Holded
The smart business management software for SME
Left Company
About Holded
Holded is a cloud based business management software for Spanish SMEs. It's kind of a simplified ERP that allows it's users to handle every aspect of their business (accounting, invoicing, inventory, HR, etc.) from a single platform. I joined Holded when it was transitioning from startup to scaleup at around 50 employees, around the time they raised their Series B. When I left the company, it had already been acquired and had grown to ~150 employees.
My Role at Holded
When I joined Holded, my original job title was Market Development Manager. The idea was for me to lead Holded's expansion into the German speaking market. However, the company was eventually acquired and the strategic focus shifted back to winning market share in the Spanish market instead of expanding internationally. A lot of my work as Market Development Manager was related to documenting the adjustments that were necessary for the product to meet the requirements of the German market. I suppose that my boss liked the work I did in that area, as I was asked if I wanted to transition into a Product Owner role.
As a Product Owner, I was responsible for Holded's Point of Sale (POS) application, which was a standalone native mobile app that would allow retailers to extend the power of Holded into their physical stores. I lead a development team of around 4 people, and was the main decision maker and point of contact for the POS product. Apart from that, I was also assigned to take the product responsibilities on growth-related projects such as user onboarding, signup, etc.
Why I left
I spent 3 years at Holded, and it was my first job coming out of business school. I mainly left because I didn't see any room for me to grow within the company. The product team was rather small, and there was no real opportunity for me to advance in my career.