#born_to_be_nerd – Meet Natalie Bilynska

Today we will meet Natalie, she is a marketer and #born_to_be_nerd.

Article content:

• What three words do you associate NERDZ LAB with?
• How did your NERDZ LAB story begin?
• Why NERDZ LAB?
• What inspires you in your work?
• What advice can you give to marketers who are just starting their careers?
• Why did you choose a marketing career, and what do you think will change in the next 10 years?
• Do you have free time, and what are your hobbies? How do you relax?
• What are your favorite movies, music, and books?
• Can you name a place you’ve visited and would recommend to others?

What three words do you associate NERDZ LAB with?

Values. Freedom. Development.

Learn more about NERDZ LAB team here 

How did your NERDZ LAB story begin?

I’d reached a stage in my professional development when I knew and understood a lot about marketing and how everything fits together. I really wanted to put my ideas into practice and see the results. I was looking for a project or company which would give me that opportunity: someone who’d trust my expertise, ideas, and experiments, and give me the resources I needed.

NERDZ LAB contacted me on djinni, then there was a technical interview, and finally, I had a conversation with the CEO, Volodymyr Khmil. I was struck by how open, easy, and direct our conversation was. 

Why NERDZ LAB?

I was looking for my “perfect job”, so I made a list of vacancies and checked them against my requirements. There were other jobs — in particular with a higher salary or from big and well-known companies — but NERDZ LAB met all my main criteria perfectly and left me with a feeling of ease and trust, so I decided to work here.

At the time, I ran a lot of Google searches and checked out dou, the company website, and social networks to learn more about NERDZ LAB. There was nothing that put me off; instead, I found a stylish website and atmospheric photos on Instagram. It seemed like a place where cool and progressive people with good taste work. I wanted to work in such an atmosphere. 🙂

Join our team! Check out vacancies here.

What inspires you in your work?

First of all, the way people support me and trust my expertise. Also, the opportunity to make independent decisions and develop professionally. 

For me, it’s super important to be making constant progress and seeing results. In just two years, we’ve managed to update NERDZ LAB’s branding, create a site from scratch, launch several marketing campaigns, almost double in size as a company, and move to a new office. And now we’re participating in the Genesis StartUp Academy 2.0 startup accelerator, supported by Meta.

I’m proud to be a part of such a team!

What advice can you give to marketers who are just starting their careers?

I think that first, you need to decide that this is exactly what you want to give most of your time to. I believe an entrepreneurial mindset is particularly important for a marketer. You should always be asking “why” and “what for”, and not be afraid to experiment, take the initiative, or listen to your audience. I pay attention to this in candidate interviews, because everything else can be learned.

As for education, start with the basics of inbound marketing. Never stop learning: that’s important whether you’re a beginner or you have 10 years of experience. As soon as you stop learning, you stop growing.

Above all, learn to focus on the numbers. As they say: In God we trust, and for everything else, there’s Google Analytics. 🙂

Why did you choose a marketing career, and what do you think will change in the next 10 years?

I first learned about marketing from the series Melrose Place, in which one of the main characters worked in an advertising agency. I was fascinated by the idea of creative advertising, branding, and copywriting, and these things still excite me today.

I’ve been in marketing and IT for about 10 years. My first task was to put together a cold mailing database and write emails. The boss called it “spamming”. Later, we added Facebook posts. Fortunately, marketing, myself, and what I do have changed a lot since then! They’re still changing at cosmic speed, and that’s why the profession is so interesting for me.

As to forecasts, I believe that in 10 years, we will have more automation, data, and technologies in marketing. However, human creativity is relevant at all times. It is the skill of the future.

Do you have free time, and what are your hobbies? How do you relax?

Yes, I do have free time! I try to maintain a healthy balance between work and other areas of life. I use the “Wheel of Life” method to balance all the areas that are important to me. It’s the only way I can feel happy. In general, I’m a great planner: I have everything planned. 🙂

I spend most of my free time with my son, but I also have time for myself. I like to go for walks, ride a bike, watch movies, travel, and study.

What are your favorite movies, music, and books?

It’s difficult to name just one thing. There’s always something new and interesting in life: that’s what makes it cool! So my favorites are always changing. The Harry Potter film series has been at the top of my list for longest. I watch those movies every year.

Here are my recommendations: 

Movies and series:

• Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
• King Richard
• The Mad Men series about marketers
• Cast Away
• Fracture
• The Young Pope

Books:

• Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
• Марк Лівін, Ілля Полудьонний. Простими словами
• Dorje Batuu. Francheska
• Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson Someone from our NERDZ team gave me this as a Secret Santa gift. It really got me thinking. It’s not just about caring for the environment, but also about creating a lifestyle without unnecessary things.

Can you name a place you’ve visited and would recommend to others?

Lisbon. Web Summit, as a workation! Recently, one of our team`s projects SCOPO has been selected to be included in the Ukrainian delegation to Web Summit 2022! I`m happy to have this chance to visit WebSummit this year again.