Pearl interview questions

I was referred by two friends at the company and was contacted on the very same day to give my availability for a phone interview. My initial phone interview was with a hiring manager. My experience for the role was a bit unorthodox so the questions focused on how my background worked for a marketing analyst role, and why I wanted to get into marketing. It went on about 10-15 minutes on my part, and then she answered a few of my questions. She was extremely pleasant and made me feel very comfortable during our conversation (It was my first interview in several years so I was a bit nervous). After the interview, she sent me an online technical test to see if I had the right knowledge base (MySQL) for the role. She emailed me within a few hours to tell me I had passed and we set up another phone interview with the VP of Marketing. The second phone interview was very similar in terms of questions. Basically she asked about my recent work, why I wanted to be a marketing analyst, and why I wanted to work at Pearl. We went a little more in depth of my experience with MySQL. After the interview and questions, she gave me great feedback and I got an email within a few hours from the hiring manager saying the same. The hiring manager said she would get in touch within a few days. I followed up after 3 days and no word, and the hiring manager called me that day. They had decided to go with someone with more direct experience. Even though I thought I had done well and definitely could have killed it in the position, I wasn't too disappointed since there were several candidate with years of marketing experience. The hiring manager then said although they would probably be going with someone with direct experience that I had not been ruled out, and that they all really liked me and she was sending my info to other department where I might make a better fit (She specifically mentioned the product team). That got me pretty excited because I would have applied to that department in the first place if the job postings hadn't all listed far more years of experience than I had as a qualification. Its been a few weeks since than with no word. I sent a follow-up email about a week and a half after that last conversation with no reply. I don't feel too badly about it because I didn't see any other positions where I fit the qualifications, although a response to my last email would have been appreciated. Also, my friend at the company told me that after her initial interview with Pearl, they contacted her a month later with a position they thought would be a better fit. Overall it was a good experience. Pearl is a scrappy and fast growing web startup with a seemingly flat structure and relaxed, but ambitious environment. My friends give rave reviews about their company culture. After my experience with the hiring manager and VP of Marketing, I think I would be inclined to accept an offer had it come(or comes in the future).