In the lead up to International Women’s Day, we’re introducing you to some of the incredible women behind Freeletics. From product management to HR, these women cover every single department and contribute to Freeletics’ vision and mission day in, day out. Today, meet Daniela, Director of People Operations.
Could you tell us a bit about your story with Freeletics?
I learned about Freeletics in 2015. I was travelling a lot for business and was looking for a way to work out without a gym. I fell in love with Freeletics training and was immediately curious about the company responsible for such an amazing product. When I saw a suitable open position in 2017, I applied and when I got the job, it was a dream come true.
What does being a woman at Freeletics mean to you?
I’ve never felt either privileged or disadvantaged for being a woman at Freeletics; I couldn’t point out a single distinction in anything based on gender. In my opinion, at Freeletics we’re already at what society as a whole is aiming for.
What does your training routine look like? How do you balance training and work?
The truth is, when I first started this job, I neglected my training routine a bit, but I’ve just started using Freeletics again as I’m preparing for a Spartan Race in April. Otherwise, I’m an outdoor person and I spend every free minute in the mountains climbing and hiking.
Are there any women you look up to (professionally or personally)?
Professionally, I’m amazed by my younger colleagues who are incredibly talented and engaged women and I feel honored to work with them every single day. Personally, I always looked up to my grandmother who was a strong and humble woman, she conquered incredible obstacles for more than 90 years and never lost faith in herself. She was the one who influenced me most; she would always tell me to stay true to myself and keep pushing.
What’s the biggest challenge you face on a daily basis?
I work in the fastest growing digital fitness company in the world and I love my job but I am also a wife, daughter, sister and aunt. Bringing everything together is not always easy. Luckily I am surrounded by an amazing team who supports me and a family who never grows tired of listening to my stories about the best company in the world.
How is working in a startup environment different to working in a large corporation?
I’m pretty sure there are quite some myths linked to this. To be honest: there is no big difference when it comes to professionalism; you must know your business, numbers and responsibilities in both. If anything, the difference is mainly in the daily interactions and decision-making processes. In the startup environment we are process aware but not process enslaved, processes serve the business, not the other way around. We collaborate, decide and execute, all involved persons are fully responsible for their decisions. This may feel liberating but at the same time the responsibility is enormous. The biggest difference is really that we are still extremely focused on our people and our culture, we know each other, we know our stories, we eat and celebrate together. Our employees are truly talented people who could work everywhere. But they chose to work for Freeletics. This makes me humble every day and I want to provide the best possible working environment for them.
