Day in the Life
Jan Wieremjewicz
I’m from Poland and currently based in Gdańsk, a beautiful coastal city blending rich history with a modern vibe and home to a lot of technology centers.
Fun fact: although Percona is a remote-first company, there are five of us living within 30 minutes of each other, so we sometimes “cheat” a bit the remote first attitude and meet in person for coffee or breakfast brainstorms.
Before joining Percona, I had mostly worked with co-located teams and was skeptical about remote work. I believed it was less efficient and not well-suited for someone like me, who thrives on in-person interaction. Then Covid-19 happened.
I was flying back from a conference in Las Vegas when, upon landing, I learned that new restrictions and mandatory health checks had been introduced while we were in the air. That moment captured how fast things were changing and how quickly we had to adapt. As Octavia E. Butler put it: “The only lasting truth is change.”
I suddenly had to transition to working from home, with no setup, no preparation. But to my surprise, I found that remote work could be just as effective, if not more so, when done right. My biggest challenge was not seeing people in person often enough, I'm an extrovert and get energy from being around others.
I already knew about Percona from a former colleague who spoke very highly of the culture. When a headhunter reached out with an opportunity, it felt like the right time to experience what remote work looks like when it’s a deliberate, long-term choice, not just a response to a global crisis.
Before joining Percona, I had mostly worked with co-located teams and was skeptical about remote work. I believed it was less efficient and not well-suited for someone like me, who thrives on in-person interaction. Then Covid-19 happened.
I was flying back from a conference in Las Vegas when, upon landing, I learned that new restrictions and mandatory health checks had been introduced while we were in the air. That moment captured how fast things were changing and how quickly we had to adapt. As Octavia E. Butler put it: “The only lasting truth is change.”
I suddenly had to transition to working from home, with no setup, no preparation. But to my surprise, I found that remote work could be just as effective, if not more so, when done right. My biggest challenge was not seeing people in person often enough, I'm an extrovert and get energy from being around others.
I already knew about Percona from a former colleague who spoke very highly of the culture. When a headhunter reached out with an opportunity, it felt like the right time to experience what remote work looks like when it’s a deliberate, long-term choice, not just a response to a global crisis.
Honestly, I was blown away by how well Percona handles remote work, there’s real structure and support behind it.
Take cameras, for example. While some people are uncomfortable turning them on or have bandwidth issues, Percona encourages it for better connection and even supports home office equipment and internet costs. There’s clear communication around working hours, meeting-free days for focus time, and even policies that encourage sharing personal stories and life updates across the company.
One example that stayed with me: during my first week, my manager at the time, Donnie, reached out to gently call me out for not turning off Slack notifications during off-hours. It was a surprising but welcome reminder that well-being is taken seriously here. Another was how many Perconians messaged me on day one just to say “hi,” offer help, or suggest we book time to chat. It felt like what happens in a traditional office, just happening remotely.
Any downsides you see in remote work?
Of course, every coin has two sides. For me, the top three challenges were:
- Lack of transition time between work and home. You're always “at home” and that can make switching off hard. I solved this by setting up a separate studio nearby as my office. It gives me physical separation, helps with focus, and lets me decompress on the walk home.
- Conflicts can escalate more easily when you’re not face to face. I took a Non-Violent Communication (NVC) course, something Percona supported, and I found it transformative. It’s helped not only at work but also at home.
- Overcommitment. I tend to dive deep into topics and lose track of time. Percona's flexible hours help, but I’ve had to learn to pace myself. I’ve been reminded more than once to take a break or reclaim time after long days. Whether it’s being told to rest when I wasn’t feeling well or to take time off after weekend travel, I’ve always felt supported.
Lack of transition time between work and home. You're always “at home” and that can make switching off hard. I solved this by setting up a separate studio nearby as my office. It gives me physical separation, helps with focus, and lets me decompress on the walk home.
Conflicts can escalate more easily when you’re not face to face. I took a Non-Violent Communication (NVC) course, something Percona supported, and I found it transformative. It’s helped not only at work but also at home.
Overcommitment. I tend to dive deep into topics and lose track of time. Percona's flexible hours help, but I’ve had to learn to pace myself. I’ve been reminded more than once to take a break or reclaim time after long days. Whether it’s being told to rest when I wasn’t feeling well or to take time off after weekend travel, I’ve always felt supported.
What’s a typical day like for you now? What do you like to do in your free time?
As a Product Manager, my days often start early and stretch across multiple time zones. I spend a lot of time talking with customers, collaborating with teams, and ensuring alignment on product priorities. During the week, I often work long hours, so I intentionally create more breathing room for myself on Fridays.
Friday is my favorite day because it often looks a little different. Thanks to Percona’s “no regular meetings” policy (we call these “flow days”), I have space to catch up on deeper work, wrap up the week, or recharge. When possible, I head out of the city with my family to the countryside or the mountains for some hiking. I’m passionate about the outdoors and try to pass that love on to my family.
I love cooking and grilling, and I always look for new opportunities to make something unique. While office work limits chances for a proper meal, I find working from home offers more control, even if not as often as I'd like. And whenever we head to the countryside, a barbecue is always on the menu!
What would your team say about working with you?
I think they’d say I’m collaborative, proactive, and user-focused. And that I talk a lot. A lot 🙂
An important thing Product Managers often forget is to set the ego aside. I care about what we build and how we build it but most importantly I care that we do it together. That’s why I push for transparent communication and inclusiveness. Especially in a remote setup making information available to everyone is important. What is challenging is not flooding someone with information. There needs to be a balance between transparency together with sharing and allowing others to do their job without the burden of unnecessary information.
Our team is tight-knit despite being globally distributed. We check in regularly, share feedback openly, and make space for fun and private conversations whether it's spontaneous Slack banter or occasional shenanigans during video calls.
In Gdańsk, we sometimes meet up in person for what we call “Breakfasts of Champions.” We talk about work and life, share ideas, and enjoy these valuable in-person connections.
What do you like best about working at Percona?
It’s the combination of flexibility, ownership, and culture of trust. At Percona, no one is micromanaging, but everyone is accountable. I appreciate the space to manage my own time while still being deeply connected to a strong, mission-driven team. The remote-first DNA of the company shows in how thoughtfully everything is org.
A thing that has to be added is also being surrounded by super smart people from all over the world as Percona leverages the remote culture to gather the best database experts in one company. That’s truly humbling when on a call there are multiple accomplished technical book authors but at the same it’s very exciting and rewarding.
It’s the combination of flexibility, ownership, and culture of trust. At Percona, no one is micromanaging, but everyone is accountable. I appreciate the space to manage my own time while still being deeply connected to a strong, mission-driven team. The remote-first DNA of the company shows in how thoughtfully everything is org. A thing that has to be added is also being surrounded by super smart people from all over the world as Percona leverages the remote culture to gather the best database experts in one company. That’s truly humbling when on a call there are multiple accomplished technical book authors but at the same it’s very exciting and rewarding.
What did you do on your last FryDay?
I packed up with the family and headed to the mountains for a hiking trip. Hiking helps me disconnect, reset, and enjoy quality time. Sharing that passion with my family makes it even more meaningful and having the flexibility to do it on FryDay on a Friday is one of the things I value most about life at Percona.
Where was your last off-site? What did you like best about it?
Last month, the Product Team had a spontaneous strategic alignment meeting in Berlin. The occasion arose because we had new members join the team and there was a conference happening that week, so we decided to meet up. As a resident foodie, I always try to make the most of my travels. I couldn't resist the opportunity to explore Berlin, the world's Döner Kebab capital, for some culinary treats, bringing the team along with me. Be warned, there are apparently some horror stories circulating about the distances I make everyone walk for a decent meal!
Before that we had an offsite of the whole Engineering team in Athens which was a week filled with collaboration and meeting long time not seen friends.
Is there anything culturally unique about Percona that you haven't encountered elsewhere?
I think there is. Many companies encourage employees to attend conferences and give talks, and some, like Percona, operate remotely. However, I don't think there are companies that would organize a spelunking trip or a mountain climbing excursion whenever the founder is present. If they do, they are certainly rare!
At the last Percona University in Budapest, Hungary, I was thrilled to be invited by Peter, one of our founders, to go caving. To this day, my wife gives me a strange look when I show her the photos.
What did you do on your last FryDay?
I packed up with the family and headed to the mountains for a hiking trip. Hiking helps me disconnect, reset, and enjoy quality time. Sharing that passion with my family makes it even more meaningful and having the flexibility to do it on FryDay on a Friday is one of the things I value most about life at Percona.
Where was your last off-site? What did you like best about it?
Last month, the Product Team had a spontaneous strategic alignment meeting in Berlin. The occasion arose because we had new members join the team and there was a conference happening that week, so we decided to meet up. As a resident foodie, I always try to make the most of my travels. I couldn't resist the opportunity to explore Berlin, the world's Döner Kebab capital, for some culinary treats, bringing the team along with me. Be warned, there are apparently some horror stories circulating about the distances I make everyone walk for a decent meal!
Before that we had an offsite of the whole Engineering team in Athens which was a week filled with collaboration and meeting long time not seen friends.
Is there anything culturally unique about Percona that you haven't encountered elsewhere?
I think there is. Many companies encourage employees to attend conferences and give talks, and some, like Percona, operate remotely. However, I don't think there are companies that would organize a spelunking trip or a mountain climbing excursion whenever the founder is present. If they do, they are certainly rare!
At the last Percona University in Budapest, Hungary, I was thrilled to be invited by Peter, one of our founders, to go caving. To this day, my wife gives me a strange look when I show her the photos.