If you’ve ever felt like you’re behind, out of place, or “not qualified enough” to step into a new chapter, Inès Baccari’s story will feel like a deep exhale.
Inès is a Lead Product Designer and career mentor who helps women in tech build an authentic personal brand so they can stand out in the market. But her path into tech didn’t start with a traditional background or a straight line. It started with curiosity, courage, and a willingness to begin before she felt ready.
In her conversation with Hello Moxie host Nicole, Inès shares that her first dream wasn’t tech—it was travel. She worked for Emirates Airline for six years, based in Dubai, flying all over the world. And in those in-between moments—on layovers in places like Tokyo and Mauritius—she did something that would eventually shape her future: she created.
“During layover I would take my pen and paper and just draw things that inspire me,” she shares. “I was drawing and then I started to get curious about graphic design, colors, typographies.”
That creative spark mattered—because when COVID disrupted the travel industry, it also created an opening for reinvention. Inès saw an ad supporting women entering tech through tuition for training, and even though the tech world felt far away, she applied.
She took the leap and discovered that the work of UXI was more aligned with her life experience than she expected.
From Passenger Experience to User Experience
One of the most powerful parts of Inès’ story is how clearly she connects her past to her present. She didn’t erase her earlier career to become “legitimate” in tech—she learned how to translate it.
“Our goal is to improve the experience in digital product,” she explains. “What I did as a flight attendant was to improve the experience of passengers.”
Working at Emirates, she was trained in empathy, observation, and active listening—skills that are foundational to user-centered design. Inès calls them what they are: transferable skills.
“Those are transferable skills that I actually relied on,” she says. “And my love for graphic design and design—it’s perfect… it’s a perfect fit for me.”
It’s an empowering reminder: you may not be starting from scratch—you may be starting from experience.
The Hidden Cost of “Proving Yourself”
Even with that alignment, Inès is honest about the challenges. Transitioning into tech wasn’t effortless. She faced imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and a long stretch of job searching.
“I had many interviews… it took about 10 months to find a job,” she shares. “Rejections and everything… I could see that I was not positioning myself right.”
Then she tells the moment that nearly broke her.
“I actually almost gave up the night before an interview,” Inès says. “With all the rejection… I’m not feeling myself anymore… I’m not confident enough.”
What changed everything wasn’t a new credential or a perfect pitch. It was perspective.
Her husband sat down with her and helped her list the strengths she already had—working under pressure, collaborating across cultures, determination, resilience. The next day, she brought that framing into the interview.
“That was that moment where I say okay… he was right,” she says. “And I got the job.”
The Lesson That Shaped Her Life: “Outside the Box”
As the episode unfolds, Inès shares a story that ties her identity, her courage, and her mission together. It came from a teacher who noticed her potential—and her fear.
“She drew a square and she said OK… you here inside the square… you don’t go out of the square,” Inès recalls. “And you need to go out of the square to see the magic happen.”
Years later, that message became a guiding principle. It helped her move to Dubai, become a flight attendant, change careers, and now mentor other women who feel stuck at the edge of their own “square.”
And even now, she practices what she teaches—live, in real time.
“Even right now… I’m out of my comfort zone,” she says. “I do have imposter syndrome… but I take it… when imposter syndrome is showing up it means I’m growing actually.”
A Moxie Definition We Can All Borrow
When Nicole asks what “moxie” means to her, Inès answers simply and powerfully:
“Courage and determination. I think those are my words.”
And that’s exactly what this episode delivers: a reminder that growth rarely feels polished, the first step doesn’t have to be perfect, and your story—your real story—isn’t a weakness in your personal brand. It’s your edge.
If you’ve been waiting to feel ready, consider this your nudge: the magic is outside the box.
Key Takeaways
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Discomfort can be a compass. If you feel out of your comfort zone, you may be closer to growth than you think.
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Imposter syndrome isn’t proof you don’t belong. As Inès reframes it, it can be a signal that you’re stretching into new capacity.
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You’re not starting from scratch. Your past work—especially the “soft skills” you undervalue—can become your biggest advantage in a pivot.
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Transferable skills are real skills. Empathy, observation, and active listening aren’t just helpful—they’re foundational.
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Personal branding is personal. The most powerful brand is built from your story, your lived experience, and how you choose to show up.
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The magic is outside the box. Progress often requires one brave step beyond what feels safe.
