Tiina is a Top-Level NetSuite Professional

My journey with NetSuite consulting began in 2016 through labour market training. At that time, there were only a handful of NetSuite consultants in Finland, so I was among the first ones when I joined the bootcamp organized by Staria. Previously, I had worked e.g. as a development director at a port operator and as an entrepreneur, and I never really planned to work in consulting, but I realized I was looking for a role where I could work closely with clients and help them develop their processes.

Leading competence and delivering top-quality projects

My current position at Staria is twofold: I serve as both a NetSuite Architect and the lead for the Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management vertical. As an architect, I’m responsible for large-scale client projects, ensuring that all NetSuite processes and any integrations work seamlessly together to serve the client in the best possible way. As a vertical lead, I manage a team focused on NetSuite projects. In our vertical team, sharing knowledge and developing best practices is part of our daily routine, and we’re always learning from each other. As a Vertical Lead, I get to focus on leading competence without HR responsibilities, which suits me perfectly.

From beginner to architect

After graduating from Staria’s bootcamp as a NetSuite consultant, I started out working on smaller projects and in supporting roles. As I gained experience, I moved up to Senior level, taking on broader responsibilities. Now, as an architect, I focus exclusively on the most challenging processes and support requests, and I design system architectures especially when projects involve multiple systems, modules, or countries. Early in my career, I was actively involved in pre-sales meetings and prepared NetSuite demos for potential clients, which quickly gave me a deep understanding of the platform’s various features.

Beyond pre-sales experience, I feel that my education and previous work history have been a significant advantage, as understanding clients’ business processes is crucial in consulting. You can always learn the system, but a good consultant understands the bigger picture and can advise clients on how to develop their processes. My experience “on the other side of the table” helps me grasp clients’ needs and solutions, whether it’s about measurement, profitability calculations, or process development.

A day in consultant’s life: challenges, wins, and lots of learning

My days at Staria are varied. Even though NetSuite implementation projects follow the same phases, every client and project is unique. I’m especially passionate about manufacturing and supply chain clients. In these projects I get to see how products are sold, manufactured, and how raw materials are sourced. Working in a multi-company environment brings its own challenges, especially when products are sold between companies. Often these projects involve companies from several countries and production sites around the world, making my work highly international.

Strong prioritization and communication skills are essential in my job. You need the ability to listen and be social with clients, but internal communication is just as important. The ability to see the big picture and understand how processes connect is key, since decisions made in a project can have wide-ranging effects.

Consulting also requires the courage to recommend solutions to clients. A good consultant listens but isn’t afraid to question and share their own insights. At Staria, we don’t just copy a client’s old processes into the system; we strive to improve them. That drive for improvement is what makes the work meaningful for me.

The most challenging part of my job is the variety of projects and systems. I’m often juggling several projects for different clients at the same time, and in addition to NetSuite, I need to manage third-party systems, since clients often use other platforms alongside NetSuite that need to be integrated. You can handle these challenges if you know how to prioritize your work — deciding what to tackle first and what can wait — and aren’t afraid to test ideas in the sandbox.

The most rewarding part of my job is reaching milestones and solving problems. Whether big or small, it always feels great when a part of a project moves forward. True collaboration with clients and shared excitement are what make my work meaningful.

A great team supports individual’s success

I’m fortunate to work with skilled colleagues, we have strong and diverse expertise in-house. Our collaboration works well, help is always available quickly and colleagues are easy to approach. Staria is a great place to work as a NetSuite consultant because we invest heavily in the project definition phase: when analysis and documentation are done thoroughly, the implementation project can be completed successfully and on schedule. The vertical team model introduced at the beginning of 2025 supports more focused work and allows us to deepen our expertise in specific areas.

We take the time to thoroughly understand our clients’ processes, of which we have been thanked many times. When projects are well planned, the workload stays balanced, and it’s easy to stay motivated and enjoy the work. Staria also invests in resourcing, we now have a large group of NetSuite consultants with different areas of expertise, making it easier to allocate skills and ensuring that not every consultant needs to know everything.

Staria supports professional development by providing time for studying and completing NetSuite certifications if needed. I’ve had the opportunity to complete Advanced Manufacturing and Field Service Management training in England. Still, the best learning happens in everyday work and through sharing knowledge with colleagues.

I mainly work remotely, since both my colleagues and clients can be located anywhere in the world. Remote work works well, but I occasionally visit the Turku office to meet colleagues. At Staria, remote work is flexible and can be arranged in a way that suits you.

How is every day still inspiring?

At Staria, I’ve been able to grow from a beginner to the top level. I’m happy with my current role because I want to work as a specialist rather than climb the organizational ladder. I want to keep learning about new clients’ processes and NetSuite functionalities, as well as develop the vertical team further. There’s never a dull moment in this job, every day brings something new to learn, whether it’s about clients’ processes, NetSuite itself (which is constantly evolving), or third-party applications built on top of NetSuite. The work is all about continuous learning and development, and every day brings new challenges and opportunities to grow as a professional.