Hello
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About Me
I'm Irena, a product manager and business owner. I am passionate about helping teams discover elegant solutions to problems worth tackling. With over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I have worked with a variety of clients. My portfolio showcases some of my work, and I would love to hear from you if you're interested in working together.
Projects
1. Ruby Hotels - Manage My Bookings Feature
The Scope:
This project is from my work for Ruby Hotels.
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The challenge entailed addressing user pain points by developing a new manage my bookings feature that would allow guests to manage their direct bookings.
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Developed a product solution using user research and internal stakeholder's input.
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Balanced stakeholders’ expectations, prioritized backlog using MoSCoW, wrote user stories, and designed lo-fi wireframes.
My Role: Product Manager
Project timeline: Oct.-Nov. 2023
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Skills/methodologies: Agile, User and Market Research, Prioritization Frameworks (Impact vs. Effort, MoSCoW), and lo-fi wireframing
Tools used: Miro, G Suite
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2. Sync - a video conferencing tool
The Scope:
This project is from my Product Management Certification Course with CareerFoundry GmbH.
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The challenge entailed addressing user pain points by developing a new enhanced permissions feature that satisfies user and business needs, while also balancing critical back-end upgrades.
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Led the product team using agile development from problem discovery, through development and to product launch.
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Balanced stakeholders’ expectations, prioritized backlog using MoSCoW, wrote user stories, designed wireframes and prototypes, and validated our product solution using user testing (A/B Tests).
My Role: Product Manager
Project timeline: May-September 2023
Skills/methodologies: Agile, Stakeholder Management, User and Market Research, Prioritization Frameworks (RICE, Value vs. Effort, MoSCoW), wireframing and prototyping, user testing (A/B Tests)
Tools used: Miro, Confluence, G Suite, Canva, Loom, Parabol.co
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3. Falling Lakes Hostel - building a business from the ground-up
The Scope:
This project snippet is from my own hostel business, which I started and grew to a top destination in Croatia.
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The challenge entailed converting an old bakery into a hostel catering to nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts on the outskirts of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia.
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Led the reconstruction phase to hostel opening, implemented all hostel systems and designed a hostel centered around sustainability (solar and compressed wood pellets powered water and heating).
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Managed continuous product improvements at the hostel in order to maximize profitability and increase customer satisfaction. This included expanding our product offering based on customer feedback to include: outdoor adventure tours, transportation service, and a food and entertainment program.
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Aligned a team of 8 people, as well as external stakeholders, to achieve our shared vision and goal of operating an ‘outdoor based hostel’ that covers all our guests’ needs.
My Role: Owner
Project timeline: September 2013 - currently
Skills/methodologies: Business strategy (created a clear long-term business plan), budgeting and financial management, created marketing and sales strategy, streamlined operations and logistics using lean management principles, customer-centric approach (putting customer needs at the center of my business) and strategic partnerships.
Tools used: G Suite, Property Management System, Channel Manager, OTAs, Canva, Social Media Channels, Wix.com Website builder
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Testimonials
What people say about working with me.
"Irena is a results-driven and innovative product manager who consistently goes above and beyond to deliver outstanding results. As her mentor, I observed her growth and her consistent excellence in delivering tasks. It is clear that her previous experience has greatly contributed to her abilities as a product manager." - Omri Ginzburg, Product Manager, UX Designer & CareerFoundry Mentor
"Irena was a standout product management student whom I had the privilege of tutoring at CareerFoundry. Her diligence and commitment to honing her product management skills were impressive. Besides her enthusiasm and motivation, she possesses a strong analytical understanding and a remarkable ability to absorb feedback and quickly apply it. I wholeheartedly recommend Irena for any entry-level product management position. Her dedication, analytical prowess, and rapid learning make her an invaluable asset to any team." - Esther Fischer, Freelance Product Manager & Consultant
"Working with Irena at Falling Lakes was a brilliant and unforgettable experience. Irena's method of management at Falling Lakes was incredibly kind, consistent, and reliable. The structure and demands of the job were very clear and concisely communicated by Irena from the outset. If the staff and I ever had any questions or queries regarding work, Irena created a very open environment at Falling Lakes for us to be confident and comfortable when asking questions. The culture at Falling Lakes, which Irena plays a fundamental role in building, is warm, social, and friendly. This made every day, on or off the job, an incredibly enjoyable experience." - Ellie Broad, Investment Network Manager
Resume
I've had the fortune to study, live and work in various countries, which has allowed me to learn to communicate effectively with diverse people from many different cultural backgrounds.
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Here is a professional catalogue of my academic background and work experience.
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Contact
Thank you for stopping by. If you would like to connect please send me an e-mail at irena.medlin@gmail.com and let's connect via LinkedIn.