12-10-2023 Top Workplaces - Flipbook - Page 28
SMALL COMPANIES
NO.1
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Set of X:
Engaged, technical
and mission-driven
BY DONNA M. OWENS
What’s in a name? At technology consultancy
Set of X, the team’s catchy moniker is about
more than branding.
In mathematics, “set of {X} represents an
exclusive/inclusive set of numbers,” said Paul
Barsotti, the firm’s co-founder, partner and CEO.
“It’s kind of analytical math stuff, but in the end,
we hire very talented people that tend to like
cutting-edge technology work and analytical
math. ... Belonging to the set of {X} represents
belonging to a group. Everyone in the group is
working toward a common goal.”
Indeed, the trio of co-founders behind Set of
X — Barsotti; Chief Operating Officer Quentin
Smith; and Chief Administrative Officer Rachelle Walker — had a shared ambition in mind
when they decided to meld their respective
talents and launch a new tech endeavor in 2019.
“Paul is an engineer, and so am I. We’d known
each other for close to 20 years,” Smith said.
“Rachelle had soft skills, and she now runs HR.
We had a couple of discussions before incorporating. When COVID hit, that slowed things
down. It wasn’t ideal, but we stayed focused.
Today, we are pretty happy with where we are.”
Set of X told The Baltimore Sun it serves
clients in the intelligence sector and national
security arena. The company aims to “deliver
mission-enabling solutions that create
28 | 2023 | TOP WORKPLACES
Information technology
Bowie
Founded: 2019
Baltimore-area employees: 35
Consecutive years ranked: 1
What employees say: “I feel like
that I am more than just a number.
I have the ability to input my ideas
and see how and what senior
leadership does to try to incorporate them.”
successful outcomes for our U.S. government
customers’ most critical challenges.”
As of October, the team consisted of 35
engineers, information technology and other
specialists, who range from recent college graduates to seasoned STEM professionals, and the
firm is hiring more. While the company is based
in Bowie, employees may work remotely or at
designated sites, “scattered all over the place,”
Smith said.
The sensitive nature of the work makes for
a high-stakes environment, yet the company
culture is relatively easygoing when it comes to
certain things, including attire.
“One employee wears shorts even in the
winter,” Smith said, “while others may wear a
suit and tie.”
Other elements make the culture of Set of X
special. Kenji Horvath, the firm’s vice president for enterprise software solutions, said the
company’s leadership understands the importance of incentivizing and rewarding employee
performance.
“We operate in an industry that has tremendous competition for technical talent,” he
said. “So, from the very beginning, we built
the company to attract and retain the most
sought-after technical talent.”