Hannah Mattil – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories
Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Hannah Mattil, Senior Team Lead Research Operations at PlaytestCloud. She speaks about how her background in landscape design helped her transition into research operations, her approach to team leadership, and her enthusiasm for supporting entrepreneurs as an angel investor. Read more about Hannah here:
Hi Hannah! What motivated your transition from landscape design to managing research operations, and how did your early experiences shape your leadership approach?
I moved to Berlin for to experience life in Europe and realized my background in garden design gave me transferable skills for project management, especially in terms of leading teams and client relations. When I found a project manager role at my current company, it was the perfect fit and allowed me to transfer into the fun world of gaming. My early career taught me how to handle complex projects and lead teams—skills I still use in managing research operations today.
As a Senior Team Lead, how do you foster individual growth and innovation within your team?
Having transitioned from an individual contributor to a manager, I now focus on understanding each team member’s strengths and growth areas. With my team of six, I strive to create a trusting environment where everyone feels heard and can develop. I give tailored tasks that align with teammates strengths and interests, while also encouraging my teammates to pursue personal growth. Limited time is a challenge, but I prioritize giving constructive feedback and supporting them where I can.
As an angel investor, what excites you about supporting early-stage companies, and what advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?
I’m inspired by entrepreneurs who are so passionate about their ideas that they take the risk to make them a reality. The journey is full of challenges, but it’s incredibly rewarding to see people push through, even if they don’t succeed. While I’ve never been an entrepreneur myself, it inspires me to want to become one someday.