May 12, 2021 was a big day in Stuart’s history. On this sunny spring Wednesday, we welcomed the 500th Stuwie joining our team of tech and logistics superstars. For everyone at Stuart, it was a perfect opportunity to step back and reflect on the path that’s taken us from the very first delivery to such an important milestone. 

Of course, it was also a reason to celebrate! Read on to learn the story behind the growth, the challenges of building our team in an unusual time and a few of the ways we marked getting to 500 employees. 

Shipping a big idea

Here at Stuart, we think a lot about growing our company. But that doesn’t just mean hitting higher numbers. It also means being intentional about how we continue to grow, so we can ensure that Stuart’s values remain at the heart of everything we work to achieve.

When we look back on the very beginnings of Stuart, we don’t just see a scrappy startup jumping headfirst into the last-mile delivery space. We see how a big idea can start small, if it’s nurtured by creative thinkers and team players. From 2015 to 2016, we went from launching our platform in Paris with a few dozen Stuwies to serving four more major cities. By connecting businesses to couriers in Lyon, Barcelona, Madrid and London, we took our first steps into international expansion.

New countries meant new offices and plenty of new team members to keep Stuart moving forward. In 2017, Stuart’s on-demand delivery was available across 20 cities; in 2018, we more than doubled our reach to 50 cities. All the while, we added people ready to share in the adventure: engineers and operations managers, customer service experts and designers, brought together by a mission to make the last mile great.

Building a strong team

If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s that delivery needs change fast. That’s why we’ve done more than just grow alongside our platform. We dedicated ourselves to locating the Stuart spirit in six key values, working together throughout 2019 to rechart the guiding principles of our company.

One result? Stuart’s teams were united, focused and motivated as the impact of COVID-19 started to be felt around the world. As logistics adapted to the disruption of regular routines, we never stopped powering deliveries to keep people connected with restaurants, groceries and more.

Between 2019 and 2021, over 200 new Stuwies have joined us to help create sustainable, innovative last-mile solutions. Since pandemic restrictions closed offices throughout much of that time, our incredible People teams took hiring and onboarding online. Video calls, virtual events and tons of team-building ensured that working from home wouldn’t feel like working alone. After all, we share through cooperation—and sometimes you have to think outside the parcel to make it happen.

Gearing up for a new chapter

As our offices slowly return to normal, we’re still finding ways to bring our values to life for each new arrival. We encourage every Stuwie to ask questions, to teach others and to make time for learning. We’re always ready to lend a hand when it’s needed and we cheer just as hard for little victories as for big wins. We take celebrating seriously and with 500 people in four countries, there’s a lot to celebrate.

In fact, we put on our virtual party hats to celebrate our 500th Stuwie. On the agenda: a special “500 Stuwies” quiz and deluxe prizes for the winners, including champagne, cookies and Stuart gift bags. Plus, we started designing a t-shirt that will put our values front and center for everyone working at Stuart.

We’re proud to have reached this key milestone while staying closely connected to our founding mission and energy. But we’re also looking forward to the next stages of our journey. Because although we’ve been growing fast, we’re not done yet. We’re headed to new places where Stuart can deliver last-mile happiness. Next stops? Witaj Polsko, até breve Portugal!

Want to learn more about joining our team? Check out our Careers page to browse open positions.

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