We recently connected with Marina Sassen and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Marina with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Understanding work ethic as a set of values and attitudes that individuals hold regarding the significance of their work, the most pivotal element for me is commitment. It encompasses driving projects to completion, recognizing that your efforts impact not only clients but also the team making everything possible. Essentially, it revolves around responsibility—completing every endeavor you embark on and giving it your all. I recall a simple yet profound lesson from my father when I was about eight, akin to a second-grader. He explained that constructing a large house or even a skyscraper begins with a single brick. For your building to stand firm, you cannot overlook any bricks or place them haphazardly; each brick moves you closer to your goal. This belief is anchored in a well-known truth often overlooked: “If you do something, surely something will come of it; if you do nothing, certainly nothing will happen.” Hence, the mantra I follow is to advance, persist, stay committed, and see the outcome. Importantly, even a setback is a learning opportunity, offering valuable insights to leverage moving forward. In summary, my work ethic is defined by commitment, responsibility, initiative, dedication, resilience, teamwork, and the determination to see things through to the end.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve always had a strong business inclination, I travelled a lot to earn money abroad, primarily through teaching English, while also pursuing my education and searching for my passion. The key factor in selecting my career path was scalability and the potential for online operation. My academic background in linguistics has been super useful, enabling me to leverage language for problem-solving and persuasion. This naturally steered me towards the sales and marketing sector, where I gradually discovered a realm that allowed me to be both systematic and creative.
My journey began with social media management, but I soon found my true strength in assembling the right team. Client demand for my services grew, leading to the formation of a robust team capable of handling comprehensive marketing and branding projects. Our agency collaborates with brands across Russia and Europe, specialising in SEO, SMM, influencer marketing, content marketing, paid advertising, and the development of new brands and building websites for businesses. (Here is the link to the agency’s website https://sassendigital.com/en)
With the beginning of the AI era, I was looking to extend our assistance beyond businesses to individuals aiming to sell products online but lacking the necessary knowledge, budget, or both. Leveraging our agency’s expertise, my team and I developed an AI service equipped with over 60 tools to tackle marketing, branding, naming, and business challenges—particularly beneficial in Russia, where such services are often inaccessible. My linguistic education once again played a crucial role, given that modern AI generative models respond effectively to commands articulated in natural language, especially when structured in logical sequences.
I am committed to helping people achieve their digital objectives, whether through our agency, my personal consultations, or our AI service.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
For me, the most crucial ability is to act rather than freeze in moments of doubt or fear. Fear was there every time: when I traveled to the US with my best friend at 21, with barely any money, hoping to find jobs on arrival (probably best age to do crazy things like that); when I moved to China alone a year later, uncertain of what to expect ahead; and when I did the admission exams for a master’s degree at Charles University in Prague. Though I left the program after a year without regrets—realising it wasn’t aligned with my career path in marketing (adaptivity to the situation – another great skill! :)) —each experience was a lesson in confronting fear.
The fear was there too when I ventured into selling to my first client or when embracing the identity of a business owner. It’s essential to believe in your venture’s legitimacy as a business before expecting others to recognise it as such. In every instance, I chose to act despite my fears, a practice that has become more manageable with time.
My advice is simple. Whether you’re scared or not, just take the leap. Act. It’s through these actions, regardless of fear, that we discover where our paths can lead us.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Absolutely! I’m always on the lookout for collaboration opportunities. This could involve forming partnerships with other digital agencies or connecting with individuals enthusiastic about AI technologies. My search is twofold: I’m eager to find new projects and clients, as well as talented individuals interested in working together. Whether it’s through collaborative projects, shared expertise, or innovative ventures, I’m open to exploring how we can create value together. If you’re passionate about digital solutions or AI, and looking for opportunities to collaborate, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s see what exciting possibilities we can uncover together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sassendigital.com/en
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marina_sassen?igsh=eHl4djN6bjNtdzdl
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-sassen-2261211a8/
