Workplaces: Tatiana Shirokova, director of business development at Dohop

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Our guest today believes that there is no need to be afraid of change. Tatyana Shirokova was not afraid to leave understandable Moscow for unfamiliar Iceland and start a career in a new sphere for herself. About this and not only she told in an interview.

What do you do in your work?

In a small company like ours, it is almost impossible to do something highly specialized. Most of the team are engineers, so I have to do different things. Sometimes such, about the existence of which I did not even suspect before.

But my main responsibilities are to develop and increase the profitability of our B2C line. This includes communicating with current partners (airlines, consolidators, etc.), attracting new ones, and searching and integrating content for products.

What is your profession?

I am a strategist by profession. She received both degrees (bachelor's and master's) at the Institute of Business and Business Administration at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Parents were engaged in the choice of the university, for which I am very grateful to them, since I myself would not have chosen the best.

I cannot say that I often apply the knowledge I gained at the institute in my work, although my education was with a great emphasis on practice. But the acquired skills and the way of thinking that have developed over the years of study help me a lot in my professional activity.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths definitely include the ability to adapt to new circumstances and situations, as well as the desire to try yourself in new areas.

For example, two years ago I had nothing to do with the world of technology. She lived in Moscow and ran the Russian branch of an American company that represented the interests of international airlines and hotels in Russia.

In 2013 I moved to Iceland. At first she was engaged in consulting in the field of tourism business. Until one day there was an offer to join the Dohop team. I was aware that it was more about technology than about travel, so I hesitated in making a decision. When I joined the company, I was the only girl among ten programmers.

One of my weaknesses is that it is almost impossible to motivate me to do something in which I do not see the point. Here natural laziness and energy saving mode are turned on. I love my comfort zone, but I'm working to push myself outside of it more often.

How to live and work in Iceland?

To be honest, I never had any plans to move to Iceland. If I thought about moving, then to countries with a warm and mild climate.

I didn't know anything about Iceland. Only that they have the singer Bjork here. Then, when I was stuck for a week in London, as flights were suspended due to the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, I also learned about it.

In February 2011 I went to Reykjavik for a conference of one of our clients and got caught in a storm (roads were closed, flights were canceled). Then I thought: “Why do people still live here? Now their volcanoes erupt, then Atlantic storms come. Why don't they move somewhere to a normal place? But a few years later she moved here herself, because she married an Icelander.

The first thing that catches your eye is the total calmness of people. They are in no hurry, although they are very punctual.

How do you while away the time in traffic jams?

There is no such phenomenon here.:)

Of course, if you ask an Icelander, he will indignantly tell how his journey to work can take up to half an hour, and sometimes endless 45 minutes! But after Moscow it's funny.

I drive before work from five to eight minutes, given the four traffic lights along the way. Sometimes I would be glad to post a photo on Instagram at a traffic light, but I don't have enough time.

What's your hobby?

I love taking pictures on the iPhone. At first I took pictures for my family to show how I live, but now I can’t stop. I can’t say that I’m good at it, but it doesn’t really bother me.

For many years now I have been thinking about photography courses, but my hands still do not reach. Even five years ago I bought a DSLR camera - one of the most ridiculous investments.

The second hobby was formed more out of necessity - this is the study of the Icelandic language. I don't need it to live and work here, but I need it to obtain citizenship. The language is difficult - you can learn endlessly.

The third hobby (only for the summer season) is hiking and golf. Both are very popular in Iceland.

I also like to travel, but this is not even a hobby, but a part of life.

Life hacking from Tatiana Shirokova

Books

As a rule, all the books that I read fall into two categories: either they are real company stories or biographies of people. In both cases, I'm interested in the situations the heroes faced and how they got out of them.

From what has been read recently or I am reading now:

• "", Eric Schmidt and others.
• "", Ashley Vance.
• "", Tom Bauer.
• "", Marie Kondo.
• "", Randy Taraborelli.

Serials

Unfortunately, there is not much time left for them, but I look at the House of Cards and Silicon Valley.

What is your life credo?

My life credo acquired a clear formulation only after moving to Iceland.

One must not only not be afraid of changes, but often initiate them oneself.

A lot of changes are happening for the better, even if sometimes it doesn't seem that way at first.

Well, and it follows from this - always move forward, do not stop there.