At Distillery, our amazing employees are at the center of everything we do — And they deserve to have the spotlight!
In our “Meet Distillery” series, we introduce you to some of the talented experts who help us (and our partners) bring ideas to life.
Today, we’d like to introduce Mati, our Head of Product Delivery and Design!
Introduce yourself, your background/expertise, and your position at Distillery
Hey! I’m Matias -but everyone calls me Mati. Born and raised in Cordoba, Argentina, I’m 32 and have been working in software development for the past 10 years. I majored in systems engineering and later in management. Almost 10 years ago I started out as a developer and then moved over to the “dark side” and began working in Product Management, first as a BA, then PO, PM, etc…
I joined Distillery in September 2021 as a Product Delivery Manager, then became Stack Manager of Product, and finally in September 2022 became Head of Product Delivery and Design. In this position, my goal is to ensure the success and growth of the department, coach and mentor everyone on the team and foster an environment where all of our team members can succeed.
Given your work experience, what are your biggest strengths that you bring to your role at Distillery?
Having a background in software engineering and development, I feel that one of my biggest assets is the ability to understand the development process and the developers’ language. It’s not just about building products that people love but also building products that are technically feasible. Also, I like to think of myself as an understanding and empathetic person, who is willing to help others so that they can give their best.
What attracted you to Distillery?
The main thing that attracted me to Distillery was its culture and people. I joined the company thanks to the referrals program, and shortly after doing so, I realized that the culture and the values of the people in this company were just something else. In Distillery, I found a company where I feel valued and appreciated, and someone always cares for my well-being. This is not something you find in every other company 😉
What are some skills or topics you’re learning about right now?
One of the things I love about the software development world is Agility. It’s amazing how an Agile mindset can help you overcome loads of challenges and improve your team’s overall performance. That’s why I’m currently learning and applying the techniques described in Jurgen Appello’s book “Management 3.0” which teaches you how to apply the Agile principles and values to managing teams.
What’s your secret work-related “pet peeve” related to your role/industry that doesn’t really matter but drives you crazy?
I can’t -and I mean it- have a messy desktop or folder in my computer. Having more than two or three files on my desktop really annoys me. Also, if a folder in my computer has a lot of files that are unrelated to each other I need to organize them in more folders.
Coffee or tea? How many cups in a typical workday?
Coffee! I love buying different kinds of it. Then I grind the beans and prepare my own espresso.
I believe I have two to three cups in a day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon and maybe another one right after lunch)
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Well, friends and family do take a lot of my time after work, I really enjoy spending time with them. Besides that, I love traveling! It doesn’t really matter where I’m heading, as long as there’s a trip in the foreseeable future I’ll be happy!
I’m also an avid reader, there’s hardly a moment in which I’m not reading at least one book. Music is another of my favorite hobbies. I play the guitar and have been self-learning piano for the past two years.
I love dogs and -especially- german shepherds. Life is just not the same without dogs!
As for sports, I enjoy tennis and have been playing it since I was a child!
What are three to five hashtags that describe you (both personally and professionally)?
#Organized #Helping #Traveler #Dog #AvGeek (look it up!)
What is your most-used/favorite emoji?
😂
What’s your favorite book (or what are you currently reading)?
The whole “Harry Potter” series.
What is your ideal vacation (or what vacation did you last take)?
Anywhere in the Caribbean!
What languages can you speak?
Spanish, English and I like to think I speak a bit of Italian.
If you could live in any city, where would it be?
New York City for sure!