Piotr Cygan, Product Manager at Tidio. Tried to build a startup twice and failed miserably and now manages a ticketing platform for Tidio. Privately a lover of traveling, mainly hidden gems and local cuisines.
What does "Grow with Tidio" mean to you?
I believe a few things contribute to your growth as a professional: resources to develop yourself, getting feedback and a feeling of a mission, to be motivated. Tidio is the first place when all of these come together ideally. I constantly feel motivated to learn new things because I know there are always new challenges ahead of me. I also get a great deal of feedback and assistance regarding my professional development - advancing my career feels like a joint effort between me and our CPO.
It's also amazing to have so many great product managers around - they have a great deal of knowledge in different fields and are incredibly eager to share their experiences. My coworkers are the most significant enablers of my growth; by supporting each other instead of competing, we have a great safe space to share our issues and learn from them.
What attracted you to Tidio in the first place? Where did you first hear about Tidio?
Paulina, a tech recruiter at the time, reached out to me. I did not search for a job at the moment, but what struck me and drew me in immediately was the strict no-bullshit approach of everyone I talked to. Everyone was very upfront and clear about the responsibilities, what are we about to achieve, and what my role entailed. The process was long - I moved to Tidio 6 months after the first call - but very satisfying.
The moment I realized I wanted to work there was when I turned in my case - I was late because I had a lot of stuff on my plate at my previous job and missed a part of the case. I explained why and what I was told struck me - "your commitment to your current role is impressive, and we want more people like this with your attitude." One could easily imagine a very different scenario when they decide to end the recruitment process without digging in deeper.
At Tidio, we can work 100% remotely, and we also have access to our two offices in Szczecin and Warsaw. What is your favorite way of working?
I adore going to the offices - I feel like my coworkers are my genuine friends, and the office is a great place to exchange ideas and help each other. I spend most of the time traveling, though - in the past year, I worked remotely from Paris, Prague, Sweden, Spain, Italy, and the Baltics, and I'm writing this sipping a coffee in a hip Amsterdam neighborhood. I'd say it's great to have an opportunity to do both 🥰
What's a common myth/misconception about your professional field that you'd like to bust?
Many people assume that Product Management requires some technical knowledge (for example, coding skills). It absolutely isn't true - some would even argue that having technical knowledge might be an obstacle (a position I'm not too fond of, to be honest). To be a great product manager, you need to be an excellent communicator, have good analytical skills, and be creative and empathetic to your customers and coworkers.
What are your hobbies? What do you love to do after work?
I think the biggest chunk of my time I spend discovering the places I currently live in. My first goal when moving somewhere is to find a coffee shop I'll go to every morning and a place with the best cheap food in the city. Apart from that, I do like sports, but nothing in particular - this year, I went on my first kitesurfing trip, and I bike whenever possible. If you count dancing as a workout, I do my fair share of festivals every summer 😃 In general, I couldn't call anything my hobby, but I love doing almost everything. This year I tried to learn pottery, drums, Swedish, and programming.
What are the goals/aspirations you'd like to achieve in your career in the next year?
By the end of this year, I will have released my first huge product in Tidio. I think my goals are tightly connected to the products I manage - I want people to use what my team builds, find it easy, and enjoy working on it daily. I'll do my best to make it happen, and even though it's not necessarily a SMART goal, that's where I want to be 🚀
