Employee Spotlight
July 1, 2024

Spotlight: Nathan Wu, Software Engineer

Meet Nathan, a software engineer in Method's New York office

Take a peek into life at Method through a candid interview with Nathan.

Nathan, we’d love to learn more about you and your role on the team. What’s an average day look like?

As a Software Engineer at Method Financial, my day is usually packed with a variety of projects that keep the day interesting and fun. In the morning, I meet with the team during our standup or one-on-one syncs to discuss the status of ongoing projects, identify any immediate roadblocks, and map out the tasks for the day. This sets the agenda for the week and ensures that we are all on the same page.

Throughout the day, I'll dive into code, map out new features, and debug existing work, and collaborate with my colleagues or stakeholders. In addition to the technical aspect of my role, I get to contribute to strategic discussions about the future of our products. We have to anticipate user needs and technology trends, and strategically plot our development roadmap, which is challenging but so rewarding

One recent feature that I enjoyed working on was our direct integration into Equifax. This gave our customers the ability to dive deeper into the history of their credit reports, boosting financial transparency to inform better decision-making.

We also celebrate our successes - whether it’s a small win or a big one, from each problem solved, feature rolled out, or even positive feedback from our users. It's a balance between hard work and good fun which makes the work enjoyable.

How does your work impact peoples' financial lives?

Method is committed to leverage technology to empower financial decision-making. When I first learned about Method, I was impressed by the team’s vision of building a product that simplified personal finance management—a complexity that many struggle with. In school, I had an interest in technology, specifically its applications in finance. Out of curiosity, I started writing small programs to better understand and visualize how technology could simplify complex processes. These were designed to automate everyday financial tasks, including the development of a financial asset/budget tracker. Discovering Method was like seeing my college interests align with a product that has the potential to make a real-world impact across endless use cases.

Method is redefining financial connectivity. Why should people come build with us?

Method's approach to tackling financial connectivity has enabled applications beyond what was originally envisioned. Method's innovative use of APIs to abstract payments and accounts has provided a simple and streamlined way for individuals to understand and manage their finances, and for lenders to help them consolidate debt. The opportunity to contribute to this vision is exciting! It felt like a natural fit for me, and I hope for others as well. The rest is history and I’m happy to be part of a team that is redefining the next chapter of financial services. It’s definitely an exciting time to be working in fintech, especially at such a promising company like Method.

What’s been a favorite memory with the team so far?

My favorite part of being on the team is the opportunity to connect with and solve problems for our customers in real time. It’s extremely satisfying to work closely with our customers and ship features that have a direct impact on their business models. 

My favorite memories definitely include the team offsites in Mexico City and at Disneyland. With those destinations, how could they not be highlights?  However, what sticks out to me the most is the small interactions that are easily overlooked. I really appreciate how everyone is able to be candid, humorous, and open.  Having the ability to be genuine and bring your most authentic self to a work environment is extremely important for building trust as a team. I believe Method fosters a culture where everyone can do that.

Here come the important questions, rapid-fire. Ready?

A snack you cannot live without.

I'm not much of a snacker, but when I do it's Quest protein chips and a Fairlife Core Power milkshake.

When you're not working, you are…

I’m usually goofing around with my roommates. We love trying new restaurants, tinkering with the latest technology, playing ping-pong in our basement, and moving furniture on the streets and subways of NYC. I’m also an avid user of Beli - a social restaurant list - and a huge advocate of how well it works in foodie-centric cities like New York!

Recommend a show, movie, book.

The Social Network, Burnt, and anything with Hans Zimmer as the score producer.

Go to music genre and a song on repeat?

GODS - NewJeans

Okay, lastly, I've always wanted to try or learn…

My go-tos are from my favorite pianist, Ludovico Einaudi. You can't go wrong with anything from Una Mattina.