
3 Responses
Will we ever have the ability to take a picture of out plate of food and the calories automatically give an estimated caloric count?
I would have preferred some questions regarding his work as a Data Scientist at MFP.
Agreed–would love to share with my statistics students. Any chance for a follow up interview and or quick blog post from Mr. LeBlanc?