Welcome to our Employee Spotlight series, where we celebrate the amazing individuals who make iCoupon exceptional. This edition features Shae Chew, one of our talented Project Managers.
Born in Malaysia, Shae completed an undergraduate degree from the City University of Hong Kong and her Master’s at the University of Leeds in the UK. Multilingual, she speaks English and Mandarin as her first languages, along with Malay and Cantonese.
At home, she enjoys the company of her pet bird, Borby! Who can often be found chirping away on top of her laptop. Shae is known for her adventurous spirit and has an amusing reputation for having terrible travel luck—an experience so notable, she received a special award from iCoupon at the Christmas party!
Shae loves sharing a good meal with great company and is a great listener who enjoys hearing others’ stories. But today we hear hers…
Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got started in your career?
“My background is vastly based on languages, specifically Translation and Interpretation so I’ve always been a language/culture nerd – always out and about searching for how people behave outside of my own cultural circle; which ultimately lead me to study abroad in Hong Kong and the UK.
I stumbled across iCoupon a few years ago and immediately clicked because I have family members who work in the aviation industry – some on the ground and some in the air, meaning that I grow up hearing about stories in and outside of an airplane.
Cultural exchanges – check
Multi-lingual work environment – check
Airplanes and airports – check
Perfect!”
What is your current role and what does a typical day look like for you?
“My current role is a project manager who manages the airline projects in iCoupon. It is a role that involves understanding on almost all aspects of iCoupon, the logic of the technology, the use cases, the financial reconciliation, test errors, future expansion plans and everything else so I could help the airlines as much as I can, and that’s generally what I do – helping out!”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
“You learn something new every day. (about airline operations, about iCoupon, about myself or about the office kitchen).”
How would you describe the company culture here?
“Supportive. Everyone here is always there to listen and help, if there is an issue, people always come together and try to solve the issue together.”
What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of work?
“Reading, writing and stargazing.”
How do you balance your work and personal life?
“I find solo travelling a really good form of ‘therapy’ – when I feel a bit overwhelmed, I like to get out there myself, it can be walking around the woods or just go and see a new place. That helps me think more about myself and less about work and expectations.”
Is there a particular skill or area you’d like to develop further?
“When I look at my colleagues, I always think that they all have something that I would really like to have, but if I have to pick one I would say I want to be slightly more verbal, for I see myself being a little bit too timid and reluctant to speak out sometimes!”
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
“I was a competitive level ballet dancer. I did ballet since 3 years old, did competitions between 11-18 years old and almost did a diploma in dance teaching.”
What do you appreciate most about your team members?
“I mentioned this before, but they are so supportive! Everyone here is always there to listen and help, if there is an issue, people always come together and try to solve the issue together.”
What’s your go-to productivity hack?
“Planning! I find making to-do lists and planning ahead a really good productivity hack, it helps you prioritise the tasks, have a good view of the deadlines, and definitely keeps you focused. No panic attack involved.”
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career?
“Some things just need to be done and some words just needs to be said.”
Massive thanks to Shae for allowing us a little glimpse into her life both at home and at work. Keep your eyes peeled for more insights into our team at iCoupon.
