Hi Venci! What’s your job?
I work in what we call the Sales Engineering area, as Head of Search Quality. I started as a remote data labeller, and my job evolved over time - I’ve worked on some projects with the Engineers and others with the GTM team. Now my role is a bit more defined, but it’s one that requires me to work with everyone still, which I like. My projects are all collaborations with my colleagues. I run quality control, I help customers get the exact results they want from Tactic projects and train super users internally, I work with Tom in product and Izzie, Martin and Adam in sales, and I also share some internal projects with our Chief of Staff Hayley.
What experience or ambition led to you working for a startup or startups?
I was at a point in culinary school where I had to decide whether to stick with it, which would mean looking for a job in a restaurant - clearly a very unstable situation over the next few years - or leave with the first half of my diploma and do something else. I knew I was open to the second option, but it would take a really special business to convince me to leave kitchens. It was probably the biggest decision I’ve made - and I was lucky in that Rudy was open to discussing it with me quite seriously, as was my Chef Hugues Boutin. Ultimately, I decided that Tactic is indeed a very special business! I’ve had such a great time working with the team here - Rudy, Jack, their first technical hires Freddie and Alex, my friend Martin and everyone who’s joined since - that I’ve never left.
What are you excited to achieve at Tactic?
My main goal in life, which has remained consistent whether I’m in a kitchen or a commercial business like this one, is to bring value. It’s not necessarily tied to a position or project in particular, but rather I like to find impactful ways to make the most of my skills. If I’m managing to bring value to my work and my colleagues, I’m satisfied. I’m very motivated by team targets and company goals for the quarter, year, and of course getting amazing results for our customers. At Tactic we all plan our projects around whole-company quarterly strategies, so I’m always excited to do my bit to achieve the current quarter’s priorities.
There’s a quote I like from Charlie Macksey’s book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse:
“I can’t see a way through”, said the boy.
“Can you see your next step?”
“Yes”
“Just take that”, said the horse.
We should all have that taped to our monitors. What’s the best part of remote working?
Definitely not having to commute. And having personal space. I’ve just moved into a flat that I decorated so it’s nice to work in my own space and have freedom to incorporate my work and lifestyle together. Additionally, I like working with people, but my social battery can get drained quite quickly. I recharge during the week before I socialise at the weekend. So remote work suits me very well in that respect.
If you could work remotely from anywhere in the world for a week, where would it be?
I think it would be to visit my girlfriend, who’s in her final year of Masters in the Netherlands, based in a lab. She can’t work remotely, whereas I’m a bit more mobile, so I’d go and work with her for a week!
How do you personalise your set-up (physical environment or digital ‘stack’)?
Well, I just got a second monitor which is a great change to my set-up. Since starting to work with Notion a year and a half ago, I have become more into apps and experimenting with different tools. My top hack right now is to put everything in dark mode. I even downloaded an operating system that puts everything in dark mode: OperaGX.
Go-to emojis on Slack?
The rock emoji. I like to think I originated it at Tactic. 🤘
Dogs or cats?
Both… or maybe neither. There are pros and cons for both!
Burgers or hot dogs?
Burritos!
Mac or Windows?
Windows.
Slack or Zoom?
Slack
Film or TV?
TV series.
City or countryside?
Countryside.
Spring, summer, autumn, winter?
Spring or autumn.
Interested in joining the Tactic team? Check out our open positions here.
