Susanna Siira, I-Valo Oy
“It is good to remember that a career is rarely a linear upwards curve. It also involves side steps, expanding your skills in different areas and sometimes steps downwards. What felt like a failure or disappointment at the beginning has always taken me deeper into myself as a person.”
What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?
I studied chemical engineering in Lappeenranta and specialised in wood processing technology. At the same time, I also studied economics as a minor subject and for my own pleasure.
In secondary school I wondered whether I would become a physical education teacher. I was afraid that I would not be happy as a teacher for the rest of my career. I wanted a well-rounded education and a wide range of choices about where I would go in my career. I had been an intermediate student at school and was good at math, physics and chemistry. This led me to choose engineering and to get a "tassel for my cap" . The early years of my studies were spent more in the student union and various associations than in studying, but I did eventually finish my studies.
How did you become a managing director?
My career is the sum of many factors: both planned and chance. I have never felt like just an engineer, but my thinking has always been interdisciplinary. I want to constantly learn new things and see things in a new light. I have spent my career in large technology and industrial companies. My roles there have been unusual for a so-called basic engineer. I worked in communications, marketing, and sustainability before moving into business development and sales management.
I have dared to jump into new roles whenever they have been offered to me. As you move up the career ladder, applying for and being selected for new roles always depends on both personality (fit with a particular culture and value base) and skills (what stage the company is at and what skills are needed to lead it at that stage). Encouraging but demanding supervisors have been one of the biggest influences in my career.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my work is its breadth and impact. As the CEO of a growing company, I have a lot of influence in setting the direction and culture of the company, but also responsibility for the success of the company, finding the right people and steering them in the right direction. For now, I encourage my colleagues to dream bigger. We need to innovate, and that is why we need everyone's ideas about what we can do.
For me, work is also a hobby. I am eager to learn new things and to reflect on both the psychology of the human mind and the laws of business. I am very energetic and driven, and my work allows me to be involved in many things. I have also been able to visit very exotic countries and see many cultures around the world that I would never have been able to see on holiday.
What have been the highlights and most important lessons of your career?
My most important lesson has been the understanding that learning and development is a lifelong, continuous process. It is important to be open to new opportunities, to take them boldly and to dare to take risks. It is also good to remember that a career is rarely a linear upwards curve. It also involves side steps, expanding your skills in different areas and sometimes steps downwards. What felt like a failure or disappointment at the beginning has always taken me deeper into myself as a person. In doing so, I have found a new direction and inspiration to move closer to my dreams.
I also spend a lot of time mentoring young people. It brings me immense joy when I hear that a young person has found their direction or has been chosen for their dream job. It's great to have been able to support them in some small way on their own path.
What do you expect from the future?
At this stage, having already come some way in my working life, I'm looking forward to meeting people, working with inspiring people, learning from them, and broadening my own perspective. To develop both as a person and as an expert. It is very important for me to work in an environment that is in line with my values and to promote sustainability, creativity, and innovation.
Networking with people I know and don't know, and sharing my own knowledge, both in board positions and with young people through mentoring. It is truly inspiring to be able to help a company or individual find their own path, transcend challenging times, and thrive in a new environment.
For whom is this a suitable career option?
This career option is suitable for anyone who enjoys managing people and things. In this role, you need to be able to tolerate uncertainty. Failure is not to be feared and difficult decisions must be made with courage. Alongside this, the job gives you the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds and with different interests. To see their successes and support them in their roles.
What message would you like to send to a young person pondering their career?
Be open and curious about new things and go boldly towards the new. Network with people you know and don't know. Ask for help and sparring when you need support or a new perspective. Often our paths look very different from what we planned beforehand, but that's what makes the journey interesting and educational. It's worth making plans and expanding your knowledge without prejudice but keep an open mind to seize new opportunities. Trust yourself and dare to dream big!