YETI may be best known for building products that can stand up to just about anything, but inside its Austin headquarters, another kind of durability is taking shape. The company’s eCommerce team has become one of YETI’s fastest-moving, idea-driven engines of innovation.
Their mission: navigate the noisy world of online shopping, deliver intuitive digital experiences, and make sure every customer finds the right product for their next adventure.
But it's how they make the magic happen that’s so striking. Employees say they’re doing bold work in a culture where people genuinely like working together, and that’s elevating everything they do:
“There truly isn’t a day when I’m not excited to come to work with the digital product and digital commerce teams at YETI,” says Jenni Bruckman, Director of Digital Product Management. “We genuinely enjoy carrying out the work against the vision, and most importantly, we enjoy doing it with each other. It’s rare to find a leader and a team where you can trust each other to consistently elevate. Rather than push, we pull each other forward every day to produce the best experience possible for YETI.com and our customers.”
We spoke to two leaders on YETI’s eComm team, Bruckman and Site Content Manager Anna Kate Smith, about how the company and team’s highly collaborative, fast-paced, and trust-centered culture drives innovation:
1. Employees are encouraged to bring forward new and innovative ideas
With a team made up of product managers, UX/UI designers, content strategists, and developers, YETI’s eComm group operates like a tightly coordinated ecosystem. But it’s also a place where anyone, regardless of title, can bring forward an idea.
“There’s a strong sense of shared ownership that allows us to move quickly while still being thoughtful, and team members are encouraged to speak up, challenge assumptions, and question the status quo in the spirit of moving the work forward,” Smith says. “That openness creates a culture where ideas and insights are valued regardless of seniority or tenure, and where everyone has the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while we continue to push the experience forward together.”
It’s a philosophy the team lives daily. Team members brainstorm solutions at the lunch table. A/B testing strategy and data stories have been democratized among the digital product managers to encourage a test-and-learn approach. And cross functionality happens so often that teams celebrate one another regularly at quarterly and annual awards.
“YETI truly checks the special boxes I think all job seekers should care about,” Bruckman adds. “1) Work with people who care about the work and each other; 2) Act with a sense of urgency and energy to innovate and try new things—test and learn and iterate; and 3) Make sure you actually believe in the brand, its ethos and its products (this is a no-brainer at YETI).”
2. The culture celebrates the work and the people behind it
Recognition is embedded into how YETI’s team operates.
“We’re big on shout-outs,” Bruckman says. “The digital product team hosts biweekly roadmap reviews, demos, and data stories, and it is table stakes to include a list of shout-outs on any slide showcasing the work we are bringing to life. The scope of our work does not come together without a lot of cross-functional support and involvement, and we believe it’s important to make the extra effort to say ’congrats’ and ‘thank you!’”
When recognition comes naturally and often, trust builds, as does psychological safety. eComm team members know they’ll be respected and valued for contributing to a shared mission, even if that contribution goes against the grain.
“While there are often different opinions and ideas, those conversations are respectful and rooted in a shared goal of building the best experience possible,” Smith says. “That balance of being challenged while feeling supported is what makes the work feel inspiring and motivating.”
YETI isn’t just about coolers and tumblers—it’s a place where product designers, engineers, and digital teams are building the future of a brand people genuinely love. If you’re into tech that supports real-world adventures (and a flexible, growth-oriented work culture), YETI might be your kind of wild.
3. Camaraderie creates collaboration and shared responsibility
The team’s recent work underscores the success of a culture that drives solutions that resonate with customers.
One standout example: Ranger, YETI’s new AI-powered virtual store associate. Designed to replicate the in-store discovery process, Ranger interprets customer prompts—“Which YETI drinkware is best for coffee on-the-go during a daily commute?”—and delivers tailored recommendations.
To make the user experience both approachable and intuitive, the eComm team also identified the key starter queries to assist shoppers: from Everyday Use, Travel or Entertaining, to Camping, Hunting or Fishing to Sports or Fitness.
“Since the introduction of this beta feature in fall of 2025, YETI is already seeing a positive impact in terms of customer feedback and response, indicating YETI is giving them what they need during their shopping journey, and we’re excited to build on it from here,” Bruckman says.
Another ongoing focus is building more evergreen, high-intent content across YETI.com, an initiative Smith and her team are driving.
“What makes this stand out is that it’s both customer-first and operationally smarter,” Smith says. “It delivers clearer storytelling and stronger performance while also creating a more sustainable way of working as the site continues to scale.”
Together, these projects show how a team built on trust, collaboration, and shared ownership can turn ideas into real solutions, for both customers and the business.
4. Employees want to stay and grow
Want to know if a culture works? Look at employee retention and how roles have evolved as the company or team has grown.
“As YETI’s digital presence has grown, my role has grown with it,” Smith says. “What started as hands-on content execution has expanded into helping ensure the site scales in a way that stays cohesive, customer-first, and true to the brand. With more channels, products, and stakeholders in play, a big part of my work is helping teams stay aligned and move forward together—so the experience feels consistent for customers, even as we move quickly.”
Bruckman’s journey mirrors this evolution. She joined YETI as the first principal digital product manager and has since built out an entire team:
“In our first year, we established a strong foundation with digital product managers, leading both feature development and transformational experiences. In the second year, we brought YETI’s talented UX/UI design team under the digital product umbrella and established a partnered approach pairing product managers and designers together—each owning a swim lane aligned to an area of the site.”
With opportunities to grow, supportive mentorship, and a culture that celebrates every win, it’s no wonder employees stick around and keep building their best work at YETI.
Why you belong at YETI
The pitch for YETI is simple: “YETI is a place where the work is challenging in a good way. There’s a lot of collaboration and many perspectives in the room, which means you’re encouraged to speak up, share your point of view, and think critically about the work,” Smith says. “If you enjoy being a part of a team that values thoughtful discussion, growth, and high standards, and you’re excited about the opportunity to learn from others, YETI is a really rewarding place to build your career.”
Bruckman considers the choice to work at YETI from the perspective of what every job seeker hopes to find: the coveted dream job.
“I’ve heard great leaders say it’s important to gut check this perspective often: Look across the broader landscape and ask yourself where you’d work if you could design your perfect role and company. The best way I can describe the eComm team at YETI is to say that I reflect on this regularly, and I am continuously grateful to say that YETI eComm really is my dream team, role, and brand. There is so much heart and hustle among this crew—we are in it together through the wins, the learnings and in pushing ‘what’s next.’”
Ready to work boldly? Discover a career built for the wild with YETI.
