In this episode, R&D Community Lead Jan Meissner sits down with Yael Barak and Joel Ndreu, two new leaders at Mews with very different journeys—one through fintech, the other through real estate and big tech. From early online payments and designing the World Trade Center to stints at Facebook and Zoom, they share what drew them to hospitality tech, why 1,500 people feels like the “right size,” and how to keep engineers focused on impact (not just perfect code). They also touch on the future of payments, scaling challenges, and yes—why Mews socks might be the best swag yet.
00:00 – Introduction and long trip to Prague
00:45 – Yael’s path: from music school to fintech
03:47 – Joel’s path: engineering skyscrapers to big tech (Facebook, Zoom, and Clear)
07:18 – What company size feels “just right”
10:57 – Why join Mews? First impressions and due diligence
15:13 – Are we fintech or hospitality tech? (spoiler: both)
17:00 – Joining to solve problems: scaleup challenges & value add
18:43 – Management lessons: engineers, PMs, and IC vs. manager paths
22:20 – Customer-first mindset & cultural approaches to building
26:56 – Learning from hotels: visiting Mews customers
28:28 – What’s exciting today: payments, lending, and guest comms
33:20 – What’s next for Mews
37:57 – Closing reflections: perspective, growth, and… socks
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To learn more about Jan and Yael, and Joel, go to:
Jan Meissner
Yael Barak
Joel Ndreu