The Gears of Comodule: Kadri - CFO with a Passion for Music and Sports
Kadri is not your average number-crunching accountant, but a very talented musician with an interest in sports and traveling. She has an eye for details while keeping the big picture in sight, making her the perfect person to manage Comodule’s finances.
Who is Kadri?
Kadri grew up in a beautiful little seashore town called Haapsalu. From early on, she loved music and already at 3 years old, she went to a local singing studio with her friends. In addition to singing and attending music school, Kadri was a very active kid who played tennis and competed in swimming, dancing, and even horse riding. “Although I excelled in many fields, I mostly value all the cool friends and people I met from these different activities,” said Kadri.
In school, Kadri’s favorite subject was math. Overall, Kadri is a natural talent and school was quite easy for her. “Once, I was sent to a national math competition and I remember for some reason I was a little bit late and didn't even have a pen with me, later on, I discovered I won the whole thing,” said Kadri laughing. Another interesting detail about Kadri is that she finds math and music to be very similar as the rhythm and notes in music are very precise and mathematical. Besides Math and Music, in high school, she really enjoyed learning German and later on even considered to go study it at University.
Kadri still dreams about playing tennis, but unfortunately, her doctor cautions her not to play anymore due to a shoulder injury. “I love tennis, but luckily I have found new hobbies like playing guitar and going sailing. I have played the piano all my life, but as it is hard to carry around, I chose a lighter instrument” said Kadri.
When Kadri had to choose what to study at the University, she decided to go to Tallinn University of Technology and study Public Economics. “I was considering business studies but thought that I should master the state economy first. Also, I was part of the youth program of one of the Estonian political parties, so I had an interest in state affairs as well” said Kadri. Her favorite subject was economic mathematics because it was the first time she was truly challenged in mathematics.
While studying in Estonia, Kadri also studied in Lyon with the Erasmus Program. “I have always enjoyed traveling and am interested in reading travel guides, therefore I wanted to have the experience of studying abroad,” said Kadri. Kadri ended up in IDRAC Ecole Superieure de Commerce at Lyon, where to her pleasant surprise she was able to study business. “Lyon was an awesome experience where I found some great friends and really enjoyed cycling everywhere as there were bikes in every 100 metres” said Kadri.
After her studies in Lyon, Kadri went for a part-time internship in a small accounting firm and quite quickly was nominated to be the project manager full time. “The company was founded by 2 young women and after 2 months working there, one of them left and the other went on sick leave. I was handed all the clients and responsibilities. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I managed to make it work and worked my way up managing the whole company” said Kadri. In addition, Kadri amazingly managed to finish her bachelor’s and master’s studies while working full-time. “For a while, my schedule was the following: work from 9 to 5 then go to school, including weekends. When Christmas came, it was the first time I could sleep. Nevertheless, it was a valuable experience, and confidence in my capabilities grew” said Kadri proudly.
What does Kadri do at Comodule?
While working for an accounting firm, Comodule was one of Kadri’s clients. That is how Kadri met the Founder, Kristjan, and got a chance to see the company from the inside. “One day, after discussing the financial situation of Comodule, Kristjan asked me if I would like to work here full time. It was quite unexpected, but I really liked the energy and enthusiasm everybody had in the company. Plus, the atmosphere was really easy going and no management bureaucracy, which I appreciated very much” said Kadri enthusiastically.
Kadri is Comodule’s Chief Financial Officer, in other words, she makes sure all the financial numbers are correct and that the numbers would tell a story. “I am very proud to say that at the moment, the Comodule story is that we are doing well and investing in various future developments,” said Kadri. In addition, Kadri enjoys the freedom she has working here and whenever Kristjan learns a new financial term, she is very happy.
How would you describe the experience of working at Comodule?
“It has been the first time in my life where if I am having a problem with something, the rest of the team comes to help me meanwhile doing it at the expense of their own tasks. People at Comodule are not here just to work, but do it for a greater purpose. Of course, the founders have a big part to play with their vision and enthusiasm as well” said Kadri.
In your own words, what is the mission of Comodule?
“A small Estonian start-up doing big things on a global scale,” said Kadri.
Favorite form of transport?
“I have 3 bikes, 2 of which I won. Funny story, my dad won the first bike for me at the Estonian version of a popular TV show “The Price is Right”. Since it was a grown-up size bike, I had to wait to ride it but totally worth it. Otherwise, I enjoy cycling very much and one of my favorite bikes at the office is the MATE e-bike” said Kadri.
Thoughts about the future of mobility
“I truly hope there will be fewer cars in city centers. A crucial component is the city infrastructure. For example, in Lyon, the infrastructure made commuting by cars very difficult but also offered various alternatives. If I have to predict, I hope there are more metros and unicycles” said Kadri.
