From software engineer to customer experience to AI entrepreneur, meet Mariena Quintanilla

In this episode, you’ll meet Mariena Quintanilla, a Los Angeles-based career flipper who proves you can pivot, even within the same industry.

After spending nearly two decades in tech, moving through roles in software engineering, product management, solutions architecture, and customer experience (plus navigating a layoff), Mariena had a realization: she didn’t want to keep climbing the corporate ladder but she still loved tech.

So, she made the leap. Today, Mariena runs Mellonhead.co, an AI education and consulting company helping others make sense of emerging technology.

In our conversation, we talk about:

• The inner work that happens before, during, and after a big leap
• Building a financial safety net and jumping anyway
• The identity shifts that come with walking away from a title
• Why knowing who you are matters more than knowing where you’re going

Mariena doesn’t sugarcoat the messy middle. She shares what it really felt like to start over, the fears she faced, and the courage it took to rebuild on her own terms.

Connect with Mariena

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariena/

Website: https://mellonhead.co/

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Bonus: If you’re in customer experience or building your own business, check out my online courses. Before I started flipping my life and furniture, I led CX teams and created training that’s helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.

 

🎵 Music Credits

 

Season 1: Intro & outro music by Audionautix.com

Season 2: Original music by yours truly, Jenny Dempsey, recorded in my home studio

 

And hey, remember my favorite question: What’s the best that could happen? 💫