For IMC, success hinges on speed. As a member of the execution team, Li sharpens software by shipping new code, troubleshooting and adding new features. With market interactions occurring quickly — “fractions of seconds," per Li — her team moves swiftly to see the impact of their efforts in the field. "We're the end user of our own technology, so we have a quick feedback loop that enables us to iterate much faster," she said.

By working to continually improve the firm’s hardware, Van Stralen helps reduce latency where speed matters most. But his hyper-focused mission doesn’t come at the expense of bonding, crediting game nights, happy hours and other activities as establishing the team camaraderie that buoys success. “Getting along helps build strong teams,” he said. “Strong teams facilitate an openness that helps build a strong culture.”