At Virtual i Technologies, the strong values we believe in are at the core of our company’s philosophy. Self-worth and ambition are encouraged in every action that we as a collective and as individuals take. Every person on our team has a different life story and different experiences which form unique perspectives. Finding harmony within these differences is a core component of our success as a growing insurtech company.
Our Choices Define Us
Each choice we make outlines our path in life. These choices can be about education, career, personal life, hobbies etc. We are the total sum of our choices. Big or small, these choices all entail some level of risk; because every choice results in an alternative path not taken. That is why we asked our team a question: “What risks turned out to be your chances of turning your life around?”. They answered with the risks they took, the choices they made and how they shaped their own path.
Moving Away and Forward
Sometimes moving away from home, moving to a different country, can be a life changing risk to undertake. So it was for Angeli Amil, Key Account Manager. She was born and raised in the Philippines but decided to move to Dubai, to pursue a job that better fit her talents and interests. She described the risk in the following way: “I had no background and experience but somebody believed me and trusted in me, they became my mentor, my colleague and my friend.”
Even a temporary relocation can be a great risk and a turning point that can affect everyone surrounding a person. It can set an example to people around, proving there are always alternatives. Elif Beyza Peker, Customer Journey and Sales Manager, had the opportunity to go to the US for one year during her college education. However, her family never had anyone studying abroad before. Against all objections, she decided to follow her own path. “I never let other people’s concerns prevent me from having this experience. And I did it. In the end this experience was really helpful to build my vision about my career.”
Sometimes it may be riskier not to take a risk. You can not know what taking a risk will bring,without taking it. To get where you want to be in life, some major risks are necessary.
Course Correction in Education
Decisions about education are crucial in our lives. We decide on our path when we’re so young and without experience in any field. Sometimes after we learn more about a certain field and get our formal education, we may decide not to stay in that field. Choosing a different career than what you studied is a great risk which can be a turning point in your life. Accepting a risk like this means you must always chase opportunities and be open to change.
Cansel Şahin, Assistant Brand Manager, studied Environmental Engineering. However, she realized that even though she is passionate about the environment, in the last year of her bachelors degree she wanted to try working in a different field. “At that point I knew what I didn’t want to do, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Even though working in another field than my industry seemed risky, I started to work and I found my preferred field, happily working and exploring.”
Another example of a curious mind and a brave change in path is Nazlı Elif Demiröz, Cybersecurity and Development Intern. She was studying mathematics, but her interests lay elsewhere. She changed her major to Management Information Systems, and she is pursuing her degree while simultaneously working with our team. “At first I didn’t know what to do even once I changed my major. But I took the risk and just waited to see what it would bring to me”.
Taking A Sharp Turn in Life
Sometimes the hardest decision can be changing your priorities. Deviating from the classic path laid in front of you is a tough decision to make. Mine Nazik, Customer Support Engineer, is another inspiring teammate who made her own decisions and determined her own priorities. She studied abroad in the US and came back to Turkey, to her hometown, and started working and building a family. While working, she had an opportunity to get her Masters Degree in the US. But her family, her daughter, could not come with her. Even though professionally she was expected to go on with the next step of her education, she chose to stay. “I don’t have any regrets about it because I am living with my daughter and sharing time with her. I didn’t lose anything. I am already working, doing what I want.”
Doing what you want against all set expectations is courageous. Being true to yourself is the most important thing in this life. Another person who broke the status quo and chose to follow her own path is Müge Olacak, Marketing Director. In her thirties, she left everything behind to get what she wanted. She followed through with her dance education and founded her own company in this field. “Since it was an initiative focused on a niche area, contemporary dance and performance art, almost no one believed that this could be realistic, people even called it crazy.” But her organization, Atelier Muse, became a globally recognized and awarded organization. Its motto was “Find Your Calling”. That is what Müge did while continuing to pursue her career in marketing and still dancing.
Take The Risk Take The Lead
This year we celebrate the incredible impact women have on all facets of the world with our #TakeTheRiskTakeTheLead program, a series of interviews with women who have important stories to tell. One episode of the series will of course be dedicated to the women of Virtual i Technologies who will help shape the future of the company and the industry.
The #TakeTheRiskTakeTheLead conversations will host those inspirational women in the insurance and technology industries who are taking leaps of faith, who stepped way out of their comfort zones and – in doing so – are not only shaping their own futures, but those of their families, their companies and the future of humanity at large.
The interviews will take place every Tuesday at 3pm CET live on Youtube and Linkedin.The recordings will be available on demand, on the same channels
