Payfit

<p><i><strong>50inTech meets Justyna Modzelewska, from PayFit. The Lead Product Analyst talks about her passion for her profession and her confident vision of the future of Tech.</strong></i></p><h1>Ready for Tomorrow: Justyna Modzelewska, Lead Product Analyst at PayFit</h1><p>Born and raised in Poland, Justyna Modzelewska moved to the United States, where she completed her university studies. Initially interested in international relations, she quickly realized that she much preferred more concrete quantitative elements and data, so she switched to economics. She exchanged communication courses for econometrics and international finance, obtained her degree, and soon after, landed her first job.&nbsp;</p><p>For this first experience, she worked at a small Tech company. There, she wouldn’t put her economic background to use. The staff was small and she did a bit of everything, including analytics. She could see that this was the part of her daily tasks she enjoyed the most. Therefore, when she looked for her next job, she knew she wanted to move up the analytics ladder and make it her field, 100% of the time.</p><p>She then worked for a while in New York, before moving to Berlin. In the German city, she was hired by a global meal kit delivery business. The group operated on a massive scale and was, by far, the largest structure she’d ever worked for. It may not have been everything she wanted, but she was offered to work in product analytics, which she loved. However, in 2021, after 3.5 years in the company, for Justyna, it was time to move on.</p><p>We were still in the aftermath of the pandemic. In 2020 businesses had flatlined: no one was hiring, no one was applying. But in 2021 the world reopened and all the movements that would normally have occurred in 2020 were happening at once. Companies were recruiting again and people were changing jobs like crazy! It was the rebirth of spring after an endless winter.</p><p>It was at this time that she crossed paths with PayFit. The company had big ambitions, but operated on a much more human scale. Justyna immediately felt that PayFit could be a perfect fit for her, and she applied. During the first interview, her future manager made it clear that the analytics team was still in its infancy.&nbsp;</p><p>Far from discouraging her, the attraction of participating in There was still a lot to build, the project was ambitious and exciting. Participating in strengthening a young team in a booming business was the magnet she needed. She had acquired a range of knowledge in her previous roles: this made her a great asset to the company and she was eager to contribute. She joined PayFit at the end of 2021, in Berlin. A year later, she moved to France, where she now works at the Paris headquarters. Together we chat about her life at PayFit.</p><h2>Building the PayFit Product Analytics Team</h2><p>When I was hired, at the end of 2021, there was hardly any product analytics team. Part of my job was to design one. I live for new and interesting challenges, so this was right up my alley.</p><h3>A Team Set in Fluidity and Movement</h3><p>When I took charge of building our analytics team, I didn’t conceive a finished product that would never change. In my mind, I wanted to establish a base, the foundations upon which we would deploy the right environment for everyone to work together best. I’ll say that it was a success. In our team, we’re very open to giving and receiving feedback, sharing our thoughts candidly. And we’re always in a continuous process of ‘test and learn’. We’re constantly trying new things and learning from them.</p><p>On the daily, I lead my small squad. Oddly enough, and this wasn’t by design, most of the full-timers on my team are women. As a manager, I carry out the usual tasks: building roadmaps, supervising and discussing issues with people, doing reviews.</p><p>Since our team is small, I still have time to work as an individual contributor, and I really enjoy that. Working closely with our product managers to improve our website is one of the exciting parts of my job. We provide the company with monitoring metrics, as well as with ad hoc analysis, to help make the best decisions we can by using our data.</p><h3>Product Analytics: creating a teachable story</h3><p>Analytics covers a broad spectrum. At PayFit in particular, you can choose to focus on many areas: data analytics is everywhere: in finance, in sales, in marketing… Our team specializes in Product Analytics. Product analysts work in synergy with product managers, product directors, designers, etc.&nbsp;</p><p>To me, analytics is, by and large, the most interesting thing anyone could be doing. Yes, I know that I sound a little biased… But when you use hard data to analyze business operations, it calls for such a beautiful melange of skills! Analytics is a true mix of business and data.&nbsp;</p><p>We take raw numbers, and through them we get a real understanding of what’s going on with our products, and therefore what’s happening on the business side. From there, we create a meaningful story that will address stakeholder issues and questions. We give PayFit the data that will help the company evaluate situations. It’s important, because the more accurate data we provide,&nbsp;the less likely we are to make mistakes on big decisions as a company.</p><p>I think that’s really what drew me to Product Analytics! I can’t say it was an early calling, as I started with a broader interest in economics, but I truly enjoy my life as a product analyst.</p><h2>At PayFit, DEI Is a Standard</h2><p>Openness is inherent to the PayFit culture. Sure, we have a hierarchy here, like any other company, but people are very approachable, regardless of their title or level. Diversity is also a non-negotiable part of the culture.</p><h3>A French Environment with an International Flavor</h3><p>PayFit offers a very generous ‘work from anywhere’ policy that is valid for most countries. It’s really nice to have this possibility. This allows me to work partially from Poland and stay with my family. But when I’m in Paris, I mainly work in the office. I live nearby, and we have beautiful settings. I love the environment and the people here. Even though a majority of the employees at PayFit work remotely or in a different office, I enjoy working at headquarters with my colleagues. I love our office vibes.</p><p>In our Paris office, the majority of the people are French. But even if they speak French among themselves, they really want to adapt to others. My French is OK enough; however, I’m obviously much more comfortable in English. They were keen to put me at ease from the get-go, and made sure to address me in English, even though they were all French. It was a little awkward, slightly embarrassing, yet at the same time, I truly felt welcomed!</p><h3>Respect: The Secret Sauce for Community</h3><p>Interestingly, in this very French environment, my team and the people I work with are incredibly diverse. Out of twenty individuals, there are at least thirteen nationalities, with only three or four French… You’d think it would be complicated. Still, it’s much more manageable in the workplace, when rules have been established, and I believe that problems are easily overcome with the right kind of communication. Cultural traits are leveled to suit everyone, and the challenges you do face are far outweighed by the benefits you gain from such a wonderful and diverse group.</p><p>This respectful attitude between all of us is truly embedded into the PayFit culture. Part of my job I haven’t already mentioned is that I do a lot of hiring. All recruiting teams and managers are required to train in diversity and how to avoid bias when they meet candidates. I particularly remember my first training, because it was incredibly eye-opening about my own unconscious biases. Anyone with a hiring role in a company should go through this process.</p><h3>Analytics: A Welcoming Place for Women</h3><p>When it comes to women, I really feel like analytics is a much more balanced part of the Tech world. In engineering, you don’t see a lot of women, whereas in analytics, parity seems much more easily achievable. At PayFit, our team is currently 50/50 men and women.</p><p>Personally, I didn’t face difficulties as a woman in my field. If anything is plaguing me, it’s my impostor syndrome. I always feel like I never know enough, like, I should do better. I don’t think it’s because I’m a woman, but rather because it’s deeply one of my character traits. I feel that there’s always something I don’t know when I should. I’m very hard on myself, always.&nbsp;</p><p>On a positive note, being very uncompromising with myself puts me in a better position when reviewing the work of others. I don’t expect more from them than from me.</p><h2>The Way Ahead for Tech… And I</h2><p>When I think about the direction technologies are heading, all in all, I do feel optimistic.&nbsp;</p><h3>A New Generation, Better Prepared</h3><p>I’ve been working in analytics for ten years now, and the way we operated when I started seems so archaic… Believe it or not, my first report was printed on paper; it was like a booklet! Who’d do that today? Obviously, progress and innovation make things much easier for everyone. Yes, we’re heading toward maximum automation, but in my mind it’s about getting rid of tedious, repetitive work, and why would we want to object to that?</p><p>I mentioned that I screen many people for hiring, and of course, a lot of young candidates. To be honest, the kind of twenty-something who joins or interns these days is certainly better prepared to begin with. They don’t waste their time on unnecessary tasks like we had to do. And they’re so bright and enthusiastic!</p><p>Granted, I can only form an opinion based on the people I hire, and I hire them for very specific reasons. But I’m pretty sure if I interviewed the girl I was thirteen years ago, I wouldn’t hire myself. Although… I certainly had one redeeming quality…</p><h3>Always Apply for the Job That Seems Too Big</h3><p>Thirteen years ago, I wasn’t really armed with profound data knowledge or an advanced skill set, but I was willing to take risks. Even if you think you’re not good enough for a position and you don’t meet all the criteria, go for it! Put yourself out there, and join a company where you’ll get to develop your talents because they will teach you what you’re lacking!&nbsp;</p><p>You should always apply for a company that seems too big for you and for a job that you think you won’t get: If you’re hired, you will learn and significantly accelerate your progress. Unfortunately, women are particularly dreadful at this, and they almost never apply for a position when they believe they don’t tick all the boxes! This is so, so terribly wrong, because, worst-case scenario: they won’t hire you. But they might have, had you tried…</p><h2>A Passion for Analytics, the Future for Horizon</h2><p>I see many opportunities for internal development and role changes within PayFit. I’m a manager, I’m an individual contributor. In the future, I can imagine going either way. It’s all about learning. It’s all about finding this exciting opportunity, this new and enticing thing to do that will teach me that I’m still growing and having fun.&nbsp;</p><h3>Being Ready to Walk the Talk</h3><p>You should always be open and ready for anything. You’d think that intense curiosity, a desire to learn constantly would be characteristic of all in the world of Tech. Yes, people often claim that they’re eager to explore new paradigms. Yet saying it isn’t enough; you need to act accordingly… There are those who say and those who do: you may talk the talk but are you willing to walk it?</p><p>Ten-fifteen years ago, data scientists were all the rage; the profession really exploded and all of a sudden, everyone and their mother was a data scientist. Fast forward five years, and data engineering became the hot new position, and still is to these days.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s exactly the kind of tidal wave we must brace ourselves for in the next five or ten years: yet another position that didn’t exist and which will be the next hot thing. I can’t tell you what it will be, but I know you just have to be the sort of person ready for it. If not, you’ll stay in the past while others head into the future!</p><h3>Five Years From Now</h3><p>I don’t know where, what I’ll be in a few years. I can totally see myself going vertical, and then having a larger scope of possibilities. In a high-level leadership role, I could really build a strong data culture and make an impact, get things done; that sounds so exciting, so fascinating. On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind going the other route, as an individual contributor, and continuing to grow and learn new skills. I could become a data engineer, or a data scientist, a programmer… So many possibilities! I imagine myself taking any direction: it’s not the title that’s the goal, but finding the place that makes me happy.&nbsp;</p><p>I’m eagerly curious to see what happens next. I hope to be there for what’s coming; what new and exciting technologies will be born in the next couple of years. I want to learn how to use them. And I’d love to be one of those who will make them better.&nbsp;</p><p>An unwavering curiosity is the best skill you can cultivate in yourself. I don’t know what’s out there, but whatever it is, I’m ready for it, let’s go!</p>

Justyna Modzelewska at PayFit: Confident and Ready for the Future

Team 50inTech