What motivated you to join Surya?
When looking for my next career move, I really wanted to focus on a company that had longevity and growth opportunities, but still provided a strong sense of culture and Surya provided that. I wanted to work for a company where my impact could be felt.
How does Surya convey to employees a sense of belonging?
A lot of our work is done cross functionally. No department can do everything. This has allowed a lot of great conversations and learning to happen that wouldn’t otherwise.
In what ways has Surya supported your professional development and growth?
Surya has been great about providing any resources needed to continue growth in my career from 1:1 training to larger department driven trainings.
In what ways are you supported in maintaining a healthy work-life balance?
We have a nice PTO allotment that allows a good balance, while we are back in the office five days, we have 10 flex days we can use as needed.
How do you know that you’re making a difference/having an impact with the work that you do?
Like many industries COVID had a great impact on Surya and the home furnishing industry. For us, through COVID we were able to provide people with the comfort they needed and desired during one of the most trying times.
Working closely with our product development teams in India and Turkey has been a huge insight into the business. Seeing how hard the artisans work and the excitement of them creating new products has truly been a highlight.
What makes you proud to represent Surya?
From our social impact to the quality of products we can provide our customers. Through our products we employee artisans across the world to allow them the ability to showcase their skills.
In what ways do you feel like you’ve grown since working for Surya?
Since my time at Surya, I’ve been able to grow my confidence in multiple areas from team leadership to business communication and sharing/providing feedback to grow businesses.
What do you wish you had known about the professional world when you were a student?
Developing a voice when in a group/team setting would be key to excelling in the work force.
In thinking about emerging young professionals, what advice would you share to those seeking their first opportunities?
- Be open minded, the path you had planned for yourself may end up differently than expected and that’s ok.
- Understand with risk there is reward, but there is a great deal of work that goes into getting the reward.
- Be open to every opportunity to learn. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking you are the smartest person in the room.