Tech Flow Ep.2 - Marija

Well hello there!

Been a while, eh? It's not the 1st of the month, but better later than never. Today on our special list we have Marija, who is Head of Brand Communications @ NordLayer.

Marija is a super bright and, I dare to say, very international person! She spent some time working in Malaysia as well as Ireland in really well-known companies like MindValley and Google.

She also had quite a big impact in helping my personal development too (it's been more than 3 weeks since I've started waking up at 6 am to meditate and listen to personal growth-related podcasts. And for someone who used to wake up at 8:20 that's quite a big move!). Again, she has always been a great example of how to grow professionally, personally, and stay humble at the same time.

Marija has been working with Cyber Security-related products for 2 years (what a coincidence, today is her 2nd anniversary @ Nord Security!) but managed to participate in the very hectic growth stages of NordLayer.

Again, the main Idea of Tech Flow is to give you a glimpse of the brightest and smartest people that surround me, so here we go:

?? Cyber security is quite a hot topic nowadays. How did you end up in this area?

M: My goal has always been to contribute to purposeful, relevant, and globally impactful areas. I've been fascinated with the Internet from an early age, and now it's hard to imagine life without it. Ensuring safety there is just as important as in the physical world. I saw a lot of potential in cyber security as a way to have a considerable impact. So when the opportunity showed up, I didn’t hesitate.

?? What do you think about the future of cyber security?

"safety is a basic human need"

M: We can no longer deny the fact that the Internet is an everyday necessity in our personal and work environment. Since the Internet is the first thing many people use when they wake up and the last thing before going to bed, it is another realm of environment we spend most of our time on. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs - safety is a basic human need. It's our primary need, not something nice to have. And with ever-evolving cybercriminals' techniques, that need is being challenged.

There has never been a time when so much data has been collected. Today, data is the new gold. Naturally, it attracts those who want to benefit from it. People and businesses are constantly exposed to cyber threats. Hence, I believe there will be a growing need for cyber security and the cybersecurity evolution is inevitable.

?? You seem to be quite a busy person and quite an example of balancing work and life. Can you share your secrets?

M: I don't call myself busy, and I'm not a big fan of this word because I think it is meaningless. Aren't we all doing something all the time - living life? ?? I don't separate the two: work and life; instead, I see that these areas feed into one another.

I'm excited about life in general - I enjoy meeting people, taking care of my health, investing time in my personal growth and relationships. These activities, in return, help me excel and feel good at work. When I excel and feel good at work, I get inspired and have even more energy to live an exciting life after work hours. It's a sound system that works for me.

?? Do you have a role model and what are the features of people that inspire you?

M: There are quite a few people I look up to, due to different reasons.?

• Vishen Lakhiani is exceptionally sharp, and at the same time, I consider him a very approachable and inspiring leader. He had a significant impact on my career and personal development.
• I look up to Sheryl Sandberg's approach towards women's leadership. Her book LeanIn - inspired me to be more bold and courageous.
• Alan Watts - I very much resonate with his philosophy, and he enabled me to look at the world from a new perspective.

What I admire in these people is their intelligence, transformational leadership style, energy, kindness, care, a fulfilling approach to life, and determination.?

? In your opinion, why personal development should be such an important topic for everyone?

M: If people learned how to identify societal rules that don't benefit them and choose their way of living instead of following standards blindly, they would understand what they want and need to lead a more fulfilling life.

???? You have a degree in Economics; why are you drawn to marketing?

M: Marketing allows me to utilize my personality strengths - creativity & analytical thinking. It satisfies my curiosity as it's constantly evolving, so there's always a need for learning new things. In addition, it touches upon behavioral psychology, which I'm fascinated about, and has a measurable impact that drives me to set higher goals.?

?? Pineapple on pizza - yes or no?

M: Thank you, but no :D