Vladimir Danielyan’s (MBA ’15) Cycle of Success: Sales, Leadership, and Giving Back

5 min read

Vladimir Danielyan received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics (CBE) at the American University of Armenia (AUA). With extensive experience in sales, he is currently the general manager at JI Pepsi Cola Bottler in Armenia. Vladimir is a strong advocate for quality education, having experienced its benefits firsthand during his student years and beyond. AUA has been a turning point for Vladimir, and giving back to his alma mater feels both symbolic and meaningful. 

How did you choose AUA when deciding to pursue a master’s degree in business administration?

I felt a strong desire to further my education and, after thorough research, found that AUA was the perfect fit. Choosing to study there and focus on business administration remains one of the best decisions I have ever made.

What was the role of the MBA program in your career development?

My time at AUA had — and continues to have — a profound impact on my career. Even while still studying, I experienced the benefits firsthand, earning a promotion in my job. When I joined the program, I was working as a distribution development executive at Philip Morris Armenia. Over my two and a half years as a student, I was promoted to territory supervisor and later transitioned to the marketing department. After graduation, I took on a short-term assignment at Philip Morris Ukraine. Each of these achievements is a testament to my education at AUA, which exceeded all my expectations.

How would you describe your professional journey after graduation?

After graduating, I joined Henkel as Armenia’s country sales manager, taking on the responsibility for the sales of the whole country. The knowledge and skills I gained through the MBA program played a key role in my success. Within two years, I was honored to be recognized as the Best Country Sales Manager among nine countries in the Central Asia and Caucasus region — a milestone achieved due to my education at AUA and my practical experience. Later, my role expanded to include managing Georgia’s market as well for a period of time.

My next step was joining JI Pepsi Cola Bottler Armenia as head of sales, and after two years, I was promoted to general manager of the entire company.

As the general manager at JI Pepsi Cola Bottler in Armenia, what is your leadership strategy and vision?

Our work often extends beyond our company, impacting the wider society. At our core, we strive to lead in beverage and snack production and distribution, guided by three key strategies.

First, we invest in people, particularly in the sphere of sales, a growing yet underdeveloped field in Armenia. Second, we continuously refine our product portfolio to keep pace with shifting consumer preferences. Third, we optimize operations to ensure efficiency and excellence. These pillars create a strong link between production and consumption, shaping a strategy that reaches beyond our company to benefit the broader community.

What are some skills you gained from the MBA program that you use in your job?

AUA education provides numerous benefits for students. What sets it apart is the opportunity to develop strong teamwork skills. AUA teaches you how to cooperate and collaborate with others — an essential skill for navigating the job market after graduation. You learn to manage conflicts and turn competition into collaboration with your team members, making this one of the most valuable aspects of an AUA education.

For me, group projects and teamwork were among the most memorable experiences. Late nights in the library, working toward a shared goal, not only strengthened my skills but also led to lasting friendships with my coursemates.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career so far and how did you navigate them? 

2020 taught me that anything can happen. When I took on the role of head of sales in February, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Armenia soon after. Everything shut down just as I was entering the industry, which posed a huge challenge. As we slowly adapted and began to get back on track, the Artsakh war struck, severely affecting the morale of the company, as it touched every family in Armenia. This was an even greater challenge, as I had to manage both business tasks and personal motivation.

During this time, I was reading The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a book about life’s unpredictable events. I realized that the key to coping with such disruptions lies in building a strong internal immune system, both personally and professionally. While we can’t control what happens around us, we can choose how we respond and act in the present moment. Don’t underestimate the power of now and start strengthening yourself today.

As I reflect on challenges, I would like to highlight an interesting experience. In my career, I have worked for both a market leader and a company striving to be number two. Working for the number one company may be easier, but it can make it harder to  recognize your personal value — if you leave, the competition remains the same. In contrast, working for a company that’s number two allows you to see the difference you make, and how your contributions help it grow.

In my current company, we operate across different markets — in some, we are number one, and in others, where we are challengers. Each position requires a different approach, as being number two comes with its own set of  challenges. Competing with the market leader drives us to improve, which benefits not only our company but also elevates overall market quality.

How do you view the role of formal education in shaping both professional and personal development? 

When comparing formal and informal education, I like to ask: which hand do you prefer — left or right? Formal education provides a framework that helps you understand the different disciplines, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and discover your interests. For example, I have never been fond of chemistry, but if I hadn’t gone through school and university, I wouldn’t have known it wasn’t for me. On the other hand, it was thanks to my formal education that I realized I enjoyed operational disciplines.

Later, I turned to informal education, especially reading books, which was driven by the insights I gained through formal education about my interests. Informal education isn’t a replacement for formal education; rather, it builds on it, helping to deepen and expand what you have learned.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of your graduation from AUA. How important is it for you to stay connected with your alma mater, and in what ways do you see yourself maintaining that connection?

I maintain both personal and professional connections with my friends from AUA. Staying connected with the AUA community is important to me, as it played a crucial role in my professional development. It’s essential to remember where you started and stay connected to your roots. AUA was one of the key starting points of my career, and maintaining a connection with my alma mater feels both symbolic and meaningful.

What is the meaning of giving back to your community for you?

I believe giving back should be a national culture. It’s important for two key reasons. First, life is based on the synergy between giving and receiving. We are always in a reciprocal relationship with the world around us. Second, giving back is a powerful driver of both personal and professional growth. When you give, you realize there is an empty space within you, and sharing something triggers forces — what you might call ambitions — that push you to become better, smarter, and learn new things to fill that space. As you fill that gap, you grow, and you feel the urge to share again. This cycle continues: by sharing, you create space to fill, and by filling it, you grow. Without giving, there is no room for learning. So, giving back is not only crucial from a social perspective but also essential in shaping you into a better person and a successful professional.