Starting Over in Silicon Valley: A TravelTech Executive's American Reinvention

A New Chapter: Iana Petrova’s Journey from Hospitality Tech to Fintech in the U.S.

After more than a decade leading product and business development in a market-leading hospitality tech company, Iana Petrova made the decision to move to California to start over. Her journey is an inspiring story of reinvention, growth, and adapting to new environments.

Iana spent over 10 years helping build and scale a hospitality SaaS company that became a market leader. She reflects on what led her to leave that role and move to the U.S. “Leaving wasn’t an impulsive decision—it was a culmination of reflection,” she says. During her time with the company, she was deeply involved in everything from launching their first proprietary software to leading product strategy, scaling client support, and working with global partners like Google and Booking.com. In 2024, the company was acquired by a strategic investor, and Iana led part of the transition process—handing over her team, documenting core operations, and ensuring a smooth post-acquisition phase. That moment marked the end of a chapter she had given everything to, but also the beginning of a new one.

Looking back, Iana admits there were things she wished she had known before making the leap. “I wish someone had told me how emotionally complex it is to go from being an expert to being unknown,” she shares. In her home country, she had a strong reputation, a big network, and a clear professional identity. In the U.S., she had to reintroduce herself from scratch—often without the context people needed to understand the depth of her experience. She also underestimated how much energy it takes to navigate the “in-between” space: not a newcomer to the industry, but not yet part of the local scene either. There were moments of self-doubt, but those challenges ultimately forced her to grow.

Returning to the Classroom

After years in senior leadership, Iana enrolled in a U.S. business school. For her, going back to university wasn’t about getting a degree—it was about consciously slowing down to speed up later. After the acquisition, she had a choice: jump straight into the U.S. job market or take time to reflect, observe, and understand how things really work here. She chose the second path. Enrolling at UC Riverside gave her the space to look at familiar things—like leadership, business models, customer experience—but from a new, more global perspective. It also allowed her to study alongside people from all over the world, which helped her see just how transferable some of her skills really are.

Was it strange to sit in a classroom after managing multimillion-dollar products? At first, yes. But then it became liberating. Iana didn’t feel pressure to perform—she felt freedom to learn. Stepping into that “student mindset” reminded her how powerful curiosity is. It was one of the best decisions she’s made in this transition.

Challenges of Starting Over

The biggest personal and professional challenges of starting over in a new country were significant. The hardest part was losing her sense of confidence—not because she forgot how to work, but because she left behind the familiar environment where her experience was instantly understood. In Russia, she knew how the market worked, which channels were effective, and how clients behaved. In the U.S., she had to re-learn everything from the ground up.

Professionally, it was eye-opening to realize that her 10 years of experience didn’t automatically carry the same weight in the U.S. market. She had to reintroduce herself and explain the value of her work from scratch. On a personal level, the toughest part was loneliness. She moved alone to a city where she didn’t know anyone, but that experience became a turning point. She learned to be more flexible, ask more questions, and listen more than she spoke. Each passing week made her stronger, more resilient, and more open.

Applying Experience in Fintech and Supply Chain

Iana’s background in TravelTech and SaaS has influenced her current work in fintech and supply chain. “More than I expected, honestly,” she says. While hospitality and supply chain finance may seem different, the challenges are strikingly similar: fragmented systems, legacy processes, human error, and a huge need for transparency and automation. Her experience in building products that solve real operational pain has been invaluable. She brings a strong product-thinking approach, looking for patterns, inefficiencies, and ways to turn chaos into structure.

She applies her knowledge of digital transformation in her current role, focusing on clarity, aligning tools with goals, and creating systems that people actually want to use. Whether it’s hotels, logistics, or finance, the underlying goal is always the same: building systems that scale and make people’s work easier.

Cultural Differences and Leadership Lessons

Iana notes that the biggest difference between startup and tech culture in Russia versus the U.S. is how risk and failure are perceived. In Russia, the culture tends to be more cautious, while in the U.S., especially in Silicon Valley, there’s more tolerance for experimentation. Another shift was in communication style—Russian business culture is often more direct, while in the U.S., there's more emphasis on soft skills and storytelling.

Skills and leadership lessons from her past career proved especially useful in Silicon Valley. She brought the ability to operate under pressure, build order out of chaos, and adapt to changing environments. These qualities were highly valued in U.S. startups, where clarity and resilience are essential.

Staying Connected to Roots

Iana stays connected to her roots through people, purpose, and community. She remains active in the industry back home through mentorship and investment in sustainable hospitality projects. She is also part of several professional communities that shape her thinking, including AZO, smartsng.dev, and Hackathon Raptors. These networks give her inspiration and a sense of belonging, proving that expertise can travel with you no matter where you go.

Advice for Experienced Professionals

For other experienced professionals considering a career restart abroad, Iana offers advice: “Be ready to let go of your titles—but not your worth.” She encourages them to be curious, not defensive, and to surround themselves with people who see their potential, not just their resume. It’s not an easy path, but it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do—for your career and for your sense of self.