Goda will be leading our European expansion as we continue to increase our position as market leaders in Customer led experience strategy and marketing leading Digital Experience Platforms (DXP). Goda is based in our new Vilnius office and talks us through...
Please describe your job?
I am the newly-appointed Regional Director and my current focus areas revolve around the Vilnius office set up, collaboration with recruiters helping us grow our team locally and finally establishing the UNRVLD brand and internal culture here in Vilnius. Once these areas are running smoothly I will start focusing on business growth in the region.
What does a normal day look like?
Having in mind I’ve only just started, I wish I had a ‘normal day’! Currently, it’s pretty hectic, but I wouldn’t expect it to be otherwise during the initial set up phase when I have all parts of the organisation moving at the same time.
I come from a project management background and I still tend to organise my work into small projects. This helps me stay in line with greater strategic goals. When going from project to project I tend to involve people around and make it a joint effort, I believe this increases team ownership and also brings everyone closer together.
Have you always worked in Vilnius?
Fun fact: my very first job was in London during the school summer holidays! I’ve also lived and worked in Birmingham, UK and Marseille, France. Then I moved back to Vilnius, but had a pretty long period of extensive business travel from Vilnius all over Europe.
What is the digital scene like there?
Dynamic! I guess Lithuanian readers will agree with me saying that Lithuania and especially Vilnius is in a very rapid transformation stage. There was a time when you would notice how the city has developed in the last ten years, now the change is very vivid in just five years. I’m sure every Lithuanian would proudly mention the fact that Lithuania has the fastest wifi with the best coverage in the world, now we are also moving to 5G. Using some of the latest technology enables us to be more sustainable and innovative in areas that aren’t just related to business, but also quality of life in the city.
What would you do there on a Sunday in the city?
Vilnius is a unique city where history meets nature. The entire Old Town area is on a UNESCO World Heritage list while also being one of the greenest capitals in Europe. For a slow Sunday I’d plan a brunch with friends and a stroll in the park - all by foot as Vilnius is also a very compact city.
What are your ambitions for the new office in Vilnius?
UNRVLD brings something unique to Lithuania – an end-to-end digital agency is still relatively rare find in our market. Having marketing and creative functions separate from technical delivery is considered a market standard. I’d like to change this view, because I think the combination of both worlds not only offers our clients a smoother experience, but also has a big effect on collaborative and creative culture internally.
What are your passions and how have they influenced your career?
Traveling has been my passion for a long time, I enjoy getting to know new cultures and local people. I believe this helps me a lot in my work, because underneath our roles & titles we are all people – remembering this is key.
I understand that talking about traveling during pandemic might sound odd, but to some extent I think majority of us accepted the pandemic restrictions a little too easily. This thought has hit me this winter when I felt the effects of the lockdown on my motivation and mental health in general. I’ve decided to work remotely for a while and spent two months in Africa. I felt completely reenergised to the extent that I’ve picked a new hobby while I was there – I learned to kitesurf. The feeling of being out in the open water and in sync with the wind is the definition of freedom for me. So I guess now I have two passions.
What is your favourite holiday destination?
For the last couple of years my absolutely favourite has been Mexico. I’ve spent three weeks there traveling across the country and there is still so much that I didn’t manage to fit in. However, after my newfound passion of kitesurfing I feel my criteria for a holiday destination are shifting. I’ve been searching for kitesurfing spots around the world and I guess my trips will be less touristic from now on.
What would your motto be?
Never waste a good crisis. The human brain excels under difficult condition. Currently we are all united in the global pandemic crisis and how much have we already learned since the beginning of it all last year.
What advice would you give a marketer right now?
Accept the new normal. I think we sometimes waste the potential of the new by dearly holding onto the old habits.