From web developer to product leader, a ride through startups and unicorns. by Giulia Nidasio

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A Personal Journey Into Tech: From Web Developer to Head of Product

Welcome to this journey where I, Julian Ida, take you through my personal path within the tech industry.Through molding and fostering newfound passions into career growth opportunities, I found success while balancing a fulfilling family life.

Early Years

Like many, I lacked specific passions as a child; hence, I would try out different activities, from sports to martial arts, before ultimately sinking my teeth into athletics. If this experience taught me anything, it instilled the idea of discovering passions through the "test-fail" approach, not too dissimilar to how we do in product development.

University and Career Choices

Lacking the luxury of testing out numerous career paths, I adopted the exclusion approach. By gathering feedback and excluding uninteresting career paths, I ended up in industrial design at the Polytechnical of Milan. My university years introduced me to design thinking, idea challenging, problem-solving, teamwork, and exploring the unexpected. This hands-on approach allowed me to understand what I loved and didn't--prompting me to work as a freelance web developer and designer.

A Chase for Passion Over Position

While working as a web developer, I learned to be humble and listen while working. I've realized that the desire for constant growth implies learning from others and understanding that our career growth mindset reflects the company's environment.

However, I yearned to explore beyond development into the strategy and management side. This journey began with studying design management and working as a project manager, followed by the mobile market trend... the list goes on.

Enter the Startup World

Then came the startup trend. I embarked upon a journey of building a startup, Local. Despite the initial success, three years down the line, we couldn't reach sustainable growth and had to shut down. This failure taught me that building a product is a costly exercise, timing and market fit are vital, and leading teams is a challenging job.

Unicorn Status and Mentorship

After my startup adventure, I returned to working for companies, this time as a product manager for Skyscanner, which eventually achieved the coveted unicorn status. It was during this time I discovered a passion for leading international teams and focusing more on process than individual contribution.

Another essential phase of my tech journey was mentorship. Offering and receiving mentorships went hand-in-hand, allowing me to understand different perspectives while also helping others avoid the same mistakes I had made. Above all, it emphasizes the importance of listening, a core aspect of management.

The Balancing Act: Challenging Work and Family Life

After having my daughter, I realized the need for a balance between challenging work and a family-friendly workplace. I left Skyscanner, worked locally in Barcelona for Avita and eventually ended up with Wallapop, all the while ensuring time to devote to my family. Further to maintain the professional thirst, I signed up for an MBA course focusing on leadership.

Wrapping Up the Journey Thus Far

Switching roles and learning continuously has been quite a fulfilling adventure, thus far in my career. From being a web developer to the Head of Product with unicorn startups, I've found value in learning from experience, leading teams, and constantly seeking out new challenges.

And yes, it's an ongoing journey, filled with growth, opportunities, and of course, continuous learning! Whenever you find yourself at a crossroad, remember that career decisions should not just be about the role or position, but also about what you want to learn and how you wish to be challenged. Always maintain a growth mindset and know that there's always something new to learn in the dynamically evolving tech world.



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