Meet Ada, our Product Manager!
Being the bridge between the business and the technology team, Ada talks about her #LifeAtCACTUS, product management and more. Read on…
What do you do and how would you describe your role to people?
I am a product manager for the Editage Platform and I work from Shanghai, China. I consider myself the bridge between the business and the technology team. I try to innovate and come up with practical solutions that the customer can benefit from and that the technology team can deliver. This also includes testing, user education and writing user guides.
Tell me a little bit about what you’ve done in the past?
I graduated with a degree in business administration and been working as a product manager for 10 years! For 5 years, I was a part of the education industry and before that I’ve worked in the insurance sector and online payments as well.
What has been your favourite project at CACTUS?
I would say I enjoy every project I work with. Every idea is not 100% related to the previous one, so there is a lot of brainstorming, innovating and thinking to do. That’s my favorite part! So instead of saying I’m a fan of a particular project, I would say I’m a fan of the whole process. How do you take a small idea, make it happen and scale it big? That’s what I love about my role. It challenges me and gives me a sense of great achievement when I solve the problem!
Has CACTUS being fully remote helped you?
Oh yes, of course. Well, first of all, I save about 2 hours everyday on commute. But the best part is the flexibility. Everyone understands this and is more than willing to adjust their schedule based on others’ interests. In the case of emergencies, you don’t have to worry about your work and what to say to people. Everyone understands and makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. CACTUS being remote is really a blessing!
My interests include working out and travelling. Right now, because of COVID restrictions in China, I don’t get to travel much. But once things open up, I can’t wait to make use of the remote work opportunity to travel as well!
Which one of our 8 guiding principles, the CACTUS Ways, do you resonate the most with?
“Speak up and listen actively, differences enrich us.”
I’m someone with a lot of questions! I always like to understand if there’s a better way to do something, if we can innovate and improve,. And no matter who I’m talking to- Be it a teammate or my supervisor, or anyone for that matter, they are always open to it. They would actively take my advice as well! This makes me feel like everyone is getting valued and no matter what your position is, or who you are, you are always heard!
How would you describe the tech team in one word?
Hardworking. The team is always there when I need them and they always come up with a lot of questions. The more the questions, the better, because it indicates a lot of thought process. Everyone is always trying to learn something now and is coming up with great ideas and suggestions!
