One of many largest benefits of working in a number one world firm is that you’re not often the neatest individual within the room. Practically each room you stroll into is full of individuals who can problem and encourage you – all of it comes all the way down to how prepared you’re to be taught and develop.
And but, sitting in a room with Marco Chiesi is a singular expertise. With over 20 years within the IT business, he stays remarkably humble and open to sharing his journey, insights, and life classes.
Making an attempt to seize 20 years of data in a single weblog submit isn’t any simple process – not to mention becoming all of it into one dialog. However I’ll give it my finest shot. Listed below are 20 years of knowledge distilled right into a 7-minute learn.
Taking the leap into know-how
20 years within the tech business is a powerful observe report. What initially sparked your curiosity in know-how?
This query takes me again to a very long time in the past. My fascination with know-how began in childhood. Computer systems appeared like magical gadgets able to something. I spent hours exploring applications, making an attempt to grasp how they labored, and even creating easy video video games.
This curiosity grew right into a deeper ardour for the Web throughout my teenage years. The flexibility to attach with folks worldwide and entry data from everywhere in the world was mind-blowing. I used to be desperate to discover ways to construct web sites and contribute to this thrilling on-line world, which in the end led me to a profession in net growth and, ultimately, to my present function at Hostinger.
What had been the stepping stones of your skilled journey?
My profession has been outlined by a willingness to step exterior my consolation zone and embrace new challenges. It began with my determination to show in a highschool earlier than ending college, adopted by a leap of religion into net growth.
From there, I steadily took on extra duty: shifting from developer to tech lead, embracing rising applied sciences, and dealing with new purchasers and markets.
Discovering the WordPress ecosystem was a turning level that accelerated my development due to its vibrant neighborhood and ecosystem. Becoming a member of Hostinger was one other vital step, taking me from a small net company to a number one power within the internet hosting business.
Was becoming a member of Hostinger a simple determination? Or was it additionally “a leap of religion”?
A little bit of each. I used to be first headhunted on LinkedIn for the Head of WordPress place, seemingly as a result of my visibility and contributions to the WordPress ecosystem.
On the time, I knew little about Hostinger. As I discovered extra, I used to be extremely impressed by their product and firm tradition. Their dedication to innovation and give attention to empowering web site homeowners actually resonated with me. So, I took the possibility and by no means appeared again.
Let’s check out the current, then. As Head of WordPress at Hostinger, how do you stability technical and managerial duties? What challenges do you face?
Discovering the suitable stability between technical and managerial duties is an ongoing course of. My days usually contain switching between strategic planning, crew administration, and hands-on technical work.
One of many largest challenges is staying related to the technical particulars whereas empowering my crew to take possession and develop. I overcame this by fostering a tradition of open communication and collaboration. We have now common crew conferences, brainstorming periods, and retrospectives to make sure everyone seems to be aligned and contributing their finest work.
One other problem is managing time and priorities. In such a fast-moving business, it’s all about specializing in what may have the most important affect.
May you share a latest problem and the way you managed to beat it?
One state of affairs that instantly involves thoughts is the event of our AI Web site Builder for WordPress. Constructing on our expertise with the Hostinger Web site Builder, we needed to convey that experience to WordPress.
It was a posh challenge, involving a number of groups and various ability units. We confronted challenges in scoping the challenge successfully and making certain a easy launch timeline.
We began with in-depth person analysis to outline key options and make sure the product will meet customers’ wants. Every crew member took possession, working carefully to remain aligned and push the challenge ahead.
With tight deadlines, we prioritized key options and launched a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) in beta to assemble suggestions and enhance rapidly. The iterations are ongoing as we increase the product’s capabilities, all the time targeted on creating an easy-to-use, AI-powered web site builder for WordPress.
Plainly you needed to make a number of calculated selections. What guided you in making them?
All selections had been deeply grounded in Hostinger’s rules.
Our tradition is fast-paced and targeted on buyer success and steady development. Open communication, trustworthy suggestions, and taking motion had been key in constructing the AI Web site Builder for WordPress.
On the identical time, being curious and desperate to be taught helps us adapt, innovate, and enhance to create one thing higher each time.
How do you foster a tradition of curiosity and studying inside your crew?
We have now common “studying days” for builders to discover new expertise and applied sciences and “know-how” periods the place crew members share their experience. There are a lot of studying alternatives, together with inner coaching, entry to studying platforms, and libraries.
Most significantly, we be taught from one another daily, making a collaborative atmosphere the place the entire crew retains bettering.
Navigating within the WordPress ecosystem
Exterior of labor, you’re an energetic member of the WordPress neighborhood. Are you able to share your contributions and what you’re most pleased with?
I’ve been concerned within the WordPress neighborhood for a few years, contributing in varied methods. I developed a preferred plugin that climbed to the highest 15 hottest plugins, in the end attaining over 10 million downloads.
As a member of the Italian Polyglots crew, I’ve additionally contributed to translating WordPress and several other plugins into Italian. I’m at the moment a International Challenge Translation editor for the Italian locale. To additional help the Italian WordPress neighborhood, I based and arranged a neighborhood WordPress meetup in my metropolis, which gives an area for data sharing and networking.
I’ve attended greater than twenty WordCamps and have spoken at a number of of them, sharing my experiences and insights with the neighborhood.
The contribution I’m most pleased with was being a part of the organizing crew for WordCamp Europe 2024 in Turin, Italy. It was a celebration of the Italian WordPress neighborhood, and contributing to its success was extremely rewarding.
Sounds spectacular. Has working at Hostinger enhanced your presence throughout the WordPress neighborhood?
It did, sure. My function at Hostinger has given me alternatives to attach with folks and take part in world occasions.
Beforehand, attending flagship occasions like WordCamp US and WordCamp Asia was a bit out of attain. Hostinger’s help has allowed me to increase my horizons and contribute to the WordPress neighborhood on a really worldwide degree.
Do you encourage your crew to take part in open-source initiatives as nicely?
Completely! I believe contributing to open-source initiatives is extremely invaluable. Whether or not it’s coding, translating, organizing occasions, or bettering documentation, there are such a lot of methods to get entangled and make an affect.
I encourage my crew to participate by giving them devoted time for contributions and celebrating their efforts. For instance, we’re a part of the 5 for the Future initiative, and we sponsor particular person WordPress contributors.
It’s a win-win – it helps our crew develop whereas supporting the WordPress neighborhood.
Prioritizing what issues most
Appears like a full plate. Given your energetic function within the WordPress neighborhood and management at Hostinger, how do you preserve a work-life stability?
It’s a continuing balancing act! With a demanding function at Hostinger and my ardour for the WordPress neighborhood, I’ve needed to prioritize. This implies being extra conscious of my time, typically scaling again neighborhood actions to make sure high quality time with my household.
Are there hobbies or pursuits you pursue exterior of labor?
I used to like touring and exploring new locations, however lately, my largest ardour is spending time with my three wonderful children: Lisa, Giorgio, and Luna. We love taking part in, exploring the outside collectively, and discovering new parks. It’s been an exquisite expertise adapting my love for journey to create these shared adventures with them.
May you give a phrase of recommendation, to those that are nonetheless making an attempt to put their priorities so as?
I can share a narrative as an alternative. There was a interval in my life once I put my college research on maintain, although I had accomplished all of the exams and solely wanted to jot down my ultimate thesis. This case dragged on for a number of years as I prioritized working. Ultimately, I did full my diploma, however that have had an affect on my skilled and private philosophy.
Professionally, it highlighted the significance of focus, dedication, and seeing issues via to completion. This expertise formed my strategy to work, making me extra decisive, action-oriented, and results-driven. I now prioritize successfully, set clear objectives, and encourage my crew to do the identical.
Personally, I discovered to find time for the issues that matter most. Irrespective of how concerned I’m in work or the WordPress neighborhood, my household will all the time be certainly one of my largest achievements and priorities.
Employer Branding Specialist @ Hostinger. Creating customized experiences and difficult creativeness via storytelling.
