Meet the team: product design manager, Siqi Chen

"Meet the team" gives you an inside look at the team behind Databento. You get a great sense of the diverse and expert talent we have on the team and a taste of our culture overall and how we work together. If you're interested in joining us, check out our careers page!

Today, we're introducing our product design manager, Siqi Chen!

Beginning her postgraduate career during the early stages of Databento, Siqi dove headfirst into complex projects, including spearheading the design of Databento's MVP from scratch. Despite the challenge, Siqi brought her passion for the design process and a wealth of experience from internships at tech giants like Microsoft and startups such as Synced and iFlyPlus.

As a product design manager, Siqi's day often varies depending on the specific stage of a project. It typically involves a mix of cross-functional team collaboration, design execution, team management, problem-solving and design thinking. She works closely with our engineering department to gain valuable insights from their unique backgrounds. Many of them originate from our market data's user group, spanning diverse experiences from prop trading firms to hedge funds.

When collaborating with these engineers, Siqi emphasizes:

"They possess a direct understanding of the pain points experienced by our users and are driven by a genuine desire to solve their problems. This shared understanding and passion creates a special dynamic within our company culture."

Reflecting on her proudest career moments, Siqi shares that joining Databento as a recent graduate, where she tackled projects of unprecedented complexity, was a significant milestone.

"Despite the daunting learning curve and moments of uncertainty, I persevered and managed to survive the rollercoaster ride. Looking back, I realize that this experience has become a valuable inner resource for me, equipping me with the resilience and skills needed to tackle future challenges with confidence."

When asked about her biggest inspiration at Databento, Siqi singled out our CTO, Luca Lin, about his multifaceted abilities and emotional intelligence.

"Luca is a fast learner with a deep understanding of the industry and an impressive ability to absorb knowledge across various aspects of the business, including technology, accounting, sales, and product development.

Notably, he holds firm opinions while maintaining an open-minded approach to diverse viewpoints, valuing collaboration and actively listening to different voices. His remarkable composure during crises and unexpected challenges is admirable. Instead of succumbing to emotional turmoil, he efficiently transitions into problem-solving mode, effectively tackling each situation."

As a huge fan of the design thinking process, Siqi not only applies iterative methods to her own work but also when mentoring others. She's on the path to becoming a certified coach, guiding mentees through their professional and personal growth journeys. Reflecting on her motivation for life coaching, Siqi shares:

"My love for product development stems from enjoying the iterative process of making updates and improvements. I also find fulfillment in aiding others through their own iterative and transformative journeys."

Beyond coaching and working at Databento, Siqi practices sword dancing, an activity that deeply resonates with her as it echoes her childhood passion for martial arts novels.

If Siqi's career path sounds interesting to you, check out our careers page to see our open positions. If you don't see the role for you, send us your resume—we're always on the lookout for outstanding talent.