Q: So, tell us—what do you do here at Draft?
Tanya: I’m a product manager for the Marketplace Optimization team. My focus here is building out an efficient matching system for customers and writers while optimizing our core product workflows. The day to day involves understanding user needs, defining features, rapid prioritization and working closely with engineering, design and other stakeholders to see our vision come to life.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at Draft?
Tanya: Probably the opportunity for growth. I’ve learned so much here since I joined on. My favorite part is that I know I’m probably going to learn something new every single day. I also really value the ownership I have over my projects and the trust that Draft has in their employees.
Q: How do you go about motivating yourself most days?
Tanya: Hearing from our users directly (both writers and customers) and getting feedback that what we’re working on is positively impacting people’s lives is so motivating. I love that what I work on everyday is meaningful and that I get to see it out in the real world. I’m also super motivated by the lovely people I work with – the team here is so friendly, positive and passionate about what they do.
Q: What advice do you have for any future Draft Picks?
Tanya: Just be open to learning and be ready to take on new challenges every day. There are lots of moving pieces here, but if you are ready to learn and can adapt quickly you will most likely succeed here.
Q: So far, what has been your favorite project?
Tanya: Definitely the job matching algorithm project which is all about helping customers find the best writer for their requests. It’s such a fun and challenging project because it’s complex and has a lot of moving parts to consider. We get to take risks and experiment with new ideas really quickly, all while using a lot of data to back up decisions which has definitely helped be become a much more data-driven product manager.
Alright, enough about work. Let’s get to know who Tanya is!
Q: What’s your favorite location you’ve travelled to?
Tanya: Iceland! I did a camper van trip there this year and it was a great adventure. It’s a really unique country and the nature is so beautiful there. Felt like I was in Lord of the Rings the whole time. Highly recommend to visit!
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Tanya: I love being outdoors: hiking, camping and just spending time in nature. I also love doing yoga to have some zen time outside of work. I’m a big coffee drinker too, so I like trying out new coffee shops, especially when I travel.
Q: What did you want to be when growing up?
Tanya: I really wanted to be an interior designer, I love decorating new spaces. I also really like thrifting cool secondhand pieces and trying to work that into my space.
Q: If you could have dinner with one fictional character who would it be?
Tanya: Michael Scott, mainly so I could experience that dinner party scene in The Office first hand.
Q: What is your favourite movie or book?
Tanya: A movie that I watched recently which is “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, it’s done so well – really cool concept and the cinematography is amazing! Highly recommend.
Q:What is one thing that you can’t live without?
Tanya: Good headphones, I carry them everywhere with me.
Q: Any remote hacks to share?
Tanya: My hack is taking the time I would normally spend commuting to an in-person job to do something else. I try to go for walks before work or at lunch so that I can break up the day.
