Working in the BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible) environment of today, women leaders in HR, outsourcing, payroll services, and IT consulting are essential. They play a crucial role in supporting businesses in maintaining operational agility in the face of unpredictability by providing creative approaches to outsourcing personnel and procedures.

Founder and CEO of Smart People, Katarzyna Kwiatkowska, is a seasoned businesswoman and SAP industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience deploying SAP solutions, specializing in the Human Capital Management (HCM) space. Katarzyna began her professional life as SAP consultant and worked her way up to project manager and consultant. She started her consulting business seventeen years ago, specializing in SAP HCM and SuccessFactors projects. The company flourished under her leadership, which resulted in its acquisition by the bigger Norwegian company Zalaris. She held important positions there, such as Executive Vice President for Eastern Europe, and was instrumental in growing the company's activities in the area.

Katarzyna has consistently shown a strong desire to set up companies that help businesses optimize payroll, IT, and back-office operations. As the founder and CEO of Smart People, she currently uses her vast experience and strategic vision to help companies cut costs and boost flexibility in SAP, IT, and other important organizational areas.

Embarking on a distinctive exchange with The Global Women Leader magazine, Katarzyna divulges the intricate facets of her journey as a prominent leader in Poland. Let's explore further.

What led you to establish Smart People? Tell us about its key areas of expertise.

In October 2023, I founded Smart People to assist businesses in overcoming the difficulties associated with locating specialized knowledge inside the industry. I developed a model that emphasizes outsourcing personnel and procedures after seeing the increasing demand for specialized capabilities and the significance of company business continuity.

Along with offering our clients qualified experts, we also assume complete accountability for the ongoing success of their business operations by controlling the risks related to processes and resources.

"Our primary area of expertise is identifying people who possess the necessary skills to carry out projects & procedures efficiently"

What are the responsibilities you shoulder as a Founder and CEO of Smart People?

My duty is to ensure that we assist our clients in navigating unpredictable times by reducing risks, improving flexibility, and matching costs with their unique demands in projects and processes. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis in Ukraine, and other unforeseen global interruptions I concentrate on offering full business continuity solutions. I lead our team in assuming the risk of resource management to enable our clients to continue operating without interruption.

In addition, I have a strong commitment to making our workplace a terrific place to work. My goal is to provide possibilities for meaningful work, cultivate a positive and productive work atmosphere, and make sure that the company and its employees grow together.

What are the major challenges you encounter in your current role? How do you overcome the said roadblocks?

One of the biggest challenges I face in my present position as the founder and CEO of Smart People is overseeing a small but quickly expanding business. I am back to doing everything by myself, just as when I started my first company, with just 17 employees and 10 clients.

Even though this is a tough endeavor, my prior experience has prepared me to handle it well. I have experience overseeing projects in every department of the company and mentoring others to start their businesses.

Growing our clientele outside of Poland and throughout Europe presents another difficulty. Rather than seeing this as a barrier, I see it as an opportunity. I am concentrating on finding and working with people who can support us in achieving our goals for expansion since I think that assembling a solid team is essential to success.

In your opinion what have been the biggest ‘wins’ that you have achieved so far in your professional journey?

Seeing different people and bringing them together into cohesive, innovative, and productive teams is where I excel. My greatest accomplishment has been, without a doubt, uniting people, building strong squads, and encouraging excellent team cohesion.

What is your vision for the future of your company?

I want to build a business that is global and can function without hindrance. With nine nations under our belt, including the UK, Smart People has already established itself as a global organization in just nine months.

I envision connecting experts throughout the world by first connecting the resources of Eastern Europe to meet Western Europe's need for flexibility, risk management, and cost-effectiveness. My goal is to establish global connections among experts. Smart People Global Academy, which launches in September, is a major initiative toward this goal. The goal of this academy is to help specialists retrain as junior consultants by offering training on SAP SuccessFactors around Europe. With our help, they will be able to progress in their jobs by passing certification tests and getting hired. This is our first major global initiative, which adds to our growing base of international clients.

Katarzyna Kwiatkowska, Founder & CEO, Smart People

Katarzyna is a seasoned professional with a master's degree in business administration and management from the University of Gdansk, where she also studied Information Technology and Economics. She also holds certifications in PRINCE2 Foundation. She has extensive experience in the SAP HCM and IT markets, providing services related to technology, team building, and recruiting highly skilled specialists from various fields. In recent years, Katarzyna has held senior management positions, including at the international level, serving as Regional Director for Eastern Europe at Zalaris and as CEO at Księgowi Sp. z o.o. She has worked with large Polish and international organizations, collaborating with companies in the UK, Scandinavian markets, and various other European markets.