This is part of a monthly series in which we get to know Sifties.
Dandrew Cruda is our Senior Marketing Manager, Demand Generation, who has been with Sift Science for five months. If he could eat just one food for the rest of his life, it would be ice cream. Specifically, Thrifty’s Chocolate Malted Krunch from Rite Aid. Aside from the fact that he thinks it’s just downright delicious, there’s some nostalgia attached: When he was in high school, every day after school he and his friends would go to the Rite Aid near campus and he’d get a scoop of his favorite ice cream.
What superpower would you want to have and why?
I would want to be able to fly, reason being because I love to travel. It would make it easier and it would be cool to see views and landscapes from heights humans normally can’t reach. But when I say “fly,” I mean to be able to fly and zoom off like Superman. Teleporting would be cool but it takes away from being able to see the journey and scenery along the way to the destination.
Who do you admire the most?
My dad, because I think he’s taught me a lot of great life lessons and virtues. The interesting thing is that he hasn’t sat me down and told me anything outright, but leads by example. The virtues he’s taught me include humility, kindness – my dad is one of the nicest guys ever – and working hard, real hard. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices and do things you may not want to do, but have to do.
What was your first job?
Wing Stop. I started as a dishwasher in the back and worked my way up to flipping chicken. I worked there four months, making eight dollars an hour. It wasn’t glamorous and it wasn’t fun. I had to do things like mopping up blood in the freezer, taking out the trash. It was dirty and rough, but an eye-opening job. I felt like a new man (or rather, a kid, since I was in high school) every time I got my paycheck and valued every dollar that I earned.
What’s the best vacation you ever had?
Oh that’s easy, the one I just took: I went to Japan. I usually like the vacations where I’m chilling on the beach at a resort. I didn’t go to any beaches but Japan has so much culture, the food was amazing, the people were so nice, and the public transportation was incredible. The streets were so clean – there are no public garbage cans around, yet the streets were much cleaner than ours. I want to go back because there was so much I didn’t get to see and experience.
Who is your favorite basketball player of all time and why?
Kobe Bryant. When I was old enough to watch and follow basketball (at the age of 9), that was the start of the Lakers’ dynasty in 2000 when Kobe and Shaq were on the team. He’s really good, fun to watch, and the reason why I continue to watch basketball. He was known for his work ethic and attention to detail and I took those characteristics and applied them to when I played basketball, and to other aspects of my life.
