Sanna Niiranen
“Change begins at the end of your comfort zone”, says Roy T. Bennett. One of our students, Sanna-Mari (Sanna) Niiranen, is a very good example of this – when her passion for sales was so great that she was determined to overcome her fear of studying in a foreign language, in English. But how has she been able to combine studies, full-time job and family life? And what do sales studies have to do with drama?
Sanna has always been into sales – ever since she sold her first flower at a local market square when she was 11 years old. She completed a business degree in a university of applied sciences, but she knew she wanted to learn more about how to manage and develop sales – and on the other hand, the leading positions that she saw herself applying for required a Master's degree.
The strong sales orientation of the International Business and Sales Management programme (IBS), together with the international aspect, sounded very tempting to Sanna, and yet, applying to the programme was not a straight-forward choice.
‒The reason was that I’ve never been very good at languages, so studying fully in English sounded a bit too much. But then I decided to take a language course at the local summer university, and after passing the course with decent grades I got the final spark of courage that I needed in order to apply.
Now, a few steps from graduation, she is very happy that she did.
‒Sales is truly my passion. I just love the feeling in a win-win situation, when a client gets exactly what he or she is hoping for ‒ whether it is a flower at the marketplace or a company skiing trip which I sell at my current job. It makes you feel satisfied when you’re solving the clients’ problems and not forcing them to buy something. Solution selling is definitely my track, when I can represent products and companies whose values I can stand for.
Gaining skills and confidence in international atmosphere
Sanna feels that the studies have really boosted her confidence and sales skills in practice.
‒One of the highlights from the studies was the course Cross-Cultural Communication and Negotiation, where we practiced negotiation skills in class. It was just an amazing course and the lecturer was really inspiring. We filmed our discussions and you could then actually see how you acted in a situation that simulated a real-life sales meeting. Being able to present your ideas in a confident way is essential in sales work, also in an international context where you need to take cultural differences into account, so this kind of course is definitely a must for sales people. It almost felt like being in a drama school.
The international study group brings cultural differences into the discussions in a natural and educational way.
‒We do a lot of teamwork and it’s been nice to get to know motivated peer students who have very different backgrounds. I think what combines us all is the passion to become very good at sales management and succeed in our careers, so working together is very inspiring.
Combining family life, studies and work
When you listen to Sanna, it seems that she has more hours in her day than many of us. While she has been studying in the IBS programme, she has also been working full-time ‒ and now she’s also mother to an 11-month-old baby.
‒It hasn’t been easy, to say the least, but I’m an ambitious person and want to finish what I have started. One month after giving birth I continued studies, because as much as I love to spend time at home with the baby, I also enjoy what I do and want to develop myself.
According to Sanna, the staff at the UEF has been very understanding and encouraging in a situation like hers.
‒I tend to demand a lot from myself, so for instance our coordinator has acted as a counterbalance, saying that I can take a full maternity leave and continue afterwards, or then take a course if I want, as long as it doesn’t cause too much stress. It also helps that I have been able to study fully online, “thanks” to the pandemic that made it the norm at least for now, so I haven’t had to drive the one-hour trip to Kuopio for the lectures every time.
Future goals
At the moment, Sanna is writing her Master’s thesis in the research group of Mika Gabrielsson, the head of the IBS programme.
‒My topic is focused on how digital business models influence the speed of internationalisation. Actually, it’s not a very obvious choice of topic for me because I have not been super interested in digital devices. But digitalisation is at the very core of sales and marketing today, so it has been very interesting to collect data from companies who have embraced digitalisation in a very successful way. I have been calling business leaders and asking them to fill out our questionnaire ‒ if that’s not challenging sales work to try and get a hold of busy business people, then nothing is, Sanna laughs.
Workwise Sanna’s future looks bright as well. After parental leave, Sanna got back to her previous position ‒ just to receive a promotion and start with a new title as the Sales and Marketing coordinator of the central booking office of Tahko ski and holiday resort in eastern Finland.
‒The job is a 100% match with the knowledge that I’ve gained from the IBS programme. I feel like I’m in a role where I can develop the whole of Finnish Lakeland area for international markets. I have a million ideas buzzing in my head all the time and I can’t wait to make them happen. Entrepreneurship is also something that runs very deep in me and the programme gave a lot of insight ‒ both encouragement and realism ‒ for that track. But now I’m fully focused on developing in my role as sales manager and that’s really a dream come true.
Essi Heikkilä: Landing a dream job straight after graduation
How to sell Swedish-made dog ice cream in the Japanese market? That was one of the many intriguing assignments that Essi completed during her studies in the Master’s Degree Programme in International Business and Sales Management (IBS). The knowledge she accumulated led to an interesting job opportunity straight after graduation, soon-to-be-published research article based on the topic of her Master’s thesis, and many dreams and aspirations for the future.
In high school, Essi Heikkilä’s plan was clear: she wanted to study law. But she didn’t get into the law school on the first try, which actually was a good thing, allowing her more time to think what she really wanted to do. She realised that detailed legal clauses and paragraphs were not for her, but instead she wanted to do something more creative, together with other people.
Essi’s father said he had always pictured her in business school, so she started browsing business courses in open universities – and finally she passed the entrance exam and started studies at the Business School of the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio campus, in 2015. After finishing her Bachelor’s degree, it was time to choose the major in the Master’s degree. There was one course that caught her attention and led her to choose the IBS track: a course called Global Marketing Management.
– I was very interested in all things international, and besides that, I wanted to learn more about sales. I knew that it would be tough – for someone like me who doesn’t slide into the role of a sales person intuitively but needs to put some thought into it. This programme was a perfect choice for me – as I also have a secret dream that one day I will be a grocery store owner. I felt that wherever I end up, this degree will be of great benefit in each turn.
Learning in practice
The international aspect that Essi was looking for was truly present throughout the IBS studies.
– I think the best course ever was Strategic Sales Management in a Global Context last fall. It included a very practical assignment of crafting a key account management plan for a real company. The plan included everything from setting up goals to analysing the markets and compiling a concrete step-by-step plan on how to achieve the goal. Our case company was Harvia, a Finnish sauna stove manufacturer, and at the end of the course we presented our plan for the company representatives. We got the best possible feedback as they said that they could hire all of us immediately, because the plan was so good that ‘it could have been presented for the senior management of the company’.
For Essi, that particular group work also made it clear that they were not studying for the school assignments but actually learning things that they can immediately apply in the working life.
– Another memorable experience is from a course where we had to come up with an internationalisation plan for a company. We chose a Swedish company that makes ice cream for dogs, and we made a plan on how to launch the product in Japan. It was super fun to search for information and present the results to other students.
Also, the freedom to choose minor studies that the UEF offers is a huge advantage that has helped Essi to direct her studies based on her various interests.
– I love learning about new things, and therefore I have many minor subjects. In my Master’s I have studied also media culture and sports management. I also wanted to study abroad so I spent a semester in the US, at Western Carolina University, where the studies were highly sales-focused and practical.
Many doors open
The relationship between studies and working life enticed Essi so much that she decided to focus on it in her Master’s thesis from the management perspective.
– I studied the perceptions that UEF business students have on how technology will change leadership and management in the future, as well as on how these topics are integrated into the business studies at UEF. One finding was that the connection to working life could be even stronger. The more hands-on projects the students can work on, the more likely they will find employment. Also, despite being called diginatives who have grown up with smart devices, the millennials crave for more “humane” management. It is something that every smart company should take into account when the millennials enter the workplaces.
Soon Essi’s research results will be read by scholars around the world as her thesis supervisor Dr. Jonna Koponen suggested that a short version of the thesis would be submitted to the Journal of Management Education.
– It is such an honour, and I’m super grateful for Jonna for all the help.
The future looks indeed bright for Essi. Just recently she landed a job that fits her background perfectly, as she will start working as a sales manager at a media corporation, focusing on helping companies to find better ways of advertising in their media network.
– I felt confident answering the questions in the job interview because I could easily tell that the studies had prepared me for that. I could describe the different stages of a sales process or answer some other practical questions based on my experiences both at the UEF and in the States.
However, it is no wonder that the graduation and the shift from the ‘free’ student life to working life is causing some concern.
– Of course, you think whether you are good enough or whether you are ready to start a new life, so to speak. However, I try to reassure myself that also my friends share similar feelings so I have a lot of peer support. Besides, all the students in the IBS programme that I know have found employment.
The student group in the IBS programme has truly been a close-knit one – consisting of Finnish students, international degree students as well as visiting exchange student, due to the language of instruction being English.
– I think we all share a similar mindset and we are open and sociable people, so it is easy to get along and spend time together.
So, whether it will be a grocery store, a start-up or a global corporation that Essi will run in the future, she is confident that the skills learnt in the IBS programme will be of great help.
– I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grow up, so for someone like me this kind of education is an excellent choice as it opens so many doors. During my studies I have built networks and learned so much about business that it will never go to waste in any profession.
Tiia Heikkinen
"I'm happy I found this unique programme that has truly broadened my career horizons in global business"
Six months of studying in the Master's Degree Programme in International Business and Sales Management (IBS) at the University of Eastern Finland has convinced Tiia Heikkinen that she is definitely on the right track.
"I'm already anxiously waiting for the next courses to start, because the studies have really inspired me to learn more and more about international business and sales. I have also broadened my horizons a lot in terms of career options", says Tiia.
A blend of theory and practice
For Tiia, the main reason behind the decision to apply was that the IBS programme is one-of-a-kind as it combines the themes of internationalisation, business-to-business sales and cross-cultural communication with a very practical approach.
"The best part has been the strong focus on working together with companies. On each course we have a partnering company so we learn hands-on how things are done in practice." As an example, Tiia mentions a project that was conducted on the course Cross-cultural Communication. "We interviewed the CEO of a company that specialises in Russian trade consulting. It was very interesting and educating to hear how they take the cultural aspects into account in their every day work."
Of course, on university level the latest theoretical findings play a significant role in the content of the studies. "Learning the certain terminology, research methods and preparing for the Master's thesis are naturally a part of the curriculum, and it's good that they are included in the programme from day one".
Learning together – from experience
Tiia gives credit to the lecturers of the IBS programme for combining business theory with their own background in their teaching. "It is inspiring to listen to our lecturers since they speak about their own experiences on working in international sales. They each have their own personalities and passions they share, and you can always ask if you have something in mind or you would like to know more about a certain topic."
Tiia points out that in the end, every day in the IBS programme is about learning cross-cultural communication, since the group of students is international. "We have a close-knit group of international students from Russia, India, Tanzania and Nigeria, as well as Finnish students from all over the country. We do a lot of group projects together so you learn how to work with different kinds of people all the time."
Of course, student life is not all about lectures. "We like to spend time together during evenings and weekends too. For example, our group has organised dinners, movie nights and a Halloween party together. There's also a lot to do in Kuopio from students' point of view", explains Tiia.
"I have learned there is not one, correct way of being a sales professional"
When Tiia started in the programme, she had graduated from Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences with a Bachelor's degree in International Business and an idea to work in the field of digital marketing. However, now after the first IBS courses that idea has evolved a lot.
"My ideas about working in sales have changed dramatically during my studies. I have learned that anybody can be a sales professional. Our lecturers have encouraged us to think there is not an archetype of a sales manager and that everybody can work with their own strengths to develop a personal style of doing and managing sales", comments Tiia.
Tiia believes the programme offers the students the required tools to navigate in the turbulent, modern-day working life. "The teaching methods are modern - we don't just read books but work interactively and are encouraged to find information ourselves."
Finding the perfect job
Tiia is definitely happy with her choice of a Master's degree programme. "I don't think this kind of programme with the practical orientation to sales, the company contacts and the scientific background of business studies is available in many universities. The international atmosphere in the group supports learning every day."
After graduation, Tiia would like to work in an international company, but she has not defined yet whether it will be in Finland or abroad. "The studies and the lecturers' case stories really make you believe that you will find the perfect job for you after you graduate. I don't know yet what it is that I will be selling - I'm a sports enthusiast, though, so maybe I could combine these two passions."
"Or something else. We'll see!"
Mikhail Milovanov
"Studies are engaging, gratifying and social"
It was through a friend who already studied at the University of Eastern Finland that Mikhail Milovanov first heard about the Master's Degree Programme in International Business and Sales Management (IBS) and the university itself. Mikhail, who originally comes from Russia, had earned his Bachelor's degree from the UK and the IBS programme seemed like an interesting option to further his qualifications.
"The possibility to study under professor Mika Gabrielsson convinced me to apply. I had come across his publications on Internationalisation before I even knew about the Master's programme. He is a huge source of inspiration since he speaks about his own experiences working at a multinational corporation and he always comes up with examples from real life to help students digest the theory", says Mikhail, who is now happy to start working on his Master's thesis under Mika's supervision.
Application concerns dispelled
Now Mikhail is on his second year of studies and life in Kuopio has found its way. When he looks back to the application stage, he recalls he found the essential pieces of information online without a problem and the application process was fairly simple, but - what is more than natural - he also had some concerns. "Coming from the UK, I was thinking of things like what level of English language proficiency the lecturers have or how heavy the workload is going to be."
However, after starting the studies, these concerns turned out to be irrelevant. "I have noticed that everybody in Finland speaks English - and really good English. The lecturers definitely do too, but they don't overcomplicate it. They always make sure you understand the terminology and abbreviations that are used. Also the workload is well manageable and in case of overlapping courses the lecturers have been flexible."
Settling in with the help of the "best tutor ever"
Neither did the practical arrangements at the beginning of studies cause too much trouble for Mikhail, since besides getting help from the Student Services and department staff members, he was appointed the "best student tutor ever".
"The peer tutor system at the UEF is really fantastic and something I didn't experience in the UK. My tutor, who was doing the same programme, explained everything to me, showed me around, helped me with course registrations and answered my every question. It helped a lot and made me feel happy and stress-free."
Mikhail would also like to give special thanks to the international student's organisation ESN Kisa and the business student's association Preemio Ry for arranging a lot of activities, making it easy for a foreigner to settle in, feel welcome and become a part of the local student community. "It feels like the city of Kuopio is full of students, so the social scene is fantastic. Never a dull moment!"
Working in teams on enticing projects
Like many other IBS students, Mikhail mentions that the most engaging part of studies is working together with companies on real-life projects. He could give several examples of memorable projects and pitching sessions but the first one to come to mind is one that was successfully applied by the company.
"We were working on finding new markets for a company that makes custom printings on extra thin wood. Our team really had to think outside the box and in the end we came up with a great solution that actually has been taken into use by the company and is working well. We were really pleased to find out that our idea worked and made a difference!"
Working in teams is something that the IBS students definitely get used to, and the social aspect of the international group is something that Mikhail values. "It's a very diverse group, in terms of nationality, gender and age. I have made a lot of new friends, not only from the IBS course but also from other faculties."
Future employment
Although Mikhail has been studying Finnish language alongside business, he thinks most likely his future job will be in a multinational company with English as the company's internal language. "I've received a few job inquiries from Helsinki through LinkedIn, so the capital region of Finland might be an option. I wouldn't want to go too far from Kuopio area though, since I have family here."
All in all, he thinks the IBS programme opens doors to many kinds of job opportunities. "The programme is multidimensional, constantly evolving and encourages creativity, so I think the employment options are numerous, both in Finland and abroad", Mikhail concludes.
Mariia Pohorila
"Coming to Finland and becoming a part of the UEF family was the best choice I ever made"
After around two years of living in Finland, Mariia Pohorila, a student in the Master's Degree Programme in International Business and Sales Management (IBS), feels like "this country has always been my home".
Mariia, who originally comes from Ukraine, had dreamt about coming to Finland since she was a child, as she had heard stories about the country and its culture from her Finnish relatives. This dream finally realized when she was accepted to the IBS programme in 2015. "When I got the acceptance letter, I was the luckiest person in the world, jumping from happiness with tears in my eyes. One of the best moments in my life, definitely".
Finding information and moving in
The application process was fairly straight-forward for Mariia, as she found all the vital information online on the websites of the UEF and the Embassy of Finland.
"My only concern at the application stage was that I'm not suitable or good enough for the programme, because the level is high." However, with her previous qualifications from Ukraine, the doors of the UEF opened and Mariia started preparing the move to Finland.
"Getting in is just the beginning, like the first step. After that I started taking care of the practicalities: collecting necessary documents for applying for the residence permit, applying for housing from the student housing company Kuopas and booking plane tickets and such."
On her first week in Finland, Mariia was happy to meet her Finnish relatives who hosted her before she moved to Kuopio to her student flat. "I'm very lucky that I have a small part of family here. Besides that, I had a really nice guy as my peer tutor. He even picked up my keys to the student flat because I arrived on the weekend and the office was not open. He helped me a lot in getting to know the city and the student life in Finland."
Theory and practice well-balanced
Mariia thinks the level of studies has been as high as she expected. "Students have all the necessary facilities to support the studies and the courses are highly motivating, consisting of theoretical and practical aspects that are well-balanced".
As one of the most interesting courses Mariia mentions Global Brand Management. "The course was intense and consisted of a big chunk of theory, but it also featured very interesting individual and group exercises. As a team, we created a cloth brand that we adapted to Spanish markets. Even though it was a virtual, made-up example, it was fun to work with and we learned a lot."
Another favourite of hers was International Sales Camp, where the students got experience of a real sales process in a real company. The team analysed potential international markets for the health products of a local company and after that they actually contacted the leads. "We ended up analysing the Russian market and as I speak fluent Russian, contacting potential customers there was easy for me. However, as we started basically from zero, we did not achieve that much sales, but it was a start and definitely an educating experience of a real-life process", explains Mariia.
Easy living
While studying in Kuopio, in the middle of Finland and a bit further away from the big metropoles, might not be the option for the everybody, for Mariia it has been a really good choice. "I don't see the smaller scale as a negative thing at all, because you can always spend time with friends and just relax and enjoy life in this cozy city."
Especially the nature is something that Mariia likes about Finland. "I love to walk in the amazing forests and beautiful nature that surrounds you everywhere. Even the climate is mild compared to the North of Finland", laughs Mariia.
Also the short distances between the university, the city center and student housing and the cost of living are positive things that come with life in a smaller city. "Student housing, food and transport are not that expensive here than for example in the big cities like Helsinki."
However, according to Mariia, there are more than plenty of options for recreational activities for someone who is looking for action.
"The student associations are very active in organising all kinds of fun events, for instance. I'm involved in the international student's organisation ESN Kisa that aims to bringing international and Finnish students together, helping international students to adapt to life in Finland and making their time in Finland unforgettable."
Future aspirations
While Mariia is still considering different options for employment after graduation, she knows for sure that she would like to stay in Finland, working at an internationally-oriented company. Her previous education in Ukraine was more connected to finance and economics, whereas the current programme prepares her for many kinds of international business and sales duties, so the options are undoubtedly numerous.
"Thanks to this highly diverse programme, I truly believe that I'm standing on the threshold of a bright future."