Autonomy.
That’s the one-word response Maysa Safadi uses to sum up what is, for her, the top benefit of working at Easy Agile. As a highly skilled professional, Maysa has forged a top-level career, reaching the position of Engineering Manager at an Australian-founded company that crafts solutions to make every agile team more effective.
Maysa has made it this far, and continues her upward trajectory, by setting clear career intentions, engaging in focused planning, and consistently putting in hard work.
Maysa’s journey in Australia has been long and winding, started in 1998 when she moved to Australia to study a Bachelor of Computer Science at the University of Wollongong.
“Graduating with a Bachelor of Computer Science in December 2000, was a significant milestone in my life. Marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication towards achieving my academic goals.”
That sense of accomplishment instilled in Maysa a strong self-assurance that has allowed her to confidently pursue various career paths.
For her it was always about ensuring she never stops learning.
Shoot forward some twenty or so years, and Maysa has had a dynamic and diverse career spanning across industries, all while juggling the roles of a devoted parent, partner, friend, and colleague.
Learning all the way
“Throughout my career, I have faced numerous challenges and made my fair share of mistakes,” she says.
“While these experiences presented me with significant challenges and obstacles. Each challenge and mistake presented an opportunity for me to learn and grow. Through these experiences, I developed a strong sense of perseverance and grit, which has enabled me to overcome obstacles and achieve success in my career.”
Maysa can look back on a quarter of a century of high achievement and success and has become a highly respected and sought-after management-level software engineer.
“I take great pride in the many accomplishments I have achieved throughout my career.
“Throughout my career journey, I have had the privilege of meeting and learning from a diverse group of talented individuals, and I am proud to have made a positive impact in each of the companies I have worked for.
“Although I have accomplished many things throughout my career, my greatest source of pride stems from having contributed to the growth of other individuals’ careers and witnessing them succeed in achieving their professional aspirations.”
In her 18 months at Easy Agile, Maysa has been able to bring all her work and life experiences to the fore, and both the company and its team members have clearly benefited.
Finding the perfect workplace
Getting a job offer at Easy Agile was a revelation for Maysa.
“After reviewing the company website, LinkedIn posts, and Twitter, I was impressed by the clear emphasis on company culture and values.”
“I thought to myself, ‘This is too good to be true!’”
It didn’t take long for her to realize that she and the company were in complete alignment, and she found herself in a position where she could exercise the autonomy that she has always cherished.
“I was the first Engineering Manager at Easy Agile.
“I have had, and continue to have, the opportunity to shape my role, which continuously evolves with the growth and innovation of the company. As the company develops, my role also advances.”
Easy Agile has been named in WORK180’s Top 101 workplaces for women.
That is because, Easy Agile has always known that an important part of the company’s success is the people it selects to be part of the journey.
“Easy Agile is a product-led company, with its people as the most valuable asset,” says Maysa.
“My role at Easy Agile has a company-wide impact. In addition to leading the teams’ development and delivery of our two main products, I am committed to fostering a psychologically safe environment for our software engineering teams to thrive in, through hiring, mentoring, and coaching them throughout their journey to achieve high performance and excellence.”
Easy Agile’s supportive learning environment
“Working at Easy Agile provides me with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a variety of diverse areas, enabling me to continually expand my skillset.
“I leverage my learning and development budget to participate in career development courses and attend industry conferences. Furthermore, I am surrounded by talented and supportive employees from whom I am constantly learning.”
The budget she is referring to is $5,000 per employee, allocated each year for their professional growth and development. This is one of many perks offered to Easy Agile employees.
It’s these perks that tell Maysa that the company stands by their values as much as she does.
“Every day, I am reminded that Easy Agile‘s values are not just empty words on paper but are truly embodied and upheld in action.”
“Without any exceptions, everyone at Easy Agile values and embraces candid feedback, perceiving it as an opportunity to learn and develop.”
This includes the Co-founders and Co-CEOs, Dave and Nick, says Maysa. She adds that “Dave and Nick’s approachable demeanor is matched by their authentic commitment to not only supporting my success but that of every Easy Agile employee.”
Equal opportunities as the company grows
The nature of her work at Easy Agile means that each day brings its own challenges at work for Maysa.
But she has found a way to channel her experience into finding solutions and, along the way, building team resilience and learning.
“Easy Agile is a scaling company, and as such, it faces unique changes and challenges. Successfully navigating through the bottlenecks that arise during the scaling process is crucial. It requires a concerted effort to change the way we work, adopting new guidelines and processes that are effective for both teams and the company, while ensuring that the workload remains sustainable.
“Additionally, it is important to be deliberate in embedding values such as diversity, inclusion, and well-being, which are fundamental to the company culture.”
For Maysa, this means that the journey continues, and her horizons just keep expanding as she reaches personal and professional milestones.
Maysa’s personal journey as a woman in technology has given her a deep appreciation for the opportunities she has been given. And she is committed to creating clear pathways for other women to follow.
“Empowering women by providing them with the ability to choose a workplace that nurtures their growth and development is crucial.
“I am passionate about closing the gender gap and ensuring that women are given equitable opportunities to succeed.”
We get the feeling that even after more than two decades, Maysa’s journey is far from over. The future she and Easy Agile are forging together is paving the way for a brighter future not only for herself and the company but for women who will follow in her footsteps too.
