Mari Ojala

Background

About Mari Ojala

I am a creative and strategic thinker with a passion for language and storytelling, driven by a deep curiosity about how the world works and how we make sense of it. I spent my youth in the hallways of music school, practicing discipline and learning to understand the surrounding culture through music - an experience that shaped my ability to approach the broader context in everything I do by listening closely, paying attention to details and innovatively combining ideas and insights. Over the years, this way of seeing and interpreting the world has gradually led me to pursue research, and I am excited to begin my journey as a Doctoral Researcher in the fall, where I will explore how meaningful work is constructed in everyday practices and organizational life. With over 20 years of experience in customer service and client relationships, I have honed my skills in understanding business needs and building lasting partnerships. Over the past 10+ years, I have specialized in creating and selling influencer marketing campaigns and fostering strategic long-term collaborations with key clients. What excited me most in this work was leveraging data and market analysis to optimize partnerships and drive better results for clients. My work experience, built up from a young age, has shaped a holistic understanding of business dynamics and strategic solutions, providing a strong foundation for analyzing complex business environments and adapting to changing demands. My return to academia to complete my Master’s at Aalto University School of Business reignited my passion for research and evidence-based insights. My thesis, which examined how students construct meaningful careers, shed light on the evolving nature of career identity and the critical role of values and balance in professional life. Building on this foundation, I am now excited to explore meaningful work as a practice, aiming to understand how meaningfulness emerges through everyday work experiences and social interactions, with a focus on its collective construction rather than as a predefined individual or managerial outcome. Feel free to reach out if you spotted shared interests. I am always looking forward to insightful conversations!