Hanna Kuusela describes herself as a generalist whose career has been a combination of luck, coincidence and seeking new challenges.
Her career path has led from the financial administration department of a Finnish legacy company to sustainability projects at an international consulting group and eventually to technology start-ups.
“I’ve always sought new things. Jumping into a new business takes you out of your comfort zone, but as a generalist, you learn how to navigate new circumstances.”
Hanna’s dive into the world of IT happened just before the beginning of the global pandemic. As the sales manager at Orangit, she was supposed to network and represent the company in various events.
Suddenly all events were put on hold. In a tight spot, the support from the Bravedo community was valuable.
“Building new networks during covid was challenging. Getting new contacts is one of the reasons why I find Bravedo so valuable.”
Hanna was actively involved in Bavedo’s technology community champs group. It was there where she first heard that another Bravedo company, Snowfox, was developing a tool for calculating carbon footprint.
“I sent them a message, saying that I have a background in this and would love to hear more about the project. And at some point, I said, dammit, what if I just come and work for you!”
At Snowfox, Hanna gets to put all her previous experience to use. Her background in financial administration helps her to understand how Snowfox routes purchase invoices automatically, and her experience in sustainability is valuable in developing and selling the Carbofox tool.
“It sounded like a damn fine opportunity. During my time at Orangit, I’d gotten a taste of the IT world, so the software company environment didn’t feel too bad, either. Nothing you learn ever goes to waste.”