{"id":113792,"date":"2023-03-03T15:55:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T13:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bondora.com\/blog\/?p=113792"},"modified":"2023-03-03T15:55:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-03T13:55:00","slug":"how-a-young-pc-gamer-became-a-product-manager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goandgrow.eu\/en\/blog\/how-a-young-pc-gamer-became-a-product-manager\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Young PC Gamer Became a Product Manager \u2013 a Superhero Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Readers, you’re in for a special treat. In this special Dev edition of our Superhero series, you get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the world of Product Managers at Bondora! Without further ado, meet our 31st Superhero \u2013 Eva-Stina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.S. Be prepared for a lot of cute cat pictures \ud83d\ude3b<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eva-Stina’s life’s motto is wholesome and stoic: ‘There is this saying: What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. So, laugh often and don’t take life too seriously, for there is humor in even the most unexpected situations. And remember, laughter is the shortest distance between two people.’<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
I started part-time at Bondora when my youngest kid was barely a one-year-old\ud83d\udc76. I’m thrilled that Bondora genuinely values work-life balance, and I’m glad to have had such a warm welcome and flexible working arrangement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once my son was old enough for daycare, I started working as a full-time Senior Product Manager. I’ve already been able to make some significant changes, mainly focusing on topics like AML and KYC, but also working on lots of other topics in our Core team \ud83d\udc4c<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eva-Stina’s typical workday<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I love having the option to work in a hybrid environment. I do some of my best analytical work alone at home. But I also love coming to the office sometimes for face-to-face meetings, lunch with colleagues, etc. I feel that having the possibility to choose where to get my work done makes me more productive\ud83d\udcc8<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to my setup, I have a MacBook Air\ud83d\udcbb that enables me to dash around from meeting to meeting, easily. Other times I have it hooked up to a second monitor. I also always have some water or coffee handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although I love to use Notion for pretty much everything, I also use the good old pen and paper to scribble down some ideas and take notes in a hurry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When working from home, I usually also have one of my cats\ud83d\ude3b nearby, begging for attention, especially when I need to make a video call. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a typical day, I have some meetings, like daily stand-ups and other scrum rituals, and meetings with different stakeholders and colleagues. I also spend time on analysis and research-related tasks, writing Jira tickets, documentation, or working on the roadmap. No two days are truly alike, and that’s what I quite enjoy about my job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The most rewarding part of my job is feeling like I have figured something out, like a detective \ud83d\udd0d So, if there’s some bigger challenge or a bug or a problem to be solved, and I finally manage to crack it \u2013 that always feels amazing. I used to be a tester for a short while, and I still love the ‘Aha!’-moments you get from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondly, it’s super rewarding when, at the end of development, you see that the product or feature works as it should and makes a difference for someone using it. For example, as I’m mainly focusing on internal customers, it’s lovely to get positive feedback from a colleague, saying that the feature we built makes their work simpler and faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And finally, it’s gratifying to see the whole team develop and improve week after week. To really start getting this ‘one team’- feeling and going from Storming to Norming and then Performing\ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And what makes being a Product Manager at Bondora awesome?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The people, the challenges, and the possibility to drive change. And obviously, the free cakes \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How did you find your way into the world of tech? What has the experience been like so far?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
My love affair with technology began at an early age. My first computer was an old Atari that my mom snagged from Sweden, complete with a floppy disk drive and a box of games. I was instantly hooked! I upgraded to a ‘modern’ P.C. in middle school, but my addiction to computer games (like Heroes of Might and Magic 3) seriously derailed my schoolwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To keep me in check, my mom had an I.T. guy slap a BIOS password on the computer. But, being the curious kid that I was, I figured out how to bypass it by taking out the battery \u2013 and the rest is history!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I worked my way up from customer\/tech support to Tester and Scrum Master to Business Analyst to Product Management. I love the challenge of this industry, and I’m always learning something new \ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udcbb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘I can’t start work before I\u2026’ <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2026 get a good sip of coffee\u2615 It’s my one vital ritual that helps me get cracking on with my work. I’m terrible at remembering to drink the rest, so that first sip is extra essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What programming language is your favorite and why?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To me, it seems that it’s like asking if one prefers a screwdriver or a hammer \ud83d\udd28 It depends on the job at hand. As someone who’s not a developer, the most important thing to me is clean, well-tested code that works smoothly and provides value. Regardless of the programming language, I always hope we’ve reduced tech debt instead of creating more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is your best investment advice?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Start yesterday and embrace the boring! Max out your third pension pillar to maximize that tax incentive. Then, put the rest into some index fund and resist the urge to check on it \u2013 especially during a recession constantly. If you want to add some excitement, set aside a bit of ‘fun money’ to play with, but treat it like a lottery, and don’t rely on it as your primary investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Best cybersecurity\/IT tip?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you’re looking for a surefire way to keep your digital life secure, my top tip is to become a hermit and never go online. Just kidding! In all seriousness, using a password manager and practicing good cyber hygiene, like not clicking on suspicious links, using two-factor authentication, and avoiding public Wi-Fi, are great ways to keep your data safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, educate your elders and kids about good cyber hygiene and phishing schemes. One quote I like about data privacy is: ‘If you’re getting something for free, you are the product ‘ \u2013 be sure to remember that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Best meme that sums up being a Product Manager?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Let’s get to know Eva-Stina even better!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are some of your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Having free time as a mother of three is a challenge in itself. However, I mostly enjoy watching some Netflix or hiking with my husband. We also love trying out new restaurants as we’re total foodies\ud83d\ude0b I also occasionally play some video games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are your favorite games to play?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To be honest, nowadays, I am mostly playing some PS4 Lego games with my son. Otherwise, I’ve always been a P.C. gamer, and some of my favorites are Heroes of Might and Magic 3 & 5, Civilization 4 & 5, Dragon Age 1 & 2, The Witcher 3, Skyrim, and Neverwinter Nights 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which game have you clocked the most hours with on Steam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Civilization 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bacon: yay or nay? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If it’s good bacon \ud83e\udd53\u2728 then yay!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What’s your favorite TV show\/podcast?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I’m watching the second season of Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon right now \u2013 it’s highly entertaining, I recommend it. Other favorites include Scrubs, I.T. Crowd, Severance, Sinner, and Comedians in Cars getting Coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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