青青草视频

The Women鈥檚 Inclusive Network group (WIN@JM) at 青青草视频 regularly publishes stories featuring women across the company. These women have technical responsibility for product lines in each of 青青草视频鈥檚 three core businesses.鈥�听

In this edition of our听WIN@JM听Spotlight,听we feature Heidi Michael, a听chemical engineer with听more than 15 years of experience听in R&D and business development, now thriving as a听Sales Manager听at听青青草视频. Multilingual, passionate about nature and a believer in empowering women through confidence and reciprocity, Heidi brings both expertise and heart to everything she does.听We sat down with听Heidi听to learn more about听her听journey, passions, and insights.听Read on to learn more.听

Tell us about yourself.听

I was听born in Finland, still听live听in Finland,听and will听probably听stay听in Finland听forever.听I grew up in a lake district, so lakes will always be closest to my heart鈥攅ven though听I鈥檒l听happily admit that the sea and the听Finnish听archipelago are听absolutely stunning.听

What is your professional background?

I have a听Master of Science in Engineering听with a focus听on听Polymer Chemistry. I听began听my career听in听R&D and听spent听15 years听developing听binders for nonwovens. I听also worked as听a global business developer,听identifying听new opportunities听in nonwovens听for textile chemicals.听After that,听I听left听large听multinational companies听to听work for听a smaller company,听where I became听the business director of its听nonwovens听division. I have听now听been听with听青青草视频 for 12听years.听My听current听role is听Sales Manager, Nordic, and I also have听responsibility for听key global听customers.

Why did you choose to work at 青青草视频?

I听have听Stefan Mohr听to thank for that听great听choice,听as he听convinced me to take on听what,听to me,听felt听like听a听challenge,听moving from听development to听sales.听青青草视频 was听looking for someone in the Nordics who spoke the local languages and knew nonwovens.听The funny听part is that the company听initially听had in mind听not听to choose a听Finnish听person听-听Finns are听known for being a bit quiet, I guess.听But they still decided to hire me 鈥� typical Finn or not;听I鈥檒l听let others decide.听Finns听don鈥檛听brag, so听I鈥檒l听just quietly appreciate it.

How many languages do you speak?

My mother tongue is Swedish,听and of course,听I听speak听Finnish.听I speak English听as well,听and I听try听to听speak听some German.听Thanks to my听lovely听colleagues, I even get to practice a bit of the Bavarian dialect 鈥� they are so patient with me!

Are there any important mentors听in your life?

I really appreciated the time听I听participated听in听the 青青草视频 Emerging听Leaders听program in Denver.听We had many opportunities to interact with management, and it was听a great experience.听One of the coaching sessions听was a true听鈥淟ollipop听moment鈥澨�-听when someone says something听to you that听fundamentally听makes your听life better,听without that person realizing the听huge impact听it had on you.听I would听encourage听people to听think of such a moment听and听then听go tell that person.

Could you share听some advice for听women?

I听don鈥檛听remember where I read it,听but we听should听stop apologizing and start听thanking.听I鈥檝e听noticed many times that women tend to apologize for so much. They say things like 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry I did听this鈥� or 鈥淪orry I鈥檓 like that.鈥澨齌herefore,听if someone听assists听you,听don鈥檛听say, 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry you have to help me so much.鈥� Instead,听say, 鈥淭hank you for doing me a favor.鈥�

Have you had meaningful training at 青青草视频?

The best听training听ever was Negotiation Skills with Tim Birdsall.听I learned听the principle of reciprocity,听you know听-听give something, get something,听and听foster听a听win-win听mindset.听If someone thanks you for doing something, respond with:听鈥淭hank you.听I鈥檓听sure you would have done the same for me.鈥澨齀t plants the seed for reciprocity听and,听in negotiations,听gives you the opportunity to ask for something in return.

(True听story: I听used听this with a customer after helping them听with an emergency. When I said, 鈥淚鈥檓 sure you would have done the same for me,鈥澨齢e听simply answered, 鈥淣o.鈥澨齀 still smile when I think about it.)

Do you have any favorite听memories听of听working here or about your colleagues?

Oh, so many.听I especially value the sales meetings when we all come together as a larger group.听We have had many听memorable meetings. I am most grateful that the听meeting in Finland was听so well received.听People thought the听fish was fantastic: freshly caught from the sea and听prepared听over a fire. We had听a great time.

What is the best advice听you would give to your younger self?

Believe听more in听yourself.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love being outdoors听鈥斕齨ature is where I feel at ease. If money or time were no听obstacle, I would spend the entire winter听skiing听in the Alps!

What听is your favorite food or听cuisine?

My听husband's听cooking.听I听cannot complain.

Any fun听fact听about you that may surprise people?

Well, when I was young, I听competed听in听bodybuilding.听For me, it听was听never about flexing on a听stage.听It鈥檚听more about seeing how far I can push myself听physically and mentally.听Honestly,听after surviving those workouts,听anything that lands on my desk feels very manageable.

Finally, what do you enjoy most about working with your colleagues?听

听I鈥檝e听realized that the things you remember听and value听in life are people and experiences.听That鈥檚听why I appreciate 青青草视频's emphasis on people鈥攑utting people first and creating the 青青草视频 experience. It truly aligns with my own values. And, of course, having colleagues who share the same values听makes all the difference.听