Significant Career Lesson from a Head of Finance and Business Operations at TigerEye Labs
Yuri's most significant career lesson is that "no one has it figured out," a realization that boosted their confidence. This understanding, coupled with a boss's advice to embrace expertise and preparation, empowered Yuri to confidently navigate meetings and presentations, ultimately fostering career success.
Executive/Leadership, Confidence, Overcoming Challenges, Industry Realities, Motivational Stories
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Yuri Yakubov
Head of Finance and Business Operations
TigerEye Labs, Inc.
UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley MBA, Haas School of Business
Business & Related
Technology
Finance
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Even senior professionals don't have all the answers, so it's okay to not know everything.
2. Confidence is key, especially when you are the expert in a given situation. Preparation and knowledge are essential for building confidence.
3. Don't be afraid to be the expert; leverage your knowledge and expertise in meetings and discussions.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
No one has it figured out. I wish I could go back and tell my 22-year-old self coming out of undergrad that I always thought, by the time I looked at people more senior in their careers, they knew what they were doing and had it figured out.
I also thought that super successful companies like Google or Meta knew what was going on and had it figured out. But the longer I've been in my career and the more people I talk to, even at those companies, I realize no one really knows what they're doing. Some companies are just better at navigating the uncertainty.
In reality, no one has it all figured out. No one knows everything about everything. Often, you will be an expert in something.
I had an amazing boss at Solar City and then at Tesla who told me this before I went into a meeting with the CEO. I was pretty nervous, but he said, "Look, you're the expert on this. Don't be nervous because the CEO doesn't know what you're talking about."
He advised me to be confident in what I knew and to recognize that I was the expert. That short conversation completely shifted my perspective and gave me so much more confidence throughout my career.
This confidence is valuable whether you're meeting with investors, senior people, or just in general. Of course, you have to do the prep work and actually understand what you're talking about. Don't BS, because people in those positions are good at spotting it.
But as long as you're prepared, have done the work, and are knowledgeable, you are likely the expert in the room. Embrace that, let it give you confidence, and it will go a long way toward making you successful.