Artūrs Rubins: Work Means Making an Impact

“At Holm, there’s enough freedom to shape direction, drive ideas forward, and prove value through action,” says Artūrs Rubins, Head of Debt Management at Holm Bank Latvia. He recently accepted an additional role as Legal Advisor.

“I’m responsible for everything related to recovering debts, from early reminders to court litigation and enforcement. I also support the team with legal and compliance topics. A big part of my work is figuring out how to do things better, faster, and with more impact - whether that’s through smarter use of data or litigation strategies,” says Artūrs.

More Than Just a Job

“I’ve been with Holm Bank for about seven months now. I wasn’t actively looking for a job when I came across the Holm ad. The title caught my attention and immediately resonated with me. It motivated me to apply. Step by step, interview by interview, I started to get a clearer picture of the role and the people I got to engage with. I realised that I wanted to make a change in my career and give it a try,” shares Artūrs.

Making an Impact

“I wanted a job where I could build and create something meaningful. Holm offered exactly that - a role and tasks that weren’t carved in stone. I saw that at Holm I could shape the direction, drive ideas forward, and prove value through action,” he explains the tweaks that mattered. “My aim is to do my job in a way that creates lasting impact - systems that someone else could take over at any moment, and all would be clear and working. If someone a year from now can solve a problem faster, avoid a mistake, or take a smarter legal route because of something I put in place, that’s impact I’m happy about,” he says.

Challenges and Rewards

“For me, the main challenge in my work is the highly regulated environment. Given that our parent company is a bank in Estonia, we operate in line with the same high standards and regulatory principles as applicable to banks. At times it can feel bureaucratic and slower than you'd like. But when you manage to follow all the regulations and get things done, it means you actually figured out how to make it work the right way. The result feels well-earned,” Artūrs ponders out loud.

Learning Curves

“The learning curve always plays tricks on you,” Artūrs laughs. “First, you think you’ve got it all figured out. Then reality kicks in - you realise you don’t know nearly as much as you thought. That’s the point where real learning starts. It’s humbling, yet necessary. And once you accept that, things start clicking again. You go from ‘I know’ to ‘maybe I don’t’ to ‘now I get it.’ Currently, I’m somewhere between ‘I don’t know’ and ‘now I get it’,” he honestly shares.

Curiosity Is a Driving Force

“I enjoy digging into things I don’t yet fully understand - figuring out how systems work, how rules interact, and which are the winning strategies. I’m motivated by working with smart, capable people. When you're not the smartest person in the room, you learn more. And that’s always a win,” concludes Artūrs.

Keeping the Perspective

“I try to keep things in perspective. One mental trick I use often is asking: will this still feel like a big deal in one year? Usually, the answer is no - and that helps cut through the noise and keep a cool head. It’s easy to get caught up in the urgency of every issue, but not everything deserves the same emotional weight,“ he explains.

“I also try to break problems down into smaller pieces and focus only on what I can truly influence. That said, I still have my low days. Then a good workout usually helps me reset - physical effort clears the brain in ways thinking can’t. And if that doesn’t do it… well, sometimes the smartest move is to take a nap, have a snack, or just step away and come back with a better head.“

Unloading After Work

“When I’m not working, I try to stay active - skateboarding, snowboarding, hitting the gym and playing basketball help me keep my mind and body in check, and occasionally remind me that I’m not 20 anymore. I enjoy spending time with my family in all sorts of ways - just stepping away from screens and deadlines and enjoying small things. I’m also a big fan of business biographies - I find it interesting to see how people mess up, recover, and build things that last. Podcasts are a regular thing, too. I’d recommend “My First Million“ - the title sounds like a scam, but it’s actually smart and full of good thinking. And sometimes I just mess around with automation and AI tools - partly because it’s fun, partly because I like finding ways to make life a bit more efficient,“ shares Artūrs.