1. You mentioned starting at Kentico when it was much smaller. Did you always have leadership aspirations, or did they develop as you took on more challenges?
I started in Kentico when we had about 40 employees. Since then the company has grown rapidly. With its growth, I needed to evolve my responsibilities. So I ended up leading 20+ employees in different departments (Finance, HR, Operations, Legal). It wasn´t my intention at start, but I needed to learn and accommodate every new challenge we were dealing with.
2. Kentico has grown significantly during your tenure. How did you approach learning and adapting your skills as the company scaled?
We are living in times where there are no limits to getting knowledge. I am very open to learning new skills and keen to learn, which greatly helps. I usually use the internet as a source of basic knowledge, and if necessary, I seek advice from peers who already have the experience. You could use many sources for free (even from fantastic speakers). So seriously, there is no limit nowadays.
3. Opening new offices across the world presents various challenges. Can you share a specific example of a hurdle you overcame during international expansion, and how you achieved success?
The most challenging thing I have found is understanding the local market and the cultural differences. We started by finding experienced local employees who helped us with the start of the new company. Usually, we relocated one of our senior staff to the newly open subsidiary too, which helped us with the transition of our company culture to the new location.
4. You spearheaded the creation of an award-winning HR web and a successful headquarters move. What was your strategy for leading these projects to such acclaim?
Start small so I are able to finish, test and evaluate. Make it bigger later. Never start with full scope.
5. You mentioned staying ahead of HR trends with digitalization efforts. What are some emerging trends you see shaping the future of human resources?
With a remote approach, we could see globally we need to be ready for it. It will be necessary to start using tools that will help you with onboarding, administration, payroll, and offboarding. And there will be a strong push to keep company culture healthy even with this global approach.
6. As a COO, how do you create a healthy work-life balance while managing a large and growing organization?
I still keep some time just for me and my family. I enjoy sports which is super important for me. It helps me to deal with stress and stay ready for future challenges.
7. Given your experience across Finance, HR, Legal, and Operations, what skills do you believe are most valuable for future leaders, regardless of their specific field?
I believe it is necessary to stay open-minded, ready to learn, and evolve in every aspect of their professional life. The evolution of technology is faster than ever before. If you are ready for it, it will give you the ability to get an advantage in any type of business.
8. What advice can you give to university students who are interested in pursuing a career path similar to yours?
Never give up. If you have a dream, start today and go for it. And it will be a marathon, not a sprint… So it is better to be ready for it.
