Eti Dahan Noked is Wilco’s VP R&D, who’s also responsible for everything we do in the field of shawarma. While combining the management of the R&D department with advocacy work for shawarma orders has been considered impossible, Eti proves critics wrong week after week.
Aside from the shawarma business, which we’ll get to soon, what is it that you do at Wilco?
My main job is to oversee the R&D team. We’ve hired great developers, and it’s up to me to build an efficient, collaborative, and evolving organization for them to thrive in. It means that I’m not only responsible for the development process but for ensuring that everyone on my team has the best environment to fulfill their personal and professional goals. This is, coincidentally, what Wilco is all about!
The best part of it all is that I get to develop a product that I myself would want to use!
And how do you go about doing this? What’s your average workday like?
That’s kind of the thing with this job; there’s no average workday. I have a lot of one-on-one and team meetings, help reduce bottlenecks, try to understand if anything bothers my team members, and fix processes that aren’t working well. It’s both challenging and very rewarding. Also fun!
How would you describe the skill set that contributes to your success?
I’m an organized, analytical multitasker experienced in solving problems. That’s how I manage to parent three children with only two hands while avoiding chaos. Well, most of the time.
Any advice you’d like to give people who want to do what you do?
Don’t be afraid to take risks. Sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. Also, learn how to use the console; it saves A LOT of time.
Enough about development; let’s talk about shawarma! What parameters impact your elaborate shawarma ranking?
First and foremost, the taste. But the price and the speed of delivery are important as well. After all, who wants to eat cold shawarma?
Fair enough! So what else should we know about you?
First of all, I manage a community called “Coffee & Code,” with a bi-weekly online panel on topics related to software development. Follow me on Twitter to learn about our events.
Secondly, I have a diver’s license! I’ve been to diving spots in Thailand, the Maldives, and several places in Europe. In Israel, I prefer Eilat — a perfect balance between diving temperature and corals.
