Elena Verna: SurveyMonkey Growth & Analytics Leader — and Fan of Data, Coffee, and Sunny California  

Elena Verna is one of those American success stories that helps us to believe again in the romance of the immigrant dream.  She was born and raised in Russia, but came to the U.S. in 2001 and graduated from UC Berkeley, and since then, has had positions at two top firms, starting out as a Senior Analyst for Marketing Strategy at Safeway. She moved on from there to Palo Alto-based SurveyMonkey, working first as a Manager for Business Intelligence, and now as a Senior Director for Growth and Analytics.

Her professional role model, she says, was Dave Goldberg, the CEO of SurveyMonkey who died tragically just recently; his lessons live on, however, and she says that she hopes to emulate his “remarkable eye for detail” and “generosity,” among other traits.  She tends towards an interest in the human side of leadership, saying that good leaders “strive to make people feel heard” and provide “unconditional support,” which are good observations for one so youthful (she is just twenty-nine).

Verna takes part in the Bay Area Girl Geek Dinners that bring together tech-oriented women in that region. She says she loves playing with her toddler daughter, has a near-photographic memory, and like many professional women, cannot live without her coffee (see her last comment about her one-themed breakfast!). She has also come to value the brilliance of the California weather; her ZoomInfo profile notes that in Russia she had enough of long winters, and now in California, is happily “snow-free.”

Although her answers are brief and to the point, she exudes smarts, and clearly has a great passion for the details of her job, noting that the world only makes sense to her “when there are numbers attached  to it” which is exactly the sort of mindset needed for a data-driven position.

Can you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
My life is all about my family and my career. I try to learn something new every single day and push myself to my limits. You only live once! 

What does a day in your shoes typically look like?
My days pass in the blink of an eye. I wake up, play with my baby, and then get to work, where a storm of analyzing data, making decisions, coming up with solutions to problems, answering emails, creating tickets, attending meetings and removing roadblocks for my team begins.

I always make sure to create at least one SurveyMonkey account every day, so I can go through our product flow and think of new ideas for how to make SurveyMonkey even better. I’m always home by 6 p.m. so I can have two precious hours with my daughter, during which time I don’t even come close to my phone/email. And then it’s back to the computer so I don’t feel like I’m behind on email/work the next morning!

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?s (in that exact order).
Have coffee, check the company’s numbers, and read The Skimm to stay on top of the news (in that exact order).

What is your breakfast of choice?
Coffee with a side of coffee.

What and who inspires your work?
Dave Goldberg [late CEO of SurveyMonkey, also husband to Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg] is my inspiration. His passion for SurveyMonkey’s mission, remarkable eye for detail, raw intelligence, generosity, and ability to create and lead an amazing team were incredible. I hope to channel him in my work in as many ways as possible.

What keeps you energized and motivated at work?
The opportunity to make a difference and continue learning in the process.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Seeing the effect of my team’s hard work on the business, and seeing individuals on my team succeed in their roles.

How does your culture/background influence your work?
I am an extremely analytical person, and my world only makes sense when there are numbers attached to it. My mission is to foster a data-driven culture at SurveyMonkey, and enable everyone to ask the right data questions in order to understand and interpret data correctly.

What has been the biggest obstacle in your career, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest obstacle is self-doubt. I’m not a person of impulse, and I want every move I make to be correct. Learning that making mistakes is part of learning, and being confident in my ability to make the right calls has been the biggest challenge for me. Practice makes perfect though!

What is your favorite leisure activity after a stressful work week?
Playing with my one-and-a-half year old daughter. I learn to discover the world all over again with her – it teaches me to not take everyday tasks for granted!

How many times have you changed your career direction?
I never knew exactly where I would end up and what direction I should take; I always just did what I loved and rode the wave of opportunity.

Three questions you like to ask during an interview to know if the candidate (or job) is the right fit?
“Who do you want to be in five years?”
“What do you want people to remember about you after you retire?”
“What type of people do you get along with?” 

What are the most important qualities of a good leader?
A good leader provides unconditional support, yet challenges people to learn and improve. They also give other people independence and responsibility, but allow them to make mistakes. And lastly, they always strive to make people feel heard.

What advantages do you see as a woman in the workplace?
As a woman in the workplace, I spend time trying to read people and adjust my working style to blend with theirs. I find this practice to be extremely helpful in avoiding conflict and making everyone feel heard and motivated. It constantly helps me be a better manager and leader.

What advice would you give women starting their career?
Don’t doubt yourself and always voice your opinions.

What book would you recommend for women just starting their career?
Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg.

Favorite Quote: “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”– Albert Einstein

Photo: Kwantae Kim