Meet this week’s Unstoppable Woman of FinTech, Olena Tkachova, Head of Training & Coaching Department at TurnKey Lender. Read more below on Olena’s journey in becoming a leading lady in the FinTech realm and more on her inspiring advice that has helped her in getting where she is today.
Q: How did you end up as a leader in the FinTech Industry? Briefly, what has your career journey looked like?
A: My main aspiration is to work within the sphere of business digitalization. It is a progressive area where I want to continuously develop my knowledge and technical skills. Digitalization is constantly changing our business society and I desire to be a part of this process. Being particularly intrigued by the development methodology and flexibility that Turnkey Lender offers to the fintech digital area I began my full-time position with the Turnkey Lender Research and Development (R&D) department. It has entailed developing and bringing to the market our main SaaS technology for digital lending. Here, not only have I acquired a diverse set of analytical skills, but I have also developed an admiration for the Turnkey Lender Enterprise research division in its ability to tackle complex problems arising in practice. This, along with my teaching experiences, has inspired me to populate the developed approaches and best development practices among wide tech auditory of implementation engineers and business analysts of Turnkey Lender.
As the Head of Training and Coaching department, I am doing my best to bring a positive and rounded perspective to automated decision-making processes and lending digitalization, ultimately, one that will be desirable and necessary in the increasingly important world of the financial technology industry.
Q: Who / what inspires you most? Is there a quote you “live by”? Are there any mentors that have helped you get where you are today?
A: I am inspired by human qualities, such as courage and honesty, striving for a better future, and helping people. Only hard work and positive thinking can lead to success. I believe that hard work is always paid off and leads not only to personal success but to the success of the people around you.
I started with my mentor more than 10 years ago. This is a person, who supports me in difficult moments, openly discusses with me fails and wins, that drives me to move ahead in my professional area.
Q: What is an accomplishment you are most proud of?
A: I’m proud to be a part of Turnkey Lender. It is an incredible company. There are many talented and comprehensively developed people in the team, who inspire new achievements and progressive ideas. People, who are ready to support and go along with new achievements.
Q: What advice would you give to young women looking to start a career in the industry? What skills do you find most helpful in this career?
A: Project confidence in all you do. Believe in yourself and be open to new challenges. The FinTech area is constantly developing, new technology is coming, and to be successful in the area you need to constantly improve your skills and be open to changes. A positive attitude, trust in what you do, and continuous self-developing are the key factors of your success story.
Q: What does digital transformation mean to you and/ or your organization? What advances or trends in technology are you most excited about?
A: For organizations, digital transformation means improving the business processes by automation, reducing the cost of services, and delivering quality services in a shorter period of time. Social isolation and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 have led to digitalization widespread in the financial area. Vendors and retailers are coming to the digital financial market to increase and reinforce business. Those tendencies lead to new requirements for the vendors and providers of digital financial services. For society, digital transformation means helping people by offering better services, improving the quality of life due to faster and more comfortable ways to apply for services.
Q: What do you see as the biggest, most pressing issue for women in our industry? How can women (or allies) help other women advance within our industry?
A: A woman’s abilities are sometimes underestimated. To be promoted, a woman must prove her worth, work hard, and provide a broad list of accomplishments. This can lead to a loss of faith and the inability to achieve your goals. A clear belief that everything is possible, faith in yourself, the constant pursuit of goals, and the support of lovely people are key factors in overcoming challenges.
Q: What are some of your favorite ways to spend your time outside of work? Any tips for relaxation and destressing?
A: Physical exercise keeps me in shape, reduces resistance to stresses, increases perceived energy, and boosts productivity. It is my way to relax and improve emotional well-being.
