Steve Spangler Spotlight on Zarah with a Z

We have an amazing staff at Steve Spangler Science – from the crew in our Distribution Center who carefully packages each product then ships it out to you, to our Customer Service Team who takes care of you on the phones and online, to our Administrative Team who keeps our business humming, to our Creative Team, who handles our website, social media, video, catalog and more, to our Conference Team who takes us on the road. We all work together to make Steve Spangler Science what it is today.

We are starting a series to highlight some of the talented people behind the scenes at Steve Spangler Science. Today we are putting the spotlight on our Customer Service Manager, Zarah Brown. Zarah has been with our little company since October, 16, 2007, but who’s counting?

Here’s a little Q&A with the person we affectionally refer to as Zarah with a Z.

Q: Tell us a little about who you are…
A: Zarah Brown is devoted to a life of discovery and fun – I love learning new things about the amazing universe we live in. I am especially interested in outer space – I am a space nut! Contact is my favorite movie of all time and I remember watching Star Trek as a kid and just loving it. Now, as a grown-up (and we use that term loosely around here) I really see space as “the final frontier.” I think it is so cool that the customers we serve are bringing play and science together and helping kids to make their own discoveries. These kids are going to grow up to use science to solve global problems, to heal people and to unlock more mysteries of the universe – how awesome!

Q: What do you like best about what you do at SSS?
A: I am lucky to work with a great team of people who are eager to provide the best customer service there is and who make me laugh every day. Although I’m often behind the scenes doing manager-y stuff, I absolutely love it when I get to speak with our customers. We have the best customers in the world – they are constantly surprising me with all the fun ways they use our products and with how generous they are with kids.

Q:  What is your favorite Steve Spangler Science moment?
A: I knew I was in the right place when Steve froze some of my hair with liquid nitrogen on the first day… it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Last week I was getting a cup of coffee and Steve pulled me aside to get charged with 50,000 volts of static electricity and was able to light stuff on fire by touching it … so it really hasn’t changed much in the last three years. I could go on about exploding ping pong balls in the warehouse or mixing up a 10 gallon batch of Oobleck or dressing up for “Dogg the Bounty Hunter Day” but my favorite Spangler moment was getting to go to an under-served Elementary School at Christmas time and give out toys to kids. It was so fun playing Santa’s elves and being able to give like that.

Q: What is the most commonly asked question people ask when calling in?
A: Are you the gal on the voicemail? Why yes, yes I am. While my name is Zarah with a Z, I really don’t mind too much if you call me Sarah or Tara or Harrah or whatever. We know who you mean.

Q: What is something you wish every SSS customer knew?
A: Where to find the Science Fair Secrets page (p.s. – it’s here: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/category/science-fair) That thing is awesome! People sometimes get really frustrated and overwhelmed with the science fair – especially parents. And who could blame them? Lots of parents haven’t taken science for years and parents often have to take on a big role in helping their kids. The science fair section answers so many questions and really provides some great tips and ideas. Of course, if you still don’t understand the difference between a dependent and an independent variable, you can call me – I love that kind of stuff.

Q: What do you like to do when not on the job?
A: I am one of those weirdo Colorado natives who does not enjoy skiing or snowboarding. What do I like? I like reading, painting, yoga and drinking scotch. What? I can’t like scotch?

Q: What is your favorite science experiment?
A: Bubbling Lava Lamps! You’d think out of hundreds and hundreds of experiments it would be hard to pick just one, but that is hands-down, bar-none my favorite. I just think it looks so cool – it’s like magic. And everything you need is probably already in your cupboards (although I am especially fond of a lava lamp in a Baby Soda Bottle – you gotta try it!).

Q: What other stories or things do you want people to know about you or the work you do at Spangler?
A: Everyone in the office loves it when we get pictures or videos from our customers. We always huddle around someone’s computer if we get something especially cute or funny or cool and those get forwarded on to everyone in the company. So, if you want your story or your picture to be private – let us know. But if you want to share with us, don’t be shy send it in an email to info@https://www.stevespanglerscience.com, it always makes our day.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
A: I am totally the Clear Logo Safety Glasses girl!! Remember that scene from Men In Black? That’s right – “I make this look good” 🙂

Thank you Zarah with a Z for being our first staff subject on the blog. I’ve even learned something I didn’t know about you.

Join us again in May when we turn the spotlight on another Spangler Science staffer and reveal the heart and soul of our company.