Carla Sonia Lukacs is 21 years old and active in the hospitality industry, where she combines the entrepreneurial and operational aspects of the business. She owns the Black Cock Coffee franchise in Bucharest and serves as an Assistant Manager within her family’s restaurant, experiences that have provided her with a broad perspective on business management, interpersonal relationships, and the responsibility behind every decision. This year, she graduated from the American Hotel Academy in Brașov, an institution that strengthened her theoretical knowledge and complemented her practical experience in the field. She is a persevering, dedicated, and growth-oriented individual who strives to create authentic experiences and meaningful human connections in everything she does, rather than simply offering products or services.

Beyond her professional achievements, Sonia places great importance on family values and acknowledges the essential role her family has played throughout her journey. The unconditional support, trust, and opportunities provided by her loved ones have contributed significantly to her personal and professional development. She is deeply grateful for everything she has received over the years and believes that much of who she is today is the result of their constant encouragement and support.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence that would capture the attention of someone who doesn’t know you?

Lukacs Sonia: I am a persevering and dedicated person who puts her heart into everything she does and never stops until she achieves the results she desires. I enjoy working with people, building relationships based on trust and respect, and always giving my very best. I am empathetic and approachable, yet at the same time fair and responsible, and whenever I commit to a goal, I dedicate myself fully to seeing it through.

C&B: Looking back, what is the “common thread” that has guided your professional journey?

Lukacs Sonia: Being at the beginning of my career, I cannot say that I have extensive professional experience, but my choices have always been influenced by my passion for this field. My parents work in the same industry, and from a young age I admired what they had built and wanted to follow their example. At the same time, I have always had the ambition to create my own path and build something of my own from the ground up. An important step was choosing to pursue a degree in this field, which helped me complement my practical experience with theoretical knowledge and develop both professionally and personally. Looking back, passion, the desire to learn, and the ambition to achieve something on my own have been the constants that guided my journey.

C&B: What was a difficult moment or a failure that truly changed you?

Lukacs Sonia: Being at the beginning of my journey, I cannot say that I have experienced a major failure that completely changed my path. However, a principle that has greatly influenced me comes from my mother, who taught me that you must always be prepared for unexpected situations and have the resources needed to overcome any difficulty. For this reason, I chose to start with a smaller business and a lower level of risk, allowing me to grow gradually, learn from experience, and build a solid foundation and a sense of security before taking bigger steps.

C&B: What is a bold (or counterintuitive) decision that significantly influenced your trajectory?

Lukacs Sonia: I believe that the boldest decision I have made so far was entering the hospitality industry, a field known for its challenges and for the fact that success largely depends on customers’ preferences and behavior, which can change very quickly. I was aware of the risks, but I chose to take on this challenge because I have confidence in the product I offer and in the value I can bring to the market.

C&B: How have you changed over time as a leader?

Lukacs Sonia: I used to think that being a “boss” was easy, but as I grew older and gained a better understanding of people, my perspective changed completely. I realized that it is very difficult to find and develop a trustworthy employee who works for your business as if it were their own, rather than simply out of necessity or without genuine interest. However, I believe these challenges can be improved over time through communication and involvement. I started having open conversations with people, understanding what both sides want, and working toward a mutual agreement so that the outcome is beneficial for both them and the business.

C&B: What do you think the people who work directly with you say about you—beyond your public image?

Lukacs Sonia: Based on my own observations and the feedback I have received from the people I work with, I am perceived as a warm-hearted person who is also fair and principled. This is something that is appreciated and helps me build strong relationships with my team. From this perspective, I believe they see me in a positive light. As for a more challenging aspect, I sometimes forget things, but this has become well known within the team, and my colleagues have learned to support me through clearer organization and task lists. In a way, this has also brought more structure and attention to the way we work together.

C&B: What truly sets you apart in the way you build or lead?

Lukacs Sonia: What sets me apart in the way I lead and build is the way I communicate and connect with the people on my team. I choose to give trust and receive it in return, creating relationships based on mutual respect. I strive to create an environment where people feel comfortable and involved, almost like a “home,” where they can work openly and with confidence. I am always willing to help and support my team, while at the same time maintaining clear boundaries, so that my kindness and commitment are not mistaken for weakness or taken advantage of.

C&B: How has the current context (technology, AI, economy) changed the way you work?

Lukacs Sonia: Technology and AI have a significant impact on the way we work, especially when it comes to growth and adapting to new developments. New equipment, solutions, ideas, and modern recipes are constantly emerging, helping us remain relevant and connected to market trends. In this context, I have become more attentive to innovation and to integrating these tools into the business, enabling me to consistently offer updated and competitive products.

C&B: What principles guide your most important decisions?

Lukacs Sonia: At this stage of my journey, where my business activity is primarily focused on events, one of the core principles that guides my decisions is profitability. I carefully analyze the balance between costs and potential returns before accepting a collaboration or participating in an event. For example, I was invited to a festival where the costs were extremely high: a substantial rental fee, a percentage of sales, and an additional POS commission. It was clear that the projected sales would not have covered these expenses, which is why I decided not to participate. Although such events are often said to provide visibility, I believe that promotion is not justified when the investment outweighs the actual benefit.

C&B: How do you see the evolution of your industry over the next 3–5 years?

Lukacs Sonia: Over the next 3–5 years, I aim to grow the business by expanding the number of units and reaching a point where I can operate them both at permanent locations and at events, increasing the brand’s visibility and overall business stability. I see significant growth opportunities in diversification and in maintaining a consistent presence across different types of locations. At the same time, one of the main challenges I foresee is the shortage of workforce, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to find people who are willing to work and, more importantly, to build a reliable and trustworthy team.

C&B: What role do you aim to play in this evolution?

Lukacs Sonia: I want to play an active role in this evolution by building a community around the brand, rather than simply operating a food truck where people make a purchase and move on. I want every interaction to be more than just a sale—to become an experience that brightens the day of those who meet us. My goal is for people to return not only for the product itself, but also for the atmosphere, the energy, and the way we make them feel in that moment.

C&B: What real advice would you give to someone who wants to build something meaningful today?

Lukacs Sonia: First and foremost, I believe it is essential to do something you genuinely enjoy, not just something that makes money, because when passion is missing, results come slowly and satisfaction is lacking. Secondly, I believe it is very important to work in the industry in which you want to build a business before starting on your own, so that you can understand from the inside how things work and what it is like to be in the role of an employee—an experience that helps you manage people more effectively later on. Lastly, patience is essential: nothing meaningful is built overnight, and results come over time through consistency and hard work.

C&B: What is an uncomfortable truth about your industry that few people talk about?

Lukacs Sonia: One truth that is rarely discussed about this industry is that customers come and go according to their preferences, and loyalty is difficult to build and even more difficult to maintain. Without customers, a business cannot exist, which is why consistently paying attention to them and avoiding disappointment is so important. Very often, the relationship with the customer matters more than the product itself, because a good coffee can be found almost anywhere, but the experience and the way you make people feel are not easily replaced.

Through ambition, perseverance, and an authentic approach to customer relationships, Carla Sonia Lukacs demonstrates that success in the hospitality industry is built step by step. Her story is an example of how passion, dedication, and genuine care for people can transform a simple business into a community and a brand with real impact.

The post Carla Sonia Lukacs: Passion, Entrepreneurship, and Growth in the Hospitality Industry appeared first on careers-business.com.

Octavian Moldovan is a hospitality professional and entrepreneur with nearly 30 years of experience in hotel management and premium HoReCa concept development. Throughout his career, he has coordinated major projects such as Sheraton Bucharest Hotel, Suter Palace Boutique Hotel, Green Village Resort, and Hotel Orizont Predeal, and is currently leading the development of Radisson Blu Hotel Sinaia Cota 1400. Known for his leadership style based on empathy, transparency, and people development, Octavian Moldovan promotes a modern vision of hospitality in which authentic experiences and human connections are at the core of success.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that captures the attention of someone who doesn’t know you?

Octavian Moldovan: I am the traveler who enjoys the experiences of this life and the trains he chooses to board. I care about the people I meet and I try to leave kind words and good deeds along my path. For me, being a good person comes before being a good professional.

C&B: Looking back, what is the “common thread” that guided your professional journey?

Octavian Moldovan: The first defining moment came during university, when, although I was studying finance and banking, I chose the hospitality industry, following my father’s example, for whom I had also worked since childhood until graduating high school. I loved the fast-paced nature of HoReCa so much that I could not imagine myself behind a bank desk with a fixed schedule.

Then came the HoJo (Howard Johnson Grand Plaza) period, where, over the course of 11 years, I went through every operational management role within a 5-star hotel. Later, after a rebranding and renovation process, HoJo became Sheraton Bucharest Hotel, with me taking over the responsibilities of a General Manager. Two years later, I chose the entrepreneurial path alongside my own hospitality consulting and management company. It was the “from the canteen to GM” period, as I like to say with a smile.

Since 2017, I have been involved in various management and consulting projects, including Suter Palace Boutique Hotel 5*, the opening of Ramada by Wyndham Râmnicu Vâlcea, Hotel Riviera Mamaia, Olănești Hotel & Spa, Green Village Resort 4*, Valea Verde Retreat, and Hotel Orizont Predeal, the latter three operating under The Makers management company umbrella.

I can say that I have had a step-by-step professional journey focused on continuous learning, gaining experience, career advancement, and entrepreneurship, with determination, ambition, and the joy of working with wonderful people forming the foundation of all my decisions.

The most recent decision I made was joining the Premier Hospitality team at the beginning of this year, where, alongside Lucian Marinescu and Călin Ile, I will refine the concept of hospitality in Romania, starting with Radisson Blu Hotel Sinaia Cota 1400, which I will lead.

C&B: What was a difficult moment or a failure that truly changed you?

Octavian Moldovan: I have had a few lessons to learn from certain experiences, but I never became completely stuck because of them and I never viewed them as failures. Difficult moments were everywhere: pain, sadness, frustration, stress, even tears. However, I approached them with the mindset that I cannot change what depends on others, and I always found solutions to turn challenges into opportunities, sometimes working only on myself and with myself.

One example I encountered in several situations was the partial renovation of hotels while they were still operating. It is a difficult decision to make; if you completely close the hotel, you lose revenue, your team, and part of your clientele, while if you renovate partially and gradually, you find yourself caught between two worlds: the guest area with impeccable services and the construction area, dirty and under renovation. I moved forward and found solutions to satisfy both the clients and the investor, minimizing losses and making the best of the situation. And during such a project, you practically say goodbye to your personal life.

C&B: What is a courageous (or counterintuitive) decision that significantly influenced your trajectory?

Octavian Moldovan: During the pandemic, when nothing was happening in the market and HoReCa was collapsing, I received a partnership proposal from Dragoș Anastasiu within The Makers company. Our goal was to create a multi-property management company for independent non-branded units and to encourage passionate Romanians to promote our country as much as possible. As a result, I turned down an offer from abroad that would have brought me no satisfaction other than financial gain, something I do not place that much emphasis on, and I do not regret this decision.

Since 2020, I have been more active in the Danube Delta and Transylvania, focusing on the growth of leisure tourism, aimed at explorers and nature lovers, through a slower type of tourism where I somehow rediscovered the feeling of returning to my roots and to simple things done with soul. Unfortunately, the number of foreign tourists was practically nonexistent in 2020–2021 due to the pandemic, and later because of the war in Ukraine, which reduced the chances of sharing internationally what we had built there.

These were 5 years full of meaningful experiences, during which I also learned what it means to work in a village located where the land meets the sea, dealing with the people and mentality of the place, without the comfort of the city, without logistics, and facing all the challenges of nature.

C&B: How have you changed over time as a leader?

Octavian Moldovan: I have always been calm and understanding, offering support to the people in my teams and remaining loyal to employers and partners. People’s behaviors and customer preferences, both internal and external, have gradually changed alongside understanding, learning, experience, and technology. Ten to twenty years ago, in hospitality, truly important decisions were made once a year, usually during budgeting periods, so we had more time to analyze and wait. Today, we no longer have that luxury; I make decisions at the same pace as change itself, relying on the experience I have accumulated.

A common example: you send or receive an email involving actions that require multiple colleagues. If you are not specific, with a clear deadline and responsibility assigned, nobody takes ownership of collective tasks or initiates decisions. In general, people avoid responsibility and wait for others to act. And then, either you insist, try, search, and wait, delaying results, or you make the decision yourself and move forward. I have a saying: worse than making a bad decision is making no decision at all.

C&B: What do you think people who work directly with you say about you — beyond your public image?

Octavian Moldovan: After nearly 30 years in this industry, what makes me happy is the fact that I still have in my phone contacts the colleagues I worked with since my early years, that we still keep in touch, and that I receive messages of gratitude when they themselves reach leadership positions. I have examples where I congratulate a former waiter colleague, Marius, who is now a CEO managing several hotels abroad, and whom I encouraged at the right moment to make a certain decision. I am happy for him and proud of him.

In general, I have always been open to valuable, good people, without selfish interests, whom I encourage and guide throughout their journey. Many times, I have been “criticized” for being too kind, too permissive, and for “not banging my fist on the table” hard enough. I do not believe management should be done only through force, and I believe people can also be led in a more humane way, with civilized behavior, encouragement, and emotion, not through the rigidity and coldness typical of an authoritarian boss.

I cannot stand gossip, deceit, bribery, theft, laziness, or arrogance; perhaps it is from such people that I may have received negative feedback. Otherwise, I am satisfied knowing that I have left a positive mark on the souls of those I have worked with.

C&B: What truly differentiates you in the way you build or lead?

Octavian Moldovan: Humanity is, for me, the decisive differentiating factor in any type of relationship. Everything I do is connected to this aspect; this is also how I build my team, bringing together people with shared values. I believe in the principle of equal opportunities offered from the very beginning, in delegation and empowerment, while analyzing within a relatively short time who fits my model and who does not.

We work in hospitality and provide services that we ourselves would like to benefit from wherever we go. Following this principle, I teach and guide everyone who is open-minded; I do not keep everything to myself, I am completely transparent, and I communicate constantly with my team. I encourage ideas, new projects, and anything that can come from any player within the company, regardless of their role.

One of the common mistakes encountered in Romania’s HoReCa industry is when the manager or owner wants to keep everything under their own control and does not take the team’s opinions into account. And one of the fatal mistakes of an employee or colleague is behaving indifferently, with the mindset of “it’s not my job” or “it’ll do anyway.”

C&B: How has the current context (technology, AI, economy) changed the way you work?

Octavian Moldovan: First of all, it has changed the way we approach human relationships, both within the team and externally, with our guests. We constantly put ourselves in the customer’s shoes and perspective: how they think, what they want, how they would feel appreciated, and so on. We always try to respond with “yes, it’s possible” and smile even when, sometimes, we may not fully agree. This means acceptance, wisdom, and accountability, not hypocrisy, as I have sometimes heard people say.

Then, of course, every business also has a budget, and my responsibility is to ensure a positive result. The necessary measures are not always pleasant, but every time I try to compensate, to offer something else in return, and to satisfy as many participants in the process as possible.

I rely on people and on the added value they can bring in front of the client, on the strength of the team rather than individual qualities, on the power of willingness and determination, with money or financial results being merely a consequence of our actions. Nowadays, technology, and especially AI, plays a crucial role, but it becomes useless and sometimes dangerous when people do not know how to work with it. Humans use the machine, not the other way around.

C&B: Is there a habit or routine that has significantly influenced your performance?

Octavian Moldovan: I can say yes, there are several elements that help me maintain my balance. Planning is one of them, annual, monthly, weekly, and then daily planning. I always keep a calendar that I update every day, where I write down everything I have to do, “to do” lists in my agenda, actions with deadlines and assigned responsibilities, as well as other similar tracking and measurement tools.

Then there is time discipline, which has changed as I gained experience and as the priorities of different stages of life evolved. In the past, I did not even notice when 14–16 hours a day, 7 days a week, would pass; that is roughly how much time I spent in hotels and restaurants for 20 years. Now, however, I organize my time differently, moving from micromanagement to strategic planning, delegating and mentoring other colleagues to grow as I did.

I recharge my batteries in nature, in the sun, in peaceful and relaxing places whenever I can; it is my way of putting a stop to continuous activity. During my vacations, my phone becomes just a camera, I do not read emails or messages, I completely disconnect, which I recommend every healthy person should do, not just once, but several times a year.

Life has shown me that results improve after periods of rest, that new ideas emerge when your mind is rested rather than stressed, and that everything becomes clearer when you are relaxed, helping you make better decisions. And when you are sick or exhausted, not only can you no longer help yourself, but you cannot help others either.

C&B: What principles guide the important decisions you make?

Octavian Moldovan: Experience, knowledge, and intuition, not necessarily in this order. It is a mix between what I learned in schools, including at EHL (École Hôtelière de Lausanne), the practical applicability of that knowledge, my life experience, and that inner instinct that comes from within when you feel compelled to do good.

Each of these principles has been applied depending on the desired outcome of every decision. I have always tried to maintain a balance between customer feedback, colleagues’ satisfaction, and positive financial results.

C&B: How do you see the evolution of your field over the next 3–5 years?

Octavian Moldovan: Tourism is a continuously developing industry and it will clearly continue to grow in scale, as the population’s tendency is moving toward fewer working hours and more free time. Free time leads to more frequent travel and, consequently, to a larger number of potential hotel guests.

There are both risks and opportunities across different market segments. For example, with an aging population on the rise and a younger population decreasing, preferences and experiences will continue to evolve over time. Young couples and younger generations, in general, take more mini-vacations throughout the year, with an average duration of 2–4 nights, but they spend less per getaway, while another category is driving the growth of the all-inclusive segment, preferred by families with children and seniors for stays of 5–7 nights.

If you correctly identify the relationship between the product (what you offer), the services (how you offer them), the guests (who you offer them to), and the experiences (what creates the “wow” factor), then you will always be in demand.

C&B: What role do you aim to have in this evolution?

Octavian Moldovan: I will contribute to the development of tourism in our country, to show that we also have wonderful people and services “like abroad,” to build that equation “what + how + for whom = wow” as well as possible, so that it lasts as long as possible. I want Europe, and not only Europe, to speak about Romania as an example of hospitality, and the hotels I will lead, led by Radisson Blu Hotel Sinaia Cota 1400, to become examples of best practices.

The main objective I have as GM (General Manager) of the hotel at Cota 1400 is to build notoriety, to place it on the map of the great mountain resort hotels, where you can find the defining elements of a premium vacation like in the Alps, not only during the winter season. Today, all luxury resorts are located in Switzerland, Italy, France, and Austria, and I will bring a little from each to Romania, hoping that we too will soon reach this Top 5.

C&B: What real advice would you give to someone who wants to build something relevant today?

Octavian Moldovan: Throughout my career, I have learned not to rush into areas I do not know well, and I have always relied on the people with expertise around me. My message to investors is to present their vision, values, desired result, and implementation deadline to professionals or consultants in this field, to ask for several scenarios to fulfill that dream, and, most importantly, to listen.

And for someone at the beginning of their career in this wonderful field, or even on the verge of a professional conversion, my advice is to have the necessary patience to follow the steps required to gain sufficient experience. Many do not understand that working in tourism or HoReCa does not mean a job where you collect a salary and tips, but the opportunity to relate to other people, smiling genuinely, not falsely, and later gaining many other opportunities, not only immediate ones.

And for both categories, perhaps the most valuable advice is: take care of those around you.

C&B: What is an uncomfortable truth about your field that few people talk about?

Octavian Moldovan: Just like in other fields, there are too many ways through which people manage only in their own interest, and this is possible because they are allowed to do so. There is a comfortable, complacent majority, and there is also that minority that wants to change the bad habits of the past, that wants to leave something behind through honest means, to build for future generations or simply for the joy of their own soul.

Most people manage somehow. Regardless of morality, regardless of how difficult things are, they find a way to do it, whether respecting the laws of this country or not. Some are honest, others less so, and they are not to be judged; need, desire, possibilities, or the lack of them lead each person toward their own choices.

Looking at Romanian hospitality from the outside, it is easy to draw conclusions by generalizing and throwing mud. It bitterly amuses me that many Romanians complain about our services, while so many foreigners praise us all over the world, without any particular interest…

I wish the best for everyone: as many hotels and guests as possible, as much exposure as possible, and more goodwill in sitting at the same table, with common goals and ideals.

The interview with Octavian Moldovan highlights not only the experience of a hospitality leader, but also the perspective of a professional who places people, authenticity, and human values at the center of every decision. Through the balance between performance, empathy, and strategic vision, he outlines a new generation of leadership in the HoReCa industry, focused on sustainable development and memorable experiences. In a constantly evolving field, his perspective offers both a realistic and optimistic outlook on the future of tourism and hospitality in Romania.

The post Octavian Moldovan: Authentic Leadership and the Future of Hospitality in Romania appeared first on careers-business.com.

Gutuleanu Andreea founded the Rheea Roses brand in 2020, at just 19 years old, while she was still a student at SNSPA, successfully balancing the growth of her business with her studies in communication and public relations. The brand specializes in soap flower arrangements, appreciated for their quality and uniqueness, with each bouquet being customized by the client. Thanks to her ambition and dedication, Andreea opened her own physical store after five years, while also building a community of tens of thousands of followers on social media. She aims to take Rheea Roses as far as possible and inspire others through her entrepreneurial journey.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Gutuleanu Andreea: I could start from the very beginning, so to speak — the pandemic period in 2020, when it seemed like the whole world had come to a standstill. I remember I was still in university and online classes had just started. I am a very active person, so staying at home was a real struggle for me. On impulse, I decided to start a “business.” I began making phone calls, looking for a space where I could carry out my activity, opening a company, and doing everything “by the book,” because from the very beginning I set my mind on building something serious, not just a hobby you could practice from the comfort of your home.

Within 2–3 days, I found the space: a garage. I bought a few materials. Back in 2020, soap flowers were something completely new in Romania, so they were quite difficult to find. I can honestly say that I am a veteran in this field. Little by little, I started learning how to create floral arrangements. It was not easy at all, and especially not easy to decide which direction to take this idea in — whether to focus on classic, mass-produced models or allow customers to personalize the final product exactly the way they wanted. That was definitely a key moment.

I came up with all kinds of unique products that had never been seen in Romania before, and I gradually gained followers. People were fascinated by what they saw, especially since our country was used only to natural flowers, while artificial soap flowers were viewed rather negatively, commonly associated with funeral arrangements. I proved to them that this perception was wrong. Even today, I have stayed in touch with many clients from six years ago, and some of them even attended the opening of my store, which I think says a lot about the way I approached this passion.

The story would be very long, but in short, the key moment that brought me to where I am today was choosing originality. I gave life to artificial flowers and created an alternative way of giving gifts. I chose to build a community that loves the products I create and, I believe, even loves me, although I do not focus too much on my personal image within the brand.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Gutuleanu Andreea: The most difficult moment in my career was in 2023, when I was forced to find a new space in order to continue my business. It was extremely hard to move three years of “life” in just a few days. However, the biggest challenge was on a personal level: I was going through a severe depression and had started to lose my dedication to what I was doing. I simply could no longer see anything good in life, only negative things. The relocation intensified these feelings, making everything seem like a never-ending nightmare. Because I was no longer giving 100% of myself, sales also began to decline. Even so, I never let my followers see what I was going through, because I did not want to turn the page into a personal brand.

After months of coming to the workshop and creating bouquets and arrangements in a robotic way, without joy and without feeling connected to what I was doing anymore, I realized that I had to change something. I did not want to lose everything I had built, so I chose to take refuge in my work and focus on my brand. Gradually, this helped me overcome my depression. During that period, I came up with the idea of combining toys with flowers, and that is how the teddy bear bouquet and the Stitch character bouquet were born. They went viral and gathered hundreds of thousands of views in just a few days. That was the moment when I understood that this was my path and that I needed to continue dedicating myself to the Rheea Roses brand.

Through hard work, determination, perseverance, and many failed attempts, I managed to overcome one of the most difficult periods of my life.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of the obstacles?

Gutuleanu Andreea: My childhood dream was to be “the boss”, funny, I know. Maybe that is also one of the reasons why I chose to build something of my own, to create a brand that brings joy to people. Ambition has defined me ever since I was little; I always wanted everything I did to turn out as well as possible. I constantly took part in competitions and academic olympiads, and I always aimed for the highest grades, to prove to myself that I could do it, that I was “great,” as I liked to say.

That same ambition to be the best at what I do guides me every single day in my business, and during difficult moments, it is what motivates me to keep going. I feel like I already have an inner voice that constantly encourages me and helps me never give up.

C&B: If we were to meet your collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Gutuleanu Andreea: That’s a good question! I have built very beautiful relationships with my collaborators, and I have been working with many of them since the very beginning, which is why I can call them a second family. In urgent situations, no matter the time, they are always there to help me. In return, I also try to be there for them whenever they need me, even when they forget about a birthday and end up without flowers.

I think they would say that I am an energetic person, sometimes disorganized, although I am still working on that aspect, punctual, prompt, and always willing to help whenever someone needs support.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made, the one that changed your trajectory?

Gutuleanu Andreea: The most important decision I made was in 2022, when I completely changed the direction of my business. That was the moment I decided to shape my products in a “luxury” manner, placing a strong emphasis on branding, so that people would want an everlasting bouquet specifically from Rheea Roses. Ever since 2020, I knew I wanted to move in a premium direction focused on quality, but at the beginning I did not know how to sell or communicate this vision to people.

If I had not shifted the business toward the premium segment at that moment, I probably would not have reached where I am today. It is very important to choose, as early as possible, the audience you want to address. If you build your brand as something cheap and accessible and continue in that direction for years, it later becomes very difficult to change people’s perception, because you risk losing a large part of your customers, who are already used to a certain style. There are many examples of brands that attempted this transition and failed. The image you build in front of your customers is essential for the growth and evolution of a business.

C&B: How did you develop your leadership style and your way of making decisions? Was it a natural process or something you learned over time?

Gutuleanu Andreea: The way I make decisions is, most of the time, quite impulsive. That happens because I rely heavily on instinct, although not exclusively, since at the end of the day we are talking about business and finances. Still, many of my creations and products were developed based purely on the feeling that “this is definitely going to work.”

I believe my leadership style started forming in childhood. I am a Leo, and I feel that this side of me is simply instinctive. Whenever I played outside with other children, I was always the one suggesting the games, inventing the rules, and coordinating everything, and the other kids genuinely enjoyed that. Later on, in school, high school, and university, the same thing happened: whenever we had group projects, I naturally ended up coordinating them, because my colleagues also felt that I was suited for that role and capable of managing situations well.

So, I can say that my leadership style and the way I make decisions are as natural and authentic as they can be.

C&B: What does an ordinary day look like for you now, and which moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Gutuleanu Andreea: A typical day for me starts with receiving merchandise. We are constantly bringing in new products, which I organize in the storage area, and then I rush straight to the shop. There, we prepare orders, create arrangements, call customers for confirmations, and take on new orders. In addition, I constantly interact with the people who come into the store and help them choose the perfect gift.

Toward the evening, the courier arrives to pick up the packages, and after that comes the cleaning part. Since the shop is located on a main boulevard, it always has to look impeccable. Even after 15 hours of work, when you feel like you cannot go on anymore, you still have to find a little extra energy to make sure everything looks presentable.

My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing the joy of the people who receive the bouquets I create. Very often, I see young men leaving the store while their girlfriends are waiting in the car, and their reactions are priceless. I feel the same way when I see posts and stories on social media. In those moments, I completely forget about the exhaustion, stress, and worries.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them every day?

Gutuleanu Andreea: I strive to become the best version of myself so that I can offer quality through my creations, always have a kind word for my clients, and successfully get through any day, whether it is filled with hundreds of orders or just five. Perseverance and ambition clearly define me, and many of my clients tell me the same thing. They have seen how much I have evolved over these six years, and that brings me great joy.

I have always aimed for everything to turn out exactly as it should, exactly the way I wanted it to, otherwise I would never have reached this point. I did not have much support in the beginning. People often told me to keep it as just a hobby and not get so deeply involved. It hurt to hear that, especially because I truly believed in the Rheea Roses brand. But I clearly did not listen, I chose to do everything the way I believed it should be done, and that is how I got here. Today, I have my own store, my own warehouse, and tens of thousands of customers who have expressed their satisfaction, appreciated the quality, and who, without even realizing it, motivate me every single day to continue what I do and to do it better and better.

C&B: If you were to send a message to the people who follow your example, what would it be?

Gutuleanu Andreea: This is truly an interesting topic. I want to encourage everyone to keep working until they reach the place they aspire to be, and then continue evolving. It is very important not to stagnate and not to settle for too little, because otherwise you risk remaining stuck in the same place.

I also believe that entrepreneurship is not for everyone, just as working in a traditional system for an employer is not suited to everyone either. The important thing is to find the place where you can truly excel and become the best version of yourself. And if you do not succeed on the first try, you have to keep trying until you find the place where you can genuinely be yourself and where you are appreciated.

There is nothing wrong with falling, the real problem appears when you no longer want to get back up.

As for the handmade industry, I am incredibly happy that I managed to create a nationwide trend and that our bouquets inspire thousands of creative people. It is an amazing satisfaction to know that many people discovered their passion through what we do. I hope that every time someone sees a bouquet with teddy bears, toys, or lights, they immediately think of Rheea Roses.

The story of Rheea Roses is more than just an entrepreneurial journey, it is proof that ambition, authenticity, and perseverance can transform an idea born in a garage into a nationally appreciated brand. Through creativity and dedication, Gutuleanu Andreea managed to build not only a business, but also a community that connects with the emotion and originality behind every bouquet created.

The post Gutuleanu Andreea, Founder of Rheea Roses: The Story of the Brand That Turned Soap Flowers into a National Trend appeared first on careers-business.com.

With over 25 years of experience in leading commercial and management teams, Dan Nuțiu is a professional who has built real bridges between strategy and results, with a constant focus on developing businesses in cross-border contexts. Today, as President of the Association of Investors from Romania in the Republic of Moldova (AIR), he plays a key role in supporting Romanian and European companies seeking to enter or expand in the Moldovan market, facilitating connections, partnerships, and clear growth trajectories. Find out more about his journey and market perspective in the interview below.

C&B: What was the real context that led to the establishment of AIR, and what specific market problem were you aiming to solve from the very beginning?
Dan Nuțiu:  The context behind AIR’s establishment was, first and foremost, one of recognition. At that time, the Romanian capital already had a significant presence in the Republic of Moldova, but this impact was neither sufficiently visible nor aggregated into a coherent voice. Companies were present and active, but they operated more individually, without a common framework for representation and support. AIR emerged as a natural step in the maturation of this presence.

C&B: Can you give a concrete example of a situation where AIR influenced an investment or an important decision in the Republic of Moldova?
Dan Nuțiu:  In several cases, AIR’s involvement made the difference between intention and a concrete investment decision. We contributed by validating market opportunities, connecting investors with local partners, and facilitating institutional dialogue when blockages or uncertainties arose.
 I believe the most important impact is not tied to a single project but to the fact that we have significantly reduced investors’ perceived risk. This is reflected in the numbers: around 20 companies have entered the market with direct or indirect support from AIR, generating investments of tens of millions of euros.
 Ultimately, our role is exactly this: to turn interest into decisions and decisions into real investments.

C&B: What has concretely changed in recent years that has made the Republic of Moldova more attractive to Romanian investors?
Dan Nuțiu:  Several essential things have changed—and, importantly, they have changed at the same time.
 First, the Republic of Moldova’s strategic direction is much clearer today. The European path is no longer just a political message; it is beginning to translate into concrete reforms, greater predictability, and alignment with European standards.
 Second, the economic relationship with Romania has matured. We are no longer talking only about cultural proximity, but about real interconnection—in energy, infrastructure, and banking—which significantly reduces perceived risks for investors.
 Another important element is the shift in mindset among companies. The Republic of Moldova is no longer seen merely as a small market, but as a strategic opportunity—either as a testing ground or as a gateway into the region.
 All these elements together have transformed Moldova from an “opportunity market” into one where investments can be planned for the medium and long term.

C&B: Has the war in Ukraine been more of a risk factor or a catalyst for Romanian investments in the Republic of Moldova?
Dan Nuțiu:  It has clearly been both—initially a risk factor, later a catalyst. In the early phase, the reaction was one of caution. Any conflict in close proximity generates uncertainty, and some companies postponed decisions or entered a waiting mode.
 However, in the medium term, the effect reversed. The war accelerated the strategic repositioning of many companies in the region, and the Republic of Moldova began to be perceived differently—not just as a local market, but as part of a broader context of operational security and diversification.
 I would say that the risk has not disappeared, but it is now better understood and better managed. For investors with a structured approach, the current context has even opened up new opportunities.

C&B: How do you see the positioning of the Republic of Moldova: a consumer market or a regional hub—and in which sectors is this positioning becoming real, not just theoretical?
 Dan Nuțiu: I don’t think Moldova can be viewed solely as a consumer market anymore—its size is limited. But precisely this limitation has driven a smart repositioning.
 In reality, Moldova is beginning to function as a regional hub. We see this becoming tangible in several key sectors:
 In industry and manufacturing, especially in free economic zones, companies use Moldova as a competitive production base for exports to the EU.
 In IT and services, there is already a well-developed and regionally competitive ecosystem.
 In energy, interconnections with Romania are turning Moldova into a strategic point in the regional architecture.
 I would say Moldova becomes relevant not by size but by positioning.

C&B: Free economic zones and tax incentives are often cited as a competitive advantage. In practice, how effective are they for investors?
Dan Nuțiu:  For investors who were already operating in free economic zones before 2024, the advantages are indeed significant—especially on the fiscal side, where real benefits can influence long-term competitiveness.
 However, for new investments, the regime is different. Today, the main benefits are more operational: VAT exemptions for certain flows and logistical facilities, such as on-site customs control, which simplifies and accelerates processes.
 This means we can no longer speak about a major tax advantage for all investors, but rather about an operational efficiency advantage.
 In practice, free economic zones remain relevant, but they are no longer a sufficient argument on their own.

C&B: What are 2–3 concrete barriers for investors that would disappear if legislative harmonization between Romania and the Republic of Moldova were complete?
Dan Nuțiu:  If legislative harmonization were complete, the impact would be very concrete, not just theoretical.
 First, a large part of administrative friction would disappear—differences in procedures, documentation, and interpretation that currently force companies to “relearn” the market. A business model validated in Romania could be replicated much faster in Moldova.
 Second, there would be greater legal predictability. Even though the direction is European, there are still uncertainties in how legislation is applied, which increase compliance costs and decision-making time.
 And very importantly, cross-border operations would be significantly simplified—from taxation to the movement of goods and services. For many companies, Romania and Moldova would begin to function almost like a single extended market rather than two separate ones.
 In essence, harmonization is not just about legislative alignment, but about reducing the cost of doing business.

C&B: What is the most common mistake Romanian investors make when entering the Moldovan market?
Dan Nuțiu:  The most common mistake is treating the Republic of Moldova as a simple extension of Romania.
 Cultural and linguistic proximity creates a false sense of familiarity, and many companies assume that what works in Romania will automatically work here. In reality, there are important differences: market structure, purchasing power, and the dynamics of business relationships.
 Perhaps most importantly, the time needed to build is often underestimated. Moldova is a market where relationships and trust matter greatly, and results do not come instantly.
 In essence, the issue is not market complexity, but approach. Those who come prepared and with realistic expectations usually achieve good results.

C&B: What does the labor market in the Republic of Moldova look like in reality for an investor: deficit, opportunity, or competitive advantage?
Dan Nuțiu:  In reality, it is a combination of deficit and opportunity—rarely a competitive advantage in itself.
 There is undoubtedly a labor shortage, especially in certain sectors and at certain skill levels. The emigration of recent years is felt, and for investors, this means pressure on recruitment and retention.
 At the same time, there is a clear opportunity: the workforce in Moldova is well-trained, adaptable, and in many cases highly competitive in terms of cost-quality ratio. This is particularly visible in IT, services, and certain industrial sectors.
 I would say the labor market is no longer an “entry argument,” but it can become a differentiator for those who manage it properly.

C&B: Do you believe the private sector is more effective than the political sphere in strengthening Romania–Republic of Moldova bilateral relations?
Dan Nuțiu:  I don’t think it’s a matter of being “more effective,” but of having different roles.
 The political sphere creates the framework—through agreements, strategic direction, and institutional openness. Without this framework, the relationship cannot evolve sustainably.
 The private sector, on the other hand, gives substance to this relationship. Investments, concrete projects, and commercial partnerships are what build the real connection between the two economies day by day.
 From our experience, the private sector has the advantage of speed and pragmatism. It can react faster, identify opportunities, and turn them into tangible results. But real impact appears when the two work together. The political framework opens doors, and the private sector turns them into projects.
 In essence, the Romania–Moldova relationship is strengthened neither solely by political decisions nor by private initiative, but by a balance between the two.

C&B: How can companies from the two countries join forces to enter third markets with greater competitive strength?
Dan Nuțiu:  I believe this is one of the biggest opportunities that is still insufficiently exploited.
 We have talked a lot about the internationalization of companies from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, but the next step is not to go separately, but together.
 In practice, this means building complementary partnerships: Romanian companies with financial capacity and market access, alongside Moldovan companies with operational flexibility, competitive costs, and execution capability.
 Another important element is creating joint offerings—not just exporting products, but delivering integrated solutions that can compete in larger markets.
 There is also a need for greater coordination: joint participation in international fairs, joint economic missions, and, ideally, projects designed from the start with third markets in mind, not just the local market.
 In essence, the real advantage appears when the two ecosystems complement rather than duplicate each other.
 If done consistently, Romania and the Republic of Moldova can become far more relevant together on external markets than separately.

C&B: What role does AIR aim to take in the next stage of Moldova’s economic development and European integration?
Dan Nuțiu:  AIR aims to take on a much more active role than the traditional one of representation. We are entering a stage where European integration is no longer just an objective, but a concrete process with direct impact on the business environment. In this context, AIR aims to act as a working partner—for both companies and institutions.
 On one hand, we want to support companies in adapting to the standards and opportunities of the European single market—not only in terms of compliance, but also competitiveness.
 At the same time, we will continue working to attract investment and strengthen the presence of Romanian capital in Moldova, but in a more structured way, with a focus on strategic sectors.
 Ultimately, our goal is to contribute to transforming Moldova into a competitive and compatible economy within the European market, with the business environment as an active participant in this process, not just a beneficiary.

C&B: What is a concrete AIR project in the next 12 months that could generate a visible impact in the Moldovan business environment?
 Dan Nuțiu: A concrete project we are preparing for the next 12 months is the “AIR Caravan – Republic of Moldova, a destination for investment and partnerships.”
 This initiative will be carried out in collaboration with the Investment Agency and under the patronage of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, with a very clear objective: to bring the Republic of Moldova closer to Romanian investors—not just as a message, but as a concrete opportunity.
 In practice, we will organize a series of events across several cities in Romania, where we will present investment opportunities, priority sectors, and concrete examples of companies already successfully operating in Moldova. The impact we aim for is very concrete: generating qualified interest and turning it into real investment and partnership projects.
 In essence, we want to move the conversation from potential to decision.

The interview highlights the Republic of Moldova’s growing relevance as an investment destination, as well as the importance of a strategic and well-informed approach. In this context, AIR plays a key role in connecting opportunities with concrete decisions, contributing to the strengthening of economic ties between Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

The post Interview with Dan Nuțiu, President of the Association of Romanian Investors in the Republic of Moldova (AIR) appeared first on careers-business.com.

Adelina Popa (formerly Dondorici) is the founder and owner of Parenting Ads, Social Moms, and TPH Agency, three businesses developed around the parenting niche and communities dedicated to parents. Over the years, she has built projects that bring together brands, experts, and parents in a space for dialogue, information, and support.

She is currently studying Psychology, as part of a personal and professional exploration that is opening new meaningful directions for the future. Although she does not yet clearly define her next professional chapter, she says she is at a moment in which she allows herself to enjoy the process of learning and rediscovery.

She deeply believes in people and in the idea that each of us carries “gold” within. One of the values that guides her journey is the choice to always look toward the potential and the inner brilliance of others.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Adelina Popa: Looking back, I think the narrative thread of my journey—both professional and personal—has, above all, to do with people. Just the other day, a quote from Tara Westover’s book Educated came back to my mind. It’s a passage that I believe everyone should hear or read at least once in their lifetime. I’ll share it below. Like Tara, I have been fortunate that, throughout my life, certain people saw in me—at different moments—more than I was able to see in myself. As Tara said, they saw the gold in me. And that helped me, each time, to spread my wings toward something greater.

“You’re not fool’s gold that shines only in the light. Whoever you become, whatever you transform into, you have always been that person. It was always inside you. Not at Cambridge. In you. You are gold. And if you return to BYU or even to the mountain you came from, you won’t be someone else. Others may look at you differently, perhaps even you will look at yourself differently—even gold can appear dull if the light isn’t right—but that is the illusion. And it has always been that way.”

Today I realize that these people and these encounters were the real key moments in my journey. It’s very clear to me now that when someone shows you who you could become, you slowly begin to find the courage to become that person.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Adelina Popa: The most difficult moment in my journey—and paradoxically also the most beautiful—was the moment I became a mother. Motherhood transformed me not only personally but also professionally. Even though I already had two solid businesses in the parenting space—the digital marketing agency Parenting Ads and the Social Moms events for parents—this experience gave both directions a new depth.

I moved from the intention of doing business simply to do business to doing business for people. And that shift comes with a lot of responsibility: to bring real value, to remain consistent in what you build, and to stay connected to the real needs of the people you create for. Motherhood taught me, perhaps more than any other experience, that the truly important things are built with meaning, patience, and care for people.

C&B: Was there a dream or ambition that always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Adelina Popa: For most of my life so far, I felt like I was on a carousel that kept spinning so I could keep moving forward, so I could survive. There was a part of me that strongly believed that if I stepped off that carousel, I would fail, I would die. And you can give that verb—to die—any meaning you want.

I come from a very small provincial town and from a more-than-modest family, and from a very early age I knew that if I wanted to leave that place, I had to succeed somehow: to study, to work, to make constant effort. Those experiences made me extremely adaptable and resilient. From then on, I decided that I would manage on my own and become an independent and autonomous woman. I cannot say I was guided by a very clear dream. I was guided more by a natural survival instinct, a lot of ambition, and an inner kindness that helped me always see the people and opportunities around me.

Today, at 43, I feel that I’ve reached a point where I’m finally allowing myself to look toward the dream of my life. I no longer believe that success, independence, and autonomy are the things that should define us the most as people or be the measure of “making it in life.” I believe, rather, that what truly matters is being in relationships, remaining open to life, and passing forward what we have learned.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed over time?

Adelina Popa: At the beginning of my journey, I was an extremely ambitious and hardworking young woman, willing to put in sustained effort, very curious and serious. A bit of a workaholic, determined to succeed in life and to prove to others that I deserved just as much as those who had a better starting point.

I was a young woman convinced that the mind could be stronger than the environment you come from.

Today I look back at that young woman with a lot of love and admiration. At the same time, I understand much better that the environment is, indeed, very important, and I am amazed by her almost infinite resources to keep going and to reach where she is today.

Today I’m no longer driven by the need to prove anything. Although I still feel the energy of that youth within me, I try to grow from a different place, from the energy of being, not from the energy of having to.

C&B: If we met your collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Adelina Popa: I think they would say that I am a serious and determined person they can rely on. They would probably also say that they feel safe entrusting their projects to me because they know I treat them with responsibility and involvement.

I believe they would also say that I am original and creative, that I see opportunities and always find solutions.

At the same time, I hope they would say that I am an honest partner who cares about people, because for me collaborations are not only about results but also about trust and relationships built over time.

C&B: What was the most important decision you made that changed your trajectory?

Adelina Popa: The most important professional decision I made was starting my own business.

Even though I had already had very large responsibilities as an employee—at only 26 I was Senior Sales Manager at one of the most important quality newspapers in Romania at the time, Adevărul, managing a budget of around €1.5 million more than 15 years ago—I didn’t truly know what it meant to build and sustain a business of your own.

I hadn’t studied it and I didn’t have a clear manual. I learned along the way. I built things more intuitively and organically than by following very precise rules. I made mistakes, I learned, I made mistakes again, and I learned again. But I never thought about giving up.

I think this is one of the most valuable qualities people can have: the ability not to give up when things don’t look the way we imagined at the beginning.

That is also the lesson I would share with those who are at the beginning of their journey—and this beginning is not necessarily related to age: don’t give up when it gets hard. Stay a little longer in that “hard,” because often, by going through it, we discover that it becomes easier. And above all, remember that life and growth are never linear.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or the way you make decisions? Was it natural or learned?

Adelina Popa: At first, it was 100% natural. I didn’t have the financial resources for leadership courses, and I didn’t think much about theoretical concepts of what a leader should look like. Later on, I did take leadership courses, but looking back, I realize that those courses don’t actually teach you how to be a leader. They can offer tools or perspectives, but the essence of leadership comes from within. In a way, you either are or you aren’t a leader.

For me, being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean learning how to manage people, but rather inspiring them. Sharing who you are and creating a space where others can discover their own potential.

I never thought too much about whether I am a good leader or exactly what my leadership style is. I simply try to remain authentic, natural, and rather relaxed than rigid in the way I work with people. And I think that, in the end, this is the form of leadership that suits me best and that I intend to keep.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments bring you the most satisfaction?

Adelina Popa: My day, at this stage of my life, looks very different from how it did a year, three years, or five years ago. At the moment, on the path toward my dream, I’m studying Psychology—I go to university almost every day and dedicate a lot of time to this process of learning and discovery.

At the same time, I spend a lot of time with my daughter, as I have since she was born, and those moments remain among the most important for me.

I go to the office mainly for management meetings, and the rest of the time I try to use for things that reconnect me with myself: I sing in a choir, I read, I take walks, I give myself time to reflect and to rediscover myself.

Perhaps the greatest luxury of this period is that, from time to time, I allow myself not to have a full schedule. To leave room for silence, for thoughts, and for that kind of growth that doesn’t appear when we are constantly running, but when we pause for a moment.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them day by day?

Adelina Popa: The main principle that guides me today is offering others what I would like to receive myself. I am a deeply humanistic person, and I believe that all people are born with “gold” within them. Life is what polishes that gold over time—sometimes making it shine, sometimes covering it so it seems less visible.

I choose, as much as I can, to look at the good in people and to participate in polishing that gold, as much as I can.

When I feel judgment appearing in my mind, I try to take a step back and look with more understanding at the stories, reactions, and experiences of those around me. I believe every person has their own context and their own path. Interestingly, this simple choice—to look at people with trust and openness—has attracted better and better relationships and projects into my life. I believe the way we see others shapes the way they choose to relate to us.

C&B: If you were to send a message to people who follow your example, what would it be?

Adelina Popa: My message would be to have the willingness to truly look at yourselves and accept yourselves in both your light and your darkness. The earlier in life we manage to do this, the better. Don’t skip stages, don’t rush, and don’t rush those around you. Every person has their own rhythm of growth and understanding of themselves and of life.

And above all, love. Love yourselves, love those around you, and put as much love as possible into everything you do, including your businesses. Because, in the end, the way we love, people, life, and the things we build, is the essence that gives meaning to our journey.

Adelina Popa’s story is about courage, growth and the power of staying connected to people and to the deeper meaning behind what we build. From the ambition to succeed on her own to the desire to contribute to the growth of others, her journey shows that success is not only about professional performance, but also about the ability to create relationships, communities and spaces where people can discover their true potential. In this period of rediscovery and learning, Adelina continues to look toward the future with openness, convinced that each of us carries a “gold” within that deserves to be seen and refined.

The post Adelina Popa: Entrepreneurship in Parenting, Authentic Leadership and the Power of Seeing the “Gold” in People appeared first on careers-business.com.

Ioana Mocanu is the founder of Creative Board Gaming (CBG), an organizer of board game events for all ages, operating in Bucharest and the surrounding areas. Since 2013, she has been bringing together people open to socializing on a daily basis, sprinkling the entire experience with playfulness, suspense, and smiles. Alongside this business, Ioana is the mother of a 5-year-old daughter and, in her free time, she practices Latin dances, dabbles in playing the guitar, meets up with friends and, of course, plays board games whenever she gets the chance.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career, which were the key moments that defined you?

Ioana Mocanu: The first key moment was when I was proposed to start the Creative Board Gaming story. A second moment was when, after almost three years of trying the model of a board game shop combined with a leisure space, we decided to focus solely on events. We hadn’t managed to delegate properly and felt we were doing many things, but at a mediocre level. Around that same period, the partner I had started with decided to go in a different direction, so I continued on my own. The beginning was very uncertain, but I believe it was worth it.

Before Creative Board Gaming, during my bachelor’s and master’s studies, I worked in sales as a freelancer, then in a corporation and in two smaller companies. I feel all these experiences helped me later in business. Also, although I never ended up practicing what I studied, I believe it contributed to developing my way of thinking, my perspectives, resilience, and planning skills.

And to finish with key moments, the pandemic definitely has its place on the list. We struggled to create alternatives for people during that time.

C&B: What are the biggest challenges in running a business where the main product is entertainment, not just the sale of objects?

Ioana Mocanu: The fact that you constantly have to strive to be chosen. Especially in Bucharest, where there are extremely many entertainment options, it is both a joy and an honor that people choose to come to us. Another challenge is that entertainment is considered a pleasure, not a necessity, therefore during financially difficult periods people go out less and in smaller numbers.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Ioana Mocanu: I wanted my work to have meaning, to feel that I offer something that brings added value and, of course, that I enjoy. It is said that being self-employed brings freedom. In reality, you have less free time, but the satisfaction and even the adrenaline of making your own decisions can be defining if this suits you.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey and how do you feel you have transformed up to now?

Ioana Mocanu: At the beginning, I was very naïve. Gradually, I had to come down to earth. At first, I also believed I knew a lot. Now I understand how much I still have to learn and how fascinating that is. Also, at the beginning I didn’t have much to lose. Now I am much more responsible, especially since I also have a family.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Ioana Mocanu: I like to think they see me as a committed person who wants everything we do to turn out as well as possible. I also try to create a pleasant working environment, based on collaboration and common sense.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?

Ioana Mocanu: Starting to delegate. It’s good to learn everything, but you can’t be good at everything, and at some point you simply won’t have the time. It’s very hard to let go of the reins, and I still have work to do on that.

C&B: Your vision says that “the site calls itself a shop, but in fact we play them” — how do you explain the concept of an experience-based shop to someone who comes for the first time?

Ioana Mocanu: What we offer are beautiful moments, both alongside loved ones and alongside new friends met on the spot at events. I have nothing against objects, but we already all have plenty of them. An experience, however, shapes you, stays with you, and can reconnect you with yourself and with others. Daily worries pass more easily when you know that in the evening you will do something enjoyable that recharges you. Not to mention weekends, when you are not as pressed by responsibilities.

C&B: How do you differentiate yourselves from other online or offline board game shops, especially through your vision of “fun with friends/family/colleagues”?

Ioana Mocanu: We no longer sell games, so our relationship with shops is one of partnership. Our competition lies in other event organizers targeting exactly the same audience as us. We differentiate ourselves through meticulous organization, the fact that we address both adults and children (with separate sections), the option to purchase a gift voucher for someone dear so they can choose what they want from our offer, the fact that we rent games for home use as well, our corporate packages and, last but not least, our bonus points system. More precisely, anything you choose from what we offer, plus winning at our events, earns you points in your website account, which you can later use to choose rewards from the page called Prizes. There you’ll find all our partners listed, with options ranging from cocktails and relaxation massages to dance class subscriptions and even trips around the country. In addition, once every three months we give extra awards to the best players in each type of competition (besides social and relaxation events, we also organize championships for advanced players). We also offer personalized trophies, for proper recognition.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now and which moments bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Ioana Mocanu: It depends on the day. Sometimes I work from home, other times I go to the locations where we have a permanent game collection available for people who want to go out and play with friends outside of events. For the most part, I try to spend as much time as possible with our daughter after we pick her up from kindergarten. The moments that bring me the greatest professional satisfaction are those when I hear clients laughing wholeheartedly and their phones remain untouched. They look each other in the eyes, talk, disconnect from stress and bring out the child in them through play. Not to mention how many people have, over time, become good friends, neighbors, colleagues or even couples.

C&B: What important lesson have you learned as the founder of a niche concept focused on experience and community?

Ioana Mocanu: That the beginning is much harder when the market doesn’t yet exist. In 2013, many people believed board games were slot machines and didn’t associate them at all with chess, rummy, Monopoly or classic card games. At that time, there were already thousands of titles worldwide, but in Romania there were very few players in this field and it was very difficult. In such a situation, you need either a lot of patience or very effective techniques to educate and attract the audience to what you offer. Luckily, we had the patience — the second part came later . In any case, today there are incomparably more players on the market: shops (physical and online), Romanian producers and distributors, plus other organizers, both in Bucharest and across the country. Competition, as a principle, gives anyone chills, but it also contributes to market creation and stimulates continuous growth. What helped us the most in CBG’s activity, however, was the idea of community, of belonging, of bringing together people with the same energy. This emotional aspect contributed significantly.

C&B: How did the idea of CBG Shop come about and what inspired you to turn your passion for board games into an experience-based business?

Ioana Mocanu: My former partner, Cosmin, came up with the idea at a birthday party of mine where, of course, we were playing board games. I was already working in the games industry at the time, giving a lot of passion to my job, but the manager back then had started treating us very badly. When I told my friends I was about to resign, the proposal came up and initially, of course, it was a laughing matter. Until the next day, when I received a message from Cosmin with information about youth funding programs he had already found online that we could access to open the business. We were both just over 20, coming from ordinary families, without money or business role models around us. We started from zero and also rushed into large initial expenses, which was not good at all. My advice now would be: start wisely — not overly cautious, but don’t throw yourself into too much either. Grow gradually, with a plan, but with a lot of flexibility. Have patience and perseverance. Try, learn. Surround yourself with people who support you and, ideally, from whom you can learn. Do it as early as possible, so you have time to dedicate yourself before other responsibilities appear.

C&B: What is your vision for CBG Shop over the next 3–5 years — expansion, new locations, local gaming communities, partnerships?

Ioana Mocanu: A game collection in even more venues in Bucharest (we currently have 6 partners), events for even more game titles — at the moment we have Catan, Whist, Table, Dungeons & Dragons, Puzzle, Board Game Nights where we play all kinds of games, and many others. Collaborations with more afterschools and schools (for programs like “Școala Altfel” and “Săptămâna Verde”), with more companies for team buildings and employee benefits, plus more partners for the prizes we offer at events. And last but not least, I wish to continue waking up in the morning with enthusiasm and energy, because life flows very fast, and being able to work at something you love seems to me one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.

Ioana Mocanu’s story is one of courage, patience, and purpose in an industry built around joy and connection.

The post Ioana Mocanu: Purpose-driven entrepreneurship built around play and people appeared first on careers-business.com.

Nina Stan is the co-founder of Frigmania, a company specialized in modular systems and refrigeration solutions. Under this umbrella, Frigmania develops and delivers modular cold storage spaces (rooms and refrigerated containers), highly customizable special containers, and modular factories, complete industrial solutions designed primarily for the food industry, focusing on small and medium capacities.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Nina Stan: Looking back, my professional path began in a context very different from today. As a young graduate, I had no choice when I entered the workforce, I received an assignment, as was customary then, at the dairy products factory in Brașov, as a refrigeration engineer. Fortunately, it was a field close to what I had studied, but the reality of the factory was completely unknown to me.

I remember very clearly the moment when my boss asked me to place an order with a supplier, and I understood almost nothing of what he had told me. I did not know what an order meant, I did not know what a supplier was. It was my first direct contact with the real world of production and business. The good part is that I adapted quickly and learned everything there was to learn.

After a few years, the need for change arose. I had become bored with the routine and the opportunity came to take over the management of a research and development office. It was a very beneficial period for my professional development, in which I could experiment, think of new projects, and broaden my perspective.

As is characteristic of me, at some point I felt again that I had to move forward. I joined a company whose main activity was refrigeration installations. Practically, I returned to my basic profession, but in a much more applied way. Over ten very beautiful years followed, full of challenges and intensive practical learning.

When the company I worked for began to function inadequately, I realized something essential: if I want things to be done the way I believe is correct, I cannot rely only on someone else’s system. That is how the decision to start on my own came about.

In 2014, together with my partner, Doru Polosan, we started what today is the Frigmania brand, with an online store of products and components for refrigeration installations. It was the moment when my professional path became definitively linked to entrepreneurship and the idea of building something of our own, from scratch.

Today, Frigmania has evolved far beyond the component area and operates as a “Modular Systems” platform: we develop modular cold storage spaces (rooms and refrigerated containers), special containers for atypical or highly technical applications, and modular factories, that is, complete industrial solutions for producers who need flexible, scalable, and efficient units.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your career so far and how did you overcome it?

Nina Stan: If I were to talk about the most difficult moment, I would say that it is not necessarily in the past, but rather in the period we are living now, at Frigmania. I cannot honestly say that I have overcome it, we are still in the middle of it.

Recently, many difficult situations have accumulated: cash flow pressure, financing challenges, productivity issues, and above all, the effort to develop and launch new products. This year we produced certain types of products for the first time, in collaboration with a partner from Italy. The experience was valuable, but also complicated. I admit that we were too little attentive to the negotiation of the collaboration, and this is now reflected in the way our finances and organization are affected.

I do not have a round story of the type “it was hard, but I passed with flying colors”. We are still in the process of adjustment, learning, and reorganization.

What I can say, however, is that this difficult period forces us to be more rigorous: to be more attentive to contracts, to how we choose partners, how we organize productivity, and how we evaluate risks before embarking in a new direction.

Even though it is hard, we remain optimistic. We have new products with potential, we have solid technical experience, and we are willing to learn from our own mistakes. Perhaps that is actually the key: to recognize the difficult moment without victimizing yourself, and to continue looking for solutions together with the people you started the journey with.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Nina Stan: Yes, I believe that in any professional path there is a “red thread” that guides you, even if sometimes you do not see it clearly at the moment. For us, this red thread has always been the desire to do things that others do not do: to identify unmet needs in our field, in refrigeration installations and modularity, and to provide concrete solutions where the market does not yet have answers.

We were not interested in being just another player “among others”, but to build missing products and concepts, to bring something new in the way refrigeration and modular solutions are designed, promoted, and delivered.

If you manage to do this consistently, recognition as an expert or a reference in the field comes, eventually, almost naturally. In our case, we had confirmation in a very direct way: we saw market operators who faithfully copied both the products we developed and the way we promoted them or brought them to market.

It may not be the most comfortable form of validation, but it is, without a doubt, one of the clearest: it means you have managed to create something relevant enough to become a model for others. And that confirms that our red thread, being where no one is yet, makes sense and is worth following, regardless of obstacles.

C&B: How did you look at the beginning of the journey and how do you feel you have transformed to the present?

Nina Stan: At the beginning of the journey, I was like many entrepreneurs at their first project: very optimistic and very confident. When we launched the online store for refrigeration components, the fact that no other similar store existed in the market made us believe that “we were breaking new ground”. It seemed obvious that, having this free niche, things would flow by themselves.

Obviously, reality quickly showed us that this was not at all the case. Our field is very specialized, and in the area of refrigeration installations, you cannot sell “just products” without a very strong consultancy component behind it. For years, we explained to each client what they needed, what type of component suited them, what size, in what combination with other elements, so that a functional and correctly sized assembly resulted.

At some point, we realized that in the form we were operating then, we could not make money. Just selling components, explaining everything from scratch each time, was not a sustainable model. We then tried to also do works in the field, with teams, employees, and construction sites. It was a period in which things went well, it was “okay”, but it did not bring the type of satisfaction we were looking for.

If at the beginning we were much more enthusiastic than lucid, today we are much more grounded in reality. We look at business differently: we analyze more carefully which products are worth developing, what type of clients we want to serve, what collaborations we accept and what we do not. We moved from the idea “to be the first to do something online” to the idea “to build solutions that solve real needs in Romania”.

In short, at the beginning we looked like entrepreneurs convinced that a good idea was enough. Today, we see ourselves more as mature practitioners who know that an idea must be supported by structure, healthy work models, and realistic decisions.

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Nina Stan: I believe the team and collaborators would describe me, first of all, as a trustworthy person. Those who work with me know that if I said something, it happens, maybe not always at the ideal pace, but always with seriousness and commitment. I am a person of my word.

They would probably also see me as someone who “can do anything” and tries to solve everything for them. Many times, I am, in a way, “the mother” of the team: the one to whom all problems, technical or human, are brought, the one they come to when it seems there are no solutions. It is not always easy to play this role, but I believe it came naturally from my way of being, involved, protective, and attentive to people.

At the same time, I am aware that I am perceived as demanding. I am not the type to say “it will do”. I expect seriousness, rigor, and responsibility because I know how much quality matters in any field.

In short, I think they would say that I am a person you can rely on, who takes on the hard work and does not avoid responsibility, neither for projects nor for people.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?

Nina Stan: Looking back, I realize that my professional path was not marked by a single “big decision”, but by several turning point decisions. Leaving the factory, taking on a research and development role, joining a company specialized in refrigeration installations, then the step into entrepreneurship, and finally building the Frigmania brand, all of these changed the direction each time.

I cannot say, however, that one was “the most important” or that I can declare for sure that the decisions were good. The truth is that we can never know this completely. If I had not made a certain decision, I cannot know what would have happened instead.

What I can say is that each major decision came from a combination of context, constructive dissatisfaction, and a desire to be closer to the way I feel things should be done. Each step, whether towards more stability or, on the contrary, more risk, changed my trajectory and brought me to where I am today.

Perhaps, more important than the decision itself, was the fact that I assumed it fully and chose to build something based on it, instead of staying stuck in the question “what if…”.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or the way you make decisions? Was it a natural process or learned?

Nina Stan: I believe leadership style is built step by step, but it starts from something that exists within you from the beginning. I am convinced that there must be a “seed” of leadership in you from birth. If you do not have this seed, if you do not have that inner tendency to assume, to step forward, you risk always remaining in the place where others have pushed you.

At the same time, this seed is not enough. My style was formed over time, through a lot of practice and many real situations, not from theory. I learned from my own decisions, from mistakes made, from moments when I said “yes” too quickly or, on the contrary, hesitated too long. I also read, observed other leaders, but the most important formative factor was direct field experience.

A very important element of my style is that I like to be the first to show how it is done. I do not ask the team or collaborators to do anything I myself am not willing to do. I go into details, I literally get my hands on the work, I explain, draw, test. I work very hard to understand things well and do them as well as possible. This also gives me the authority to demand high standards from others because they know I am speaking from practice, not theory.

So, if I were to summarize, I would say that my leadership style is a combination of a native instinct to assume responsibility and continuous learning from reality, coupled with the desire to always be the first to get involved and show concretely how it is done.

C&B: What do you think differentiates Frigmania or your professional approach from the rest of the industry?

Nina Stan: I would summarize the difference in three simple points:

We think in assemblies, not in “pieces”
Frigmania does not just sell isolated products, but complete concepts of modular systems. When we work on a project, we look at the whole: space, flow, temperatures, volume, type of product, mode of use. Whether we talk about a cold room, a container, a technical space, or a small modular factory, our interest is that everything functions logically and efficiently, not just ticking off a list of equipment.

A clear solution structure, Modular Systems, the technological umbrella under which we design all solutions
Modular Factories: complete industrial solutions for those who need production lines or flexible processing units
Modular Cold Storage Spaces: rooms and refrigerated containers, which are the basis of many projects
Special Containers: the part where we customize, adapt, and bring things into the high technical area

This structure helps us not to sell “randomly”, but to understand where each project fits and how it can grow over time.

Very high personal involvement
We do not manage from a distance. We are directly involved in projects, solutions, and technical discussions. My style is to be the first to get involved and show how it is done, not just “coordinate from behind”. I believe people feel this and trust that we do not propose anything we would not be willing to do ourselves.

The fact that, over time, I have seen products and promotional methods in the market copied almost identically from what we did confirms to me that our approach is distinct, visible enough to become a reference.

C&B: What does an ordinary day look like for you now and what moments of the day give you the most satisfaction?

Nina Stan: My day usually starts at 7:00 with a coffee and a first round of checks: emails, messages, social networks, reactions to what I communicated, things that need adjustment or require a quick response. This is the moment when I align my day with what happened “overnight” around us, clients, collaborators, partners.

Around 9:00 I arrive at the office and enter the operational part: I check the projects in progress, where there are blockages, what steps need to be taken next, who needs clarification or support. This is the more technical and pragmatic part of the day, where I try to ensure that things do not remain suspended and that everything we started moves forward.

I usually reserve afternoons for projects that are only mine, those in which I need more quiet, strategic thinking, and space to create. This is actually the most beautiful part of the day for me: moments when I can let my imagination run free, sketch new products, think concepts, and connect ideas.

A workday almost never ends before 19:00. Entrepreneurship does not have a “from-to” schedule, and in my case, the line between “work” and “life” is very thin. I work a lot, but I assume it, because most of my energy goes into things I feel have meaning and a future.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do and how do you apply them day by day?

Nina Stan: For me, values are not something you put nicely in a presentation and then forget. They are visible, or not, in the way you work every day.

At the center of what I do are a few very clear principles:

Honesty and integrity: towards clients, collaborators, and the team. If something is not realistic or I do not believe it will work, I prefer to say so, even if it sometimes means losing in the short term.
Keeping your word: for me, “I said” means “I committed”. Even if it sometimes means extra effort or longer hours, I try not to leave promises in the air.
Seriousness, in both big and small matters. From a timely email to a complex project, I try to treat each thing with the same attention.
Well-done work and quality: I do not believe in “it will do”, especially in our field, where a poorly thought or rushed solution usually costs dearly later.
Assuming decisions: I do not like to blame the context, others, or “the market”. When I make a decision, I assume its consequences, good or less good, and try to learn from each.
Respect for money and clients: I know how hard money is earned, ours and the clients’. That is why I try to recommend what is truly necessary, not just what “could be sold”.

Day by day, all of this translates into very concrete things: how I answer the phone, how I explain a project, the type of collaborations I accept or refuse, and how I take responsibility for both the good and the hard parts of entrepreneurship.

C&B: How did the idea to start Frigmania and give it this name come about?

Nina Stan: The idea to start this business came, first of all, from dissatisfaction: the fact that things were not done the way we felt they should be done. After many years spent in the field, both my partner, Doru Polosan, and I concluded that if we want to work correctly, professionally, and in the logic we believe in, we have to assume this ourselves.

Thus, in 2014, we decided together to start an online store of components for refrigeration installations, in a very niche area, almost uncovered at the time.

At some point, we needed a name for the online store. We looked for several options, played with ideas, but Frigmania was the expression that seemed most suitable to us at that moment. It was clearly related to cold and, at the same time, had something memorable, something that suggested passion for this field.

We did not know then how much it would catch on, but over time we observed that the name began to be recognized in the field. People knew us “from Frigmania”, the name circulated, and that made us take it even more seriously. We kept it, registered it, and assumed it as “our face”, the identity under which we present and take responsibility for all our projects today.

Under the Frigmania name, we now develop a whole range of solutions: from modular cold storage spaces and special containers to modular factories, small industrial units designed for producers who need flexible solutions, with controlled investments and rapid commissioning. Those who want to see our projects and application examples can find more information on www.frigmania.ro.

C&B: If you were to give a message to people who want to follow your example, what would it be?

Nina Stan: If I were to give a message to those who are thinking of following a path similar to mine, I would not promise anything “motivational”. I would say, very simply, that entrepreneurship is not for everyone and does not resemble the romantic image on social media.

I like to say, jokingly, but with much truth in it: the entrepreneur works when he wants to: he chooses which 12 hours out of 24 he works.

About money, I would say this very directly:
if you enter entrepreneurship only “for money”, there is a high chance you will be disappointed. Money usually comes much later than you imagined and only if, in the meantime:

• you have built something that truly helps someone
• you have kept your word
• you have delivered quality, not compromises

If, however, you feel you want to build something of your own, are willing to assume decisions, and learn from mistakes, then it is worth trying. I cannot promise anyone it will be easy, but I can say it is a path in which you get to know yourself very well, both as a professional and as a person.

Through experience, perseverance, and innovation, Nina Stan and the Frigmania team demonstrate that Romanian entrepreneurship can build modern, flexible, and sustainable refrigeration solutions, tailored to the real needs of the food industry and local production.

The post Interview with Nina Stan, co-founder of Frigmania: the journey of a Romanian business in the refrigeration industry. appeared first on careers-business.com.

Dorian Ilie is a copywriter, communication specialist, and founder of the Forever Summer agency. He graduated from the Department of Communication and Public Relations within the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies at the University of Bucharest and is currently a master’s student at the Faculty of Letters of the same university, enrolled in the Theoretical and Applied Linguistics program. His research interests focus on discourse analysis, argumentation, and pragmatics.

He has over 15 years of experience in communication and advertising, having worked for brands, companies, and institutions such as Glovo, ParkLake Shopping Center, Coca-Cola, Dell, Durex, Nurofen, HBO, Novartis, Pfizer, the European Commission, the United Nations, Heidelberg Materials, OMV, TV5MONDE, LONGi, and Canpack. In 2020 he was part of the jury for the New York Advertising Festivals, and in 2018 he served as a juror at the Romanian PR Awards and Romanian Eurobest, a competition organized by The Alternative School for Creative Thinking.

C&B: If we were to trace the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Dorian Ilie: I believe the difficult, pivotal, and challenging moments have defined me the most. For example, when I resigned after five years in a corporation, a comfortable job with a good salary but devoid of personal, emotional, and intellectual satisfaction, and went to Thailand for a volunteer program to learn more about communication and climate change. Another such turning point was three years ago, when I again left a job that society might see as desirable but with which I felt my relationship had ended. I followed my own path, founding my own communication and advertising agency and doing things at my own pace, according to my own vision.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Dorian Ilie: The most difficult moment was the passing of an important person in my life, which coincided with the opportunity to become a partner in the former agency where I had worked for almost ten years. I deliberated for a long time but ultimately declined because I felt the need to move forward and do something else.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Dorian Ilie: The desire and thirst for knowledge, not just to acquire and absorb new information, but to understand what it entails, what relationships are formed, and how they influence one another. Education and lifelong learning have been, and still are, values I deeply believe in.

C&B: How did you look at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve transformed over time?

Dorian Ilie: The different stages and events of life have matured me, refined my skills, and brought me new abilities. From a naïve and idealistic young man, I became a pragmatic idealist, so not that big of a difference, really, only that now I see the world as it is, trying not to view it only as I wish it were.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Dorian Ilie: I don’t know exactly what they would say, but beyond anything else, I hope they would say I’m a person who shows respect, whether for ideas, people, or values. The idea of respect, in itself, is essential. Empathy, though much praised, also has its limits, while respect for others and dignity can be perennial.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?

Dorian Ilie: Transitioning from employee to entrepreneur is neither simple nor easy, but it’s far more fulfilling than staying in a place where you no longer feel you belong. I’d rather take a risk and not win than lose in the long run. Likewise, the decision to return to school for a master’s program was also important to me. I felt I was stagnating and wanted to learn and understand more, to broaden my horizons of knowledge. It was ultimately a winning bet, one of the best decisions I’ve made recently.

C&B: How did you develop your leadership style or decision-making process? Was it natural or learned?

Dorian Ilie: I learned to make decisions through practice, not through personal or professional development books, which are not my cup of tea. As for books, I read literature or non-fiction, I believe they are the best sources for educating the mind and for the pleasure of reading.

C&B: What do you think differentiates your agency from others in the field?

Dorian Ilie: I don’t know exactly what differentiates it, but I’m certain we rely on creativity and agility. We’re a small agency that neither can nor wishes to compete with large agencies. We want to be, and remain, as authentic as possible, to ourselves and to others.

C&B: What does an ordinary day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?

Dorian Ilie: I read the news, work a bit, play with my cat, work some more, cook, go shopping, exercise, rest, work again, then read or watch a movie.

C&B: What values or principles guide what you do, and how do you apply them daily?

Dorian Ilie: Respect, dignity, solidarity. Physical and mental health are a thousand times more important than any call, email, project, or client. If something or someone starts to affect your physical or emotional integrity, then that thing or person isn’t worth it. I prefer less and better over more and worse.

C&B: How did the idea of creating the Forever Summer agency and giving it that name come about?

Dorian Ilie: I was on a wild beach in Bulgaria one summer evening, and I wished that moment could last forever, that I’d never again dread Monday, having to return to work. I think I succeeded because sometimes I don’t even know what day it is, and I no longer count the days until vacation or the weekend.

C&B: If you were to share a message with those who follow your example, what would it be?

Dorian Ilie: “The unexamined life is not worth living,” as Socrates once said. So read, study, be curious, and reflect as much as possible on both your inner and outer worlds. Don’t stagnate, dream, and keep seeking your own path.

Beyond titles, campaigns, and projects, Dorian Ilie’s story is about the courage to remain authentic in a world that constantly pushes you toward compromise. It’s about lifelong learning, the strength to make difficult decisions, and the freedom to live in alignment with your own values. In a field driven by speed and appearances, he chooses depth, respect, and meaning, three coordinates that perhaps best define not only his work, but also his way of being.

The post Dorian Ilie: About Courage, Authenticity, and the Meaning of Communication appeared first on careers-business.com.

Cristina Drăgan is one of the most visible professionals in Romania in the field of sustainability and environmental consultancy, included in the Top 40 Leaders Under 40 in Europe (2025) and with a presence at the European Parliament. With a career built at the intersection of European public policy, diplomacy, and entrepreneurship, Cristina chose to remain in Romania to create value locally and support companies in their transition toward a greener future.

Through Euxin Green, the company she founded and leads, she has developed a true one-stop shop for environmental services: from specialized consulting, environmental audits, importer license acquisition, environmental permits, reporting and legal compliance, to sustainability strategies and practical solutions for waste management and the integration of ESG, DNSH, and CBAM principles.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in one sentence to make those who don’t know you curious?

Cristina Drăgan: “I consider myself a passionate professional who inspires and helps people and companies see sustainability not as a constraint but as the engine of responsible and long-term growth. I’ve always loved challenges and thinking outside the box, with a naturally curious mind.

My vision is simple: to turn complexity into clarity and environmental challenges into opportunities for the future, by actively helping implement the solutions I recommend. In 2025, I was recognized as one of Europe’s Top 40 Leaders Under 40, which reflects my commitment to generating real impact in the field of sustainability. I am also a frequent guest at dialogue sessions at the European Parliament and workshops at the Romanian Government on sustainable development.”

C&B: If we were to follow the narrative thread of your career or business, what key moments have defined you?

Cristina Drăgan: I look back with great joy and gratitude to the time when I took my first steps in the Smart City, sustainability, and urban mobility fields, attending the first Smart City conferences organized in Bucharest. Along the way, I explored politics, diplomacy, public policy, and international relations, becoming one of the youngest delegates to the European Commission, serving as the Personal Adviser to the Mayor General of Bucharest on projects related to implementing European public policies.

Later, I transitioned to the private business sector, joining a wonderful team that founded a packaging OIREP (Extended Producer Responsibility Organization), now a market leader for six years.

From these complex experiences, I was able to identify both the real market needs and the critical vulnerabilities in environmental protection and waste management. These findings became the foundation of the Euxin Green concept — designed as a one-stop shop for companies seeking integrated and sustainable solutions, provided by a dedicated specialist who truly understands their needs.

Our solutions cover a full range of services and products — complex in structure but simple and efficient in practice. We differentiate ourselves by offering turnkey approaches that eliminate fragmentation and the risk of inconsistency between different providers.

Although there are alternatives on the market — some highly competitive in narrow niches — they fail to deliver a complete and coherent package adapted to today’s challenges of compliance and sustainable development. Euxin Green meets this need through an integrated offer that brings clarity, efficiency, professionalism, and safety to responsible waste and environmental management.

C&B: What was the biggest challenge at the beginning of Euxin Green, and how did you overcome it?

Cristina Drăgan: As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always loved challenges, so I never really saw obstacles as problems, but as opportunities that required quick thinking and decisive action. We all know how important adaptability and fast solutions are nowadays.

If I had to name one difficult moment at the beginning of Euxin Green, it would be when the company grew enough that I could no longer handle everything alone, but I didn’t yet have the capital to attract and fairly compensate good candidates. I had to make a compromise then — to invest in the team above all else — in order to deliver results at the highest standards.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of the obstacles?

Cristina Drăgan: I love helping others and finding meaning in my work through the impact it creates. I want to contribute to the well-being of those around me and to environmental protection. Being naturally curious, I’ve always enjoyed exploring, seeking answers, and transforming complex and hard-to-implement concepts into simplicity and effective execution.

The dream that guides me is to prove that sustainability and environmental protection are not brakes on development but parts of its engine. Regardless of the challenges, I’ve always wanted to turn the complexity of regulations and environmental issues into real opportunities for companies and communities. Today, my role is to build bridges between environmental authorities and my partners. The services I offer are not seen as an extra cost — but as an investment in both environmental protection and business resilience.

This ambition has always accompanied me and helped me see each professional step as a contribution to a future where economic performance, community well-being, and respect for nature go hand in hand.

C&B: How did you look and feel at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve changed since then?

Cristina Drăgan: I think I looked and felt like any entrepreneur at the beginning — full of energy, determination, ambition, countless coffees, eating in front of the laptop, and working until late at night (or early morning). I lived every new project and partnership with a mix of excitement and responsibility, sometimes staying up all night searching for solutions or innovations. And of course, this lifestyle led me down a new path — burnout. I learned firsthand how painful it is to try to do everything alone, to be obsessed with perfectionism, and that scaling is impossible without a team.

Specialized environmental consulting, even with extensive European and national expertise, is complex and demanding — perhaps even more so than law or accounting — because it’s not enough to just know and apply the legislation. It’s a real labyrinth that requires multiple skill sets and familiarity with overlapping frameworks like environmental law, HSE, occupational safety, consumer protection, fire safety, veterinary and health regulations, and labor inspection.

When I deliver a solution for a client, I have to extract the essence of each regulation and shape it to fit that company’s specific context, integrating both legal requirements and practical field experience — where reality often differs from theory.

Now, very few things represent a new challenge for me. Over time, I’ve developed the ability to assess a business in ten minutes and design personalized solutions. But what I’m most proud of is the team I’ve built and inspired. It makes me incredibly happy when they tell me they enjoy their work and that I’m the best manager they’ve had in their careers. That, to me, is the essence of true leadership — not shining alone, but helping others shine alongside you.

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Cristina Drăgan: This question always makes me smile. I think I’ve already mentioned a few things about my team above. They often say I’m like a little encyclopedia because I always seem to have an answer to their questions. But I see it differently: the more I learn, the more I realize how much there is left to discover — maybe that’s why sleepless nights spent exploring new ideas aren’t foreign to me.

As for our collaborators, their feedback is extremely important to me, and I ask for it constantly. So far, we’ve received only words of appreciation — something that both honors and motivates us. They value our flexible solutions, our understanding of their personal and business needs, and especially the way we simplify everything so that they have no worries — and always have a dedicated specialist by their side.

I sincerely thank all those who trust us and choose us as partners. After all, our success exists only through theirs.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?

Cristina Drăgan: There were two key moments that changed my professional path. The first was my decision to stay in Romania and invest my energy and knowledge here to create real value and impact, instead of taking the easier path abroad. The second was transitioning from employee to entrepreneur. I clearly remember my former boss’s words: “Focus on the first step, and the path will reveal itself.” And that’s exactly what happened — the ideas, partnerships, and solutions appeared along the way, as I moved forward and had the courage to act.

Clarity came from experience, and results came from determination. I’m deeply grateful for everything that period meant and for the role model I still follow today.

In the end, in business as in life, everything is by, with, and for people.

C&B: Is there a project or initiative you are particularly proud of?

Cristina Drăgan: I’m especially proud of the projects where we’ve managed to transform complex sustainability concepts into concrete, measurable actions. One example is my involvement in DNSH audits and in helping companies align with the requirements of the EU Taxonomy and CBAM — a highly technical area but one with an enormous impact on how Romania’s economy is evolving.

Every project where I see a company begin to think differently — to integrate sustainability into daily decisions, to invest in green solutions, to redesign its processes around circular economy principles — confirms that my work has meaning.

I’m proud not only of the results but also of the mindset shift I see happening around me: from “we must comply” to “we want to do good.” For me, that is the true success — when I know I’ve contributed to real transformation beyond numbers and reports.

C&B: What valuable lessons have you learned about entrepreneurship and sustainability?

Cristina Drăgan: Entrepreneurship has taught me that nothing is ever as it seems, and that behind every business are people — people you need to understand before you understand their company. It’s crucial that teams within partner organizations also understand why our solutions matter and how to integrate them into their daily work. Sustainability is not only about the environment or regulatory compliance — it’s about balance, courage, and vision. It’s about building something meaningful that stands the test of time without depleting the resources around it — whether natural or human.

Working at the intersection of companies and environmental authorities, I’ve learned that transformation always starts from within. When an organization and its people truly take responsibility for their impact, they not only comply with the law — they become catalysts for change.

Another valuable lesson is that sustainability requires patience — but also consistency. There are no quick fixes, only small, steady steps aligned with clear values and efficient, easy-to-implement procedures.

I also believe that leadership isn’t something learned solely through universities, books, or specialized courses. It comes from who you are, how you see the world, and the experiences that shape you. Over the years, I’ve learned enormously from people — mentors, colleagues, friends, and even attitudes I’ve admired and adopted.

For me, leadership is a continuous process of refinement and awareness. Today, I experience it less as a demonstration of competence and more as a form of support: not to be the smartest person in the room, but to help others realize their own value. From this space of trust and authenticity emerges, I believe, truly sustainable leadership.

Ultimately, I believe true entrepreneurial success is the kind that creates value not only for business but also for the community and the planet.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?

Cristina Drăgan: No two days are alike — and that’s the beauty of it. Some days I work at the office surrounded by documents, reports, and Zoom meetings, with a good coffee by my side and morning light streaming through the window. Mornings are my favorite part of the workday. Other times, I move my office to a café for relaxed meetings with partners, or I visit their headquarters, where ideas come to life through authentic conversations and long-term collaboration.

But the most fulfilling days for my soul are those spent in the field, visiting companies I audit. That’s where I feel the real pulse of business — the smell of production, the energy of the team, the spontaneous conversations with people who put their heart into what they do. I like to look beyond processes and numbers — to understand the values that guide them, the paths they’re on, and how their teams stay connected.

Equally rewarding are the days I participate as an expert in Government workshops on Sustainable Development or attend active dialogue sessions at the European Parliament in Brussels, at the invitation of the European Expertise Center.

Often, these days come with travel. Sometimes you’ll find me on a plane or on the road to Hunedoara, admiring the colors of the hills and the quiet that settles between villages. Other times, I’m visiting factories in Cluj-Napoca, Bistrița, or Călărași by the Danube, or eco-tourism guesthouses in Bucovina, high up in the mountains — places where you can truly feel authenticity and the deep connection between people and nature.

I also dedicate time to my team — when we sit together to plan strategic directions, discuss challenges, or celebrate small victories.

And in the evening, wherever I am, I return to a grounding ritual — cooking dinner for my family. It’s our way to reconnect after a full day, my way to give love and presence — to close the day with gratitude and return to what truly matters: family.

C&B: What is Euxin Green’s philosophy, and what values best define the brand?

Cristina Drăgan: Mission

Euxin Green is dedicated to creating sustainable environmental solutions driven by passion and care. We strive to find innovative responses to environmental and business challenges, offering solutions with real, positive impact. We are guided by our intrinsic desire to protect and preserve nature for future generations.

Our goal is also to educate, inspire, and catalyze responsible actions for a sustainable future. Through collaborations with environmental authorities, licensed organizations, and economic operators, we aim to build a lasting bridge for positive change.

Our Values

· Passion — We strive to provide top-quality experiences and services, with great attention to detail and to our partners’ needs.
· Innovation — We constantly seek to develop new and creative solutions for current environmental challenges.
· Commitment — We are dedicated to driving lasting change because we care about the future of our planet and our children.
· Collaboration — We work together with communities, organizations, and authorities to bring effective solutions forward.
· Responsibility — We take responsibility for our environmental impact and strive to lead by example. We embrace a sustainable and ethical approach in all our interactions to shape a better future for everyone.

Our Message

We firmly believe we can make a positive difference in the world through sustainable solutions. We turn our passion for environmental protection into action and create innovative solutions born from our care for the planet. Together with communities, authorities, and organizations, we build a sustainable future because we truly care. We’re here to guide you through a meaningful journey of engagement and impact, inspiring lasting change and elevating the standards of environmental protection. Through collaborations with the most influential players on the market and by providing unique insights and opportunities, we aim to be the benchmark of excellence in sustainability.

C&B: How was the idea of Euxin Green born, and what inspired you to start this project?

Cristina Drăgan: I never really saw myself as an entrepreneur. The idea for Euxin Green came naturally — as an organic step in my professional evolution — a response to my deep desire to bring real value to the market and help people navigate the challenges of the green transition more easily.

I felt the need to create a space where technical expertise meets meaning — where companies can find not just consultancy, but also understanding, clarity, and partnership. Euxin Green was born from the conviction that sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated but should instead be naturally integrated into how we do business — through circular economy principles, respect for the environment, and responsibility toward people.

What truly motivated me to start this project was the sincere desire to do good — to help build a greener, more conscious, and more sustainable Romania. Euxin Green is, at its core, an extension of that desire: to transform knowledge into impact, bureaucracy into clear solutions, and challenges into opportunities for sustainable development.

C&B: How do you see Euxin Green developing in the coming years?

Cristina Drăgan: I see Euxin Green’s development as an organic yet ambitious process — a natural evolution toward deeper expertise and broader impact. In the coming years, I want to invest more time in the educational side by organizing workshops for partner companies, helping them better understand and integrate sustainability principles into their daily operations.

At the same time, I’m working on my own professional growth. I’m preparing to become certified in GRI standards integration and plan to complete a specialization in ESG at the University of Cambridge to bring even more rigor and global vision to Euxin Green’s projects.

In the medium to long term, I aim to expand into the UAE, offering specialized studies and consultancy services based on LEED and BREEAM standards — a strategic step that will allow the company to contribute to flagship sustainable projects beyond Romania’s borders. I’m already in the process of obtaining my work license and visa there, hoping that 2026 will be my lucky year.

I firmly believe that Euxin Green’s future will be built through education, authentic partnerships, and the courage to take Romanian sustainability expertise to international markets.

Through her vision and determination, Cristina Drăgan proves that sustainability is not just a strategic direction but a true philosophy of life applied in business.

The post How Cristina Drăgan, founder of Euxin Green, bridges business and environmental responsibility appeared first on careers-business.com.

Razvan Nutu is the kind of person who has learned to see potential where others only saw obstacles. As co-founder of LUISS – an increasingly prominent name in the premium bedroom furniture industry – he has stood out not only through the high-quality products delivered to top hotels in Romania and across Europe, but also through his leadership philosophy and the clear vision with which he leads his business.

A trained jurist with a degree and dissertation in Business Law, later also certified as an engineer in the wood industry, Razvan made the transition to entrepreneurship driven by a personal need: to offer products that are not just beautiful, but also flawless and durable. What began as an ambitious workshop has become, through rigor, courage, and discipline, a brand that breathes design, quality, and deep respect for the customer.

Behind this success is a demanding yet empathetic leader – a “system builder” who took on multiple roles until he understood that true strength lies in delegation, in trusting the team, and in upholding high standards every single day.

In this interview, Razvan speaks candidly about turning points, burnout, rebuilding, and tough decisions – such as choosing to turn down projects that didn’t align with the company’s values. You’ll discover a hands-on and strategic entrepreneur who prefers to create trends rather than follow them, and who never accepts “good enough” as a standard.

For Razvan Nutu, entrepreneurship is not about how much money you make, but about how much clarity you maintain when everyone else hesitates. And LUISS, more than just a business, is his manifesto for quality, trust, and truly restful sleep.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a few words for those who don’t know you yet?
Razvan Nutu: I’m the kind of person who sees potential where others see chaos. I’m not afraid of hard work, I don’t shy away from challenges, I don’t get easily excited, and I never give up. If something needs to be done, we’ll get it done. If it seems impossible, we’ll make it happen. I’ve learned that entrepreneurship isn’t about how much money you make, but about how much clarity you can maintain when no one else believes in the path forward. I’m a builder — of systems, of teams, of products, but most importantly, of trust.

C&B: What were the defining moments that changed the course of your business?
Razvan Nutu: The most important moment was when I decided I no longer wanted to work in chaos. I had orders and a team, but I felt like things were slipping through my fingers. I realized that ambition alone wouldn’t build a strong brand — I needed structure. That’s when the painful process of organization began: I rethought workflows, introduced procedures, let go of people who didn’t align with the vision, and invested in digitization and automation. That’s how we evolved from an ambitious workshop into a competitive European brand.

C&B: What has been the biggest personal challenge you’ve faced along this journey?
Razvan Nutu: Realizing that every thread ran through me — I was the salesperson, the designer, the manufacturer, the accountant, and the motivator. I was burned out. The challenge was learning to delegate, to trust, and to build people who could become extensions of my values. A true leader isn’t the one who does everything, but the one who teaches others to do things with the same passion and respect for quality.

C&B: What dream or ambition has constantly guided you, no matter the obstacles?
Razvan Nutu: The desire to create products that are not just beautiful, but flawless and built to last. To prove that a Romanian-made product, designed from scratch, can compete in any showroom in Europe. LUISS is more than just a brand — it’s a revolution in bedroom design. Every bed is a promise of restful sleep and a thoughtfully crafted lifestyle.

C&B: How have you evolved as an entrepreneur since the early days of the brand?
Razvan Nutu: In the beginning, I just wanted to “do things right.” Now I want to do them efficiently, sustainably, and with long-term impact. I’ve become more strategic and more detail-oriented. I’ve transformed from a “one-man band” into an architect of teams and processes.

C&B: How do you think your team and collaborators would describe you?
Razvan Nutu: They’d probably say I’m extremely demanding, with very high standards, and that I don’t accept “it’s good enough.” But they also know I fight alongside them, I’m the first to stay late, and I never ask for anything I wouldn’t do myself. I’m tough when needed, but I support them and protect their work.

C&B: What has been the most important decision that changed LUISS’s trajectory?
Razvan Nutu: Choosing to turn down projects that didn’t align with our direction. I realized that our time, energy, and brand DNA shouldn’t be wasted. From that point on, we started choosing our clients — not just being chosen. That decision brought us more clarity, efficiency, and respect.

C&B: How did you develop your leadership style and decision-making approach?
Razvan Nutu: I’m a hands-on yet strategic leader. I like to know every detail, but I also give the team space to express themselves. I care deeply about people, but I don’t accept excuses instead of results. I teach them to think, not just execute. I’d rather they make bold mistakes than not try at all.

C&B: What do you think sets LUISS apart from other brands in the industry?
Razvan Nutu: Our obsession with the quality of every detail and our deep respect for the customer. We’re a complete brand: design, production, delivery, and assembly — all aligned under the same vision. And more than that, we don’t follow trends — we create them.

C&B: What does a typical day in your life look like, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?
Razvan Nutu: No two days are the same. I start by reviewing projects, go through the factory, and get involved in both strategic decisions and fine details. Satisfaction comes from happy clients, a team that delivers perfectly, and one simple message: “I’ve never slept this well before.” That’s when we know we’re doing more than furniture — we’re making a difference.

C&B: What core values guide you, and how do you apply them daily?
Razvan Nutu: Respect, integrity, responsibility, quality, and continuous growth. Respect in relationships, integrity in doing what you say, responsibility in owning your role, uncompromising quality, and a constant desire to learn and improve. These values are the daily rhythm of our work and the reason why our clients keep coming back.

C&B: What advice would you give to those who want to follow a path similar to yours?
Razvan Nutu: There are no recipes, but there are principles: work hard, keep your word, learn every day, and don’t betray your vision for easy money. You’ll be tempted to give up, but if you hold on and stay true to your compass, anything becomes possible.

Below, a small glimpse from a creative photoshoot for a fashion magazine:

Editor’s Note – The LUISS Impact: Sleep That Makes a Difference
LUISS beds are not just pieces of furniture — they are fulfilled promises of restful sleep and genuine comfort. The products created by Razvan Nutu and his team have succeeded in transforming the bedroom into an intimate space where the quality of sleep is ensured by obsessive attention to detail and deep respect for the customer. Thousands of clients — from design enthusiasts to top-tier hotels — confirm that a LUISS bed is not just an investment in aesthetics, but above all in health and well-being. In this way, Razvan’s dream — to create a Romanian brand known for excellence — becomes reality with every peaceful night it delivers.

The post Razvan Nutu, Co-founder of the LUISS Brand – The Entrepreneur Who Promised a Good Night’s Sleep and Kept His Word appeared first on careers-business.com.