[The following interview has been condensed for this blog series by Meredith Barnes.]
Sara Smith is the Director of Business Technology at NVR Inc. as well as an Executive MBA Candidate in Darden’s class of 2025. This October, Sara traveled with 30 classmates to Finland and Estonia on a Global Residency. In this interview, Sara reflects on her experience visiting these two countries, all that she learned regarding their distinct business cultures, and how she is applying these lessons to her own professional journey.
1) Sara, tell us about yourself! Can you give us an overview of your personal and professional background?
As a military child, I moved around a lot before ending up in Golden, Colorado for high school. At 17, I joined the Navy and became an Arabic linguist. After the Navy, I was studying linguistics in college when I took a C++ course as an elective. The problem-solving aspect of programming just clicked with me. I fell in love with programming and immediately switched majors, eventually graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in Computer Science.
I worked for several years in industry, eventually starting my own web development company — I loved the idea of creating and building something from nothing. I had my company for several years but closed it after realizing I had much to learn about running a business. This was when the MBA seed was planted. I went back to working for others — first as a software engineer for the government, then joining NVR, one of the largest homebuilders in the country. I now lead our business technology strategy, helping our business units meet their goals and grow the company.
2) What were your personal highlights from the course in Finland and Estonia?
The people of Finland and Estonia share a history of occupation that shaped who they are today, creating a unique mix of strength and warmth you don’t often see. Despite past hardships — or maybe because of them — both countries have built strong communities and are fiercely proud of their identity.
3) How do Finland and Estonia differ in terms of their business environments, and what did you learn from those differences? Were there any key takeaways from the way Finnish or Estonian companies approach innovation?
The contrast between Finland and Estonia’s approaches to business and innovation tells you a lot about their respective, unique characters. Finland, which has been named the world’s happiest country for seven years in a row, has built its success on an unexpected foundation.
When we asked locals about their happiness ranking (rated happiest country in the world, seven years running!), they explained it wasn’t about excitement or achievement — it was about contentment. The Finns have an almost humorous way of describing themselves as natural pessimists who always prepare for the worst. This mindset, they say, leads to contentment because reality usually turns out better than they expected.
Estonia takes a completely different approach. While Finland didn’t think highly of entrepreneurship until recently, Estonia embraces change and innovation with open arms. This attitude began right after they gained independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Instead of rebuilding old systems, they wanted to leap-frog others. When other countries were still installing landline phones, Estonia went all-in on mobile technology. This mindset led them to create the X-Road, a comprehensive digital infrastructure that connects all their government services.
Today, an Estonian can file their taxes in 30 seconds, and they’ve become the first country in the world to offer e-citizenship. They’re so successful at digital governance that they now help other countries modernize their systems.
4) Can you discuss how your experiences in these countries have changed or reinforced your views on international business strategy?
My time in Finland and Estonia changed how I think about international business. In America, we often treat international business as something that happens at a distance — through trade agreements, supply chains, and market expansion. But in these countries, particularly Estonia, international relations aren’t just about business strategy — they’re about survival and resilience.
A story from an Estonian modular building company really drove this home for me. In March 2022, their safety team noticed an unusual spike in workplace incidents. When they dug into the data, they found something they hadn’t considered: many of their team members had family in Ukraine. The Russian invasion in late February wasn’t just a news headline for them — it was a personal crisis that followed them to work each day.
This kind of scenario would never show up in an American business school case study about workplace safety or productivity. But in Estonia, it’s just one example of how geopolitical realities shape daily business operations.
This experience showed me it’s not just about market opportunities and business risks — it’s about building and enabling resilient organizations, teams and employees that can survive and thrive despite uncertainty.
5) How do you think your experiences in these two countries will influence your leadership style or approach to business?
My time in Finland and Estonia has changed how I think about leading teams and driving innovation. What struck me most was how these countries, despite their relatively small size, have learned to maximize their potential by embracing diverse perspectives and talents. Their complex challenges and historical pressures meant they couldn’t afford to overlook any potential contribution.
This approach to inclusive problem-solving particularly resonated with me. In Estonia and Finland, businesses don’t just talk about diversity of thought — they depend on it. It’s not just a corporate initiative or checkbox exercise; it’s a survival strategy that’s deeply embedded in their business culture.
These insights have already begun to change how I lead. Since returning, I’ve called an all-hands meeting for my organization to reset our collective and individual engagements. I realized that while we’ve always valued different perspectives, we could do more to actively seek them out and incorporate them into our decision-making processes. I want to create an environment where, like in these Nordic countries, innovation comes from leveraging all available talent and viewpoints.
I hope this experience will make me a more open and thoughtful leader. It’s one thing to read about inclusive leadership in business books — it’s another to see how entire countries have built their success on these principles out of necessity. Their example shows that when you truly embrace diverse perspectives, you not only solve problems more effectively but also build more resilient organizations.
6) What aspects of Finnish or Estonian culture do you wish were more present in the U.S., either in business or daily life?
What struck me most about these countries was their different approaches to success and community. From Finland, I wish we could adopt their sense of contentment – I love our American spirit to strive for more, but it is also good to appreciate what you have. The Finnish approach of finding satisfaction in what’s working well offers an interesting alternative to our American hustle culture.
The way both countries approach public spaces and community resources is also something we could learn from. The Helsinki library is an active community hub where people actually wanted to spend time. This commitment to shared spaces and resources shows a deep commitment to community well-being that often gets overlooked in our more individualistic culture.
From Estonia, I admire their pragmatic approach to innovation. While we often chase the next big thing for its own sake, Estonian innovation is driven by real needs and practical solutions. Their digital infrastructure wasn’t built to be cutting — edge — it was built to solve actual problems and make life better for their citizens. The fact that you can file your taxes with a few clicks of a mouse isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about respecting people’s time and making government work for its citizens.
Both countries demonstrated how to maintain a strong sense of identity and community while facing challenges. They’ve learned to balance preservation of their culture with the need to adapt and innovate. In our increasingly divided society, we could learn from their ability to maintain social cohesion while still embracing progress and change.
7) What advice would you give to other students considering participating in a Global Residency in Finland and Estonia?
Go somewhere unexpected. I chose these countries because they weren’t on my usual travel radar, and that decision paid off tremendously. While some places might seem like obvious choices for studying international business, there’s something special about experiencing how smaller, resilient countries approach innovation and growth.
Make time to explore on your own. While the organized business visits are valuable, some of my most meaningful insights came from wandering down side streets, ducking into local shops, and talking with people in cafes and markets. Each interaction helped me understand not only how business works in these countries but why it works that way.
Come with an open mind about what innovation looks like. You might think you know what a “cutting edge” business culture is, but Estonia and Finland might surprise you. Instead of focusing on flashy technology, you’ll see practical solutions that make real differences in people’s lives.
Most importantly, engage with the history. Understanding how these countries overcame occupation and rebuilt themselves helps explain everything from their digital infrastructure to their approach to community building.
