Simonas Bilis Olympic Swimmer Dives into Customer Success 

You can succeed in both competitive swimming and a goal-driven IT company if you have motivation and self-discipline. At least that’s what Simonas Bilis – Rio 2016 Summer and Tokyo 2020 Olympics participant and current holder of several national records – thinks. 

Continue reading to learn more about his professional path and further explore the parallel between setting records in the swimming track and at Hostinger.

Childhood in the Swimming Pool

Simonas and swimming go way back. His grandmother and aunt were both swimming coaches, and his mom was doing water aerobics. So, it’s not surprising that he was already splashing and dabbling in a swimming pool when he was just four. Although it was just a game back then, it started to shape the future champion.  

“My family didn’t push me too much to do swimming as a sport. It all came naturally. First, you’re encouraged to learn to swim. Then, you’re just curious how fast you can make it across the track, and from there, everything slowly progresses. However, it wasn’t always that easy to keep my motivation and discipline to wake up early every day to go to the swimming pool before classes and then once again after school. Therefore, I’m grateful to my parents for not forcing me but, let’s say, steering me enough to continue”, – says Simonas.

Reaching the Top

Eventually, all the effort and persistence started to pay off, and Simonas began to show his true potential. A turning point was when he started representing Lithuania at international contests at the age of 16-17. That’s when he realized that swimming is not just a hobby but something bigger. Soon, Simonas was competing at the highest level there is.

“The highest point was, of course, going to the Rio Olympics and swimming in the final there. Then, in the same year, I went to the Short Course World Championships and won gold and bronze. One of my biggest achievements is that I broke a 50-meter Lithuanian record and a 100-meter Lithuanian freestyle record, which was standing for 20 years or even more. This felt really good,” – recalls Simonas.

New Opportunity in the IT Field

Unfortunately, Simonas had an injury that took a long time to recover from. Even after that, he didn’t feel as comfortable swimming as he used to. As a result, Simonas decided to finish his professional swimming career in 2022.

“That’s when I thought that it was a good time to change something in my life and started looking for new opportunities. I was always interested in IT, so when I saw an ad for a position at Hostinger, I thought to myself, “Why not?”. Since before my job was swimming, I had to learn a lot to start a new career. But I was willing to do so and expressed my motivation clearly. I think that’s the main reason I got the job,” – Simonas says.

Taking the Next Step

Simonas is a good example of how dedication and desire to improve can carry you a long way. It took less than a year for a former swimmer to rise from a junior to a senior Customer Success agent. 

Now, he is working on bigger projects, actively assisting other teams with product development, and ensuring that Hostinger clients have to contact the Customer Success team less and less often. 

„At Hostinger, you always have an opportunity to grow. I started with minimal technical knowledge but found myself in a place where I could quickly absorb new information, gain experience, and thus get a chance for professional development and growth. But, of course, you must have that drive to go the extra mile and see a certain goal in sight. When I first joined, I set myself a goal to reach a mid-level position in half a year. I did it. Then, I gave myself another six months to reach a senior role. I achieved that as well”, – reveals Simonas.

Self-Discipline Is a Must

Simonas believes that self-discipline and coming from a professional sports background, where working towards a goal is imperative, helps him succeed at work as well. 

“Hostinger employees have a lot of freedom. Nobody is standing behind your back or micromanaging you. But you must have that responsibility towards your work. The same is true with professional swimming – your coach cannot control how much effort you put into each practice or if you’re giving 100% every time. It is up to you. At the same time, the guidance and support of your coach are invaluable. Similarly, team leads, mentors, and a supportive environment, in general, contribute enormously to the personal growth and success of any Hostinger employee”, – Simonas maintains.

Enjoying the Journey

As important as personal goals are, you have to enjoy the journey toward them as well. That’s what Simonas thinks is the key to achieving any goal – be it in the swimming pool or at work. After all, if moving toward a goal is not rewarding, maybe there is no point in trying to reach it.

“Of course, there will be challenges, and maybe even the times when you want to give up, but if you’re enjoying what you’re doing with the right attitude, you will find a way forward and can achieve a lot. I think that is the main lesson I learned from my years of participating in sports. I am happy to apply this lesson to my life and to share it with others”, – says Simonas.

Are you also motivated to learn and have some fun? Explore our career page – you might be the right fit.

Part of Hostinger’s Communications Team, Kotryna is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with media outlets and ensuring that the organization’s achievements and initiatives receive public recognition. In her free time, Kotryna likes to explore new places and take photos.