Meet the team -Raquel Fernández
Welcome to our exciting series "Meet the Team" at Rinkel, where each new addition becomes a fascinating story!
In this edition, we dive into the incredible journey of Raquel Fernández, our talented software programmer. Hailing from Andalusia, Raquel took her passion for programming to Germany before returning to Spain, but this time with a twist: she now works for the Netherlands at the heart of Rinkel.
Join us as we explore her journey from southern Spain to the world of technology in Europe and discover how she contributes to Rinkel's success with her unique expertise.
Keep reading to learn more!
Tell us about your role at Rinkel
Well, I started working creating new features for the Webphone together with Andrey, but right now we are working in the new redesign of the web which is really exciting and will be amazing!
What's the first thing that comes to people's minds when they hear your name?
I have no idea, but I hope everyone can think of someone nice with the same name! Sometimes, when a non-Spanish speaker cannot pronounce my name correctly, I translate it to 'Rachel' so it's easier. I guess when I do that, the most famous Rachel we all know is the one in Friends! Show that I love and recommend!
Do you have a nickname at the office?
Apparently,I am 'conguito' now. Conguito is a chocolate sweet famous in Spain, but it was also a name of a black cat I had when I was younger. I was in love with that cat, and I used to use his name as a password. It's not a safe password, but I still use for test accounts or unimportant things.
What do you appreciate most about Rinkel?
I love how everyone is included and how any opinion matter, no matter your expertise, cause at the end we all could be clients!
I was amazed by how heard I felt since my very first day, I was already contributing to Rinkel with my ideas! I think this is key to feel as part of the product and to want to go above and beyond.
Also, I love that the CEO and CTO are devs themselves and give a lot of importance to make things good rather than fast. It's so refreshing! It gives you time to learn and improve yourself and the product.
What do you like most about your team?
I like that you always have someone to have your back and to help you when you need. Also, you can learn a lot from your colleagues! It's much more fun too, and sometimes needed when working remotely!
Any life hacks for staying focused?
What helps me the most is to have a routine. I like to grab a cup of coffee or tea, prepare my desk and get comfy. Normally then, I am ready to work without distractions. For the days that this is not enough, I like to use the Pomodoro technique! Force yourself to work for only 25 minutes (you'll probably focus and do more than that anyway) and then you'll have a small break to stand up, pet your cats… And repeat! If you have many things on your mind, write them on a list and 'book a time' later on your day to attend them.
Who inspires you?
If I have to choose one person, it's probably a cliché to say this but who inspires me daily is my husband! He knows to attach importance to just the things that really have it, and since I easily make a mountain out of a molehill, he helps me a lot to get perspective every time and play down 'problems', which at the same time makes my life easier!
But also, I like to think I am open minded, and from time to time I like to reflect on what other people is doing, how they seem to think… no matter how different to me they are, just to consider if I could do better, what things I could learn from them…
What’s your favorite quote?
I love this phrase. It's attributed to Gandhi, which I didn't know before this interview haha
It can have a spiritual meaning, but for me is much more practical. In any case, it's about leading by example. Be friendly, don't do to others what don't want others to do to you (oh, here is Confucius as well!), leave things/places how you would like to find them, don't support what is wrong…
What’s your favorite office saying?
"We don't really need a meeting for that". It's not something that you hear every day of course, we have meetings whenever we need to, but I really like that we avoid the unnecessary ones.
What is your archetype?
Rachel is 36% Intellectual. The Intellectual is the ultimate dinner-party guest. Engaging questions and thoughtful debate are their trademarks. 32% Explorer. The Explorer is drawn to the unknown, whether that’s a Himalayan peak or the road not taken, and have a thirst for adventure. They take journeys, not vacations. And 32% Visionary. Leave it to others to live by the status quo. The Visionary is interested in new ways of seeing, solutions not yet imagined, products not yet built.
What’s your favorite holiday destination?
I've been really lucky choosing vacation's destinations because until now, I've always loved where I've been and want to come back to all places! So, I'll name the last place I've been to the date: Lanzarote, the island of the 1000 volcanoes! It's amazing how you can tell exactly what happened so many years ago just by the landscape. Also, the beaches are great, and the weather is nice all year around!
What’s your favorite drink?
I stick to water at home, but when I go out, I like to drink Iced tea, or any fruity homemade lemonade! In general, I don't like carbonated drinks, not even beer sorry!! Also, orange margaritas' night is becoming a tradition with my friends when we have something to celebrate!
