Sergiu CORBU Boldor graduated from the University of Music in Oradea with specializations in Music Pedagogy and Violin Performance. In addition to the violin, Sergiu CORBU Boldor studied as secondary instruments: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, percussion, mandolin, flute, caval, and jaw harp. Sergiu CORBU Boldor has over 15 years of experience on the big stages of the music industry. He has performed on national and international stages, playing the violin together with and alongside names such as: Phoenix, Celelalte Cuvinte, Partizan, Dirty Shirt, Semnal M, Taxi, Hara, farfarello, Haggard, Guano Apes etc. He was a founding member of the band Azepam from Oradea and violinist of the band Popa Șapcă from Timișoara.

He initiated and coordinated his own musical projects such as: AD HOC, 2 fire 2 paie, Intensitate Epic Sonoră.

Sergiu CORBU Boldor has experience in transdisciplinary education in working with young people: he was a leader in the National Organization of Romanian Scouts and a music teacher in kindergartens and schools in Bucharest. He is currently collaborating as a violinist with the band Phoenix and has been creatively active in the musical project CORBU, which he initiated in 2017.

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: I am a transdisciplinary artist who transforms music into an emotional and esoteric ritual, a sound prayer through which the soul rediscovers and heals itself.

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: Looking at the thread of my career, the moments that defined me were the encounters with remarkable people and the lessons I received from them. The first was my violin teacher, Ștefan Iorga, who made me fall irreversibly in love with music. Then came the period when I was a stage manager at Celelalte Cuvinte, where I learned what it means to have an unshakable musical personality. Later, the years when I played as a violinist in the band Phoenix, at the invitation of Nicu Covaci – a place I had never even dreamed I would reach – taught me to follow my dream at any cost. From Artan (Timpuri Noi, Partizan) I received another precious lesson: the sincerity you can have on stage and the courage to show yourself to the audience in your purest form. However, the most important decision was to start on my own path and perform under my own name – Corbu.

C&B: What were the biggest challenges you faced in developing Ad Hoc?

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: Ad Hoc was a project born from student enthusiasm, from the young and explosive energy I had at that time. Moving intuitively, I discovered what teamwork means, how egos manifest, when to give in and how good or bad that can be. I pushed hard for people to continue playing, believing that this was how they needed to be encouraged, but along the way I realized that some of them had other interests and passions outside of music, which made collaboration increasingly difficult to manage. It was a huge challenge: convincing people to follow what I thought was their passion. From this experience I learned one of the greatest lessons: the direction of a group is set by the leader, whether it is built collectively or comes from his individual initiative.

When you follow your passion and give your life to it, the exhaustion of long tours, sleepless nights, thousands of kilometers traveled, endless carrying and setting up of instruments and stages become just details – you live them with joy, without feeling them as obstacles. The real challenges arise when you deal with people’s egos, because those are incomparably harder than any physical effort.

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: All my life my dreams have come true. I wanted to sing and make a living from it – and it came true. I dreamed of meeting my idols, and life offered me even more: I got to play alongside them. I met important people from whom I learned enormously. At one point I even wanted to test the ‘law of attraction’ and set myself the goal of crossing paths with Roger Waters from Pink Floyd. The meeting came in an unexpected way: after I uploaded to YouTube a concert that included a Pink Floyd piece at the end, the video was blocked due to copyright, but our manager managed to get in touch with Roger Waters, who approved the broadcast. Beyond these spectacular moments, what makes me happiest is that I have everything I need to sing, to travel, and above all, that I am healthy. And my greatest wish is to remain healthy in mind, heart, and body, so that I can serve this art as best and as long as possible. As I like to say: to be an Artist in the Royal Art, to build the Great Work.

C&B: What did you look like at the beginning of your journey and how do you feel you have transformed until now?

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: At the beginning of my journey I had a backpack on my back and a violin under my arm and traveled all over the world, from Romania to Europe. The first tour of my project, Ad Hoc, we did with the whole band hitchhiking, with instruments and all. Then came the trains. Today, after all this experience, the essence remains the same: I still travel with my backpack and violin, only now I have the privilege of owning my own van, which I manage to fill by myself with my luggage and instruments – more than at the beginning.

The difference is that then I was driven by the enthusiasm of youth and an unstoppable energy. Now I know I have a mission: to take music into the world for all the souls who can hear it, even for those who don’t realize how much they need art. If at the beginning I had a thick veil over my vision, today I try to do everything, as much as possible, in harmony with the plans of the Great Director. I started, unconsciously, on the road like the Fool in the tarot, I travel like the Hermit, and I want to reach the balance of the World – from unconscious to conscious.

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: I think reactions in a group are generally the usual ones: some are pro, others against; some understand, others don’t; some are loyal, others may betray you – as in any collective.

However, there are reactions that stayed in my mind: “I don’t understand Sergiu, he’s too absurd,” or “Your music won’t reach anyone.” At the same time, I also heard things that brought me great joy: “My God, how much courage you have!”, “I appreciate you enormously,” “For me, you are a model.”

I receive all these reactions and try to treat them without being influenced by them, neither the positive nor the negative ones, so that I can continue my path as close as possible to my spirit, and not to how I am perceived from the outside.

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: The most important decision I made was to continue on my own: to close the Ad Hoc chapter and start the Corbu project. This fundamentally changed my way of working. In Ad Hoc, decisions were made collectively – everyone had the right to vote and, even if there was an apparent hierarchy, I could not just do what I wanted, but what the whole group wanted. In the 8 years of existence, we released an album and a few singles.

In the Corbu project, I took full responsibility and decision-making, and by collaborating with people and their opinions, I managed in a few years to release 10 albums, plus an album from the Ad Hoc period. Maybe it would have been easier to learn group management at school, but practical experience shaped me just as well and I am glad about how things turned out. The decision to start on my own path – the Way of the Raven – among contrasts, black and white, good and evil, turning contradictions into unity, achieving the miracle of a single thing.

C&B: What valuable lessons have you learned from the experience of building and managing Ad Hoc?

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: I can’t limit myself only to the Ad Hoc experience; it is essential to also include the Corbu stage, in which I am now. The most valuable lesson I have learned is that only through love can we make things work in harmony. Only through friendship can we build something with soul, that resonates within us and becomes nourishment for it. Only by loving each other can we fulfill the Royal Art.

If brotherly love is missing, everything turns into something else, which I no longer resonate with and which I avoid. Some play very actively, have entire tours, and make a lot of money from it, but I consider that there is something much more valuable than money – something that works in our hearts, and for that it is worth all the effort. Money is just a result, a reward for good behavior. If you do good things spiritually, the material reward comes naturally.

C&B: Can you give an example of a successful project that reflects Ad Hoc’s impact?

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: The Ad Hoc project was a trailblazer. Of course, we were also inspired by others, but we always tried to be different. It seemed completely ridiculous to me to do something that already exists and, most of the time, is done better by others. That’s how we avoided playing medieval music, because there are bands that do it excellently, and we ended up developing our own style, which we called medieval folk acoustic punk. More technically, I would define Ad Hoc as a Romanian fantasy with medieval influences.

After our debut, I noticed that bands appeared in Romania that looked strikingly similar to what we were doing, especially in the way of playing. It’s interesting to see how other groups using the same instruments created a similar musical approach; I hope they also find their own identity.

On the other hand, in the Corbu project, where I placed immense emphasis on my intimate senses related to sound, my style seems impossible to copy. Technically, someone could imitate certain sound effects or violin playing, but the way I build a show, often in real time, has a unique impact: it inspires people to be who they truly are, or at least to seek that, not to reproduce.

As an example, listen to the album Dezleganie – Ritualul and imagine how you could reproduce that. Or take the album AIN: what impact could it have on someone? And especially, what impact does it have on you?

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: One of the most important decisions in my life, which you asked me about earlier, was to move to the countryside, a year before the pandemic. For several years now, my life has been shaped as much as possible, literally and figuratively, by the rhythm of nature.

When I am at home, I spend my time either working around the house – building and setting up a new studio and event space –, or in the garden, taking care of household chores. I don’t go to the gym, but I really enjoy physical effort, especially if it is also useful. I also love handmade art: I create linocut prints, I do photography. Even the constructions for myself become works of art. When you come to my studio, I will show you.

The other half of the day I dedicate to study: reading, playing, or exploring new ideas to develop in music.

In addition to this, there is also the other half of life – the one during concerts –, when the day is divided between driving, unloading and setting up the stage, playing, packing up, and driving back. There are also other very beautiful activities that I will tell you about on another occasion.

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

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: There are several values that I pursue and try to apply in my life. Sometimes I succeed better, sometimes less, but the important thing is that from a good man I become even better, through the constant refining of mind, heart, and body.

Tolerance is essential, because in front of the Great Director we are all brothers and sisters, regardless of sexual orientation, religion, politics, sports, or the music we listen to. Another virtue I respect is generosity and passing it on: I have received the gift of music, and that obliges me to give, regardless of the situation, everything I can, unconditionally.

Self-knowledge and personal development are just as important, because I couldn’t pass something on if I didn’t have from what. Sincerity and truth are fundamental: I must be honest with myself and always seek the truth, so that my artistic act is authentic. Otherwise, it turns into something that deceives people and no longer corresponds to the purposes I seek.

C&B: How did the idea of founding Ad Hoc come about and what inspired you to start this project?

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: Almost all my career has been intuitive. I have always guided myself by what my heart told me. Whenever my mind intervened, things changed and turned into something else. The same happened at the beginning of Ad Hoc. I simply wanted to play, so I asked an old college friend, David Pusta, if he wanted to start a band. He said “yes.” And, since everything happened Ad Hoc, that’s what we named our new duo.

From the same pure desire to play all my projects started, including Corbu. Probably nothing is accidental: after 17 years, in the most recent Corbu album, AIN, I collaborated again with David Pusta, the one with whom I started. The way I started projects has always been a mix of unconscious and conscious, intuitive and planned, but the center of all remained the simple desire to play.

C&B: What are Ad Hoc’s development plans for the coming years?

Sergiu CORBU Boldor: Ad Hoc has not existed for many years; Corbu appeared precisely to continue the musical expression once Ad Hoc’s activity began to stop. Plans for the future are grand. What I most want is to be able to fully enjoy both live concerts and studio production.

This year I have published several albums online, including the most recent, AIN – a very beautiful album, which I want us to release also in physical format for those who appreciate the art object: CD, cassette, vinyl record, and even an unusual medium, something I have never seen in the music industry, which I will talk about at the right time. Follow our pages, we will post. As an idea, we released the album Dezleganie – Ritualul in bookmark format, like a puzzle.

Here you can listen to all our music:
https://corbuproject.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@proiectulCORBU

Here we connect:
https://linktr.ee/CORBU

Our narrative CV:
https://panacorbului.ro/cv/

Sergiu CORBU Boldor blends art, music, and experimentation in a journey that inspires and opens new cultural horizons. His story proves that passion and courage can turn life into a true work of art.

The post Sergiu CORBU Boldor – Violinist, Creator, and Explorer of Music appeared first on careers-business.com.

Virginia Vasilache is an actress, director, and entrepreneur in the cultural field. She is the founder of Teatrul Vasilache Bucharest (2020) and of the children’s theater troupe Miniricii (2018). She is also the author of the texts for the 7 children’s plays performed with the Miniricii troupe, the author of the show “Ultimul Loz – Musical de mahala”, and the author of a 2024 children’s best-seller “Financial Education for Children”, published by Bookzone.

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

Virginia Vasilache: I am a person who wishes, through my actions, to leave something valuable—artistic, an idea, a conclusion, or perhaps a broader example—for those who will feel they have a mission on this Earth.

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

Virginia Vasilache: The first was the moment I decided, despite all the difficulties, the insistence of those around me, and challenging situations, to leave everything behind and start from scratch, following my dreams, intuition, and desires, fulfilling part of my purpose in this world.

Then many difficult moments followed, not necessarily caused by my behavior or willpower, but certainly the choices I made in those moments weighed heavily on my evolution until today. And today, I am only a small part of it.

I have always believed that difficult moments are the ones that truly define us—they push us out of our comfort zone and bring us face to face with destiny, with our will, with the power to move forward or, on the contrary, make us doubt everything we’ve built and believed in, making us change direction or stop altogether. This is where people are defined, one way or another. This is where they can realize whether their choices are aligned with what they feel and want to do.

After these hurdles usually come periods of growth, then hurdles again, then growth again, and so on. I cannot give a temporal cycle to these key moments because they came depending on my actions, my approach, my priorities, and, of course, external circumstances—those anomalies of destiny for which no one can be blamed, right?

C&B: What have been the biggest challenges you faced in developing Teatrul Vasilache?

Virginia Vasilache: The major, most important challenge was realizing whether I truly wanted this—whether I could withstand all the hardships, who would accept me, who I would lose, who I would have to give up, and other such questions that, although existential, are necessary whenever one chooses a grand plan over comfort.

Then, as I wrote above, giving up comfort. This project requires enormous effort—financial, yes, but above all, total commitment, lack of free time, sometimes burnout, persuasiveness, and much more.

The financial challenge is constant when talking about a private theater that receives no funding, no sponsorship, and sustains itself only from ticket sales and participation in events. It is still in a transition phase toward what I want it to become. Yet I cannot ignore or fail to appreciate that, despite the first two years of the pandemic, despite financial difficulties, despite the lack of support, something encouraged me to go on: full halls, extremely rewarding reviews, and this year, participation in several prestigious festivals (Fringe–Sibiu, FITT–Turda, Festivalul La mustață at the Comedy Theater, Comic 7b–Buzău, Festivalul Birlic–Fălticeni), where we even won awards. The prestige of what I created from just an idea, a thought, is the driving force that now compels me to keep going, no matter how hard it is.

There are also other challenges, such as working with actors. I sought to walk this path with people who understood that they were committing to building a future together. But sometimes, as in life, less suitable choices happen. What matters is noticing them quickly and moving forward, staying focused on your purpose, while learning a new lesson each time.

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

Virginia Vasilache: There is a sort of madness; otherwise, I can’t explain it. I believe any creator must have that dose of madness to stay alive in their purpose and destiny—otherwise, it’s impossible. At every step, there are a million reasons not to do something, but there is always one reason to stay and fight. I think anyone who wants to take such a path is somehow obliged to choose the “bishop” on the chessboard. Otherwise, we can talk about perseverance, continuous effort, exhaustion, absolute trust, desire, determination, and so on. So, in this case, the bishop is built from both dream and ambition.

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

Virginia Vasilache: This question should probably be addressed to those who see us from the outside. As for me, I saw myself from the beginning as what I would become when the time was right. I am still on the road, on the right path, I’d say. But “when will I arrive?”, “how will I arrive?”—these are questions only the Universe can answer. I don’t think about that. I let things flow naturally.

What I can say is that some of the difficulties I faced at the beginning have disappeared, new ones have appeared, and things have definitely evolved. I not only feel this but also see it in the notoriety this project has gained.

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

Virginia Vasilache: Oh, tough question… I don’t know—probably both positive and negative things, but I couldn’t estimate the ratio. I’m not in the habit of asking them to confirm their belonging to the group, but I suppose if they are still working with me, things aren’t so bad.

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

Virginia Vasilache: I haven’t had such a decision yet. I’ve had smaller challenges, such as obtaining in 2023 our current location in Carol Park, at the “Dimitrie Leonida” National Technical Museum—a studio hall with 120 seats, a good, central location. Having such a space that we can also use for rehearsals allows us to work on various new projects, and probably this will lead us to another hurdle that we’ll overcome, one that will change our trajectory for the better.

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

Virginia Vasilache: Both. Naturally, I am a leader—it may sound strange, but it’s true. As a child, I would direct classmates and playmates, then, at 20, I opened my first business, which I ran alongside partners until 2012, when I changed my path, gave up the comfort I mentioned earlier, and followed my dreams.

This natural leadership has been constantly improved over the years, but I believe it is, first and foremost, a way of being—a talent you either have or you don’t. Those who don’t have it become bosses if placed in such positions. A leader, in my view, is a mentor—someone you want to walk alongside, who doesn’t impose, but before whom you feel you cannot back down, who creates a moral duty that only those without character can avoid. A leader is someone next to whom you feel you can grow, but in fact, both evolve together. A leader will never claim success solely for themselves, will not fall into the vanity trap, but builds alongside others, lifting each one, because they are always a few steps ahead.

C&B: What has been the most memorable moment so far in Teatrul Vasilache’s journey, and what have you learned from it?

Virginia Vasilache: There have been many absolutely fantastic moments—the applause lasting 15 minutes after a show, the reviews, the extremely encouraging messages. We are often told: “I come to you because I can see that you really love acting, being on stage”—not literally, but metaphorically. And yes, that’s true. We truly want to perform, despite each person’s struggles, despite what we’ve gone through that day, despite the very hard times some of us may face (and I do mean extremely hard times, like losing loved ones). The actors still want to perform, with the same passion every time. There’s no stagnation, no state-actor complacency of having a salary but no drive to shape a role, discover something new in each show, to try, to transform. With us, the stakes are always high—even if we don’t perform for 800-seat audiences and the earnings aren’t huge, I don’t think that will ever become an obstacle.

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

Virginia Vasilache: Every day is typical for me, no matter what happens—or better said, something always happens every day, so I got used to it.

There are many tasks in a private theater. We have no set designers—we learned to make our own sets. We have no costume designer—we buy, adjust, sew, etc., our costumes. We clean the stage, we assemble and disassemble sets. We do have a technician, but there are situations when we handle technical direction ourselves, backstage. We sell tickets, we do promotion and social media posts, sometimes we have photographers, usually at premieres. In short, this is my daily work, alongside scheduling, organizing tours, and other logistical or administrative tasks. And yes, we pay taxes.

A typical day in my life has 48 hours, not 24. I’ve learned to be efficient with my time so I can also take care of my family and myself.

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

Virginia Vasilache: I believe they are the same principles that guide us all in life. The main principle is that if this project was given to me, I must do it as best as I can, whatever it is. I see it as a duty to the Universe to make the most of your talents, to showcase what you believe is valuable in you. It’s a duty you cannot avoid.

Another principle is not to harm anyone, although sometimes the method or outcome may not please everyone. We must accept that not everything happens as we want but according to a purpose.

I believe in transformation, in change that always leads to good. I believe that every ending leads to a new beginning.

When it comes to values, things are different. My values are often misunderstood or even opposed to others’. Maybe I’m “old-fashioned,” maybe they come from family upbringing, maybe from life experiences, but I believe that the very scale of values is the reason theater chose me to be here—because I respect its values.

Values are, after all, personal characteristics by which we are guided and act accordingly. Today, values are greatly diminished, often confused with needs.

C&B: How did the idea of founding Teatrul Vasilache come about, and what inspired you to take this step?

Virginia Vasilache: It came about simply and naturally. At that time (2020), I already had four children’s plays, and we often had trouble finding a venue to perform them. Carrying around large, heavy sets was exhausting. So, while searching for a suitable space, I discovered an interwar house in central Bucharest. It was small but very welcoming. After moving in, we thought it would be nice to stage a theater show for adults, too. Said and done.

As for the name, it was a pleasant coincidence between the well-known name Vasilache (from the famous duo Stroe and Vasilache, the Vasilache puppet, Vasilache and Mărioara, and other examples) and my own name. It seemed like a favorable synchronicity. Then the pandemic hit, but I didn’t give up. On the contrary, it seems we grew—perhaps more beautifully than if everything had gone smoothly from the start.

C&B: What projects or initiatives are you preparing for the future, and how do you want Teatrul Vasilache to evolve?

Virginia Vasilache: There is a lot to say here—I have a long list of wishes, plans, how I see things, versus what can realistically be done and when. Some projects I can start soon; for others, I’ll have to wait for the right time.

But for the 2025–2026 season, I can reveal that we will launch a new format. It will be called “The Nostalgia Season”—just as it sounds, it invites you to a nostalgic experience of Romanian theater. We’ll slightly rearrange the seating so that spectators can sit at tables, enjoy a drink, and watch the performance.

Why Nostalgia? Because through comedy, musicals, boulevard plays, and other formats, alongside our partners at the Technical Museum, we’ll recreate a nostalgic atmosphere of the times before 2000. We believe there is an audience for this type of live performance. It will be a special experience for those who attend.

The location in Carol Park invites us to be nostalgic—towards the good times, towards memories. I think it will also be fascinating for young people born after 2000 to discover objects from that era, small details about life back then, which, like it or not, now belong to the last century. We haven’t forgotten, and to them, the absence of technology is fascinating. Through this format, I believe we’ll also bring younger generations closer to theater.

In addition, those interested can join the “Cultural Entrepreneur” program, a loyalty program through which they will gain access to exclusive events, belong to a group that shares the same values, and enjoy different benefits.

At the same time, beyond our five existing shows, we’re preparing four new productions—comedies and plays with unique structures, which you’ll soon find on our website: www.teatrulvasilachebucuresti.ro

We will also continue the MINIRICII series of children’s performances on weekends, usually on Sunday mornings, with the program announced starting in September on our website and on our partners’ website (www.miniricii.ro).

Virginia Vasilache’s story is one of passion, dedication, and the power to bring joy to children through art. Vasilache Theatre Bucharest and Miniricii are not just cultural projects, but true spaces where creativity comes alive and creates unforgettable memories.

The post Virginia Vasilache – From Artistic Dreams to Vasilache Theatre and Miniricii appeared first on careers-business.com.

Stoica Dragoș followed, as his main career path, engineering. A graduate of Automation and Computers at UPB, class of 2008, he worked for 5 years as a SCADA/DCS systems engineer in major companies such as Honeywell – in process automation for oil refineries – and later at Carrier, in refrigeration and HVAC systems. Then, in 2014, he made the switch to IT, as a DevOps – Cloud Engineer – more plainly put, an automation engineer in software.
His second job, that of photographer, took shape – on the side – from a passion born in childhood, which over time turned into his second occupation.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in such a way as to spark the curiosity of those who don’t know you yet?
Stoica Dragoș: A very curious being, eager to understand the universe beyond this planet. The frustration generated by the current impossibility of doing so led me to turn my attention and focus toward the nature of this planet. From there came the drive and love for the art of photography.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Stoica Dragoș: Referring, of course, to the photo/video services company Creative Wizards, without a doubt a key moment was meeting my current friend and partner, Rusu Dumitru Costinel. There are 7 years between us in age; when we first met, he was in the latter part of high school. But as nothing happens without reason, the universe brought our paths together in life so that we could become very good friends and partners in this field, where we work with passion and dedication.

C&B: What were the main challenges at the beginning of the road in such a creative and competitive field?
Stoica Dragoș: When we were developing between 2010-2015, there was certainly no abundance of information and channels like we have today. They were just starting out as well. For those born after 2000-2010, it sometimes seems hard to imagine life without the internet or Google, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.
Socializing, making yourself known, this obsessive “networking” we now use frenetically, was done more slowly, with visits and direct, live, face-to-face interactions.
As in almost any field, progress is slow but steady if you don’t give up. Acquiring better tools, gaining experience, and building skills takes years.
What is bothersome and still lacking in our market today, more so than in other countries, is the clientele’s desire for quality and the understanding of the cost of professionalism. In more trivial, vulgar terms, Romanians want it cheap and good. That’s impossible! That’s not right! If you want a Porsche, you pay the corresponding price, you don’t negotiate for Logan prices. The lack of education and common sense among the people is reflected in everything.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Stoica Dragoș: The classic “life is too short to do or be anything other than what you love.” And if you wisely choose to do what you love, then clearly you have all the motivation and aspiration to do it very well, to perform any activity at the highest level of performance and quality.

C&B: What did you look like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed up to the present?
Stoica Dragoș: Definitely like anyone starting out: more immature, less experienced, more timid, not very learned, more gullible, more scattered… these things and traits are part of the beautiful and rightful process of maturing. Let’s not wrongly consider that maturing means stopping being children, stopping playing, stopping enjoying life, or being funny and mischievous in moderation for relaxation. Rather, it means becoming responsible, experienced, and accepting the reality that anything can happen anytime, both good and bad. Having expectations or placing trust without substance helps nothing. Be skeptical, reserved, cautious, weigh things carefully and choose wisely. But with courage and accountability. Without risks, there is no life. Once you choose, keep going no matter what. Whatever the consequences or outcomes, be happy with the path you have taken, learn from both failures and successes, and keep moving forward.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Stoica Dragoș: Only they know, but I hope they would speak honestly, whatever they might say. Overall, I wish they would be glad to know me and to have interacted with me, as we all are, with strengths and weaknesses. And that, even in the smallest measure, I have brought them something positive in their lives and in who they are today as conscious beings in this beautiful and mysterious universe.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?
Stoica Dragoș: Not to remain stuck in my first jobs – they required a lot of travel, and I wouldn’t have had time to achieve everything I have in the past 10 years. When something is not fully to your liking or requires too many sacrifices, CHANGE IT!

C&B: What are Creative Wizards’ long-term development plans?
Stoica Dragoș: We very much want to train, develop, support, and promote young talents, as I mentioned earlier, those born after 2000-2005 who resonate with the visual arts. And, of course, we want to succeed in having as diverse a clientele as possible, both locally and especially internationally.

C&B: What sets Creative Wizards apart from other photo studios on the market?
Stoica Dragoș: A classic question, but I don’t think it’s easy to give a fair, honest answer. Some may come across as arrogant or too banal no matter what they say. Let’s bite a little into the harsh reality as it is.
No one can work solely out of passion and pure pleasure 100%. In today’s society, you must earn the currency of exchange so that you can have the necessities and enjoy life’s pleasures: travel, material things, raising a family, etc.
Work, especially quality work, must be rewarded accordingly.
From one perspective, which I’ll detail immediately, we can divide those working in this field into two categories:

• those who ended up providing such professional services starting from a passion for this art;
• those who started out only with the thought of making money.

That’s why, worldwide, passionate people are always set apart from those merely eager for profit by their level of dedication and desire for quality.
Many people learn how to swim. How many reach the performance level of David Popovici? Do you think it’s only about an innate magical talent, or is it also about a lot of work? You have to love it. You have to feel fulfilled doing that activity. You cannot have the ultimate motivation that leads to the best results without loving those moments spent doing it.
We are by no means the only passionate or serious ones. We are honest and transparent about what we can and know how to do and what we cannot. There are others at least as good. We just want to become better and better.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?
Stoica Dragoș: The fact that you wake up again in the morning should already bring you great joy and fulfillment that you’ve lived another day. If you’re healthy, that’s wonderful. If your loved ones are also well, then you are completely happy. If the conditions mentioned earlier are fulfilled, then anything else can be worked for and pursued day by day.
A typical day – Monday to Friday, I work my IT job. I do sports as often as possible, not daily, but it’s very important not to take more than 2 consecutive days off. Photography activities take up a good part of the rest of my free time, combined as much as possible with traveling.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?
Stoica Dragoș: To always take responsibility, with anyone, in anything you do. Be at peace with who and how you are. Accept yourself, love yourself – if you’d like others to do the same. They can’t, until you do it yourself. Whatever you choose to do, do it well, not halfway. Don’t start something if you don’t intend to finish it. BUT – don’t persist if it isn’t healthy for you. We will always make mistakes or less inspired choices. Learn and move on. Don’t continue down a toxic path. We never stop learning. If I had the luck to live 100,000 years, every single day I would still learn something new and refine myself a little more.

C&B: How did the idea of Creative Wizards come about, and what made you start this photography company?
Stoica Dragoș: “Photography studio” is not quite accurate. It sounds as if we have a room where we do… photographic stuff. Yes, we are a firm/company because we need to operate within a legal framework, regulated by the – good and bad – laws of this state, far from being very well organized, but that’s the situation. We are a team of passionate and serious guys who provide their photographic services and activities, 99% outside of a “studio.” We most enjoy being on the move – in the mountains, at the seaside, in the plains, on construction sites, out in the fields.
It was therefore obvious we needed a company within a legislative framework – so we chose this funny name, we hope, that represents us: some creative wizards.

C&B: What advice would you give to young photographers or entrepreneurs who want to build a successful studio?
Stoica Dragoș: I think it’s nicer to call it a successful business or activity. I can certainly share from my hard-earned experience that there are a few vital and important aspects: Learn how to learn. Strive to achieve excellent results, but don’t accept to deliver them for free or for a pittance. Make yourself known. In today’s society, we cannot rise without connections.

Stoica Dragoș’s journey is about the courage to follow one’s passion, about finding balance between a technical career and photographic art, and above all, about building something authentic with people who share the same values.

The post Stoica Dragoș – from Engineering to Photographic Art and the Story of Creative Wizards appeared first on careers-business.com.

C&B: What is AWITA?
Katrina Aleksa: The Association of Women in the Arts (AWITA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the career development of professional women in the arts. Founded in 2016, AWITA offers a comprehensive online and in-person program that includes professional development opportunities, mentoring, and networking.

C&B: How did AWITA come about?
Katrina Aleksa: AWITA was born from a simple desire shared by my co-founders and me to create a supportive community where women could discuss career challenges and share their expertise. Since its founding in 2016, the organization has grown organically, demonstrating the significant need for such a network.

C&B: How did your childhood/adolescent visions compare to your current ones?
Katrina Aleksa: From a young age, I was deeply involved in the arts. Over time, my vision evolved to focus on supporting and empowering women in this field. Today, I am grateful to be in a position to support women in the arts.

C&B: Name three essential principles in your work!
Katrina Aleksa: I adhere to principles of inclusion, empowerment, and continuous learning.

C&B: Have the pandemic, economic crises, and wars affected your activities?
Katrina Aleksa: The pandemic prompted us to expand our international online presence, hosting 70 online events in the first two years. This helped us maintain connections and grow both physically and virtually. Our next chapter involves global expansion, highlighted by our “Weather Forecasts” series, featuring senior art professionals discussing the art landscape in their cities. These sessions have become invaluable resources for building international knowledge and connecting with women worldwide.

C&B: What arguments do you use to convince partners and clients?
Katrina Aleksa: Consider what you can contribute to the network, rather than what the network can offer you. This transformative mindset creates a supportive environment, exemplified when you’re in a room with 200 women eager to help each other grow – it’s truly a beautiful experience.

C&B: Do you have advice for those starting out or feeling undecided?
Katrina Aleksa: My advice is to take action and try different things to make progress. Dedication and hard work are essential – finding a path requires taking those first steps.

C&B: Is society and the art world at their true potential today?
Katrina Aleksa: Currently, society and the art world are not where they could be. The art world is largely driven by women who are often unregulated and undervalued. The UK art market contributes £9.2 billion to the economy, with women potentially responsible for £6 billion of this revenue. Our upcoming BUILD YOUR OWN ART WORLD conference on June 5th at Christie’s Auction House aims to support the career development of these talented women through candid conversations and practical workshops.

The post Flash Interview with Katrina Aleksa: On AWITA, Art, Investments, and Partnerships appeared first on careers-business.com.