#metasitespotlight

Meet Valentinas – our Team Lead and Business Analysis Competence Lead at Metasite

“A boss has the title; a leader has the people. “– said Simon Sinek.
And we have a unique type of combined role for leaders in our company – the one of a Competence and Team Lead. Its primary purpose is to manage the team and guide people through different technologies and skills, helping them develop new tools and practices. At Metasite, Valentinas sails the Team Leader and Business Analysis boat. Navigating through the sea of challenges and opportunities, our Leads connect everyone involved and continuously grow together as a team.

Why do you do what you do – in other words, why does leading a software delivery team to tickle your fancy?

I am the big picture guy who loves generating solutions. As a highly goal-oriented person, I enjoy planning, executing and seeing visible results come to life. Also, I love taking care of my team and accomplishing goals together – seeing happy people around me is what brings me the biggest amount of joy.

Could you describe your path to becoming a Team Lead and the Head of Business Analysis at Metasite?

This has been a fascinating journey of 14 years, which started in a Project Manager’s role. As a person who thrives on responsibilities and making things happen, I truly enjoyed additional tasks which came with this role, such as business analysis. I was blessed to grow in a welcoming atmosphere and ended up where I am today – leading a team of highly-skilled professionals to success. I think my BA background also helps me in the Team Lead position, as business analysis is not that far from psychoanalysis ;)

If you had to explain what you do at Metasite in 2-3 sentences, how would you describe it?

Basically, I help people employ their strengths and deliver solutions to our clients by performing business analysis, organisational, communicational and HR responsibilities. I help clients foresee, plan and execute the necessary changes to achieve impressive results. I also use my long-term expertise and serve as a mentor for junior business analysts.

What are the things you enjoy the most in your work?

Salary day! :) As I already shared, I really love solving clients’ problems and making them happy. Also, I enjoy finding a completely different problem-solving approach and guiding the client in another direction that they haven’t been able to see themselves. There is also some repetitive, technical work, which for some strange reason is not automated yet – this brings less joy for sure. Yet, it all balances out in the end.

What’s next on your “to-learn” bucket list?

Learning is my native language. :) Thus, it happens almost naturally to me. I’m navigating the task flow and constantly searching for new methods, tools, and applications. So I simply employ my strengths and see what lessons it brings me.

Who/what inspires you?

My main inspiration comes from the sentence “it’s not possible to do”. That’s when I get my creative juices flowing and become excited about the upcoming project.

What are your favourite book(s), author(s) – or blogger(s) – that you would recommend?

My favourite book is Wikipedia! :) Also, I would recommend BABOK for all analysts.

Do you listen to music while working?

I prefer silence, to be honest.

What does #MetasiteLife feel like for you?

Feels good! :) I like my colleagues and overall organisational culture. My personal values highly
resonate with the company’s values.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Listening to youtube videos on history, psychology, physics, and philosophy while running. Playing, chess, cooking, singing – from time to time.

Do you have a favourite quote?

Not sure who may be the one to say that, but something like “nothing lasts forever” (“visada taip nebus”). This reminds me that not only the bad things in life will pass, but the good ones – too. And life itself :) So enjoy the ride as much as you can – now is the only time we got.

In a different life – if you were not a Team Lead and an expert Business Analyst – what job/profession would you choose, and why?

Rock star – money for nothing :) Or, maybe, an opera star. Or a chef. But in a different life, I
would probably enjoy different things, right?..

If you were asked to name your most significant accomplishment in life – what would it be?

Well, I have kinda built a house from scratch. :)

How do you expect your field to evolve over the next 5-10 years?

For the BA part, I think that software/process modelling tools will notably progress, and it will be possible to configure a lot of stuff without actual development, therefore BA role will be closer to the end solution than it is now. As of the Team Leading – nothing new has been invented since ancient Rome! :)

What superpower would you like to have?

To know absolutely everything in the world. :)

What is the best tool you have ever used?

My head :) If we are talking about BA tools, I’d have to say it’s Axure – a prototype building tool. I was not very impressed at first, but it eventually blew my mind with its capabilities to create high-fidelity prototypes. You can even inject your own JS code :)
As an ex-programmer, I got a chance to remember some things about variables and loops.

Is there a project you have worked on at Metasite that you’ve found particularly interesting, challenging, and satisfying? Why?

I would pick the Equiniti SOL project as the one. I was occupied as a Team Lead, PM and BA init, so there was quite a lot of work. I think this project was very successful in terms of customer satisfaction, we have produced a lot of complex functionalities in quite a short period of time. The product we have created is used by millions of customers in the US market now.
Great team effort.

What have you gained from working at Metasite?

I think a lot of my personality has been formed under the influence of Metasite. It’s difficult to even comprehend how much valuable knowledge and exciting opportunities I had during all those years! Now, I can confidently say that joining Metasite was one of the best decisions of my life.

What advice would you offer to prospective Metasite candidates?

Don’t worry and be happy. Enjoy your time :)

If you could meet anyone in the world – alive or dead – who would it be and why?

Probably Freddie Mercury, to check if my theory about the meaning of Bohemian Rhapsody is correct. :)

And finally – what question for your colleagues would you like to add to this questionnaire?

“Were you the one to take Valentinas’s tomato from the office fridge back in 2016?” :D

#joinmetasite