Welcome to another entry in our Bondora Superhero blog series! This month we are featuring Pille Ulmas. She’s a former teacher, a crafting extraordinaire 🧶, and a bit of a daredevil. Keep reading to learn more about our 22nd Superhero and her path to Bondora.
Bondora Superheroes #22 — Pille Ulmas
👩 Bondorian since: 2021
🔍 Role: Product Analyst
🚀 Team: Product Management
I joined Bondora in August 2021 as a Product Analyst for our borrower product. Over the past 10 months, I’ve learned a lot, but I still have much to learn, as my current role covers a broad area with different challenges and ongoing communication with various teams.
Here’s how Pille spends an average day:
I start my morning with a quick visit to the kitchen for a glass of water and/or cup of tea. Once settled at my desk, I begin where I left off from the previous day and review any reported bugs or requests that should be forwarded to the relevant product owners. I then start working on my own tasks. Throughout the day, I usually attend various meetings and have ongoing chats with other Bondorians to help them solve problems or get answers to questions that I can’t figure out on my own.
‘What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Helping to build a product or feature. Then seeing it released, working smoothly in production, and being used and valued by our customers.
‘What’s your favorite Bondora value?
I like and relate to all of them. But if I need to, I’d pick ‘One team,’ as it is good to make a mutual effort toward the same goal, support others, and be supported on the journey.
What is your random, odd, or unique but useful talent?
I am quite good at counting kids and noticing which way they’ve wandered 🚸
If you could study anything again, what would you choose?
I recently did. Last year, I graduated from Tallinn University of Technology, where I studied IT systems development as a second profession. After being a kindergarten teacher for most of my professional career, the chance to work as a Business Developer and now Product Analyst has been refreshing and exciting. I’m also considering going back to university to pursue a master’s degree in IT analytics.
A kindergarten teacher turned Product Analyst. Tell us more!
Though I enjoyed working with children and my team, I decided it was time to pursue a new path. I selected IT since it’s a growing industry, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do specifically. By the end of my studies, I knew I didn’t want to be a developer and preferred the business side of IT. And here I am!
Pille’s must-read book:
My colleagues all know various professional, educational, and mindfulness books, so I would encourage you to take the time to read or reread Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I challenge you to read it without shedding a tear.
Now let’s take a load off
If you could, what advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t worry! It will all work out well!
Should pineapple be allowed on pizza?
Of course, because why not? It doesn’t suit every kind of pizza, but it can for some.
‘What’s your favorite TV show?
I don’t have just one favorite. I enjoy several fantasy shows – Travelers, Manifest, and Lucifer. As well as crime thrillers – Money Heist, Lupin, and Inventing Anna.
What’s the phone app that you use the most?
Messenger. Although, I’ve recently been using Geocaching quite a lot, which gives me an excellent excuse to go outside and find hidden treasures.
How many times do you hit the snooze button, or do you wake up immediately in the morning?
I normally don’t use an alarm clock. But if I do, then it means that it’s time to get up. I love sleeping, so hitting the snooze button would feel like torture because it wouldn’t result in feeling more rested.
‘What’s something you want to do but scares you?
I’m not scared to do things I want to do. If I have doubts, I’ll consider the pros and cons to overcome them. And if I need help, I’ll just ask for it. Like when I couldn’t take the leap when bungee jumping though I knew I wanted to do it, I asked the crew member to push me. And it worked out well.
And finally, what are some of your hobbies?
I like making crafts, especially art forms that I haven’t tried yet. At home, I have a massive stash of materials from different phases of my crafting journey, in which I learned yet another new technique. It is rewarding to see something being made with my own hands. I also enjoy spending time with my husband and our four sons. During this time of year, we often visit our summer home in Southern Estonia with our extended family.
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Pille! Join us again in July as we get to know our next Superhero.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are that of the individual and not Bondora’s official view.