Fraud Prevention Leader, Kount, Expands into New Boise, Idaho, Headquarters

Two main factors drove the Kount team’s decision to expand into its new central downtown Boise, Idaho, location: collaboration and people. On March 11, 2019, Kount welcomed employees, clients, and partners to the opening of its headquarters in the heart of Boise. Kount CEO Brad Wiskirchen says, “We know our innovation, growth, and success comes from where our roots are – and that is in Boise.”

Kount celebrates the new location as an important landmark in the company’s successful trajectory. “We have strong tailwinds at Kount,” Wiskirchen says. From an idea that began on a napkin over a sushi lunch in 2006, to an international company with more than 160 employees today, the new headquarters maximizes the company’s ability to expand and to create solutions that address the fraud prevention goals of more than 6,500 global brands.

“We have a morally compelling value proposition and that is to make it more secure for people to interact with others in a digital world,” he says.

The new headquarters was designed to propel the company’s philosophy and culture into the next decade. The flexibility to connect teams and collaborate freely was part of the design impetus for the extensive remodel of the building that had stood vacant for many years. “Our new space is designed to enhance our employees’ ability to innovate and meet new challenges,” Wiskirchen says. “By creating this space, we are enhancing our ability to create fantastic, new products and this enables us to address challenges in real time.”

The vacant John Alden Building at 10th and Main – one of Boise’s oldest structures – needed the right tenant to see the historic building’s potential. Wiskirchen’s vision was to create a modern office space while maintaining original architectural elements. The interior architecture was intentionally stripped down to reveal the building’s structural concrete and expose its texture and color. The result is a visually intriguing combination of raw, aged concrete, and ultra-modern amenities that creates an open and airy atmosphere.

Bare concrete and ducts were left intentionally exposed to highlight the structure’s history as one of Boise’s oldest buildings.

“As part of the remodel, we opened a bright staircase between the two floors where most of the company works so there would be even more connection between team members.”

Workspaces are not hidden behind cubicle walls and office doors. Instead, employees are able to connect over ideas freely. Conference rooms on every floor are uniquely designed and outfitted with state-of-the-art video capabilities, glass whiteboards, as well as colorful, comfortable furniture. Employees can naturally generate conversation or find quiet nooks ideal for concentration. Wiskirchen says, “Teams can find the right space to brainstorm or employees can work in quiet rooms if they want to spend time heads down.”

There is even an outdoor patio with views of the Boise Foothills and surrounding neighborhood. “Boise is such an outdoor city so we created an outdoor collaboration space,” Wiskirchen adds.

With open floors comes visibility into teams and the individual contributors. “The management team cares about Kount’s team members. When we face a challenge, I know our team can find a solution together,” Wiskirchen says. “If people genuinely care about each other, they will work hard to make sure their friends, colleagues, and business endeavors succeed.”

Kount’s strategic move aligns with Boise’s dynamic growth and culture. Forbes recently announced Boise is the fastest-growing large metro area in the U.S. and Kount is right in the center of that momentum.

“This section of downtown Boise is ready for redevelopment and we have enough employees here to make a material difference. This location meets our objective to contribute to the development of central Boise,” Wiskirchen says. “Everything our employees might need is within a couple blocks of our building.”

That “everything” includes parking. Kount pays for every employee to have a parking pass at a nearby garage. For those employees who choose to commute in via the nearby Greenbelt, there is easy access to basement bike storage for more than 100 bikes. There are even shower rooms for those who choose to exercise on their lunch breaks at the neighborhood YMCA.

Ready to keep pace with Kount’s hiring strategies, the five-story headquarters has the capacity to comfortably welcome more than 300 full-time employees.

With a dynamic future ahead, Kount has the capacity to double its growth.

Innovation has characterized the company’s history. To date, Kount has stopped more than US$8 billion in financial losses from fraud. Leading brands including Staples, Chase, and Dunkin’ Brands are now Kount client advocates. As more and more companies expand their digital presence, Kount provides an essential service. That innovation started in Boise, Idaho.

Ryan Gordon, Marketing Operations Manager, is excited with the result. “The new building has a great modern feel and I think the setup of the new building will drive collaboration among teams, and increase productivity. I am very excited to be part of this new chapter at Kount.”