Natalka Rudnyk is responsible for the coordination, marketing and PR projects of the artist and cultural figure Zinaida. She worked in the commodity exchange, IT, energy efficiency and devices industries. However, her creative nature didn't respond to this. In the search for creators, she pays attention to their professionalism, responsibility, and improvisation. In her work, it is important for a person to have positive thinking and flexibility, to be open and honest. She advises everyone to always choose projects that have a response in the heart, then the work will be a pleasure, and the result will be excellent.
Tell us a little about yourself and your professional background. How long have you been involved in marketing, advertising, content?
I have been in the industry for about 13 years. I love different cultures, languages, music and travel. I am an economist by education, I also studied stock market activity. But while working at the commodity exchange, I realized that life had prepared something more interesting for me. Quite spontaneously, I had to work as a PR manager in a magazine, and later I did more and more projects related to music, art, yoga, fashion, theater, etc. At the same time, I attended various master classes to study a new field. I also tried to work with companies in the field of IT, energy efficiency, devices, but my creative soul did not respond to it.
What are you responsible for in the company? What do you focus on at work?
I am responsible for project coordination and PR. You can come up with any idea, but my main task is to implement it. And here a whole chain of steps and specialists in various fields is needed. My focus is to make the impossible possible.
What are your goals? How does content contribute to achieving these goals?
Quality results in the creation of content, projects, image materials. And also a successful presentation. Working with an artist and, for example, in a communication agency, these are different planes. After all, artists experience this world in a special way, they have their own language, mood, perception of the spiritual and material, so it is necessary to constantly balance. Content is the foundation. If everything is done correctly, everyone is satisfied, the goal is achieved. Next is the presentation of the project and all related activities.
What challenges do you face?
Each project I work on is special for me, so it is important to feel the message and strengthen it, and then find a contractor who understands the client's intention. I have to select carefully an outsourced person for each task so as not to waste anyone's time. Sometimes it takes time to find a person. This delays the deadlines, and therefore it is difficult to plan the next steps strategically.
Did they change in the context before / after the war?
For me, not much has changed in terms of challenges, because the global Internet allows you to find the necessary resources and contacts. The only thing is that we are all a little out of focus right now because of the war and the experiences, so it has a noticeable effect on the ability to work.
What is your superpower?
Nature, yoga, projects, music and my pets. I have 2 dogs and 7 cats, all picked up on the street or taken from a shelter. Awareness of the process of life, communication and observation of the surrounding world gives me a lot of energy. I give more than I take. I'm excited about it!
How did your life and your work change after the start of the war?
There are changes, but more on a subtle level. I have always worked with cultural projects, enjoying the power, beauty and uniqueness of our land. My work is all connected with this direction even now, that is why I am happy that in the field of art, music, theater and not only, I was able to do dozens of projects. The war only strengthened inner strength, pride and love for our land and people. And the projects became more and more conscious and saturated.
What did you have to go through?
Misunderstanding and fear of people around. 23 people in a private house. I saw how an enemy plane was shot down, and it fell, how rockets flew, and then, 3 kilometers from my house, bombed out houses, shops, pharmacies, burnt cars...
What did you help to adapt to new conditions?
Yoga. For more than 14 years, I have been practicing meditation according to the Sahaja Yoga method. Each person has his own task, but, in my opinion, the main thing is to become better, to evolve, to grow spiritually, to improve your skills in various areas. What Russia is currently doing in Ukraine is an example of complete degradation of the heart, brain and soul. Ukrainians chose a different path, because we have a different inner nature and values, this gives me strength and different insights.
Your advice to other marketers / entrepreneurs / business owners who left Ukraine or home city due to the war – what to do / what to avoid in a new place?
Do what you love and are good at, believe in, and help the country. After all, everyone who left can become an ambassador of Ukraine – talk about our true values, about culture, traditions, people, our courageous soldiers who are creating a new history. Ukraine is an example of the strength of the Spirit, faith and strength. It was from our country that the global transformation of all humanity began.
What are you missing now to be effective at work?
Probably rest, reboot. First the covid, now the war, that is, you are constantly faced with new problems that need to be solved and structured in a new way.
How do you usually look for content creators?
I ask friends, colleagues for recommendations, search on websites, analyzing portfolios.
For what tasks are you looking for creators most often?
Creating designs, videos, art translations, etc.
What criteria do you help to select?
By the level of professionalism, responsibility, improvisation. It is important that a person has a positive mindset and flexibility, because sometimes the client can spontaneously change the brief, ask to rewrite it, add something, and for me the main thing is mutual understanding in this direction.
Who exactly are you not considering?
Superficial people and those who try to impose their vision without proper analysis of the task.
What is important in working with a creator?
Positivity, openness and honesty. It is very cool when a person is passionate about work and therefore performs tasks very well, with all worked out details.
What brought you to the platform? How did you find out? What were the barriers? Why did you decide to try it anyway?
I received a message from the founder, Julia Pismenna, with details about the platform, and a month later I applied with a brief. I couldn't find a good collage artist for a very long time. We had recommended people, but their test works were only disappointing. Julia immediately provided me with several portfolios. It was wonderful!
Tell us about your experience with the platform and creators of the platform? Did we meet your expectations?
We liked several collage pros. Everyone created something beautiful for us, we still work with some designers.
What do you like the most about the platform? What should be improved?
High level of selected specialists, i.e. all are very professional and creative. It is very pleasant to work. But I would like to have a base of foreign specialists on the platform. After all, there are new technologies in some areas that are not yet used in our country, or such specialists are scarce, and you need to book them in advance.
Tips for clients: how to find someone who will do the job exactly as needed?
Describe the brief as clearly as possible.
Make a mood board (select visual images).
Look through the portfolio and look for someone with a similar presentation.
Tips for creators: how to become a creator who you always want to work with?
Take those projects that have a response in the heart, because then the work will be a pleasure, and the result will be excellent. At some stage in my life, I started to refuse projects where I did not see value for myself. Everything must be in balance in order to enjoy the process.
Delve into the idea.
Think positively, to be responsible and sincere.
To contact the designer and the collage artist who collaborated with Natalka on the projects of Zinaida Art, and invite them to your project – drop a line to Julia Pysmenna, pysmenna@gmail.com or just fill in our Brief.