Why, why, why?

In her most recent blog, Eleonora tackles one of the most impactful questions out there: the importance of asking ‘why?’

Emphasizing the value of curiosity and continuous learning, Eleonora shares some of the ways this inquisitive disposition has positively impacted her personal life and shaped her career journey at Expedia Group so far.

Being in an environment that promotes choosing fearlessly, and going to get what’s next, makes Expedia Group a place where Eleonora can feel right at home, and importantly – feel encouraged to keep asking that question.

Eleonora Sceusi | Brand Media Manager | London, UK

Einstein said it better than I ever could: “The important thing is not to stop questioning… One cannot help but be in awe when one contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life. The more I learn, the more I realise how much I don’t know.”

I couldn’t agree more. It may sound like one of those prefabricated and perfectly curated captions about life you used to see on 2010 Instagram posts but hear me out: if you’re not curious and don’t ask questions it means you’re not fully engaged in learning. If you’re not fully engaged in learning, you’re not open to understanding. And finally, if you’re not focused on understanding, you’re missing out on one life’s greatest opportunities. If we have a thinking brain that helps us understand the world around us, why wouldn’t we make the most of it?

If there was such a thing as a curiosity flag, I’d be ostentatiously flying it. Embarrassment aside, it has served me well in my personal life: I was curious about what it would be like to run for fun having never liked running in the past. I went for a random run during the pandemic to defeat the boredom like many of us did, and decided I would sign up to a half marathon. Guess what? I was slow, I pretty much hated all of it, but I ran it. Fast forward two years and I still run every week (more like a gentle plod, but I’ll take it), and it’s now one of the ways I like to destress after a long week. I trialled this approach in other areas of my life: I’m very interested in the makings of the universe, so I read Astrophysics For People In A Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (read: a non-scientific person was thoroughly humbled that day). Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V to other areas in my life like yoga, pilates, padel, pool, veganism, painting, rock-climbing, cold-water dips, moving to another country, kickboxing, and BAM! You have yourself a slice of the cake that has been the last 29 years of my life.

What does this have to do with work and my role at Expedia Group?

A lot, actually. Curiosity may be something we are all born with, but it is also a muscle we need to continuously flex. It can be hard to just “go for it” like all the new year resolutions whimsically preached on our feeds in January, but sometimes it does only need to be about giving it a go. Take the role I’m in now: was it what I did before? Not at all. Had I ever worked for a tech company? No, I’d always worked for an agency. Was it scary? Yes! Was it worth it? Absolutely.

I get to ask seemingly “basic” questions and propose new ways of approaching tasks that have led us to improve on templates and processes; I get to challenge ways of working with other teams that have resulted in better communication; and finally I get to witness the true embodiment of curiosity within my day-to-day job as our Marketing organisation is particularly focused on a test and learn culture. For example, we have taken the time to learn about existing marketing literature, use it to shape existing campaigns and activity, and test its effectiveness. This has resulted in a set of guiding principles we now follow across brands that have made our media more effective and efficient.

On a more personal note since joining the team I have leant into my own passions like sustainability and writing: I have joined groups and opportunities such as the SAGE sustainability group at EG, and I am exploring ways in which our advertising could become more sustainable alongside like-minded co-workers both within our team and in other departments. I also discussed my interest in writing with my manager early on in the role, which ultimately led me to this blog!

It’s no wonder I felt compelled to interview for a role at Expedia Group: two of its core values are “Choose fearlessly” and “Go get what’s next”. Guess I’m not flying the curiosity flag solo anymore…

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