Coffee break with Carola Ott

From project kick-offs to performance campaigns

Interview: Marina Burtyleva

Interviewee: Carola Ott

For this edition of Coffee Break, we sat down with Carola – Head of Marketing – to explore her journey at Solaris. From her early days as an onboarding project manager to building and leading a multidisciplinary marketing team.

We talked leadership, learning, and the power of mental well-being (and a little weightlifting).

When did you join Solaris, and what was your role then versus now?

Carola: I joined Solaris around four and a half years ago as an Onboarding Project Manager.

Back then, my job was all about helping our partners get started on the Solaris platform. Managing multiple onboarding projects, scoping new features, and supporting launches. It was a really exciting time: high-growth, high-speed.

Six months in, I was promoted to team lead. Today, I’m the Head of Marketing. I lead a diverse team that covers performance marketing, CRM, product marketing, campaign execution, and data analytics. We built this team from scratch. It didn’t exist before and I never imagined I’d end up in marketing.

How did that transition to marketing happen?

Carola: To be honest, I never saw myself in marketing.

Sure, I had some product marketing experience from my days as a product manager in banking, but nothing like this. What won me over was the chance to build a team from the ground up. Shaping everything from our MarTech stack to sales and marketing strategy and execution. That mix of creativity and commercial focus really resonated with me.

What do you appreciate most about your team?

Carola: Diversity – our team brings together people with different backgrounds, skill sets, and seniority levels. Everyone brings their own perspective, and that leads to better discussions and better solutions.

What excites me as a lead is the opportunity to support the development of my team members while learning from them at the same time. I don’t need to be the expert in every niche area, we have true domain experts for that.

My job is to guide, align, and help them connect the dots strategically. It’s a real exchange. And that’s what makes it work.

What’s a project or achievement you’re most proud of?

Carola: That’s a tough one!

I’ve been fortunate to work with several great teams, and every chapter had its own highlights.

But most recently? I’m especially proud of building the marketing team and infrastructure from scratch. Watching an idea become a live campaign, seeing actual leads, conversions, and results. That’s incredibly rewarding! It’s not just about numbers on a slide.

It’s about seeing our strategy in action and knowing it’s driving real business impact. For the team, and for the company.

What’s one non-work-related thing that always brightens your day at Solaris?

Carola: My colleagues, for sure.

Whether it’s a quick “hello” in the hallway or a coffee after a tough call, the human connection here is real. When I work remotely, I really miss that part. Just being around the team gives me energy.

What’s one daily habit that helps you stay balanced?

Carola: For me, it’s all about disconnecting completely after work. Sometimes that means going to the gym (I’m into weightlifting), and sometimes it means spending time with my little son on the playground or catching up with friends over ice cream.

I also recently discovered Cantienica, a technique for deeper muscle activation, focusing on body awareness and correct posture. It’s completely changed how I approach movement and mindfulness. Highly recommend it!

Final Sip

Carola’s journey is a great reminder that at Solaris, the doors are always open for those who want to grow.

You can start as an Onboarding Project Manager and, four and a half years later, lead a dynamic team of marketing experts. When you stay curious, keep learning, and actively develop both your expertise and your soft skills, incredible things happen. Especially when you’re leading a diverse team with different perspectives and strengths.

Sometimes, the most unexpected turns lead to the most rewarding paths.