Get to know our Front-end Engineer Ana Montiaga

A Front-end Engineer trained at Adalab, Ana Montiaga has been with us for over a year, finding Soamee after looking for a company with the right culture and team fit. When she's not working at the office, she spends her time enjoying many hobbies: dancing on roller skates, designing and sewing clothing, crocheting blankets, or making star charts with friends.

Ana during her last trip to the Canary Islands, one of her favorite places.

Why did you join Soamee, and what has kept you here?

When I found Soamee, I was looking for a company whose culture fits my way of understanding work. In addition to wanting interesting projects that involved learning and ongoing challenges, I was concerned about the human aspect and the ability to work as a team, avoiding the unhealthy competitiveness that sometimes dominates large companies. In Soamee I was able to find excellent colleagues who understood the company in the same way as I do.

What are your primary responsibilities and what does your day-to-day look like?

The first thing I do in the morning is review the tasks solved the previous day and write a short daily update for our client.

After that meeting, I make myself a huge coffee and get started on the most complex tasks of the day. Sometimes I’ll talk with my colleagues about some difficulty or help those who need it. In the afternoon, I usually work on simpler tasks, and if work allows it, I'll grab another coffee with one of my colleagues.

What is on your wish list for the next 5 years with Soamee?

I would like to continue learning new technologies, improve the quality of my work and be able to embrace more ambitious projects. I would also like to be able to encourage teamwork, since I believe that this brings more quality to work and the people there.

This summer with her Soamee’s work colleagues in a team building creativity activity

How do you describe your work personality vs. your home life personality?

My home life personality does not differ much from my work one. I am a bit more reserved when it comes to work, more serious and concrete. My personality at home is relaxed and open, because it is an area in which it is possible to spread out more, but professionally I like to be more objective and practical.

How do you define success in life?

For me, success in life is about being able to decide your own projects without external influences, being firm in that decision and carrying it out. To arrive there, it is important to set the threshold of happiness to an achievable ideal.

Do you have any hobbies, go-to weekend activities, or long-term passion projects you’re working on?

I have more hobbies than time to do them! My problem (or blessing) is that I have a slight obsession with learning new things.

I do quad skating and roller dancing twice a week and whenever I can on the weekends.

I also crochet, something that helps me to relax. I'm currently making a colorful blanket for next winter.

Also, I like to design clothes and carry out all the steps for their production, from making the pattern to sewing it.

In addition to clothing, I also design and make handmade silver jewelry. I am trying to set up a home studio.

Another thing that I really like is astrology! I meet with a group from time to time to learn about the stars and sometimes I sit down to study natal charts of friends. I find it to be an excellent tool to help people discover their talents.

I like to travel, I love cinema and reading biographies and I think I have a special harmony with the animal kingdom, since my energy changes every time I see one.

As a half-Brazillian, I am passionate about the culture, history, and just about everything related to Brazil. If I find a samba circle in Madrid, I will be in the first row!

Last but not least, next month I will begin as a volunteer mentor for Adalab, an organization that seeks to increase the presence of women in the technology sector. For 4 months, I will accompany two women in the search for their first job as front-end developers, supporting them in everything they need. It will be the first but hopefully not last time I do this!

If I had more time, I would do even more things. Learning new things and influencing society completes me.

Ana practicing balance exercises on roller skates one afternoon this winter.

Describe what you were like at age 10.

I was a girl with a lot of character and personality. Extremely independent. Energetic, cheerful, and enthusiastic. I was very sociable but I loved to play alone. My dog, called Bob, always accompanied me. What I liked the most was making things: newspapers, books, dresses, cupcakes, paper games… anything I could materialize. The pleasure of finishing a product satisfies me to this day.

What did you want to be when growing up?

This is literally what I told my mother at the age of 8: “I want to be a successful novel writer, live in a penthouse overlooking a park, and not have to depend on a husband”.

If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Something simple, easy to prepare and healthy: Beijú de tapioca!

On the left, 6-year-old enthusiastic Ana