Hello! I am Anna-Liisa Orglaan and I have had the extraordinary opportunity to be the CEO of Grow Finance since this year. My journey to this role In GROWstarted ten years ago. During this time, I have grown with the company, learned, and found a deep passion for managing people. I have repeatedly noticed that alone you can go faster, but together you can go further.
My inspiration comes from working with people and technology. When looking for solutions for our clients, we need to find the right option for them – offering the best and most modern technical solution and ensuring that we have the right people on our team.
First steps and challenges
Before joining Grow Finance, I was involved in management at both a sports club and an excavator factory – two very different but equally challenging experiences. They gave me a strong foundation, but didn’t prepare me for everything that lay ahead.
At Grow Finance, I have faced technical challenges, complex international projects, and team development – all of these challenges have shaped me as a leader.
My greatest achievements are not only related to meeting business goals, but also to supporting strong people. There are people on my team who are smarter, faster and more experienced than me, but they also need support and consideration. I have had to invest a lot in self-development to be a worthy leader for them and create a supportive environment.
I believe that a great leader is not someone who does a lot themselves, but someone who can create and develop teams that operate independently and effectively.
Role change and self-development
One of my favorite roles In GROWhas been developing customer and partner relationships and selling. In my current role as CEO, I mainly manage managers – their concerns and challenges are often more complex than managing individual people or projects. This has made me invest more in self-development to be a worthy leader for my team.
For me, this means continuous learning – reading books, listening to podcasts, and attending trainings. I also have a coach-mentor who helps me understand myself better and forces me to look deeper into myself. I advise every leader to never stop learning and self-development, and to encourage their team to do the same.
I think it's very important to surround myself with smarter people. Fortunately, there are GROWThe management is just like that – our meetings usually end with me finding one of my "blind spots" or getting some innovative solutions to test.
Vision and goals for the future of Grow Finance
My dream is to create a work environment that supports people's development and well-being. I want the people at Grow Finance to take care of their clients in the best way possible and for our partners to always be satisfied with our service. To achieve this, we focus on:
- growth and automation,
- development of a support systemto support our rapid adaptation capacity,
- efficient work organizationto avoid unnecessary work both internally and for customers,
- international partnershipsthat inspire and open up new possibilities.
Inspiration and motivation
I was given a few years ago while studying at EBS DISC test, which resulted in me being Inspirator– strong Iwith high With D. This means that I am driven above all by inspiration and the big picture. Motivation can fade, but when your goal is clear and inspiring, the energy never goes away.
For me, it is important to understand the goals of my people, help them grow, and find a common direction. A strong team is not born by chance - it is a consciously created environment where people feel valued and inspired.
Lessons and values
My journey has taught me that values are the key to success. I have been fortunate to work with a strong leader, With Ulvi Tallowith whom we have created a common understanding and supportive work culture. Thanks to this, even complex decisions are easier and faster.
I would like every leader to think about the following questions:
✔ Are you an inspiring leader for your team?
✔ Are you creating an environment where people can grow and develop?
✔ Does your team feel like they are part of something bigger?
Let's grow together!
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