In this episode of Hallway Comp, Anna and Julian dive into the real differences between consulting and in-house engineering roles. Anna reflects on her years consulting — highlighting rapid learning, clear priorities, and building trust fast — while Julian shares his experience working alongside consultants and what made those collaborations successful, as well as his in-house experiences.

They explore the implicit skills strong engineering managers need, the cultural differences between the two environments, and how in-house teams can borrow some of consulting’s clarity and executional rigor.

In this debut episode of Hallway Comp, Anna and Julian introduce themselves and share the winding paths that led them into engineering management. They talk about what keeps them in the role, the balance of human complexity and strategic thinking, and how they’ve built community at work. Plus, they each reveal a wild management experience — from stolen Raspberry Pis to a wild crypto product launch.

Whether you're a new EM or just curious about the chaos behind the curtain, this episode sets the stage for what’s to come.