Franziska, Team Lead Product Management Travel

Hi, I’m Franziska and I’ve been part of CHECK24 Travel for nearly eight years now. After completing my business studies, I joined as a Junior Product Manager on the Desktop Team for our package holidays comparison platform. I was very familiar with travel – but the tech side of things was completely new to me. Terms like HTML, CSS, or PHP were totally foreign at first. But that’s exactly what made it so exciting: I quickly became fascinated with the IT world and agile ways of working. Today, I lead our Product Management Team and work with my colleagues every day to make our website more user-friendly, modern, and just a bit better – so our customers can find their dream holiday quickly and easily.

As a Team Lead in Product Management, I’m responsible for the operational and strategic management of my team of Product Managers – this includes mentoring, professional development, and of course, daily motivation. I prioritize product features, help shape the roadmap with the team, and ensure that our ideas are transformed into real added value for users. In this role, I’m not just a sparring partner for technical topics – I’m also a coach, a cheerleader, or a problem-solver depending on what’s needed at the moment.

Absolutely! One of the most exciting things we’re working on right now is the integration of AI-driven features into our platform – to improve user experience, process data more efficiently, and personalize search results. At the same time, we’re continuously modernizing the look and functionality of our website. Our goal is to keep it technically up to date while also making it more intuitive, faster, and attractive for users. Driving these kinds of improvements forward and seeing them go live step by step is incredibly rewarding.

I’m particularly proud of the strong sense of unity and positive dynamic in my team – especially during challenging phases. Even when things get stressful, everyone supports each other without letting the atmosphere suffer. That kind of team spirit is far from a given and shows just how well we work together. I also appreciate our agility and how quickly we can implement new ideas – it’s not only fun but also means we can react quickly to change. And beyond our day-to-day work, we’re a strong unit: at our annual company run, we give our all – not just athletically, but also when it comes to team spirit (and dealing with sore muscles afterward!).

My most important tip: Be bold and stay true to yourself. Especially in male-dominated leadership environments, it’s even more important to show up with confidence and bring your unique perspective to the table – because diverse leadership truly helps teams thrive. I’ve learned that you don’t always need to be the loudest voice in the room to be heard – clarity, reliability, and empathy can be just as powerful. Also: build networks, support each other, and stay open to feedback – it makes a huge difference when growing into a leadership role. And last but not least: don’t be too hard on yourself – nobody is perfect, and nobody has to be.

Open-minded, fair, organized.