The ‘Act like an owner’ principle has a company-wide explanation:

We prioritise long-term value over short-term results and are always thinking big to optimise what’s best for the entire company, not just one team. We speak up and offer assistance if we notice any issues beyond our direct responsibilities.

Still, each team member takes it to heart and interprets it in their own way — taking responsibility for every process step or going above and beyond to help our users.

This unwavering commitment to taking ownership and demonstrating responsibility drives our success.

4 Bolt employees share what acting like an owner means to them — let’s dive into their stories!

Mykhailo Kudla

Head of Distribution Marketing

After leaving my job at Google in early 2018, I founded Shoply — a community of shopping enthusiasts assisting each other in making informed purchasing decisions.

We launched the Android MVP and attracted the first 5,000 users. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the funding to continue and had to shut down this project.

This experience reminded me of the value of learning from people who achieved greater success. So, I actively sought opportunities within high-energy teams in thriving companies with meaningful missions. And I found Bolt, known as Taxify at that time.

Mykhailo Kudla, Head of Distribution Marketing at Bolt

Reaching a larger audience with the Ambassador Programme

I joined Bolt in 2018 as a Marketing Campaign Manager, tasked with finding influencers to promote our brand in different markets.

Instead of relying on PR agencies to manage our influencer partnerships, I decided to build a data-driven approach in-house. This way, we could track performance and predict results more effectively.

However, we soon realised that we needed more tools to scale up the function. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the engineering capacity to do it on our own. That’s when we decided to collaborate with Modash and MightyScout. Together, we developed a solution to find more influencers and analyse our partnerships more efficiently. It has become the key to successful influencer marketing campaigns for many companies, including Bolt.

In 1 year, our team of 3 launched campaigns with almost 2,000 influencers in 15 countries, attracting hundreds of thousands of new Bolt users.

Alternative growth channels

To fuel Bolt’s growth further, I’ve initiated several impactful projects:

Launching the Bolt Dispatch service in Azerbaijan to allow users to request rides via a phone call.
Scaling Bolt Web across 9 countries to help millions request a ride without downloading the app.
Increasing the Bolt app install rate by up to 20% by running app store A/B tests and optimising brand assets and messages.

Collaborations with top-tier companies

Later, I took the lead in implementing the idea of partnering with significant industry leaders — and established over 10 global collaborations with Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, CityMapper, Moovit, MTN, N26, and others.

Eva Liisa Havakats

Operations Manager

I joined Bolt 5 years ago as a Customer Support Specialist for Estonia, worked my way up to Quality and Supply specialist, and now I’m an Operations Manager.

From day 1, my role involved extensive interactions with Bolt drivers — from resolving their written requests and answering calls to providing guidance at the Driver Walk-in Centre and organising events.

Apart from ownership, the ‘Act like an owner’ principle is also about respect. I learned that treating drivers with respect means taking responsibility for them. This belief guides my interaction with both colleagues and drivers.

Treating drivers with respect

With our current size and success, we must remember our humble beginnings. Without drivers and couriers, there’s no Bolt. They made our scale and success possible. As a result, I approach my work with a deep sense of respect for them.

A simple act of appreciation

When I take a Bolt ride to the office, I show appreciation through a small but meaningful ritual. I let the driver know I work for Bolt, open my laptop, and read out positive passenger reviews.

This simple act is a great way to boost a driver’s mood and underscore that we appreciate their dedication.

Digging deeper into cases

During my 5 years at Bolt, I’ve built strong connections with drivers. I know many of them by name, and some know me. When a driver faces an issue, I feel compelled to hear them out and investigate, especially when their history suggests they’re not at fault.

Always looking for ways to help drivers

During rides, I often strike up conversations, offering my assistance as a Bolt representative to let drivers know we’ve got their backs.

Facebook is another place where I offer my help. I actively monitor the Bolt drivers’ Facebook community, promptly responding to their requests.

The best part is that I know that drivers appreciate my help. They congratulate me on Women’s Day or offer their assistance in return for mine. For example, 1 driver I helped owns a bike repair shop and has generously offered to fix our family’s bikes. These acts of kindness make me feel grateful for the opportunity to assist others.

Gideon Ekeno

Senior Operations Manager

My journey with Bolt began in 2018 as an Operation Specialist, following my career in consultancy, where I rarely saw the results of the strategies I developed. I wanted to switch to a more hands-on job where I could bring my ideas to life and see their impact in the real world.

Gideon Ekeno, Senior Operations Manager

Launching Bolt in Kenya

Bringing a global company to a new market is always exciting. Just take a look at my initial responsibilities:

Coordinating driver activations.
Ensuring regulation compliance.
Maintaining high-quality service standards.
Fostering interdepartmental collaborations.
Enhancing user safety.
Managing relationships with regulators.
Increasing Bolt’s brand awareness in Kenya.

Embracing ownership in all aspects

For me, ownership means completing work tasks, achieving positive results, and taking responsibility for failures or setbacks.

When I take on a project, I commit to it fully. I comprehend the project’s purpose, the team involved, the anticipated outcomes, and the overall impact on our business. My aim with every project is to make a significant impact by increasing Bolt’s GMV and profitability.

Being a role model is essential in my current role as a Senior Operations Manager. Instead of just giving answers, I prefer to guide my team members to discover solutions independently. I also encourage a positive attitude when dealing with challenges to help people develop personally and learn to take responsibility for their decisions.

A 24/7 commitment

At Bolt, we understand that problem-solving and taking advantage of opportunities can’t be permanently restricted to a 9-to-5 schedule. We’re offering a 24/7 service, so occasional work outside regular hours might be crucial for us to maintain high-quality service for passengers and partner drivers. However, it’s equally vital to maintain a work-life balance.

Florian Mocanu

Staff Software Engineer

I joined the Bolt Food team in 2019 as a Senior Software Engineer in charge of matching couriers and orders. Later, I got promoted to Staff Software Engineer.

Guidance is better than solutions

An essential aspect of taking ownership is sharing knowledge instead of just providing ready solutions. By training colleagues and reports to solve problems, we encourage independence and personal development, building a culture of ownership.

Previously, when the company was much smaller, engineers collaborated a lot with Customer Support agents. Now, we have the Technical Support team in between.

Sharing knowledge has played a vital role in taking ownership in both instances. Providing domain-specific insights for the Technical Support team empowers colleagues to handle issues independently, promotes self-sufficiency, and reduces the workload on engineers.

Beyond completion

The ‘Act like an owner’ mindset goes beyond just resolving tickets — it means considering the impact of our work and whether it has positive or negative consequences. This self-reflection motivates us to take more responsibility, ensuring our work aligns with Bolt’s objectives.

Balancing ownership with life

An ownership mindset is essential, but a healthy work-life balance is equally important. Occasionally, I may need to work outside of regular hours, but I always ensure that it doesn’t harm my well-being.

After all, this principle enhances daily interactions, fosters empathy, and sparks continual growth.

Join us!

If you’re itching to be part of a team building incredible products and making a lasting impact on our cities, look no further. Our doors are open wide, and we’re always looking for talent.

So, don’t just stand on the sidelines — join us! Visit our careers page and explore the exciting opportunities awaiting you at Bolt.

It’s time to make cities for people, not cars!

Act like an owner: stories of Bolt employees living the principle

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