Welcoming Stone Mele, Our New Staff Software Engineer

At its core, Subtotal is a data company. Working with data at the scale we do is genuinely hard and requires real expertise to do it well. Stone, who joined us in December as Staff Software Engineer, brings that expertise to our Engineering team.

Stone is a relentless builder and brilliant computer scientist, with deep data and ML chops sharpened across research and finance. He works across the full engineering stack, focused on leveling up how Subtotal turns raw purchase data into actionable insights for our brand partners.

We're stoked to have Stone onboard at Subtotal.

More about Stone

Why did you decide to join Subtotal?

I was super excited to work with Jordan and Cole again. We went to college together and worked closely on many projects during that time. I knew they had built a great team around a great idea, it was an easy decision to join.

What excites you most about your role?

I get to learn something new every day. No idea is too crazy, and everyone is open to learning, sharing, and trying. That kind of environment is hard to find.

What are you most excited to help build at Subtotal?

I have a data and ML background, so I'm hoping to use the skills I've built up to level up Subtotal's insights and data capabilities. There's a lot of interesting work to do there.

Where did you go to school and what's your background?

I got my Masters from the University of Utah in 2019. After a brief attempt at research, I moved into the finance industry and then joined Subtotal at the end of last year.

What's a project or accomplishment you're especially proud of?

I made some pottery last summer and was really proud of how it turned out. There's something satisfying about starting something completely from scratch and seeing it through to the end.

What's a hobby or interest people might not expect?

I'm a Jiu Jitsu purple belt, and I've been keeping an ant colony for a while now. Both require more patience than you'd think.

Favorite podcast, show, or creator right now?

The H3 Podcast. Always entertaining.

If you weren't in your current field, what would you be doing?

Some kind of field biologist, deep in a jungle or at the bottom of the ocean studying plants and animals. I think about this more than I probably should.

What's your "touch grass" activity?

I have a very energetic poodle who needs a lot of walks. Honestly, if it wasn't for him I'd probably never leave the house.

Most controversial food opinion?

Going vegan. I've been vegan for about 12 years now and it's always controversial when it comes up.

Favorite place you've visited?

Carmel, California. It was awesome. If Subtotal ever goes public, I'm buying a house there.

Any advice that's stuck with you?

Start simple.