marketingtechnology
SurveyMonkey Expands to Costa Rica: Elias Conejo on Growth & Culture
SurveyMonkey, the world’s most popular platform for surveys and forms, recently announced its newest office in Heredia, Costa Rica. We connected with Elias Conejo, Director of Engineering at SurveyMonkey and Site Lead of the Heredia office, to discuss how the company's global expansion, particularly into Costa Rica, supports its growth strategy, workplace culture, regional engagement, and global innovation efforts.
1. How do you evaluate the potential for Latin America as a growth market for SaaS and technology platforms?
Latin America presents a dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape for SaaS and tech. The region has a growing digital economy, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and an increasing demand for user-friendly, scalable solutions that solve real business problems. At SurveyMonkey, we already serve over 19,000 paying customers in Latin America, which signals both trust in our platform and appetite for digital transformation. With local languages, cultural fluency, and on-the-ground support, we see incredible potential to grow our impact across the region.
2. How do you balance the need for local talent versus global talent mobility when expanding internationally?
We see global and local talent as complementary forces. Our goal is to build high-performing, culturally fluent teams that reflect the markets we serve. In Costa Rica, we’re tapping into a highly skilled local workforce across engineering, sales, marketing, customer success, operations, and more. At the same time, we foster global collaboration—sharing expertise, aligning on strategy, and creating growth pathways for talent across our offices. It’s not about choosing one over the other; it’s about building a networked organization where knowledge, innovation, and opportunity flow across borders.
3. How important are employee well-being initiatives (e.g., meditation rooms, pet-friendly zones) in your workplace culture strategy?
They’re central to our culture. We believe that a healthy, engaged team is a high-performing team. Our new office in Heredia reflects that with spaces and amenities designed to support both productivity and well-being, whether that’s a quiet space to recharge, a barista to brighten your morning, or simply being able to bring your pet to work. For us, these are more than perks. They’re expressions of our commitment to building a workplace where people can do their best work while feeling like they truly belong.
4. How do you leverage regional cultural values, like Costa Rica’s “Pura Vida,” to enhance team cohesion and company culture?
“Pura Vida” is more than a saying. It’s a mindset rooted in authenticity, optimism, and community. That spirit aligns closely with our own values of inclusion, balance, and human connection. As we build our team in Costa Rica, we’re intentionally creating a culture that honors both local identity and global belonging. This means embracing what makes each region unique while fostering a shared sense of purpose across all our offices. “Pura Vida” helps us stay grounded and connected as we grow.
1. How do you evaluate the potential for Latin America as a growth market for SaaS and technology platforms?
Latin America presents a dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape for SaaS and tech. The region has a growing digital economy, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and an increasing demand for user-friendly, scalable solutions that solve real business problems. At SurveyMonkey, we already serve over 19,000 paying customers in Latin America, which signals both trust in our platform and appetite for digital transformation. With local languages, cultural fluency, and on-the-ground support, we see incredible potential to grow our impact across the region.
2. How do you balance the need for local talent versus global talent mobility when expanding internationally?
We see global and local talent as complementary forces. Our goal is to build high-performing, culturally fluent teams that reflect the markets we serve. In Costa Rica, we’re tapping into a highly skilled local workforce across engineering, sales, marketing, customer success, operations, and more. At the same time, we foster global collaboration—sharing expertise, aligning on strategy, and creating growth pathways for talent across our offices. It’s not about choosing one over the other; it’s about building a networked organization where knowledge, innovation, and opportunity flow across borders.
3. How important are employee well-being initiatives (e.g., meditation rooms, pet-friendly zones) in your workplace culture strategy?
They’re central to our culture. We believe that a healthy, engaged team is a high-performing team. Our new office in Heredia reflects that with spaces and amenities designed to support both productivity and well-being, whether that’s a quiet space to recharge, a barista to brighten your morning, or simply being able to bring your pet to work. For us, these are more than perks. They’re expressions of our commitment to building a workplace where people can do their best work while feeling like they truly belong.
4. How do you leverage regional cultural values, like Costa Rica’s “Pura Vida,” to enhance team cohesion and company culture?
“Pura Vida” is more than a saying. It’s a mindset rooted in authenticity, optimism, and community. That spirit aligns closely with our own values of inclusion, balance, and human connection. As we build our team in Costa Rica, we’re intentionally creating a culture that honors both local identity and global belonging. This means embracing what makes each region unique while fostering a shared sense of purpose across all our offices. “Pura Vida” helps us stay grounded and connected as we grow.
5. With over 19,000 customers in Latin America, how do you tailor your product and marketing strategies to regional market needs?
Local relevance is key. Our platform is available in over 56 languages, including Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, which helps make it accessible and intuitive to users across the region. Beyond language, we listen closely to our customers’ needs—through feedback, support channels, and usage data—and adapt our product experiences accordingly. From marketing campaigns to customer success programs, we’re focused on showing up in a way that’s thoughtful, culturally resonant, and value-driven.
6. What is your vision for the role of international offices in driving innovation and customer experience in a global SaaS company?
Our global offices are not just operational centers, they’re engines of innovation and insight. Local teams bring fresh perspectives, closer proximity to customers, and deep cultural understanding that shapes how we build and support our products. In Costa Rica, for example, our engineering and customer teams are helping us better serve users across the Americas, while contributing to global priorities. When we empower regional teams to lead, we strengthen our entire organization and create better experiences for every customer, everywhere.
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