15 years? Really? Sometimes I wonder how I got to this number without feeling bored, done, and thinking that I already know it all. The answer is simple – if you have a chance to have a new beginning, to learn something new in your career – embrace it, let it take you to the areas you haven’t even thought of, and enjoy the journey of discovery.
How it started
When I joined Levi9 as a Delivery Manager back in 2009 in Kyiv, Ukraine, I could not have imagined where this new adventure would take me. It was a new area for me, and I had to learn fast. Not everything was easy, and some things looked close to impossible. My first team did not even speak English, so I encouraged them to start learning it. I would stay after working hours with them to gradually get them to the level of being able to communicate with our customers. It was the period when I realized that to build a good team, you need to invest a lot of time and effort, but it is certainly worth it.
When I settled into my role and had a stable and good functioning team and happy customers, Levi9 approached me to open a new office in Ukraine that happened to be in my hometown. This was the first time in the company when it had to be done from scratch, and I had no one to ask about how to do it. Still, I felt like I was up to the challenge.
I remember interviewing people in coffee shops and on park benches, offering them to work in the office and for customers I did not have yet. I was installing computers, preparing people for the interviews with customers, buying coffee for the office, organizing quarterly meetings for our management, and managing teams I already had back in Kyiv – I had to do it all at the same time. I think it was my determination to make it happen that kept me going. After this turbulent start, the team got together, the office opened its doors, and the first customers started their projects.
When the office was settled, a new window of opportunities opened for me in Levi9. I was offered to work in our headquarters office in Amsterdam. It was again a new beginning for me, and I had to embrace a new culture, pick up a new language, learn to drive, and get into a completely new role as a Solution Manager. This was another tough but very interesting period, which allowed me to grow further and strengthened my belief that I could do more than I thought I could.
5 years ago I was presented with another opportunity at Levi9 – to become the first Headquarter Information Security Officer in Levi9. Again, I was entering a new domain. I did not have a team and I did not have a clear vision of what to do in this function to bring a change for the company, but I knew I could do it. Gradually the team was formed, and the topic of security became of importance for Levi9. With time, I could confidently say that my team built a security culture in Levi9, and that we brought a change big enough to be proud of.
How it is going
15 years ago I could not imagine having such a career growth – working in 2 countries and 3 locations, implementing processes on a company level, and having the most amazing team ever to work with.
It was this tandem of Levi9 trusting me enough with serious challenges, and me trusting myself enough to embrace a new beginning each time I was given the chance to do so. And, who knows, maybe the next challenge in Levi9 for me is just around the corner.
