1. Introduction
Could you please tell us your name and current position?
I’m Mikee Rose I. Bersabal, Chief Quality and Compliance Officer.
Could you briefly share your background and how you joined the company?
I graduated with a BSIT from the University of Cebu in 2016. A classmate posted about the company’s hiring on Facebook, so I applied, went through the interview, Scala training, and pre-employment training, and the rest is history.
What did you do during your student years or in your previous job?
I was really into web development and loved experimenting with HTML and JavaScript. Our coursework in Java and C was fun too. I also had a part-time job in creative writing, helping authors shape their novels. A lot of the time, though, I enjoyed making memories with friends.
Why did you choose this company and your current role?
I enjoy the flexibility of a startup culture. My role is challenging, but I haven’t seen another opportunity like it, and I want to keep learning.
If you had to give yourself a short “tagline,” what would it be?
“Amor Fati”
2. Work & Projects
What kind of projects or responsibilities are you currently working on?
I build processes for risk management. On the management side, I focus on establishing our ISMS. On the operations side, I set up quality assurance processes. Lately I’ve been working with teams to prevent bugs early through a shift-left culture, such as holding Three Amigos sessions and reviewing test plans.
How is your team structured?
Collaboration is at the heart of it. I work closely with management, developers and PMs across both quality and security.
What tools or skills do you use most often in your daily work?
Mostly people skills: communication, empathy, discernment, and emotional regulation. My job is to critique work, which can be delicate in a culture where questioning someone can feel offensive, so I look for thoughtful ways to get my message across without making anyone feel threatened. In the age of AI, where mistakes are easy to hide, I also need to be thorough without overdoing it. It can be stressful, so I make sure to have something outside of work that recharges me.
3. Challenges & Learnings
What was the first challenge you faced after joining?
Learning the tech. There was no AI back then, and there was a lot to learn beyond coding, like cryptography and security. I was also young and new to a team that felt intimidating at first. But I loved coding and was excited to learn, so it didn’t hold me back.
How did you overcome that challenge?
By persisting. When I set out to do something, I see it through for as long as I can.
Is there a memorable episode or turning point you’d like to share?
While conducting Scala training, I was new to designing learning materials for developers, and I wrote a fresh set of quiz questions every day. During one of our oral quizzes, I heard a trainee say, “Today’s questions are really good.” That stuck with me. More than explaining answers, I wanted to teach them the value of asking good questions, so it meant a lot.
4. Company Culture & Team Atmosphere
How would you describe the atmosphere of your team?
On the QA side, it’s exciting. I enjoy working with the developers, and the PMs make me feel welcome. On the ISMS side, it’s more serious, as you’d expect.
What do you find unique about communication within the company?
Two people can say the exact same sentence and mean different things, because we come from different language backgrounds. It keeps us curious and encourages us to clarify.
Can you share a moment when it was easy to ask for advice or receive feedback?
Retrospectives. They make asking for advice and receiving feedback feel natural, and even fun.
5. Growth Story
Since joining, at what point did you feel you had grown the most?
In my social and discernment skills. I used to be reserved and nervous about speaking up. Stepping into leadership pushed me to build those skills.
What new skills or experiences have you gained?
Humor, believe it or not! Being reserved, I never got to explore it growing up. But with all the meetings and public speaking, I’ve noticed I can make people laugh now, and I’m glad to be discovering that side of myself.
How do you feel you’ve changed as a person through your work here?
I grew up afraid of making mistakes or being a burden, and that fear hasn’t fully gone away, especially with so much at stake. But I’ve learned to trust myself and rely on others. I can always choose to show up and be accountable, and I’ve found that others do too.
What challenges or career goals do you want to pursue in the future?
Making software development safer.
6. Connection to Company & Vision
How is your work connected to the company’s vision and business?
We help clients turn their ideas into software, and my work makes sure those ideas arrive safely and work as intended. On the quality side, I work with teams to catch problems early, so what we deliver holds up for our clients and their customers. On the compliance side, I build and maintain our ISMS, which protects the information we’re trusted with and keeps us accountable. A creative vision only becomes real when people can trust it, and that trust comes from risk mitigation and verification. That’s where my work comes in.
Was there a moment when you strongly resonated with the company’s direction?
I resonate with the belief that every decision has a best possible outcome for everyone, even if it isn’t perfect. People often say, “This is how it should be,” but that isn’t always clear at the start. We need time for discovery. I value that we pause and ask: what’s the best outcome we can produce with this decision?
Could you share an episode where you realized the unique strength of this company?
We’re not afraid to start over when we find out we’ve been doing something the wrong way. The company puts doing things right ahead, and cares about the client’s experience and their customers’ experience.
7. Message to Candidates
What type of person would be a good fit for this company?
Someone who is relentless about their goals yet open to different outcomes, who knows when to show restraint, and who leads with consideration and empathy. They’re curious about how things should work and enjoy creating things and solving problems.
What kind of colleagues would you personally like to work with?
People who are opinionated but open to other views, and who change their stance when someone makes a stronger argument. They resolve conflicts well, keep going when things don’t go their way, and communicate clearly. They also accept that uncertainty is part of our work and manage it rather than waiting for certainty before moving forward.
Finally, do you have a message for those considering joining the company?
If you’re curious, care about doing things the right way, and enjoy solving problems with good people, you’ll fit right in. Come ready to learn, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or make mistakes. This is a place where you can grow, and we’ll grow with you.
