Over 13 Years at Purple: Sina's Journey to Technical Backend Lead

What motivated you to join Purple, and what surprised you most?

After finishing my studies, I had worked at another company for almost two years, though I was still writing my diploma thesis during that time. I was unhappy there and was looking for something new. I was still young and inexperienced, so it was really a gut decision. From the very beginning, I felt completely comfortable and, most importantly, valued. That was crucial for me back then, and the fact that I never left shows it was the right decision.

At Purple, it was exactly as I had hoped: It was personal from the start with short communication channels. There weren't those hierarchical structures like you sometimes find at larger companies, but rather this close collaboration with relatively few people. The direct contact—I found that extremely pleasant.

How has your role at Purple developed since you started?

Over time, I've worked in many areas and contributed to various projects as a developer. Very early on, I already played a decisive role in the Purple Manager. I've looked after the product from the ground up, and now I've taken on the technical leadership of the Backend Team.

Above all, technically, new things were constantly being added. The technologies felt like they changed annually. In the various projects, I had a different technology stack each time—it was super exciting for me to experience this development over time.

What's the most exciting project or biggest challenge you've worked on here?

The biggest challenge was actually the work of recent years. We've been working for quite some time now on completely rebuilding our entire backend with a modern architecture and more contemporary technologies than we used before. That's a huge challenge overall because you have to learn an incredible amount of new things step by step.

We're now pretty far along, but we're still in the process of gradually replacing and modernizing individual parts. That's obviously a massive undertaking. I find it fascinating how much new stuff we've created, and I'm really satisfied with the new system and how well it works.

Which moments or experiences have made you particularly proud?

What makes me particularly proud is that our Backend Team functions so well and we work together superbly. Because the biggest challenge is often that not only does everything work professionally, but also on a human level. I find it remarkable that many employees stay at our company for a long time. That's rather unusual in our industry.

What do you particularly appreciate about the company culture, and what distinguishes it from other companies?

The strong connection to the company. Everyone feels comfortable. We do discuss a lot about what could be changed and that not everything is perfect. That's the case everywhere, but there's a basic level of satisfaction. I find that nice.

The collaboration feels like more than just a working relationship. You're not among strangers, but in an almost family-like environment. This personal connection to colleagues is particularly important to me. Especially in our team, some have been here forever, but even the newer colleagues who joined gradually feel comfortable and often stay for years.

What I also appreciate: In crisis situations, we work together constructively, and there's no finger-pointing. Instead, we look together: Okay, how can we best solve this challenge now? I enormously value this collective tackling of problems.

If you had to give a new colleague one tip for getting started, what would it be?

I would say: Be yourself, have the courage to ask questions and, very important, share your own opinion and suggestions. At Purple, everyone has an open ear and is willing to help, so don't be afraid, just say what you think.

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Sina's story shows that long-term careers don't happen by chance. They happen where people feel comfortable, can grow, and experience genuine appreciation. Over 13 years of development from her first day as a developer to Technical Lead of the Backend Team are the result of trust, responsibility, and an environment that allows space for new things. If you're looking for a workplace where you don't just work but develop and can contribute your ideas, you're in the right place with us.

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