Joanna Klups Kopij, Contracts Manager, Goldstar
Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
I am only 32 years old and got a lot of experience from different fields. It all started when I was watching my Dad running his own construction company, then my first real work at H&M were I met a lot of different people who inspired me and gave me support and huge motivation to climb the promotional ladder: from sales advisor, visual merchandiser, to department manager. All of this gave me a chance to learn how to be a good team leader, to be a responsible manager, how to speak with clients, how to take care of them, and how to focus and be inspired to develop myself.
What’s the most effective piece of training or personal development you have undertaken?
I think all of this started when I was a little kid, and my parents gave me an opportunity to learn English and help to discover the world. They were sending me to camps abroad and constantly developing my second language. After all this I finished English philology back home in Poland and, just before I f inished it, I met my husband and decided to move to Scotland where the only person I knew was him, without any idea what my job would be. I just decided that this is my best chance ever to develop and invest even more to my English skills. Here in Aberdeen, every day is a challenge for myself at work and in life. I started as a cleaner at Goldstar cleaning services, after a few weeks I became a contract supervisor, then I was promoted to Contracts Manager which gave me a chance to further develop my English and management skills, and to be a better team leader.
What’s the biggest lesson you have learned in business?
There are no problems, always solutions. Sometimes you need to take more time to find them, but it is always worth it. Listen and learn from others around you, make your staff feel valued, always think ahead, and have a back-up plan in mind.
What’s been your proudest career achievement to date?
Being a Contracts Manager, I take care of more than 100 staff and contracts and make sure every day runs smoothly.
What’s the best thing about doing business in the North-east of Scotland?
Aberdeen is a great city to work in with lots of family businesses like ours. What was your first job? Sales advisor at H&M Who or what inspires you most? My Dad What word or phrase in business-speak exasperates you? We never use any of that kind of language in our team, so no exasperation here! How do you relax? Spending time outside; walking. If you had the power to change one thing in the world, what would it be? No more wars; and people taking more care of each other and the planet.
QUICK-FIRE ROUND
What was your first job? Sales advisor at H&M
Who or what inspires you most? My Dad
What word or phrase in business-speak exasperates you? We never use any of that kind of language in our team, so no exasperation here!
How do you relax? Spending time outside; walking.
If you had the power to change one thing in the world, what would it be? No more wars; and people taking more care of each other and the planet.