A year ago, I joined Danu Insights, a tech startup based in Edinburgh. Here are 5 learnings (and 1 hot take) from my first year, not just for startups, but any fast-paced environment.
Job descriptions are inspo only
Be realistic that you are likely not just gonna do the things mentioned in your job specs. I was hired specifically for Bayesian statistics, and I am still doing a lot of stats and coding, but I also get to do everything else: lead a hiring process, work on grant applications, design slide packs, work with our brilliant partners. To me, this is truly the best of all worlds!
The learning curve is steep
All those new challenges require new skills, be it a specialist Python package or novel software tool. Often I say “I don’t know how to do this yet, but I will in an hour”. For me, for example, this meant becoming our in-house expert on clinical trial design!
Random skills become assets
That random project you volunteered for or all those hours making posters … startup life has a funny way of resurfacing skills you never thought you’d need. All my side quests on Canva meant that I now turn ideas into slides at breakneck speed!
You need project management earlier than you think
Doing lots off different things means systems need to be in place for everyone to contribute effectively. They avoid duplication, remove blockers, make working together smoother. For example: (1) where is information stored, (2) how do you keep track of to dos, (3) how do you communicate? For us, everything revolves around our Clickup workspace for most content and to dos, and Slack as a communication tool.
Great teams argue well
What stands out is the way we discuss ideas and projects. We ask many questions and actually listen to the answers. Everyone in the team stands their ground, strongly defends positions, but remains open to be convinced otherwise. Once a decision is made, we all rally behind it.
🔥 my hot take: in-office face-to-face is our catalyst
First of all, our office is awesome. It has the most beautiful view imaginable (yes, this is the view from my desk!) and every inch of wall space is covered in whiteboards. Most days, we all work from this room. We can resolve small blockers almost instantly and have enough (mental and physical) space for incredibly productive discussions (using aforementioned whiteboards). I still get my deep focus time thanks to considerate meeting room usage and noise cancelling headphones.
We do work from home every now and then – for high focus tasks or when life requires is. I’m not saying that you can’t do all of the abovehybrid/remote, but it might require serious effort. After all, the office itself isn’t the point; it’s the proximity to the right people.
My role now is substantially different from the one 365 days ago. What will it be like on March 31st 2027?
Isabella Deutsch 
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