Coffee break with Tereza Rosenbergerová

The discipline of growth: How Tereza balances product ownership with the road to Ironman

Interview: Ceren Gökhan

Interviewee: Tereza Rosenbergerová

This edition of Coffee Break brings you a conversation with Tereza Rosenbergerová, our Accounts Product Owner. From navigating the intricate web of banking regulations to training for the grueling endurance of an Ironman, Tereza shares how discipline, structure, and a passion for creativity fuel her life both inside and outside the office.

Take us back to your first day at Solaris. What made you say yes to this role, and what has surprised you most about your journey since then?

Tereza: I was looking for a product role in the fintech space, and Solaris was a company I had heard so much about—it was one of the German unicorns and felt like a revolutionary way of doing banking. It was my first true banking experience, so I was very excited to join.

What surprised me the most was the sheer complexity of everything. Coming from a fintech background, I thought I was used to regulations, but the way everything is interconnected in banking is fascinating. In the accounts domain, you realize that you cannot create a transaction without an account, and you cannot have an account without a KYC process, and that transaction must then go through fraud monitoring and much more. Every change has so many listeners! It is challenging, but it is also what makes the work so exciting. You are constantly learning how the whole system plays together.

When you feel stressed, what helps you stay calm and focused? Is there a trick from your sports background that you bring to the office?

Tereza: In product management, especially during a big release, there are always tasks that feel boring or heavy, and it is easy to keep postponing them. This is where sports taught me a valuable lesson: if you have a goal, like a race, you have to be consistent every day.

Even if you really do not want to do a specific training session, it is the only way to get closer to the finish line. I bring that same mindset to my daily job. When I have a task I want to procrastinate on, I tell myself that I just have to force myself to do it to get it off the list. That sense of accomplishment is the reward that allows you to move further. It is about taking that sports motivation and applying it to the desk.

What’s one product change you worked on recently that you believe had a big impact on our users?

Tereza: Last year, we implemented a feature called Verification of Payee. Based on new regulations, every time a user sends a payment, the system verifies that the name and the IBAN actually match in the database.

It was a massive project that affects every user of our partners who sends SEPA transfers. It was impactful because its primary purpose is to reduce fraud on a global level across Europe. If you are sending money and the name does not match, the system warns you, which might save you from a fraudulent bill. It is one of those features that changes the entire banking landscape and makes the financial world a bit safer for everyone.

You are currently training for an Ironman. How has that level of discipline changed your daily work routine?

Tereza: Training for an Ironman is very time-consuming—it can be up to 16 hours a week—so you have to be incredibly structured. In the past, I was not a very structured person, but this forced me to plan my days with total clarity.

When your routine is that clear, it becomes much easier to prioritize. It makes it easy to say no to things that do not bring value, so you can save your free time for the people you really care about, like family and close friends. Also, the low-intensity cardio brings so much emotional stability and mental clarity. It acts as a natural regulator for my mood, which helps me stay sane and focused during the workday.

For the April Health Month, if you could design a perfect workday that balances productivity with well-being, what would it look like?

Tereza: For me, it starts with movement—maybe a fast walk or a slow 5km run in the morning to get outside. Throughout the day, it is about nutritious food: plenty of fiber, protein, and enough carbs to keep your energy balanced.

I also think it is important to take small "mental resets." I like to do 10-minute exercises during the day, like a quick core workout or strengthening exercises for my knees and hips. It is a very simple way to bring more sport into your life without it feeling like a huge effort. Even something as small as getting off the train one stop early to walk for 10 minutes can ease your mind and make you feel happier and more focused in your workday.