Delivering Value: Lead like the top 1% in growth, marketing, & product She Built Uber’s Marketing Team —Then Had to Reapply For Her Job (Irina Scarlat)
Irina Scarlat is the VP of Growth at ICEO (a venture builder) and has built marketing and growth teams at Uber, Revolut, Bitpanda, and Pearson along the way. In this conversation, she reflects on pivotal moments in her career, sharing how they shaped her leadership style and personal development. Irina talks about the emotional challenges of going through corporate restructuring, the importance of maintaining work-life balance, and the tools she uses to combat workplace anxiety.
Irina opens up about:
1. Being forced to reapply for her job at Uber after a massive shakeup
2. The challenges of leading a company-wide restructuring at Bitpanda
3. Her journey with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to manage imposter syndrome and workplace stress
Things to listen for:
(00:00) Irina’s pivotal career moment: reapplying for her own job
(01:03) Early life in Romania and societal expectations
(07:54) How international experiences shaped Irina’s career outlook
(09:18) Transitioning into the tech world and early ventures
(12:30) Joining Uber and building the marketing team from scratch
(18:44) Leadership changes at Uber and the emotional challenges of restructuring
(24:16) Deciding to leave Uber and transitioning to Revolut
(29:59) Key feedback that transformed Irina’s approach to work and prioritization
(31:15) Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Navattic & Appcues
(38:11) Managing anxiety, imposter syndrome, and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy
(52:19) Leading a restructuring at Bitpanda and the impact on team dynamics
Resources:
Connect with Irina:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-nicoleta-scarlat-30a4b28/
Check out her website: https://irinascarlat.com/
Connect with Andrew:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/
Hire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching
Thanks to our amazing sponsors!
Learn more about Appcues: https://appcues.com/value
Learn more about Navattic: https://navattic.com/value