Say hello to Bianca Santha, the very first official RebelDot hire, and now one of our cherished Delivery Managers. As a steadfast pillar in our RebelDot family from the start, Bianca has been integral to our narrative. Her captivating tales invite you to delve deep into the rich culture of RebelDot and embark on an inspiring journey through her professional experiences. Now, let’s settle in and let Bianca guide us through the exciting chapters of her RebelDot story.
How was your day?
I woke up after snoozing the alarm a ridiculous number of times and made a coffee and a muesli bowl that I would end up eating at around 11pm after finishing with all my meetings.
Just like any other day, according to the book, with daily meetings. I work on two projects now, so I have two teams, which means two daily meetings and times two everything.
With one of the teams, we also held a retro which was really fun. We went a little crazier than usual, played some background music, played with our Miro boards to make them more engaging, and yeah, it was great.
Later on, I had a performance review with someone very dear to me. A colleague of mine just turned 2 years in the company and the evolution so far is amazing. He has a great backstory and is developing so many new skills that now he’s doing more and more complex tasks. I’m so proud of him!
Tell me something that’s been on your mind, bugging you lately
Me and my husband, well, we need to change our double-glazed windows, replace the old ones. My head has a constant background of heat transfer-related thoughts. And work related, well, I’ve been delaying some paperwork, but it’s time I got to that too!
That’s great! Before we get into the window talk… Let’s hear more about your origin story.
Where you’re from, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to be independent! I come from a small village in Romania, and my dream was always, to, well… leave it.
I finally managed to do that at 15, when I started high school. I moved 60km (about 37.28 mi) away from my homeplace and to the nearest big city. I lived on my own throughout my high school years, which made me quite independent and self-sufficient. I managed and organized myself fully, and I enjoyed it!
The only thing I had to get used to was being in such a big school. Where I come from, the place was rather small, and everyone knew everyone. The change required some adapting, but it all got better and better in time.
Later on, I moved to Cluj-Napoca to study Computer Science, where I still live to this day. I always had a knack for Math and Informatics, which was something that followed naturally.
Growing up, I never felt like I belonged in the place where I come from, I never felt connected with people there, all for the exception of one girl that was 2 years older than me.
She seemed out of place too, which, I guess, got us even closer. We both followed the same road until we parted ways as she did not choose Computer Science. Anyway, she had a significant influence on me, showing me that you can find your place and your people if you follow whatever inner drive there’s inside of you!
So, you started out as a software engineer! How come you transitioned to a Delivery Management role?
I think it was pretty much contextual. I was working on a project where there wasn’t an active scrum master. So, naturally, from my self-organizing skills I wanted to help. I was already involved in discussions with the client, in understanding the business logic, so at one point, I was so focused on the problem-solving area that I put the development part on a secondary plan. My feedback was great in project management from the team, so my Delivery Manager suggested I do that full-time. Ioana Lazau, our first Delivery Director, by the time she was a Delivery Manager, guided me and helped me see a new path from a new perspective.
The process was extensive and really long because it was very hard for me to give up the development side.
I felt like I invested so much, from my high school years to my college years, internships, and everything else I did to grow and evolve. I had to do a lot of introspection to see if it was something that I was actually ready to do. It was over 6 months that I was doing both engineering and project management at the same time, until I decided to bite the bullet and say ‘ok, I’m doing this!’ I realized that no one could ever take my knowledge away from me and that I could always go back to development whenever I wanted to it, even though it would take some time to catch up.
A lot of the learning process in RebelDot which I am very much in alignment with, is based on hands on experience, being there, being present, and learning from others, and by doing. This is what I did too.
That was very brave of you! Did you have the support needed to do this transition?
Because it was such a long process, the team got used to it at the same pace as I did.
That specific project, specific team, and Ioana, they’ve created the perfect environment for this change to happen. People were very accommodating, and my feedback was great from colleagues which helped me gain confidence that I made the right choice.
By the way, can I tell you a fun fact?
Officially, I am the first RebelDot employee.
I first interviewed in 2018 at Imprezzio Global, which was unofficialy RebelDot back then, namely a regional division of Imprezzio Global, but signed the contract with RebelDot, right after the sepparation and emergence of RebelDot as an entity.
You got to see it all! What’s your most precious memory in RebelDot?
Some of the first things that come to mind are the pre-pandemic days when we were all at the office every day. We weren’t as many people as we are today, just a handful. Imagine a relatively quiet office, surrounded only by a handful of colleagues, a comfortable place where everybody knew everybody, working and being distracted by laughs and random stories. I remember the company wide meetings back then; we’d gather in a circle around Tudi (RebelDot’s CEO), and he’d just tell us everything that was going on in complete honesty. Well, that still happens and he’s the same man, but growing from 20 people to almost 200 feels different, of course.
Since we’re discussing cozy feelings. What’s your favorite place in the world?
Oh, that’s easy! Anywhere that’s near a body of water, any body of water.
I can be near a lake in Austria, on a beach in Greece, or Italy, or wherever, it doesn’t matter, I will most definitely enjoy it.
A dear place that I fell in love with last year is Mallorca, if I had to pick one. But generally speaking, my happy place is by the water. My husband and I bought a paddle board recently and I feel it is so relaxing, peaceful, and it inspires slow living.
What goals are you pursuing at the moment?
Indeed! I always want to do a better job, every day a little better than the day before. I had so many interactions in the last few years and I’ve learned so much about other people and about myself too in the process. I want to excel at understanding the client’s needs and managing smooth processes, especially in the kick-off stages of a project.
A big part of what I do is to make people around me feel happy, heard, listened to, understood, and that the relationship and exchanges are fair on all ends, so that’s my goal, make it fair on all ends.
Who do you feel has had the biggest impact on your journey so far?
In RebelDot it was definitely Ioana Lazau, my main driver and my main supporter. Everything happened in this particular way because she never once stopped believing in me, and I owe it to her. She was the first to notice my potential and dedicate the time to work with me. She taught me how to set boundaries and create a healthy environment in which I and others can thrive together.
Who is the one person that you admire the most?
My mother. The reason why is self-explanatory, but she made me who I am. She’s the main wheel that makes everything else turn.
What is your spiciest opinion that most people disagree with?
I don’t know if it falls under the category of spicy things, but I don’t enjoy walks in the woods, I simply don’t. Just the thought of it makes me anxious, even though I am not an anxious person, but the woods make me feel enclosed. I grew up with what seemed to be an endless forest right outside my house, in the back of it, but it still didn’t do the work for me. Oh, and hiking! I don’t get that either.
Become a part of our team!
We hope you enjoyed Bianca’s captivating journey through her RebelDot narrative, giving you a taste of our culture and values that we hold dear. Each of our Rebel Tech interviews aims to provide not just an insight into our work and the people behind it, but also to inspire you with their unique stories of growth, camaraderie and resilience. If these tales spark an interest or evoke a sense of belonging, we invite you to explore more such inspiring stories from our Rebel Tech series.
Perhaps, you might find yourself excited enough to become part of our story too. At RebelDot, we are always on the lookout for new talents and vibrant personalities to join our family. So, if you’re interested, don’t hesitate to reach out, apply on our careers page, and maybe you could be the protagonist of the next interview!
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