Every day is a school day — and with every challenge you solve, you personally grow a little more.

For the fourth story in our anniversary series, we spoke with Diana van der Linden. From joining Wolt at a crossroads in her career to leading merchant operations and global account management, Diana has seen firsthand how Wolt has grown — and how every challenge has been an opportunity to learn.

Q: How did your journey with Wolt in Germany begin, and what motivated you to join the team?

In March 2021, I left a job I wasn’t happy in. Around the same time, a recruiter from Wolt reached out. I didn’t know Wolt then — and after some bad delivery experiences elsewhere, I wasn’t even convinced delivery was for me. But my husband encouraged me to try: “It’s Finnish — no American HQ, no endless US trips, and the Finns are the happiest people in the world.”

Every interview I had, with Nina Källström, Riku, Vincent, and Marianne, made me like Wolt more. It felt like real conversations, not tests. I didn’t even realize half the senior leadership was listening to my presentation until later. I started in Retail Sales and Partnership Development Ops, wearing multiple hats as most of us did, and now I lead Global Account Management across 32 countries.

Q: What has been your most memorable moment working at Wolt?

When I joined, Wolt had about 3,500 employees. Realizing we’d grown to over 11,000 just three years later was a “wow” moment — I suddenly felt like a dinosaur in the company.

Q: In your eyes, how has Wolt in Germany evolved since the beginning?

Wolt entered Germany in 2020, just as Corona hit. It was the right moment — but Germany is a tough market legally and regulatorily. We grew fast, competing with Lieferando, and soon Uber and Delivery Hero came back, too. On the retail side, things were equally intense. I spent time as interim Head of Retail Germany, trying to get supermarkets on board. Convincing giants like EDEKA or REWE was tough, so signing Penny felt like a big win. Today, we’ve built a strong retail offering with Wolt Market, Knuspr, EDEKA, REWE, tegut, and more.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

There hasn’t been just one — every day brings new challenges I’ve never faced before. It means every day is a school day, and every problem solved makes you grow a little more.

Q: How has Wolt impacted your personal or professional life?

I’ve worked with some of the smartest people I know and learned from them. Those learnings stick — even outside of work. And while challenges are constant, I don’t get stressed the way I used to. That’s one of my biggest takeaways.

Q: What’s one thing about the Wolt culture in Germany that makes you proud?

Everyone is a problem-solver. If something needs fixing, we don’t wait for Global. We roll up our sleeves and do it. Some of those fixes have even been scaled to other countries.

Q: If you had to describe the past 5 years in one word?

A rollercoaster — fast, full of surprises, and a lot of fun.

Q: What do you hope Wolt in Germany will achieve in the next 5 years?

That Wolt becomes the market leader, and that I can order every Aldi product at store price with 30-minute delivery. No more grocery shopping for me.

Q: Do you have a story you’ll never forget?

Yes — when a bug logged every merchant worldwide out of their devices. We had to call each one to reset logins. Everyone helped, regardless of role. I’ll never forget how nervous I felt before making my very first call.

Q: What message would you like to share as Wolt celebrates 5 years in Germany?

Enjoy the ride. See every challenge as a learning opportunity. In 30 years of working, I’ve never learned so much, so fast, as here. Don’t focus too much on titles or career growth — focus on making an impact every day, and the opportunities will follow.

Q: What’s your favorite order on Wolt?

I don’t order much prepared food, but I love Bio Bäckerei Gürtner. Their pretzels are excellent, and their service is even better — the owner personally calls if something needs replacing. That kind of care is rare.

Thank you, Diana, for sharing your story and showing how every challenge can become a chance to grow.

Next up: our final story in the series, where Laurin Sepoetro will close out this anniversary journey.