Cinema, Telecommunications, History, and the Way of the Future
Nuggets of Wisdom from Maria, Value Proposition Manager at Kyivstar
You’re probably looking at the title, wondering where this post will go. It will go to amazing places.
Consider your own path in life. It’s probably been as wonderful and wild as a space trip (or at least we hope it has).
For Maria, the path has been wonderful and wild, too.
“I originally wanted to be a film director, so I studied cinema. After university, my knowledge of film led me to work in the cable industry. Then, I switched course and got into technology. That’s how I ended up at Kyivstar. All of my experiences have molded the way I see and do things.”
Indeed, the road teaches us. During our talk with Maria, we hear some great insights on how to build a great future, while talking about her story, various movies, telecommunications, and history. Sounds cool, right? Off we go…
1. There are treasures ahead: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
For Maria, work in telecommunications is worthwhile because the industry has long had a responsibility to enhance lives. One of her greatest achievements at Kyivstar was working on the launch of 3G in Ukraine.
“This was our chance to take the country in a positive direction. We handled this transition correctly and we successfully displayed the value of 3G to our customers,” tells Maria.
As Maria puts it, telecommunications can be the vehicle that drives us further, the ship that takes us to unexplored waters, or another cool metaphor.
“Kyivstar is one of the first companies in the world to bring music streaming. A cool story that makes me smile is when a colleague of mine showed his doctor all about streaming music while in the hospital — and the doctor and her staff were amazed!”
That’s awesome. Maria believes that telecommunications can do magical things — because its role is to break boundaries.
“This idea of breaking boundaries is why I like movies by the Coen Brothers — they push the realm of what’s possible, like telecommunications.”
Now, let’s just draw a little connection here to a Coen Brothers film: In some ways, telecommunications feels like O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a movie where three escaped prisoners search for hidden treasure.
To get the treasure, the escaped prisoners must avoid being captured, creatively utilize their resources, and remain dedicated to the journey. That’s the only way to a better tomorrow. Similarly, in telecommunications, you need to address problems, employ tools and technologies, and stay determined to create a better tomorrow.
2. Go to the fields
As a value proposition manager, Maria has some interesting advice on how to improve a product.
“We go out to the countryside. We have direct conversations with our customers there and ask them what they would like to change,” says Maria.
You may be asking yourself why going to remote places is the best way to find out what the market wants. Maria explains this well.
“If you’re providing innovative products, you not only must address mainstream challenges, but also understand what everyone wants and needs. For instance, by looking for solutions for extreme users, you can make breakthroughs.”
That’s quite insightful about finding extreme users. If you do some research, you’ll find that some of the most groundbreaking inventions stemmed from the need to serve extreme users. A great example is the invention of the typewriter by Pellegrino Turri in 1808. He built the first working typewriter so that his blind lover could write letters more clearly.
That’s incredible, right?
“I love Dr. Who. That show has enlightened me on the importance of searching far and wide for ideas, like going to small towns and talking with extreme users!”
That’s a cool thought about Dr. Who, too. If you want to be more innovative, be like Dr. Who. Travel through time and space and look for unique problems to solve.
3. Know your history
Maria thinks that anyone in telecommunications should know where the industry is coming from. Because that’s the only way to know where it’s going.
“We’re seeing that Nikola Tesla was right — that wireless technology is the way of the future. This idea wasn’t taken too seriously when he first introduced it. Tesla also predicted the use of green energy like wind and sun. It’s important to study history in the telecommunications industry, because it teaches us that ideas that once seemed too big may become a reality tomorrow,” believes Maria.
That’s a powerful thought, right?
“Telecommunications has been important throughout history. Our goal has always been to bring customers more than they can even imagine. To do that, we must constantly evolve. It’s like the yin and yang philosophy. There is a continual process of unfolding events and change, and we must move forward until perfect harmony is established.”
So, the way to a better future hinges on understanding how we got to where we are today.
“Whenever I think about what’s coming for telecommunications, I look to history for insights. One of my favorite movies, The Mirror, really showed me the value of studying the past.”
If you’ve never seen The Mirror, it’s about a dying poet. As he faces the great unknown, he recalls his personal moments along with his country’s history. Few films highlight the importance of the flow of events like this one.
4. Know the future
You may be asking us, “Did you skip the ‘know the present’ section?”
No, we didn’t. You know the present. You’re in front of a screen, reading this article.
To be serious, let’s talk about taking into account the future. Because that’s what helps us make the right decisions today.
“My background in cinema led me to the cable industry. I started as a producer and eventually became head of long-term planning. But I wanted to make more of an impact,” states Maria.
That led Maria to the telecommunications industry. Growing up, she learned a lot about technology from her father. She had more than just an interest now — she felt her diverse experiences and ambition would be well-suited for the industry.
“Before arriving at Kyivstar, I worked at another telecommunications firm. But new management took the company in a direction I didn’t think was right. My vision didn’t align with theirs, so I left.”
After leaving the position, Maria was jobless. Though it was difficult, she made the right moves to ensure success in the road ahead.
“I went to National Technical University to get a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence. While doing night study, I got numerous job offers. But Kyivstar interested me most — because they were launching 3G. And I wanted to be a part of this historic moment.”
At Kyivstar, Maria discovered the team had a unified vision that matched her dreams. As she puts it, everyone is committed to the mission of improving telecommunications services for customers.
“My career has been about finding the place where I could push forward to new frontiers, like in Star Trek. The Starship Enterprise never stops exploring galaxies.”
That’s a pretty cool connection to Star Trek and reaching new frontiers. Maria emphasizes that idea in her career advice.
“If I could give career advice to young people, I would say to think about where you want to go and analyze what you can do better to get there. You can reach unexplored places.”
5. Dig into the details
If you asked Maria how she developed great analytical skills, she’ll tell you it’s from studying cinema.
“I remember watching The Passenger, a really cool movie with Jack Nicholson. We had to examine every sound and every color scheme. It taught me to dive deeper into things — because answers are everywhere,” attests Maria.
The skills Maria learned while analyzing film help her today in the telecommunications field as a value prop manager.
“I’m able to clearly examine what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong. When I interact with customers, I know the questions to ask and things to listen for.”
Customer interactions are something Maria and her team feel they must get right. After all, her boss started in the call center and strongly emphasizes the importance of solving client needs.
“What’s funny is, when I worked in the cable industry, our company was a Kyivstar client. The person that handled our account at the call center is now my boss here. Whenever I called him, he was incredibly helpful.”
Note how good customer service left an impression on Maria. Ultimately, digging into the details and taking time to understand customers is how you can deliver great products and show users how they can benefit.
6. Knock on doors you want to enter
This sounds simple, right? It is — but you must be careful
“When I first joined Kyivstar, I was assigned to work on content subscription. I said I’d do it, but I stressed that I came here to work on 3G and that my experiences, skills, and dreams would guarantee my success. After a little time, this convinced management to give me a chance to work on the 3G launch,” states Maria.
So, show you’re committed and capable. And opportunities you want will open. As Maria shows, it’s vital that you know what you want, too.
Now, to show what you shouldn’t do when it comes to your career, let’s use another Coen Brothers movie example. In Barton Fink, a successful New York City playwright reluctantly takes a job in Hollywood, as he’s enticed by the money. After arriving in Hollywood, everything starts to go wrong and his life implodes.
The lesson here is clear: Don’t be like Barton Fink! Instead, be like Maria — and go after the opportunities you truly want.
Greet the future with a smile
Before we sign off, let’s include one more piece of advice from Maria:
“Keep on learning as you go. Because that’s how you best position yourself for success. Also, take time to enjoy things. Let me just say that I love potatoes — they’re so simple yet so tasty!”
There you have it. Take the advice above to heart, keep learning, and enjoy life (and potatoes). And the future will be all good.
