Tracy Mu Sung
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Meet Tracy Mu Sung, a Sydney-based tech lead at Leonardo AI who builds backend systems by day and unwinds with art, gardening, and her dogs after hours. She’s all about community, balance, and doing work that matters.
Introduce yourself
I’m Tracy from Sydney, I work in tech, but outside of work I prefer to stay away from screens, and enjoy the more human side of life.
What do you do for work?
I’m a backend developer and tech lead at Leonardo AI, a creative technology company that builds AI tools for image generation and digital design. My role focuses on building and maintaining the backend systems that power the platform.
You worked in a different field prior to tech. What practical advice would you give someone trying to learn new skills and make a transition?
There are a million online resources out there — you just have to be disciplined. When you build something for practice, make sure it’s something you’re actually interested in, otherwise you won’t stick to it. Go to meetups and make friends; community makes a huge difference. I started out in the Ruby community, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t gone to those Ruby meetups.
Having worked both fully remote and in-office, what are you pros and cons for each environment?
I like hybrid. Full-time in-office work feels unreasonable and unnecessary, especially since it tends to favour people without caring responsibilities or those who can afford to live close to the office.
In-office time is great for collaboration and spontaneous problem-solving, while remote work gives me space for deep focus and balance. Remote work breaks down when people assume others know what’s going on, and office work breaks down when presence is mistaken for productivity.
What do you do outside work?
Outside of work, I love gardening, making art, and spending time with people I love - and my dogs. I’m happiest when I’m outdoors and away from screens — painting, pottering around in the garden, or just enjoying fresh air and good company.
Any podcast you are currently listening to, or a book you are reading?
A podcast I really enjoy is A Life More Wild — it’s about reconnecting with nature and finding calm in everyday life.
What is your favourite tool or resource, and why?
Right now it's Cursor - it helps me get out of the weeds and focus on solving the bigger problem instead of getting lost in the details.
Toughest work moment?
The toughest moments are when you start questioning yourself — those times when you wonder if you really belong or if you’re good enough. They pass, but they can be hard while you’re in them.
Most rewarding work moment?
When people tell me I’ve helped them — whether that’s through mentoring, unblocking something, or just making their day a bit easier.
Your one-sentence work-related advice
Connecting with people makes work more enjoyable and has the byproduct of helping you find the right people when you need support, improving team communication, and making discovery smoother.
And finally, if you had unlimited resources and time, what would be your dream project to work on?
I’d use the resources to help others solve real-world problems in sustainable ways. Supporting projects that have a positive, lasting impact on people and communities.
