[People of Bigstep] Irina Baragoi: “It was a match made in… Cloud”

Hi Irina, please tell us a few words about yourself.

Hi! I’m 28 yo and I’m a creative person. I have +9 years of Sales experience in Business Development, SDR, e-commerce and key account managing. I have a lot of hobbies including traveling, going to concerts, blogging and Social Media. I ended up working at Bigstep thanks to these hobbies that eventually led me to learn about hosting technologies on my own.

What’s your position within the company and how does your work day look like?

I’m working as a Business Consultant Representative. What I like the most about this role is the fact that I work closely with departments like Marketing, Billing, Finance, Support, Product Management, R&D, QA, Capacity Planning, Networking, Operations and Systems, ensuring that our customers have the best possible experience with the Bigstep solutions. It feels like a continuous learning process and this is what I’m looking for in my personal and professional development.

You practice blogging in your free time. How does this blogging experience help you in your professional life?

The blogging experience helped me understand the hosting industry. 10 years ago, I needed to host my own blog so I started learning about Wordpress & shared hosting. It captivated me, so I researched more about servers and virtual machines. Eventually, I ended up buying a hosting package from Bigstep’s sister company. Later on, I applied for my current Bigstep role. It was a match made in… Cloud. :)

How does a day in a blogger's life look like?

Since the pandemic started, I haven’t blogged too much. I usually write about concert experiences. Now, most of the venues are closed. Going back in time, I had amazing experiences. I interviewed a lot of artists including my favorite DJ, Lost Frequencies. I had backstage access at many big concerts and festivals around Europe, I used to participate at press conferences and launching events. I also had the chance to have promoting partnerships with some of the brands that I love.

How do you mix and match work and your hobby?

It’s all about balance. It feels like a symbiosis between my 9-to-5 job and the hobby. Having rewarding hobbies is healthy. It helps me in staying sane and always thankful. I respect my job, and this is why my hobby “wakes up” after 6PM or during the days off. My job helps me fuel my hobby and this is why I keep a firm border between the two.

Which are the three things that you enjoy most about working at Bigstep?

Nonconformist work environment, modern technologies, awesome colleagues.

How did you adapt to WFH?

I successfully adapted my daily activity to my home office. I am really grateful for the fact that Bigstep implemented the work-from-home-system years before this pandemic. When the lockdown kicked in, I’ve faced the decision with calm and discipline.

What is your biggest work achievement?

I consider that my biggest work achievement is the fact that I’ve turned a hobby into a job by learning a lot by myself, reading, practicing and self-educating.

How do you plan to develop further?

I’ve just enrolled this year in Faculty of Economic Cybernetics, Statistics and Informatics for studying Economic Informatics. I want to learn as much as I can, in order to develop my technical side.