Tech Cycles, Masculine BS, Career Choices - Looks Like Work, Season 3, Ep 17
You know those conversations that feel like a download and a pep talk and a hug from someone who’s seen some things?
That’s this episode.
Hannit Cohen—VP of R&D at Easy and my former co-founder at Emerj—joins me for a no-nonsense, deeply personal conversation about building a long, sustainable, values-aligned career in tech. And doing it without buying into all the masculine BS that still runs through too many rooms.
She’s been coding since the ‘90s, led teams, stepped back to raise three kids, and came back stronger—this time with better boundaries, sharper instincts, and zero tolerance for tech bro theatrics.
This isn’t a story of “having it all.” It’s about choosing what matters, when it matters, and being honest enough to keep asking the question.
Inside this conversation:
Surviving tech’s boom-bust cycles without burning out
Becoming a CTO by 35—and why Hannit left that title behind
The reality of raising money as female co-founders (especially for “soft” ideas)
Diversity on paper vs. real inclusion in teams
Mentorship as leadership—and why it matters more than KPIs
Building psychological safety and shutting down inappropriate behavior
Why “unlimited vacation” is a scam
And the audacity of asking, even now: “What do I want to be when I grow up?”
That’s the question Hannit asks her team. And herself. Not just once, but at every stage.
👉 “What do you want to do when you grow up?”
It’s funny, sure. But also radical.
Because it assumes we’re allowed to evolve.
That the job we wanted at 22 doesn’t have to be the job we keep at 42.
And that “success” is a moving target—and should be.
This season finale is a mic-drop on staying curious inside a system that wants you to conform. It’s for the builders. The parents. The managers who actually give a damn.
And for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to shrink to fit in tech—only to realize: you can lead exactly as you are.
"At the time, programming was a world of the youngs... You knew for sure that your only way to have a career in this world will be to become an executive."
Listen to this episode on Spotify | Apple | Wherever you get your podcasts
Resources & Mentions:
Emerj - The startup Chedva and Hannit co-founded
Catch up on previous seasons of Looks Like Work wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify | Apple | Podbean
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