KVS Authors: Minna Pääjärvi
Behind the scenes at KVS, there is a team of experts with diverse backgrounds. In our staff profiles, we’ll take turns introducing our team members, their backgrounds, their expertise, and what inspires them in their work. This time, we’re featuring Minna Pääjärvi, KVS’s Marketing and E-commerce Manager.
Minna at the KVS booth in Jyväskylä. The photo was taken by Ari Pölkky, CEO of HtF Group.
At KVS, Minna is responsible for marketing, the online store, maintaining product information, and sales support. She also serves as the company’s general customer service representative, handling inquiries both by phone and email.
“I often describe myself as a ‘jack-of-all-trades,’ but my official title is Marketing and E-commerce Manager. My job description is very broad. I do my part to ensure that day-to-day operations at KVS run as smoothly as possible.”
Coworkers should turn to Minna especially when there are unclear cases, matters that need to be clarified, or situations that deviate from the norm piling up on her desk. She also enjoys proofreading and fine-tuning texts.
From Optiko to the Lighting Industry
Minna’s path into the lighting industry is not the most typical. She originally trained as an optician, but a few years ago she decided to change careers and began studying communications. During her studies, she found her niche in technical communication and interaction design.
After completing my undergraduate studies, I came across a job posting from KVS.
“Unbelievable luck: a full-time job right after finishing my bachelor’s degree—and just a bike ride away from where I live!”
I got into the lighting industry completely by chance, but in hindsight, it's easy to see the connection to my previous career.
“Light also played a very central role in my work as an optician. The eyes and eyeglasses focus on receiving light, whereas here the focus is on emitting light. So I’ve ended up working with light at both ends!”
A lot has to be happening behind the scenes
Minna feels she is at her best when sorting things out and dealing with various regulations and bureaucratic matters. The lighting and electrical industries are subject to a great deal of national and EU-level regulation, which makes maintaining product information, for example, a surprisingly complex undertaking.
Minna, in particular, is excited about new products and the expansion of KVS's own Mojova product line.
Getting a new product ready for sale involves much more than just adding it to the online store. We need to get to know the product and name it; technical specifications and documentation must be entered into various product databases; and we also need product photos, product cards, user manuals, retail packaging, and marketing materials. None of these steps is fully outsourced—instead, all of this is done in-house.
“Developing new products takes a lot of time, but it really challenges my skills in a wide variety of ways.”
What Minnan finds most rewarding is when a major update or project is completed and she sees how it streamlines the entire company's operations.
“My work can sometimes be a bit invisible—the kind you only notice when it’s missing.”
Outside the lighting area
She spends her free time with her family, pursuing her hobbies, and studying for her master’s degree in communication. Minna enjoys hip-hop and Latin dance, goes to the gym, reads a lot, and plays the piano. She enjoys spending time with her family in nature and playing board games.
Bonus question: If you could make one term in the lighting industry easier to understand, which one would it be?
Instead of one, Minna names two right away.
“The most hated terms in the lighting industry are ‘downlight’ and ‘wall washer.’ ‘Downlight’ sounds artificial and doesn’t fit with Finnish grammar, while ‘wall washer’ sounds like a cleaning tool. However, coming up with alternative terms would require in-depth terminological consideration, so for lack of a better option, we’ll stick with these.”
Minna’s career path is yet another example of how people from diverse backgrounds can end up in the lighting industry. In our KVS profiles, we’ll return later to feature another contributor, another background, and another perspective.
