Begüm Dilek – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories
Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Begüm Dilek, Senior UA Manager at Lessmore. She speaks about her remote role, the challenges and growth from relocating to Finland, and the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and openness in the mobile games industry. Read more about Begüm here:
Hi Begüm! As a Senior UA Manager working remotely, what does a typical day look like for you? Can you share some of the key tasks and responsibilities you manage, and how you stay productive and connected with your team across different countries?
My typical day can range from hectic to routine to even surprisingly chill—it really depends on our team’s objectives and the seasonality. Whether we’re working on a new game launch, testing out new initiatives, or aligning with seasonal trends, I’m responsible for ensuring that we’re spending profitably and keeping performance of our portfolio stable. This role comes with unique challenges since we’re a very lean team—I’m the only UA Manager, supported by my Head of Marketing, who’s always ready to back me up when needed. When I first started, I had to adjust to this pace and the level of responsibility that comes with managing large budgets on a small team, but over time, I’ve embraced the ‘less is more’ philosophy that is the core of our company.
Over the past two years here, I’ve developed a system to bring structure to my work. At the beginning of each week, I review the overall data to set priorities, then write down tasks and organize them based on impact. For task management, I use an AI-powered calendar, which schedules everything on my behalf, balancing tasks with my availability and priority levels. This setup not only organizes my day with minimal effort but also keeps me on track with task progression and overall objectives.
Another major part of my role involves handling all communications with our external partners. This means I ensure we’re aligned with everyone on the goals and outcomes we’re driving toward, which is essential for maintaining a streamlined strategy across our projects. Internally, staying connected with my team is a top priority as well. We have weekly syncs both within our team and across the company to stay aligned on goals, challenges, and updates. Every quarter, we also meet in person to work together for a week and team-building activities. These meetups provide a chance to deepen our connections and collaborate face-to-face, which is particularly valuable when working remotely across different countries.
Relocating to a new country can come with significant challenges, especially as an immigrant. Can you share a specific moment or experience during your transition from Turkey to Finland that tested your resilience? How did you overcome it, and what lessons did you learn from that experience?
One of the most challenging parts of moving to Finland was adapting to the long, dark winters and adjusting to a quieter social scene. I grew up in Istanbul and have mostly lived in vibrant cities with millions of people, where there’s always something happening and new connections are easy to make. Moving to a much calmer, smaller environment, especially while working remotely, was a big shift. Building a social life as an adult is always a challenge, and in Finland, where many people already have established circles and the social life slows down a lot during winter and, it can feel even tougher. Being fully remote meant I was spending most of my time working from home, so I had to find new ways to balance work and personal life.
To overcome these challenges, I leaned into new hobbies and focused on personal well-being. Finland’s serene, nature-rich environment encouraged me to explore meditation and sports, both of which helped me feel more connected to myself and the natural surroundings. I also made a point to visit family and friends abroad, keeping up connections even from afar. Through this process, I learned to appreciate the small details—like how a change in seasons can affect mood, something I’d never experienced to this extent before. It taught me that adjusting to a new country is as much about adapting to the environment as it is about building a social network.
Despite these challenges, living in Finland has been a deeply rewarding experience. I’ve met some amazing people who have become close friends, and these connections mean a lot to me. Experiencing Finland’s famous work-life balance firsthand has shown me the value of having clear boundaries between work and personal life, and I’ve seen a positive impact on my own well-being. Working in the Finnish gaming industry has also been refreshing—the transparency and collaborative nature of the industry here are unique and foster a sense of community that I truly appreciate. While I’m not thinking about staying here for longer term, I’m also grateful for the perspective this journey has given me and the positive changes it’s brought to my life.
With your experience in the mobile games industry, what unique perspectives or skills do you think are essential for success in user acquisition? What advice do you wish you had received when you first started your career in the industry?
Some of the core skills for succeeding in user acquisition are an analytical mindset, adaptability, agility, and effective communication. The ability to dive deep into data and stay flexible in approach keeps you prepared for the constant changes in the industry. Agility is key in this fast-paced field, but good communication is just as important—sometimes, one genuine conversation with peers can open doors to opportunities that fuel long-term success.
One piece of advice I wish I had received earlier is to embrace openness and sharing. I started out in the Turkish market, where competition is high, and knowledge sharing can be limited. When I first transitioned to the Finnish gaming industry, it was a bit of a culture shock to see how openly people shared information and supported each other’s work. Adjusting to this approach took some time, but it’s something I really appreciate now. Collaboration and openness not only make the work more enjoyable but can also drive innovation and success across teams and the industry as a whole.