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Julie Yang

VP Product

Julie Yang is a seasoned technology professional currently serving as the VP of Product at Spec, a position she has held since December 2022.1 Her career trajectory showcases a blend of product management, growth strategy, and technology expertise.

Professional Experience

At Spec::

  • VP of Product (December 2022 - Present)
  • Head of Growth (June 2021 - December 2022)

Previous Roles::

  • Senior Product Manager at Bestow Life Insurance (August 2018 - January 2021)
  • Consultant at Bain & Company (July 2016 - August 2018)
  • Senior Financial Software Developer at Bloomberg (August 2010 - August 2014)

Educational Background

Julie holds an impressive educational pedigree:

  • MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Sloan School of Management (2014 - 2016)
  • Bachelor's Degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from Yale University (2005 - 2009)

Skills and Achievements

Throughout her career, Julie has demonstrated:

  • Strong product management skills, evidenced by her role in launching the API behind Lemonade's term life insurance at Bestow1
  • Expertise in growth strategies, as shown by her progression to Head of Growth at Spec
  • Technical proficiency, having programmed core Bloomberg Terminal functions with high client usage
  • Leadership abilities, recognized as a Star Mentor at Bloomberg for her commitment to training new hires

Languages

Julie is bilingual, with native or bilingual proficiency in:

  • English
  • Mandarin

Julie Yang's diverse background in technology, finance, and product management, combined with her education from top-tier institutions, positions her well for her current role as VP of Product at Spec.

Highlights

May 25 · linkedin

Avoid the triangle of sadness!

Aug 8 · linkedin

The last time I was at a company without an established maternity leave policy, I watched a pregnant VP pitch her own leave, get negotiated down, and ultimately a female C-level had to step in and insist on installing a door lock for the lactation room. The lactation room was a one-person meeting pod with blackout wallpaper stuck over the glass-paneled door. Would you have said no to a door lock?

My new company did not have an established maternity policy when I got pregnant. I thought my bosses incredibly supportive professionally and personally, my co-workers thoughtful, and still I dragged my feet telling anyone.

I made the rounds with friends who said "wait until the last moment to tell them" because I would get bored aka sidelined. I started researching parental leave policies at the federal, state, and company levels to figure out what was required vs. "normal" vs. "ideal". I figured I'd have to negotiate my own leave, because every early stage startup has too much to do.

It was all for nothing! When I told my boss, he had the biggest smile on his face and gave me a big hug and congratulations. He then said, "Four months, right?" which is more than I ever thought I could get.

The shock really set in when I found out they were giving a male co-worker the same parental leave terms. Now this to me was making a true statement. What is unequal leave policy between mothers and fathers but an implicit judgement that women should bear the brunt of childrearing in addition to childbearing? It seems routine to say "women should be equals in the workforce and at home", but policy often does not reflect that.

This is my last week at Spec. I start my mat leave on Friday. I am deeply grateful to Nate Kharrl and Patrick Chen for not making me feel lesser, but rather greater for embarking on this journey. I am deeply grateful to my co-workers who have been prepping me for parenthood with hot tips like get a nail dremel because why deal with the nightmare of baby nail clippers.

I rarely post on LinkedIn and other social media, but in this instance I felt an obligation to add to a public dialogue about expecting better. I didn't and should have. My company's recently established parental leave policy does not distinguish between childbearing and non-childbearing parents, allowing for parity regardless of sex or sexual orientation. This should be the norm, our bosses should be our greatest advocates, and company policy should reflect changing societal norms.

P.S. Shoutout to those who engaged in this public dialogue and crowdsourced/contributed data for people like me to refer to. This was a great start for those who are gearing up for their own pitches! https://lnkd.in/gfpdkU6y

#parentalleave #maternityleave #paternityleave #startups

Related Questions

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Julie Yang
Julie Yang, photo 1
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Location

Dallas, Texas, United States