Inside Preply: Olha Panivnyk — VP of People
Want to know what it takes to work at a fast-growing startup like Preply? Well, there’s nobody better to ask than our VP of People, Olha Panivnyk.
With more than 15 years of background in Human Resources, Olha Panivnyk serves as a role model for Preply’s leadership team, being recently promoted to VP of People. While considering it crucial to maintain personal identity in the work environment, she highlights the importance of our actions and the influence they have on the lives of others.
We spoke to Olha about how she’s seen Preply grow, the importance of diversity and company culture, and Preply’s mission to shape the future of effective learning.
Can you tell me a little about yourself and your role at Preply?
With a broad picture, I can say that first, I am a human. Secondly, I manage many things: I am a VP of People at Preply, a wife and a mother, also a coach. I am someone who develops and learns every day, who loves to cook and who is a good friend, amongst other essential things (as significant as the ones I mentioned).
Regarding my career mission, I am here to enable our business to amplify its potential through our team, also called “Preplers”. Our teams are customer obsessed, human, hungry, hackers, and curious. The core of unfolding and realizing that potential is also about respecting diversity and fostering inclusion.
Why did you join Preply?
I joined for several reasons, but the three main ones are:
- Impact: Being in a small startup is different than working at other companies. Here you see the consequences of your daily actions. We are a European startup with a global customer base.
- Ambition: We strive to be number one, successful, and meaningful to the lives of others. We want to contribute to the prosperity of our company, autonomously as well as a whole. Hence we look for the best talent out there.
- Challenge: We aim to transform how people learn languages and be part of that evolution from the beginning
What upcoming challenges at Preply excite you?
For me, it is always the ability to create something, which is a constant element at Preply. We are building valuable tools for our customers to learn more effectively, and delivering results, which inevitably leads to our own growth and development. With that comes the necessity to transform yourself, our teams, and the way we work to continue positively impacting the lives of our customers, partners, and moreover, our Preplers. This is an exciting challenge to face!
I am up for the challenge. We are shaping the experience of tutors and learners in their personal and professional lives, and this is just the beginning of the journey.
How would you describe Preply’s culture?
I would say sometimes our values are more aspirational than real. But they are based on our heritage, which had its own successes and learnings, reflections on who we are today, and our aspirations for the future. What helped us to model them is speed: our capacity to design and implement very fast. Some people might find it challenging, but it made us become what we are today.
Our will to dominate our market is unmatched. We make bold, data-informed decisions, to quickly deliver value to our customers. We dare to dream big, think like co-owners, and go the extra mile to hire others who share our champion spirit.
In terms of people, we are not looking for great — we are looking for the best. We’re searching for professionals and masters whose dream is to advance themselves, which makes our business to advance. We have highly skilled people on board, united in friendly and supportive teams, who are working to make the most desirable tutoring and learning experience for others.
The qualities I could not work without are customer obsession and a curiosity mindset: what can we do better? How can we add value to our customers? Is there anything else we can do? To achieve that, we must understand what we have done and what is next, plus work hard while contributing to something great. We also can’t forget to have fun in the process!
Do you have role models of women leaders in your life?
I am proud to say that there were both men and women along my career path, in positions of my leaders, peers, and team members who influenced my professional identity and my personality.
Part of my career in leadership has been dedicated to prove you can be everything: a mom, wife, and a leader.
At this stage of my life, I am seeking positions that make a difference… I’m not just doing it for the title. To me, it’s not about the level of your career you are at today, but the decisions you make to be balanced and happy.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to apply for Preply?
To be successful at Preply, you need to be open-minded: we all come from different regions with diverse histories. We are committed to being diverse and inclusive as we continue scaling up, which ensures that the Preply workforce reflects our customer base.
Generally, big things can be done with great professionals, but it’s also crucial for us that everyone feels they are a part of the team. You need to share what you think and be open to other points of view. To co-create and be up for the challenge!
