Meet the Team: Amplitude Chief Executive Officer Spenser Skates

As Chief Executive Officer at Amplitude, Spenser Skates is on a mission to help every company build amazing products through data and contribute to a world where technology never leaves you frustrated. With the right insights, he believes every company can unlock the power of its products. Before co-founding Amplitude in 2012, Spenser was an algorithmic trader at DRW Trading Group and earned a degree in Bioengineering from MIT.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Spenser, where he reflected on his entrepreneurial beginnings, leadership philosophy, and the unique opportunities at Amplitude. Learn how his journey from a high school startup to becoming CEO of a tech company shaped his approach to diversity and inclusion, ownership's value, and customer-driven innovation's importance.

Can you share how starting your own company in high school shaped your current work as an entrepreneur?

When I was 16, I participated in a summer program called the Mayor’s Program, where high school students could intern at City Hall. During that time, someone suggested I could turn my tech skills into a business, which parked an idea. I created flyers advertising “Computer Help” around my neighborhood, offering to fix computers and printers and set up wifi networks for $30 an hour—a much lower rate than Geek-Squad’s $100 per hour at the time.

This experience taught me valuable lessons early on. Surprisingly, the biggest challenge wasn’t the technical side—I could usually find the solution to the problem. The real challenge was getting the word out about my services and building a customer base. While it wasn’t a formal business, it was a great way to make money on the side and gave me a taste of entrepreneurship that still influences my work today.

Can you share your thoughts on how you initially believed that diversity and inclusion were the responsibility of one person but later realized it’s a shared responsibility for everyone?

One of the biggest mistakes we made early on at Amplitude was thinking that diversity and inclusion were the responsibility of a specific team or individual. We initially thought having a dedicated team or person handling these efforts would be sufficient. However, we quickly learned that creating a truly diverse and inclusive company requires everyone’s involvement.

At the end of the day, diversity and inclusion must start at the top, starting with myself as leader and CEO and extending throughout the entire organization. It’s not about having a specific team in place but ensuring every leader and employee is engaged in these efforts. This means being intentional about hiring practices, sponsoring employee resource groups, coaching and mentoring colleagues, and participating in DEI programs.

I’m proud of the process we’ve made over the past few years, but there is still more work to do. At Amplitude, we’ve made it clear that every executive is expected to actively participate to our DEI initiatives. This collective responsibility and commitment from all levels of the organization are essential for fostering a genuinely inclusive culture.

What value or trait do you value most at work?

Each of our three cultural values at Amplitude—humility, ownership, and growth mindset —plays a crucial role, but ownership stands out as my personal favorite. I deeply appreciate individuals who embrace ownership with a mindset focused on the broader success of the company. The most successful leaders at Amplitude are those who think beyond their specific roles or teams and ask themselves, “How can I contribute to Amplitude’s overall success?” Whether it’s through building exceptional products, enhancing customer experiences, or developing strong organizations, they take responsibility for making the entire company thrive. This broader perspective and dedication to collective success are what truly drive impact and growth.

How do you prefer to communicate with your team, and what kind of feedback do you find more valuable?

I thrive on open dialogue and prefer interactive communication over lengthy written updates. I value Q&A sessions, like during our all-hands meetings, and direct conversations because they allow me to understand different perspectives and connect more on a personal level. Any form of feedback and hearing what’s on people’s minds are incredibly important to me. For instance, if our team closes a deal or launches new features, I love hearing about them and celebrating these wins! These moments of connection and celebration genuinely excite me and help foster a collaborative environment.

What’s the best piece of business advice you ever received, and how did it impact you as an entrepreneur?

One of the most impactful pieces of business advice I received was the idea that great businesses don’t just focus on solving the next problem—they carefully identify the right problems to solve. As an engineer by training, I initially approached challenges with a problem-solving mindset, focusing on immediate technical issues. However, I learned that spending time understanding the problems from a customer perspective is crucial.

This shift in thinking led me to prioritize customer engagement alongside product development. It may be a cliché saying to “talk to your customers,” but it’s a fundamental practice we follow. For instance, we encourage our product managers and engineers to spend significant time interacting with customers. This approach ensures that our solutions are well-aligned with customer needs and drives our success as an organization.

What drives your motivation and excitement to continue building Amplitude every day?

I’ve sculpted so much of my life around being able to build a company. Many founders-CEOs don’t last past ten years, often selling their companies or stepping aside. But I’ve always felt that you can do great things over a long period of time, and if you stick with it long enough, you can become exceptional at solving it. And we’re still in the early stages of what digital analytics can do for the world where we’ve only scratched the surface, impacting a small fraction of the products out there. When I think about the positive impact we’ve had on those products and how much more we could achieve by reaching the rest, it drives me to keep pushing forward where there’s always the opportunity to do more and have more of an impact.

I’ve also structured my life to support this long-term vision. I’m very lucky to be with my wife, Anne, who’s been incredibly supportive throughout this journey. Her unwavering support has allowed me to focus on being the best leader I can be for Amplitude, driving the company toward its full potential.

What would you say to convince someone to join the Ampltiude team, and why this is a great place to grow your career?

Amplitude is an incredible place to grow your career, no matter what you’re looking for. What’s exciting about working here is that we’re in a technology space where most of what we do is yet to be invented. Particularly looking at digital analytics, I believe that 90% of the future is still ahead of us where there is tremendous opportunity to be part of building something groundbreaking.

You get to build on the early success we’ve already achieved and play a key role in shaping the future. I often say that everyone’s job evolves every year because the pace of change and innovation is so rapid. This fast-paced environment makes it an ideal place for anyone eager to learn and grow quickly. We’re always on the lookout for great talent, and we prioritize developing that talent internally. If you’re passionate about learning, growing, and making an impact, Amplitude is the place for you. And if you’re ever curious about what we’re doing and how you can be a part of it, I’m always happy to share my excitement about it all.