We are Home Made: Diana

Here is the next installment in our blog series introducing landlords and renters to our fantastic Home Made team! Together, we come from 21 different countries (and counting) and a range of industry backgrounds, and our diversity is our strength. This series showcases the unique individuals at the heart of our mission to make the process of renting and letting property better for everyone. Read on to find out more about the people taking care of your property needs.

Meet Diana - our customer experience manager and very own chess prodigy.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

Back in Romania, I studied cybernetics, statistics and informatics with a master’s in quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular physics. I also played professional chess for fourteen years and trained students for chess championships for four years. Following my move to London, I spent some time in private equity before working as a team leader in the operations department of a large Airbnb short-let management company.

Outside of work, I’m an avid bookworm and gardener and I still enjoy playing chess for fun. I have a large board hanging on the wall in my flat and during lockdown I gave the Home Made team some virtual lessons via Zoom. Arlette (our customer acquisition associate) is my star student and always does the homework I set her!

Why Home Made?

I love working in startups because you always have the opportunity to pitch in across several different departments. Home Made is particularly great at finding room for all of us to flourish outside of our defined and it has been amazing for my personal development. I’ve written blogs, done sales training, led a marketing campaign, and planned company socials alongside my core function.

We also have a very strong team culture, both internally and in how we deal with customers. It might sound cheesy but people genuinely do care. That isn’t always a given - especially in property.

What makes us unique?

There might be other companies operating in the same space that have tried to offer similar services, but nobody can match our level of execution. We have an innovative business model that combines our smart tech with a compassionate, personal approach to customer service.

Our team is also really diverse. There are some property veterans on the team to provide their crucial expertise but a lot of us have never worked in the industry before. This means there are some really fresh perspectives on how to disrupt the sector. It’s also part of the reason why working with us feels so different compared to renting or letting through an agency.

Favourite area in London and why?

Notting Hill for sure. It’s the first place that I lived when I moved to London and it holds a special place in my heart. I love all of the antique stores and secondhand bookshops.

Fun fact:

I lived in four different countries within three years after graduating from university and I’m fluent in the native language of each place.