Empowering Excellence: Mert's Journey at Mercury

Meet Our People – Mert Sarıbaşak

In this edition of our Employee Spotlight series, we are excited to feature Mert, our Strategic Initiatives Manager at Mercury. With a rich background in project management and a passion for innovation, Mert has been instrumental in driving key initiatives that enhance our logistics solutions. His journey from Sr. Program Manager to his current role showcases his commitment to excellence and collaboration within our dynamic team. Mert's hands-on experience in developing the Mercury Platform and other strategic projects highlights his ability to navigate challenges and implement effective solutions. His leadership style, rooted in empathy and open communication, fosters a culture of teamwork and respect among colleagues. As we explore Mert's insights and vision for the future, we gain a deeper understanding of the impact he continues to make in our industry.

Can you share your journey to becoming the Strategic Initiatives Manager at Mercury and what motivated you to join the company?

Our roads with Mercury crossed when I was working as a Project Manager at a company that serves mainly in technology consultancy. When I started advising Mercury and building software development teams with my teammates, I found a chance to translate my theoretical knowledge into real-world practices. I enjoyed it a lot and used all my knowledge to test it and build the best team and processes. The leadership was open-minded and welcomed all the changes. 

After becoming an official Mercury member, I worked as Sr. Program Manager. I was responsible for timeline, alignment, team organization, performance, and all the responsibilities of a PMO. We built a fantastic team, launched our new platform, and presented it to our clients. After a while, I got comfortable with my responsibilities; I wanted to challenge myself with different tasks to learn, adapt, and overcome. At that point, I was promoted to Strategic Initiatives Manager, and I am trying to find and operate new initiatives for Mercury.

What are some of the key projects or initiatives you have worked on since joining Mercury as a Sr. Program Manager?

As a part of the Product Development team, I have worked with the team to develop the Mercury Platform. It was a vast project to overcome and make it to live. It is a platform where a company can lead all logistics operations in one place. We have developed the Platform with lots of effort, vision, data, and insights. I believe everyone at Mercury puts their full effort and uses all of their knowledge to provide the best logistics platform to our clients.

Besides the Platform, I’ve participated in building supplies.shipmercury.com and many other internal initiatives that help Mercury move to the top of the industry.

What challenges have you faced in your role, and how have you navigated those challenges to drive success for the team?

Building a product that uses cutting-edge technology, serves tons of users simultaneously, scalable and modular was very hard. To be able to build such a product, the team should be versatile and very big. We had to develop the Mercury Platform quickly and with a small team. Since the Mercury product development team's foundations do not date back many years, establishing optimal processes required predicting the future, and therefore, a lot of research and experimentation was needed. Although establishing these processes was quite difficult, it was fun and educational. We succeeded in developing this complex product by iteratively improving ourselves as a team until we found our best form, respecting each other's ideas and getting support from our strengths.

How do you ensure effective collaboration and alignment between different teams and departments while working on strategic initiatives?

The key is communication. At Mercury, we follow an open-door policy. Everyone in Mercury, even our CEO, is always open to someone answering their questions or helping when needed. This eases a lot of burden and makes Mercury a healthy workplace. We know each team has unique skills and experience in their work. We respect each other and communicate delicately.

With meetings like stakeholder meetings, huddles, and catchups,  we align with other teams and share our knowledge with other teams to focus on one big goal: Being the best logistics provider in healthcare & life sciences.

What excites you most about the future direction of Mercury and the new initiatives you are responsible for?

We have a bright future as Mercury. The Platform we built, the services we provide, and the team we make are all built on a strong basis. We are already serving the best experience to our clients, and it will be enhanced with cutting-edge technology when we bring our software to a certain level. 

The services Mercury provides are temperature-sensitive and time-critical. We know these shipments save lives, and we play a substantial part in this. Being aware of this loads a big responsibility on our shoulders. And each employee of Mercury properly fulfills their duty.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in program management or strategic initiatives?

Since program management is a more well-known and in-use role in the industry, I can give some advice for that role. There are a lot of practices, frameworks, and tools available. Before using any of them, you must analyze the current environment, the culture, and the existing organization structure well to choose the best practice. Some frameworks and tools might be so popular that everyone may be using them. But it does not necessarily mean they are the right options to use in your specific case. DO NOT use any practice just for the sake of using it. Do not forget there will always be room for improvement, and much of it will come from the development teams. Listen respectfully, understand the underlying problem, and find a long-term solution that aligns with the company's vision.

How has the company culture at Mercury influenced your work and leadership style?

Mercury's commitment to continuous improvement inspires me to explore innovative solutions and welcome change, which is so important in our fast-paced industry. Moreover, the supportive atmosphere encourages me to lead with empathy and openness, making sure my team feels appreciated and inspired. All in all, the uplifting culture at Mercury has helped me become a more adaptable and inclusive leader, dedicated to fostering a sense of community success. 

Outside of work, what hobbies or interests do you pursue to maintain a healthy work-life balance?

Coffee is my passion. I am a little barista at home. I love trying new coffee beans, different roasters, and new recipes. I even travel for this hobby to try new coffee shops. We have a small group with my friends to talk about the beans every week.

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