Eugen Cojocaru is a serial entrepreneur (with over 20 years of experience as a technology expert) who, over the past 13 years, has built several companies in fields such as technology, marketing, investments, media, and business consulting.

His declared mission is to support, through everything he does, the development of a world shaped by authentic leaders who create environments where people grow together, excel, and prosper.

He is the organizer of the Transylvania Meets Business People event and has participated as both a speaker and moderator at numerous business and personal development events. In addition, Eugen supports entrepreneurs through one-on-one consulting, leadership courses, and business strategy programs.

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

Eugen: You’re inviting me to take a wonderful trip down memory lane. I’ll start with the moment when, after my first three months at university, I sought and received support from two professors to study beyond the curriculum and the standard coursework. Later, at the end of my first year, I decided to get a job so I could learn real things from the industry, complementing what I was studying at university. I didn’t care how much I would be paid—I was actually willing to pay for the opportunity to access environments where I could interact with professionals developing technology. I had the privilege of meeting people who trusted me, were patient with me, and guided me through my first steps in the field. That encouraged me to keep growing, realizing that personal development is a never-ending journey that I can enjoy throughout my entire life.

Another defining moment was the experience I gained while working as an employee in a multinational organization, where I came to understand the importance of systems and the fact that, within a company, people are a form of capital rather than merely a resource.

In 2013, together with an exceptional person who became my business partner, I founded my first company—a technology company. Over the next four to five years, we built a team of passionate professionals around us, all engaged in a continuous development process. However, I eventually realized that everything revolved around me. I was an excellent leader and a very good manager, but I also realized that business is about much more than that.

The next step involved educating myself in entrepreneurship while deepening my self-awareness. During that journey, I met extraordinary people who became true mentors. I enjoyed this growth process so much that I became involved far beyond simply learning concepts. The results quickly became visible in my business, and those who noticed the transformation began asking me for consulting. That is how both the desire and the personal fulfillment of helping others grow came into my life.

From there, things expanded further. I founded and developed other companies while simultaneously helping dozens of entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Yet, directly or indirectly, everything intersects with what will soon become as commonplace as electricity is today: technology and artificial intelligence.

I then became involved in business communities, created events designed to make a positive impact on society, and taught at university. I’ve managed to accomplish many of the things I once only dreamed about, and the story continues. Over time, I’ve learned that one of the most important abilities a person can develop is the ability to reinvent themselves, and that becomes possible by creating a vision with genuine purpose for the next stage of growth.

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

Eugen: I gave this question a lot of thought, and I realized it’s difficult for me to choose a specific moment simply because I don’t really perceive any experience as a burden. Early on, I understood that every challenge I encounter is an opportunity for growth and that, as long as I don’t give up searching for solutions, I will become stronger. I’ve learned to appreciate challenges when they arise and even to seek them out by placing myself in situations where they are inevitable. I’ve faced many challenges, and I’m certain there will be many more because I have no intention of stopping.

To answer your question more directly, I believe my greatest challenge was understanding that nobody owes me anything and that everything ultimately depends on me. That realization gave birth to a level of responsibility that freed me from expectations and empowered me to act with confidence.

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

Eugen: I don’t believe there’s a single thing that has had that effect, but it’s certainly not ambition—it’s commitment. Commitment to excellence. I want to dedicate myself to things that honor who I am because life is too short to play small. The difference between who I am today and who I can become lies in what I do every single day, and that occupies all of my time.

C&B: Which professional experiences shaped you the most before launching Universum?

Eugen: Beyond my career as an employee, where I learned a great deal about work ethic and professionalism, I also had the opportunity to build at least one company beforehand. That allowed me to approach consulting, media, and marketing with maturity and confidence, as they all became part of the Universum group.

Before developing this group of companies, I had recruited hundreds of people, built high-performing teams, worked with international clients, and understood that every successful business is built upon an inspiring vision, a strategy firmly rooted in market realities, exceptional people, and effective systems.

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

Eugen: Some time ago, I read something that completely changed the way I approach life. To paraphrase it, it goes something like this: “I don’t know the secret to success, but I certainly know the secret to failure: trying to please everyone.”

Some people might say that I turned them down, but it’s important to be selective about whom we dedicate our limited energy to and why. Others might say that I could have done better—and they would be right. That mindset pushes me to continuously learn from every experience and keep evolving. Perfection doesn’t exist, but I am fully committed to excellence.

The vast majority of my collaborators would probably say that I am a man of principles (although that doesn’t necessarily mean they always appreciate it! ). They would also say that whenever things don’t go according to plan, I’m there to look for solutions—and we always find them.

I’m a loyal person who values long-term relationships built on mutual trust and on the idea of creating situations where three parties benefit: myself, my collaborator, and society. We all need people we can rely on, and we all need to surround ourselves with individuals we trust. I constantly strive to choose such people to be around me while also being that kind of person for them.

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

Eugen: Choosing, with confidence and pragmatism, the right people to accompany me on a journey that would ultimately impact many others. Refusing to compromise just to keep close those who were unwilling to do what we had agreed upon.

In business, emotional attachments and excessive emotional involvement undermine performance and the ability to build something solid and scalable. I’ve concluded that true success requires harmony between the passion and spirit of a people-oriented culture and the pragmatism of systems focused on delivering excellent results.

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

Eugen: The answer is actually in your question—I built it.

From an early age, I paid close attention to the small details that make a difference, and I’ve always loved people. That naturally helped me do many things in ways that now feel instinctive. However, over time I realized that everything is actually the result of thorough preparation—initially unconscious and later intentional—which gave me the privilege of knowing how to choose valuable people to have by my side and how to filter those who had already passed the initial selection.

The easiest problems to solve are the ones we never have because we’ve anticipated them and elegantly avoided them.

From my perspective, every organization relies on two essential forms of capital without which it cannot perform: financial capital and human capital.

I genuinely love people, and it brings me great satisfaction to identify those with whom I can share different stages of our journey. Leadership has become one of the central areas of everything I do because, in reality, abstract leadership principles lie at the root of most of our successes and challenges, whether we’re talking about our professional or personal lives.

Over the years, I’ve learned that one of the most valuable abilities a person can develop is self-awareness. The better you know yourself, the better you are able to understand others.

For me, an authentic leader isn’t someone who has followers, but someone who creates other authentic leaders.

C&B: What differentiates Universum Media from other agencies or media projects on the market?

Eugen: We chose to enter the marketing and media industry because this is where we can create meaningful impact for both businesses and society. There are many aspects that make us different, but I’ll mention just a few.

We operate at the intersection of marketing expertise and business consulting—an essential combination that allows us to understand much more than traditional marketing expressed through social media posts, articles, or other execution-focused activities. We begin by understanding the company’s objectives and then reflect them in measurable strategies and implementation.

We’ve also developed our own proprietary framework, ValueDrive, which enables us to work in a structured and transparent way, starting from the real needs of the business and implementing concrete actions that generate equally concrete and measurable results.

The media landscape is essential for visibility and social impact. We live in a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on authentic and valuable information, and that comes with great responsibility.

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

Eugen: My day starts early, before sunrise, with exercise and time spent with my family. It continues with activities that provide direction and support for the companies I’m involved in, and it ends with quality family time, reading, and rest.

The moments that bring me the greatest satisfaction are those spent with my family and those in which the people I work with succeed. It’s easy to feel good when you’re surrounded by people who are doing well.

C&B: How do you manage the challenge of creating content that remains authentic while also delivering results for your clients?

Eugen: Authenticity is an essential ingredient of great content, but it’s amplified by the ability to truly understand clients’ real needs—beyond what they initially express during the first conversations.

It’s a process of discovery. Clients gradually open up, we explore together, and together we uncover deeper levels of need and the reasons behind them. Once we’ve reached that point, it becomes much easier to identify exactly what best fits each unique situation.

At the same time, we benefit from technology that enables us to significantly accelerate many stages of implementation and delivery. The real key lies at the intersection between the human element and technology.

C&B: How did the idea for Universum Media come about, and what motivated you to start your own business in the media industry?

Eugen: Universum Media emerged from a personal need that I identified within the other businesses I already owned: the need to approach brand exposure and promotion in a structured, measurable way, at the intersection of business and marketing.

We quickly realized that marketing and media are industries with tremendous future potential and a significant impact on both business and society. Our main motivation was to contribute to the evolution of this industry while also benefiting from that evolution ourselves.

C&B: What strategic directions will Universum Media explore over the next two to five years?

Eugen: Our focus will be on helping brands benefit from the intersection of promotion, visibility, and trust-building.

Additionally, we will continue to adapt to the constant changes taking place in this dynamic industry. We are currently developing an online platform that will allow not only us but also other agencies in the field to intelligently automate both marketing strategy development and implementation.

This will enable professionals to focus on what people will increasingly be expected to do in the future: build authentic relationships with clients, guide them through meaningful questions to uncover relevant answers, and master the ability to truly understand their needs so they can provide solutions that make a real difference.

It sounds great in theory, but putting it into practice is an art—and that’s exactly what we do every single day.

Eugen Cojocaru’s interview highlights how authentic leadership, innovation, technology, and continuous growth can transform both businesses and people. Drawing on his extensive experience in entrepreneurship, business consulting, and media, the founder of Universum Media shares valuable insights into the future of marketing, artificial intelligence, and building high-performing organizations founded on trust, strategy, and people.

The post Eugen Cojocaru, Universum Media: “Authentic leadership means creating other leaders, not just followers” appeared first on careers-business.com.

Graduate of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Ilie Preda, founder of AdeonaCamps, is an unconventional entrepreneur fascinated by mountains, karate, people, and the philosophy behind every kind of ascent. At just 19 years old, he founded the Ochiul Muntelui Mountain Tourism Student Club. He never practiced in the field he originally studied, choosing instead to build his own vision of mountain tourism from a young age while continuing to climb some of the world’s great mountain ranges: the Tatras, the Alps, the Andes, and the Himalayas. Yet the ascent that matters most is undoubtedly AdeonaCamps. Even today, after 25 years, he remains actively involved in organizing mountain camps and excursions for children, playing a significant role in the development of adventure tourism in Romania.

He believes entrepreneurship is much like high-altitude expeditions. There are no guaranteed recipes for success, no certainties—perhaps only the beauty of each unique story. Attitude determines altitude!

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

Ilie: In the autumn of 2016, I decided to share lesser-known aspects of my life with people. Four years later, after repeatedly revisiting and rewriting entire chapters, a book emerged about a man who is always climbing, searching for a summit that does not exist—a Sisyphean effort whose ending remains uncertain.

On the Other Side brings together the years spent in the karate dojo, the mountains I have climbed, the entrepreneurial projects I have built, and the people who, in one way or another, influenced my transformation.

Even today, I firmly believe these worlds complement one another naturally because, at their core, they all require hard work, humility, determination, and respect.

C&B: Looking back, what has been the “red thread” guiding your professional journey?

Ilie: Avoiding a theoretical answer, I would rather highlight five personal moments that significantly contributed to my professional path and likely shaped me into who I am today:

1. Founding a karate club for children at just 18 years old, together with a close friend who was equally fearless.
2. Deciding to establish the Ochiul Muntelui Mountain Tourism Student Club in Cluj. It was an extraordinary opportunity and my first encounter with what I would later understand as leadership.
3. Choosing to resign from what was then a very well-paid job after learning the basics of sales and deciding to follow my own dream.
4. Signing the first long-term contract and building the first dedicated location for AdeonaCamps camps.
5. Stepping away from the operational side of the business and delegating decision-making.

If I were to draw a common thread, I would say: vision, motivation, attitude, learning, values, and hard work.

Exactly in that order.

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

Ilie: I believe people stubbornly refuse to learn much in the absence of pain.

Each of us evolves through the accumulation of experiences over time, but meaningful change only occurs when we are pushed beyond our limits.

For me, the critical moment came in 2021, immediately after the pandemic, when it became clear that my heart condition was far more complex than I had believed. Three medical interventions quickly pulled me into a new reality that was difficult to accept.

I was forced to understand that the mountains would remain the same without me and that the only true profit is life itself and my family. No one can stay at the summit forever.

C&B: What courageous—or counterintuitive—decision significantly influenced your trajectory?

Ilie: It happened in 2009, the year my daughter was born and also the year the global economic crisis was causing dramatic effects across every industry.

At that time, I signed a 15-year contract for a mountain lodge in the Retezat Mountains, a property requiring extensive renovations and a substantial budget.

It seemed crazy, but I took the risk and borrowed the money needed to start the investment, surprising everyone around me—including my own family.

It worked. From that year on, AdeonaCamps began a steadily upward journey.

There was very little time before the start of the summer season, and what followed felt worthy of a Hollywood movie. I described the episode in detail in the book I mentioned earlier. In short, our first guests had already left Timișoara while we were still landscaping the property.

Romania’s road infrastructure unexpectedly helped us. The group was delayed, and the extra two hours we gained before their arrival meant flowers throughout the courtyard and the smell of fresh paint everywhere.

Today, I remember those times fondly, especially since Lolaia remains part of the Adeona portfolio—a place very close to my heart.

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

Ilie: I believe the passing years and especially the health issues I mentioned earlier taught me to slow down.

Deadline-driven projects and an endless list of achievements—if I may put quotation marks around the word—come with a price, one paid first by the leader and later by the team.

I have come to the conclusion that the process is more important than the numbers, even if this somehow contradicts entrepreneurial thinking and is therefore difficult to accept.

It wasn’t easy for me, but I believe I eventually understood that in life—and therefore in business—everything should be measured, yet time is the most important resource. All other resources will naturally align afterward.

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

Ilie: I don’t have a professionally crafted public image. Some say that is not something to be proud of and that an entrepreneur or leader should embody the image of their business.

I don’t feel the need to be at the center of attention, although I have often found myself in that position and managed reasonably well.

In fact, I do not believe I deliver what is popular today—inflated numbers, clichés, and glitter—but rather a certain spirit of humility, perhaps even an excessive one, which I cultivated through mountain climbing and years spent in the dojo.

To answer the question, I would like to believe that I inspire the people around me, even if I am often challenging.

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

Ilie: I believe there have been two completely different stages in my evolution.

The first was before the age of 45, when deadline-driven projects were the norm. The second began with my health issues.

As I mentioned earlier, every action comes with a cost. When that cost is no longer measured in money but in days spent in a hospital, decisions become self-evident.

As for my leadership style, I genuinely believe organizational culture is what people do when the leader is not present—not what they say they do, but what they actually do.

For this reason, I have avoided controlling people and invested heavily in trust. The real battle was against inherited prejudices and my own fears.

Sometimes I was wrong. Sometimes I made poor choices. But that is part of the game.

I do not hide the fact that there were occasions—few, fortunately—when my perspective was completely mistaken and I treated valuable people unfairly. That too is part of my evolution, even if it is less comfortable to acknowledge.

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

Ilie: A large part of AdeonaCamps’ activity takes place in nature, in the mountains, or on sports fields.

Apart from the inevitable business tools used for communication, promotion, and marketing, we are only minimally affected by technological transformations.

I could say that the current context dramatically influences the behavior of our customers, and that behavior, in turn, transforms us and the way we operate. However, that is a much broader discussion than the space here allows.

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

Ilie: First of all, I believe I should define what performance means to me in business: I managed to build a model organization in a niche field without resources, relevant information, or established examples to follow.

Today, Adeona’s impact is significant, confirmed by the tens of thousands of students who have participated in our programs over the years. For most entrepreneurs, performance is measured through revenue, number of employees, or profit.

My main routine is organization. I do not start projects until I know exactly what steps need to be taken and what scenarios might arise.

At the beginning of each year, I create a rigorous plan that includes personal goals, new projects, ongoing projects, development initiatives, and investments.

All of these are anchored in a calendar and supported by separate budgets.

This does not mean such planning guarantees success, but it certainly provides a mirror that accurately reflects reality.

It helps that I can break down long-term objectives into smaller ones and track their achievement in detail without excessive effort.

I believe we should make a habit of taking one small step every day toward the summit we are trying to reach.

Long-term results do not come from spectacular leaps but from small, consistent, repeated achievements that accumulate quietly until they become a difficult-to-match advantage.

Real progress appears when you do those “small things” even on the days when you don’t feel like it.

Rhythm beats intensity, and consistency becomes a multiplier of results.

This is the formula through which strong careers, resilient businesses, and highly capable people are built.

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

Ilie: It is a complex question with many possible answers. I will try to limit myself to five principles derived from five questions that I consider essential:

1. Why am I doing this? Is it important for me or for the business? How clear is the objective?
2. What resources does the project require? Time, energy, and money—in that order.
3. What are the possible scenarios? What is the downside risk for me or for potential partners?
4. Who are the partners and people involved? Do we share the same values, standards, and expectations?
5. Have enough days passed since I formulated my answers? Are those answers still valid? If yes, the project is probably viable.

I can honestly say that whenever I failed to answer one of these questions rationally and allowed emotions to dominate the analysis process—or avoided or vaguely answered one of them—I encountered problems in managing the project, some of them quite serious.

C&B: How do you see your industry evolving over the next three to five years?

Ilie: I believe there will be substantial transformations.

I expect a restructuring and resizing of the market, a clearer specialization by activity type—mountain camps, seaside camps, educational camps, sports camps, and so on—and, not least, a forced professionalization of the sector.

By that, I mean well-defined processes and standards established by the key players in the market.

C&B: What role do you intend to play in that evolution?

Ilie: AdeonaCamps is approaching the end of a stage marked by numerous organizational transformations.

It is time to consolidate the final conclusions and balance the elements that still do not function exactly as we would like within the systems we have built.

Once this process is completed, we will move toward an accelerated franchising strategy.

Franchising itself requires professionalism, processes, standards, evaluation methods, and more.

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

Ilie: I will be as concise as possible and limit myself to five essential questions:

1. Are you sure your dream or project is not just a passing trend or temporary whim? What will it look like years from now?
2. Can you create transformation, progress, or meaningful impact in your chosen field?
3. Do you have the necessary resources? What is their source?
4. Who will accompany you on this journey?
5. Who do you want to become by the end of it?

If the answers satisfy you, it is time to act.

If, after many years, you remain relevant, you probably answered those questions correctly.

If you need to constantly praise yourself on social media, you may be making money—I cannot say—but it is certain that you have not built anything truly meaningful.

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

Ilie: Unfortunately, the children’s camp market—the market in which we also operate—is undergoing continuous transformation, and not necessarily in a positive direction. This is only my personal opinion and should be treated as such.

Behavioral patterns are changing at an astonishing speed from one generation to the next.

Social media and the isolation of young people are part of this irreversible process. The confusion between reality and the virtual world seems to be becoming acceptable.

Mountains, nature, and sports of any kind all require a certain level of physical effort.

What is sad is that fewer and fewer children are willing to make the effort necessary to experience the joy of a hike in nature or a ball game with friends. Instant gratification is only one click away.

The real issue is this: parents are part of this transformation as well.

The mountains are a way of life, and I believe each of us has a responsibility to bring them, in one form or another, into our children’s lives.

But perhaps that is a conversation for another time.

Ilie Preda’s story proves that authentic performance is built over time through discipline, patience, and the ability to remain true to one’s values. From mountain expeditions to the development of AdeonaCamps, every stage of his journey reflects the power of consistency and trust-based leadership.

The post Ilie Preda, AdeonaCamps: “Attitude determines altitude. In business, just like in the mountains, every summit has its lessons” appeared first on careers-business.com.

Cosmin Dărăban is the CEO & Co-Founder of Gomag, one of Romania’s leading eCommerce platforms, which he built based on the belief that every Romanian entrepreneur deserves access to high-quality technology, regardless of budget or technical experience.

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

Cosmin Dărăban: My career has never followed a linear plan; rather, it has been a series of moments when I chose to take calculated risks.

It all started in 2005, when I founded SilkWeb, a digital agency. At a time when the Romanian internet landscape was still in its infancy, the idea of building a business exclusively online seemed, to many, like something out of a fantasy story. I saw something different: an enormous opportunity and a market that was about to explode.

Working closely with clients who wanted to sell online, I quickly realized that their problem wasn’t a lack of ambition; they lacked the right tools.

Existing platforms were either too expensive, too complex, or simply unsuitable for the realities of the Romanian market. That’s how the idea emerged to build our own platform from scratch, right within the agency.

It was a long process filled with testing and adjustments. It wasn’t until 2016 that the platform received the name it still carries today—Gomag—with a distinct identity. That moment represented a public commitment that we were no longer building an internal tool, but a standalone product with a clear vision and a market we wanted to serve.

It was a strategic pivot that permanently differentiated us from the competition and brought us to where we are today.

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

Cosmin Dărăban: The first thing that comes to mind is the period when I had to balance the platform’s growth with the resources available.

From what I’ve seen, every startup reaches a stage where pressure comes from all directions at once: customers demand more, the team needs clear direction, the market evolves rapidly, and you find yourself in the middle of the storm carrying the responsibility of staying on course.

I got through that period through a combination of discipline, accountability, and honest communication with the team. I never pretended to have all the answers. I involved the people around me in finding solutions, prioritized realistically, and accepted that you can’t do everything perfectly at the same time.

In practical terms, that translated into 12 years during which I personally worked without a salary.

The lesson I carry with me from that period is that resilience doesn’t mean never falling; it means having reasons to get back up every time you do.

C&B: How does Gomag contribute to the development of the eCommerce ecosystem in Romania and the region?

Cosmin Dărăban: Today, Gomag is essentially a driver of online commerce democratization, not just an eCommerce platform. We contribute to the ecosystem on several levels.

First, we reduce entry barriers. Anyone—from a craftsman in Transylvania selling handmade products to an entrepreneur with an established distribution network—can quickly launch a functional online store without needing an IT department.

Second, we constantly educate the market. Through content, webinars, events, guides, and community-building initiatives, we actively contribute to improving the digital competence of Romanian entrepreneurs. Why? Because we don’t want customers who depend on us; we want a community of entrepreneurs who understand what they are doing and why they are doing it.

Third, we are building an ecosystem of partners—agencies, freelancers, and consultants—who work with Gomag and, in turn, serve hundreds of businesses. That’s how impact multiplies.

At a regional level, we are already present in other markets, and our model—a SaaS platform with local support and features adapted to each market’s specifics—has proven to be a real competitive advantage over global solutions that treat all markets the same.

C&B: What does it mean, in practical terms, for an entrepreneur to “reach their potential” through a platform like Gomag?

Cosmin Dărăban: In short, it means selling more with less manual effort and being able to make decisions based on real data.

Let me be specific. An entrepreneur who joins Gomag can launch a fully functional online store within a few hours—with integrated payments, inventory management, automatic invoicing, and courier synchronization. No coding, no agency contracts, and no waiting months for implementation. This means they can test a business idea quickly and validate the market before investing significant resources.

As the business grows, the platform grows with it. Gomag offers over 400 native features, including GoBots for task automation within the platform, dozens of customizable themes, loyalty programs, customer segmentation, automated upsell and cross-sell tools, marketplace integrations, Facebook Ads and multichannel feeds, as well as a dedicated Google Shopping Ads automation service.

All of this is available without requiring external developers or customization budgets worth tens of thousands of euros.

For example, a merchant who activates native abandoned cart recovery can recover between 10% and 15% of lost sales automatically, without manual intervention. One who uses segmentation and automated post-purchase emails will see significantly higher retention rates. Another who integrates all sales channels into a single dashboard can save hours every week and invest that time elsewhere.

The combinations of possibilities offered by the platform are virtually limitless and can be adapted to the specific needs of each entrepreneur.

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

Cosmin Dărăban: Honestly? I think they would say I’m demanding but fair. My vision requires setting high standards consistently—for myself and for those around me—but one of my personal principles is never to ask anyone to do something I wouldn’t do first myself.

They might also say that I’m direct, sometimes uncomfortably direct, but that I never have a hidden agenda.

They would probably add that I’m deeply involved in the product, that I have an almost obsessive curiosity for details, that I ask a lot of questions, and that I never accept a “good enough” mentality. But I hope they would also say that I give people room to grow, that I listen to their ideas, and that I recognize everyone’s contribution when we celebrate company victories.

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

Cosmin Dărăban: Without a doubt, the decision to transform an internal agency tool into a standalone product.

We initially built the platform to better serve SilkWeb clients because it was a practical solution to a real problem. But at one point, I realized it had outgrown the boundaries of an internal tool and that its potential was much greater.

Giving a project its own identity—a new name, a dedicated team, and a separate strategy—means taking a double risk: you risk the agency’s resources and you risk the possibility that the product won’t be adopted at the scale you envision. In 2016, when we decided to focus on Gomag as a SaaS solution, we had no guarantees. We only had the conviction that the market needed what we were building and that we understood that market better than anyone else.

An equally important decision was staying focused—not getting distracted by premature diversification, but striving to become the smartest eCommerce choice for Romanian and regional merchants.

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

Cosmin Dărăban: It was both natural and forged through experience. I believe I came with certain traits already in place: curiosity, pragmatism, and energy. But my leadership style was largely shaped by difficult experiences, mistakes, and the people I worked alongside.

I learned that a good leader is someone who asks the right questions, not someone who has all the answers. I also learned that decision-making speed matters just as much as accuracy: a perfect decision made too late can cause more damage than an imperfect one made at the right moment.

And I learned something else: people don’t follow visions—they follow people. If you’re not authentic, you won’t build anything that lasts.

C&B: How does your impact translate into numbers and tangible results for clients?

Cosmin Dărăban: Today, there are over 5,000 online stores built on Gomag, which collectively generated more than €500 million in sales during 2025.

Those figures speak for themselves, but beyond the aggregates, I’m interested in individual stories: the entrepreneur who grew from 50 to 500 orders per month during their first year on the platform; the store that automated post-purchase interactions and increased retention rates by two or three times; the business that achieved in three months after switching to Gomag what it had failed to accomplish in an entire year on another platform.

Operational efficiency is actually one of the most underrated indicators. When an entrepreneur gains 10 hours per week through a well-implemented automation process, those are 10 hours they can reinvest into growing the business. That’s real impact, and it’s what our technology delivers.

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

Cosmin Dărăban: My mornings are dedicated to sports and exercise. It’s a ritual I try hard to protect. Beyond physical health, I believe it’s essential for the mental clarity it provides. Many of my best decisions have taken shape during a workout rather than in front of a screen.

The rest of the day alternates between strategic thinking, internal meetings, product analysis, conversations with partners, and sometimes direct interactions with customers or our community.

The moments that bring me the greatest satisfaction are, paradoxically, the small ones: seeing a feature we’ve discussed for months work perfectly on the platform, receiving a message from a customer who has reached an important sales milestone, or seeing a team member come up with an idea that is clearly better than what we had originally planned.

Those moments confirm that we are shaping something alive with our minds and hands—and they are invaluable.

C&B: What differentiates Gomag from other international or local eCommerce platforms?

Cosmin Dărăban: There are several structural differences.

The first is that we are built for the Romanian and regional markets, not adapted to them afterward. That means integrations with local couriers, payment processors, invoicing systems, and marketing platforms are native, not workarounds.

The second difference is the balance between complexity and accessibility. Gomag provides features usually found in enterprise-level platforms—advanced automation, customer segmentation, integrated marketing—but within an interface that entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds can easily use.

The third difference, and perhaps the most important, is support. We’re not a product you buy and then figure out on your own. We have real people who know the platform in depth and who guide customers step by step as they grow.

C&B: How do you maintain a balance between advanced functionality and ease of use for entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds?

Cosmin Dărăban: This is actually one of the fundamental challenges of our product and an ongoing discussion within the product team.

The principle we start from is that advanced functionality should be available, but not mandatory. A new entrepreneur should be able to launch a store within hours without feeling overwhelmed by options. At the same time, an experienced merchant should find the sophisticated tools they would expect from an enterprise solution.

In practice, this translates into progressive design: default settings are optimized for the most common use cases, while complexity reveals itself gradually as users need it. We constantly test with real users and listen carefully—the feedback from our community has generated some of the platform’s best features.

C&B: What are the most common obstacles entrepreneurs face when scaling an online store, and how does Gomag help them overcome them?

Cosmin Dărăban: The first obstacle is often technical: the platform can no longer keep up with growth. Performance slows down, errors appear, and integrations break. Gomag addresses this through a scalable infrastructure that grows alongside the business, without painful migrations or unexpected surprises.

The second obstacle is operational. At a certain order volume, manual processes become unsustainable. Inventory management, invoicing, and customer communication consume enormous resources if they are not automated. Our automation features are specifically designed for this stage of growth.

The third obstacle comes from marketing. Entrepreneurs often lose visibility into where customers are coming from, what is working, and how to scale further. Gomag provides analytics and integrated marketing tools—email, SMS, abandoned cart recovery, and customer segmentation—that transform data into actionable decisions.

And there is a fourth, more subtle obstacle: the entrepreneur’s sense of isolation. Scaling a business is difficult and often lonely. The Gomag community—made up of customers, partners, and educational resources—provides exactly that feeling that you are not alone in the process.

Through vision, perseverance, and a deep understanding of entrepreneurs’ needs, Cosmin Dărăban has turned Gomag into a benchmark for eCommerce in Romania. From democratizing access to technology to building an ecosystem that supports business growth, his journey demonstrates how innovation and education can create real impact in online commerce.

The post Cosmin Dărăban, CEO & Co-Founder of Gomag – about the future of eCommerce, entrepreneurship and scaling online businesses appeared first on careers-business.com.

An experienced anesthesiologist and an entrepreneur in the wellbeing field alongside her husband, Wahyu Diarto (Yudi), with whom she founded Blue Phoenix in 2020, Daniela Godoroj–Diarto is a true model of ambition, tenacity, and courage. We invite you to discover the story of Blue Phoenix and the authentic flavors of Indonesia, reflected both in specialty coffee and in plant-based powders, appreciated for their health benefits.

Opening & introduction

C&B: If you had to describe yourself briefly, in a single sentence that sparks curiosity, what would you say about yourself?
Daniela: I am an ambitious and persevering person who never gives up on her goals, no matter how many obstacles arise along the way.

C&B: If we asked your colleagues or collaborators how they would describe you, what do you think they would say about you?
Daniela: I believe they would say that I am a perfectionist and that I stubbornly stick to the path I have chosen, even when it becomes difficult.

Journey & beginnings

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have changed up to today?
Daniela: At the beginning, I was much more timid. Over time, I gained self-confidence and learned not to be influenced by what others say. I no longer consume myself with outside opinions—I know who I am and what my direction is. I follow my path guided by what I feel in my soul is right, answering only to myself and to God for my choices.

C&B: Looking back, what were the turning points that shaped your professional path or your business?
Daniela: Six years ago, my life changed completely—both personally and professionally. I got married and, together with my husband, founded Blue Phoenix, a wellbeing business based on the healing power of nature. He is from Indonesia, and his experience with the plants there was essential. That’s how we created together a concept that brings Indonesian tradition closer to Romania and is based on the idea of returning to nature and to the healing power of plants.

It has been and still is difficult to promote this concept in Romania, because Romanians are not very well informed about these aspects. Promoting these principles is not easy—people need time to understand this holistic approach and to shift toward a new mindset, oriented toward nature and balance.

Challenges & decisions

C&B: What has been the biggest challenge so far and how did you manage to overcome it?
Daniela: The greatest challenge, but also the greatest blessing, was the birth of our daughter, Tribuana, at the end of last year—after six years of trying. It is an emotional journey, especially when you are also an entrepreneur. You don’t have the luxury of taking a break, but the joy fully compensates for it.

C&B: What decision changed the direction of your career or business the most?
Daniela: The most important decision for Blue Phoenix was to niche down. At first, we imported a wide range of products from Indonesia—teas, spices, sauces—but we quickly realized that the market needs clarity. So we focused only on coffee and plant powders from which we produce natural supplements here, which you can find in Dr. Max and Farmacia Tei pharmacies and on our website, www.blue-phoenix.ro.
The products follow traditional Indonesian recipes, based exclusively on pure plant extracts. The entire process—from formula to encapsulation and packaging—is carried out entirely by us in Romania.
On the coffee side, we focused on quality and originality: from the famous Wild Kopi Luwak, with a fine aroma and low acidity, to specialty coffees such as Gayo or Java Blue Mountain, each with its own story and unique flavor.

Wild Kopi Luwak is undoubtedly the boldest and rarest variety in our collection. Derived from coffee beans “naturally selected” by the Indonesian palm civet and then carefully cleaned and roasted, this coffee reveals its nobility through a velvety taste, with chocolate notes and delicate acidity. It is a unique experience—a coffee that is not only tasted, but felt: gentle on the digestive system, yet intense through the energy and sense of wellbeing it provides.

Equally fascinating is Gayo Arabica, one of the most appreciated coffees in the world, grown in the highlands of Sumatra, in the Central Aceh region. With a fine texture, a light nutty aroma, and a balanced, intense but never bitter taste, this coffee captivates lovers of refinement worldwide. Likewise, the Gayo Wine and Gayo Honey varieties tell different stories: the first offers an intense, fruity aroma with sweet notes and subtle wine-like accents; the second is a gentle blend of honey and wine, with low acidity and a memorable taste.

From the heart of the volcanoes of Java, Java Blue Mountain brings another story—a coffee with the soul of a legend, grown at over 1,600 meters altitude, where volcanic soil and clean air give rise to a deep and refined aroma. Its origins are linked to Jamaica, from where it was brought at the beginning of the last century, and today it preserves the same noble spirit.

And the newest addition to the portfolio, the rare coffee from Mount Argopuro in East Java, grown at 1,800 meters, is a true revelation. Processed through a complex method—a combination of carbonic maceration and natural processing—it impresses with notes of cherries and caramel and an intense, round, and elegant aftertaste.

C&B: Has your leadership and decision-making style formed naturally, or have you built it over time through experience?
Daniela: My leadership style has been built gradually, through lived experiences and lessons learned along the way. We are guided by the same simple but essential principles: honesty, authenticity, and discipline. We believe in the freedom of creativity, but also in the power of balance. Both my husband and I try to apply these values in everything we do—in our own personal and professional growth, as well as in the way we inspire and guide the Blue Phoenix team.

Present & differentiators

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments bring you the most joy?
Daniela: My day starts early, at 5 a.m., when I feed our little one. Then it becomes a marathon until 11 p.m., balancing the roles of mother, anesthesiologist, and entrepreneur. My husband helps a lot with Tribuana and handles production and distribution entirely within the company, while I focus on marketing and relations with authorities. It’s a full but fulfilling day, especially when we manage to enjoy the small moments spent together.

C&B: What do you think makes you different from other professionals or other businesses in your field?
Daniela: The dietary supplements market is extremely competitive, and the challenges are numerous. What differentiates us is authenticity. Our products are based on original recipes inspired by the ancestral wisdom of traditional Indonesian medicine, made 100% from pure plant extracts, with real health effects.
In addition, Blue Phoenix supplements are carefully standardized—1 g per capsule, 60 capsules per bottle—a rare concentration that allows for a single daily intake. Through this rigor and clarity, we have managed to preserve the essence of our promise: authenticity, purity, and a genuine return to nature.

C&B: Was there a dream or desire that always kept you motivated, regardless of obstacles?
Daniela: Yes—the desire to contribute to a change in how Romanians perceive the concept of wellbeing. It is a long and difficult process, but we strongly believe it is worth it. We want to encourage a culture of balance, self-care, and respect for nature. “Back to natural” is not just a motto for us, but a philosophy of life.

C&B: What values or principles guide you day by day, and how do you keep them alive in what you do?
Daniela: We are hardworking and ambitious people, but at the same time grateful for every day and for the gift we receive from God by being together and being healthy.
We enjoy simple things—a sunrise, nature, time spent together. We believe in positive thinking, in balance, and in the idea that everything we do has meaning when it is done with love and respect for people and for life.

C&B: If you could share one single thought with those who see you as a role model, what would it be?
Daniela: Never give up on your dreams, regardless of obstacles or failures. I have always learned—and I have told my older children as well—that every failure is actually a step forward. Beautiful paths are not easy, but they are the ones that truly fulfill you.

Daniela Godoroj–Diarto’s story is about the courage to follow your path, even when it feels difficult, and the strength to build something authentic and meaningful. Balancing medicine, entrepreneurship, and family life, she manages to create a rare sense of harmony, guided by simple yet profound values.

The post Daniela Godoroja–Diarto, Co-founder of Blue Phoenix, in a conversation about balance, passion and returning to nature appeared first on careers-business.com.

Olariu Daniel is an entrepreneur from Brașov and the administrator of Ola Cleaning, a professional cleaning company for residential and commercial spaces, including offices. The company grew from a simple yet ambitious idea: more reliability, more order, clear standards, in a vital field that is still often treated as “background work.” Daniel often says that the goal is not just to deliver a service, but to raise the bar of the industry, which includes both continuous training and membership in the Employers’ Association of the Cleaning Industry in Romania.

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

Olariu Daniel: My professional journey was built step by step, through different experiences that shaped me on an operational level. I started in the field of graphics and technology, then moved into logistics and coordination, where suddenly it was no longer just about tasks, but about people, deadlines, results, and pressure. Honestly, the turning point came when I chose entrepreneurship: I realized I wanted something of my own, stable, built over time, not improvised. Ola Cleaning was born from a direct, almost simple observation: the market needed services delivered professionally, predictably, and with real respect for the client.

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

Olariu Daniel: Human resources remain the biggest challenge, especially in an operational field where it’s difficult to maintain stable teams. There were times when, in the same day, I was the administrator, the coordinator, and the person on-site. I wouldn’t say I’ve completely solved this issue—it’s an ongoing process that comes with growth. What I do consistently now is structure things: systems, routines, checks, so the company depends less on my direct involvement.

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

Olariu Daniel: Yes. To build a respected business and to show that fields considered invisible can operate at high standards, without shortcuts. Professional cleaning directly impacts people’s health, comfort, and even productivity, and I believe this sector should be treated with the same importance as any other service.

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

Olariu Daniel: At the beginning, I was the person putting out fires, solving immediate issues, sometimes just to get through the day. Now, even though situations still arise, I try to think long term. The biggest change, I think, is the shift from an executor mindset to that of someone who builds systems and teams. Entrepreneurship teaches you patience—sometimes the hard way—and forces you to be consistent.

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

Olariu Daniel: They would probably say I’m demanding, maybe stubborn at times, but involved. I want things done correctly, with responsibility, and I don’t really negotiate on that. At the same time, I try to offer stability and predictability, because in practical work, mutual respect is not a slogan—it’s the fuel.

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

Olariu Daniel: The decision to treat cleaning as a profession in itself, not as something occasional. Investing in professional equipment, training, and clear standards changed our direction, and just as importantly, it changed how clients perceive us.

C&B: What values form the foundation of Ola Cleaning’s organizational culture and how are they reflected in the client experience?

Olariu Daniel: Responsibility, consistency, and continuous development, without hiding behind words. We attend specialized courses, we are members of the Employers’ Association of the Cleaning Industry in Romania, and we participate in events and trade fairs dedicated to cleaning. All of this keeps us connected to what’s happening in the industry. For clients, this translates into predictability, trust, and the fact that we don’t promise one thing and deliver another.

C&B: What is Ola Cleaning’s main differentiator in such a competitive market?

Olariu Daniel: Professionalization, first of all, but also adaptability. In a field where “good enough” is still common, we aim to maintain clear standards and apply them consistently. Continuous training, along with staying connected to the industry, helps us use modern methods and choose the right solutions for each client, not one-size-fits-all approaches.

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

Olariu Daniel: A normal day is a mix of operations and business growth, sometimes in the same minute. Team organization, client discussions, adjustments in internal processes, checks. The greatest satisfaction, honestly, is when I see the team functioning autonomously and when clients stay long-term because they trust us.

C&B: How do you manage to maintain a consistent standard of quality in a field where execution is essential?

Olariu Daniel: Through operational discipline and continuous learning. Quality cannot rely solely on “the right person,” because people change, get tired, have off days. You need procedures, checks, routines, even if it doesn’t sound romantic. Training programs and our involvement in the Employers’ Association help us keep standards up to date and avoid working by guesswork.

C&B: How did the story of Ola Cleaning begin and what motivated you to build this brand?

Olariu Daniel: It started from a need directly observed in the market: the lack of professional, predictable services with continuity. The motivation was, essentially, seriousness—to build a company based on trust. Stability for clients, but also a fair working framework for employees, because otherwise you can’t maintain quality.

C&B: What type of innovation would you like to introduce in Ola Cleaning in the near future?

Olariu Daniel: Digitalization and automation in the operational area: monitoring interventions, reporting, resource optimization. I believe the industry’s direction will increasingly be a close combination of human competence and technology, and there is still a lot of room here—for work and for learning.

Olariu Daniel’s story shows that performance is not defined by the field, but by the standards you choose to uphold. In an industry where “good enough” has long been the norm, Ola Cleaning offers a different direction: discipline, consistency, and genuine respect for the client.

The post Olariu Daniel & Ola Cleaning: From cleaning services to an industry standard appeared first on careers-business.com.

Crețan Mădălina Mihaela is a woman who has built her path with patience, perseverance, and the courage to reinvent herself, regardless of age or life’s challenges.

Throughout her career, Mădălina has cultivated essential skills in communication, leadership, and management, always remaining a curious, adaptable, and people-oriented person.

Today, she describes herself as a mix of professionalism, creativity, and authenticity. Her story is one of transformation—of how a classic business path can become a platform for artistic, entrepreneurial, and personal expression.

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

Mădălina: I like to relate to my life as a story, therefore I cannot look at my career from any other perspective. I would say it has never been linear, but rather guided by a search for meaning. I would start from the moment I chose the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, instead of Journalism. But instead of giving an interview, I would probably write a book, so I will limit myself to saying that a first key moment was the decision to combine creativity with rigor—to not remain only in the artistic area, but also not to lose myself in a soulless business. That’s when I understood that my professional identity would be built from a mix of emotion and strategy. I cannot be 100% creative without a bit of analysis/structure in parallel

Another defining moment was taking on the role of entrepreneur and leader of creative projects. It was the step in which I moved from “creating” to “building for others.” That’s when I learned what responsibility, continuity, and difficult decisions truly mean. This moment also coincided with the launch of my blog, Sotiedeartist, in 2017, which unfortunately is currently on hold, somewhat replaced by my podcast, Nevoia De Oameni, which was born in October 2023.

However, the most profound moment of transformation came with the loss of my husband. Beyond the personal dimension, this event also changed my relationship with work: I can no longer build without meaning, without truth, without emotion. From that point on, my projects became cleaner, more conscious, and more aligned with who I truly am.

Therefore, my career is not just a succession of roles, diplomas, positions in different businesses, or a CV listing experiences, but rather a process of both professional and human maturation, in which each stage has brought more clarity about what I want to build.

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

Mădălina: The most difficult moment in my journey was not related to a professional failure, but to a life rupture: the loss of my husband. It was a point where everything I had built, both personally and professionally, seemed to lose its shape and meaning. It was not just emotional grief, but also an identity disorientation: who am I now, and why—or for what—am I still working?

Integrating this moment did not come as a quick comeback, but as a slow process of reconstruction, which, honestly, even three years later, is still ongoing. But I have learned not to separate the person from the professional, and to accept that vulnerability is not an obstacle in a career, but a source of clarity. Work became for me a space of healing and re-anchoring in life, but only when I had the courage to approach it from an authentic place, not from automatisms—although automatisms were not entirely excluded throughout this process.

It was a deeply transformative period of restoring meaning, but at the same time, one that brought immense clarity about my work and how I want to leave my mark on the world: not only through results, but also through depth, coherence, and real impact. It was a brutal stage, but I dare say it was essential for the professional and personal form I have today.

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

Mădălina: Absolutely! There has always been a dream guiding me, even when I couldn’t clearly define it: the desire to motivate people to be better, more sincere, more loving, more authentic. In short, I have always wanted to show people that life can be different, that the illusion of movies with happy endings can become a tangible reality. Since I was young, I felt the need to give form to emotions, ideas, and stories—through words, aesthetics, projects, or community-impact activities, which is why I was part of the Romanian Scouts for a long time

Regardless of the roles I’ve had over time, my ambition was never just “to succeed in life,” but to create things that touch, that last, and that say something true about who we are. Even in moments when the path was fragmented or painful, this thread of meaning never broke.

In the long term, my dream is to transform, like an alchemist, everything I have accumulated—from professional experience to life experience—into a “platform” of creation and inspiration, which could take the form of brands, books, or impactful projects. Something that can turn into life lessons.

C&B: What motivated you to explore podcasting and become recognized as one of the best podcast hosts in Romania?

Mădălina: My journey into podcasting did not start from a strategic plan, but from the connections with the people around me. When I began appearing as a guest in various podcasts, people’s feedback turned into a kind of voice of my conscience: they were impressed not only by what I said, but also by how I said it. Then the messages came: “We want to hear you more often,” “You should have your own podcast.” At the same time, I have always felt comfortable in front of the camera, and the idea of creating video content already existed within me, but with a big cloud of fear above it… that “what if?” What if I don’t do it well? What if it won’t be anything special or different? What if it won’t be appreciated?

However, “Nevoia de Oameni” was born from a deeply personal experience combined with unexpected public support: my need for people in a moment of loss, and the desire to give back what I received from the community—support, time, attention, love, and meaning. This human motivation was the foundation of the entire project, and I believe this authenticity is what made the podcast so well received.

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

Mădălina: Over time, I have often heard that I am perceived as a strong woman, to the point where it has almost become a label. I think that would be the first thing that comes to mind. The rest depends on each person’s experience with me, and I don’t think I am in a position to use words on behalf of my collaborators or acquaintances, although I admit I would be curious to read or hear their thoughts

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

Mădălina: The most important decision I made was not strictly professional, but rather about how I position myself toward life and work: choosing not to build from fear or the need for validation, but from truth.

A key moment of this choice was in 2017, when I told myself for the first time, without irony and without a mask, “I am an artist’s wife.” Not as a social role, but as a form of acceptance—that my life would be connected to creation, risk, instability, and meaning, not just safety or status.

From that point on, I began to no longer want to follow directions that did not represent me, and I accepted that my trajectory would change. It was a decision made from the heart, openly and consciously assumed both personally and professionally, and it reshaped my path in every way.

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

Mădălina: My leadership style was built at the intersection of something innate and something learned. From a young age, I felt the need to organize, coordinate, and provide direction, and this was later confirmed professionally in all my corporate roles, where I reached leadership positions in less than a year.

On the other hand, I do not believe in leadership that comes only from instinct. I was fortunate to meet very different people, from whom I learned both what a good leader means and what I do not want to become. These “encounters” helped me refine my style and understand that real authority does not come from position, but from coherence.

A constant reference has been the education and value system from my family, which I have never abandoned, regardless of the role I held. Thus, my decision-making is a mix of instinct, experience, and clear principles, and my leadership has been built through a lot of practice, not abstract theory.

C&B: How does your approach differ in radio compared to other audio communication formats?

Mădălina: I don’t feel that I fundamentally change my approach from one medium to another. My voice remains the same, whether it’s radio, podcast, or any other audio format. For me, the difference is not in the channel, but in how I show up: attentive, curious, sincere—even vulnerable.

I believe audiences can feel when someone is playing a role and when someone is speaking from a real place. I choose not to adapt a persona to the medium, but to bring the same authenticity wherever I communicate.

For me, what matters most is the content and the relationship with the interlocutor or the audience. Regardless of the medium, I try to create the same type of space: one of real dialogue, not performance. I think this consistency is what makes my voice recognizable.

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

Mădălina: My days are not usually “typical,” and they rarely resemble one another. I like this way of living, where there is no fixed pattern, but rather a mix of projects, meetings, creation, and personal time.

I try to consciously divide myself between my work and my people: family, friends, and time with myself. For me, the greatest satisfaction does not come from checking off tasks, but from moments when I truly feel present—whether in a meaningful conversation, a moment of quiet, or a project taking shape.

A good day that brings me satisfaction can come from building Lego with my daughter or from a successful ZERO STRES radio show. At the same time, I have never liked feeding the less good moments, and in this way, I manage to find plenty of situations each day that bring me satisfaction.

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

Mădălina: My values come from the education I received in my family and from my choice to remain true to myself, regardless of context. Respect for people, honesty, love for life, gratitude, and responsibility for what I build are my main guiding principles.

I apply them daily through how I make decisions and how I work with others: I do not negotiate truth for quick results, and I do not sacrifice people for efficiency. I strive to create relationships based on trust and projects that have meaning. For me, principles are not theoretical statements, but concrete criteria by which I live my life.

C&B: What are the essential elements that make a podcast memorable, from your perspective as a host?

Mădălina: I believe a memorable podcast begins where guests feel safe to be themselves, without filters or pressure, without the fear of sensationalism. When a guest feels safe to be sincere, relaxed, and authentic, that is the best way to remain in the listener’s mind and emotions.

From my perspective as a host, the elements that make a podcast memorable are two: sincerity and a relaxed conversation. When guests feel comfortable and can be authentic, the dialogue becomes alive and relevant. I try to build this framework through attention, patience, and empathy, so that each episode becomes more than just an exchange of ideas—it becomes a human experience that stays in the listener’s memory, like listening to two friends sharing ideas over a cup of tea.

C&B: What new projects do you have planned, either in radio or online?

Mădălina: My already visible and well-known projects will continue and evolve alongside me, as a natural extension of the path I am on.

At the same time, there is a massive project that is just beginning to take shape, which I am keeping like New Year’s fireworks: I will reveal it when the impact is exactly what I envision and desire. Until then, it remains a promise of energy and surprise for those who follow me.

Mădălina’s story reminds us that true success is not just about results, but about the meaning we give to every step. Through authenticity, courage, and ownership, she shows that the most valuable things we build come from truth and reach people.

The post Mădălina Crețan: Between business, loss and rediscovery. A story about meaning appeared first on careers-business.com.

Toanchină Ioana Miruna is the co-founder of Rawmantic, one of the first brands in Romania specialized in premium raw-vegan desserts with no added sugar, building a concept that redefines the idea of “sweet” through health, aesthetics, and experience.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: If I were to define a few key moments, the first would be the decision to start Rawmantic together with my sister, Andreea, at a time when we had no guarantees, right in the middle of the pandemic, but with a strong belief: that we could change the way people perceive desserts.

A second defining moment was market validation—when we realized that it was not just a passion project, but a scalable business, anchored in a real market need, both in the B2C and B2B segments.

And the third moment was the transition from “we do everything ourselves” to “we build a brand and a system.” That was the point when I understood that entrepreneurship is not just about the product, but about vision, processes, and the ability to grow sustainably.

C&B: What was the most difficult business decision you’ve made so far and what valuable lesson did you learn from that experience?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: One of the most difficult decisions was to give up the idea of making “everything perfect before launch” and to enter the market earlier, accepting that not everything could be perfect.

The lesson was extremely valuable: the market teaches you more than any plan. Real-life feedback beats any theoretical strategy.

I believe my biggest lesson is that, many times, perfectionism can be a trap that many founders fall into—and in business, speed of execution and the ability to adapt are what make you relevant in the long term.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: Yes—the desire to build something great that has a real impact on people’s quality of life.

Not just a profitable business, but a brand that changes behaviors: to prove that “healthy” does not mean compromise and that you can have premium experiences without sugar, without excess, and without guilt.

In the long term, my ambition is to position Rawmantic as a benchmark in the “guilt-free indulgence” space at a European level. I have immense confidence in myself, in my ambition, and in my ability to take this business where I set out to.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: At the beginning, I was much more focused on execution and the product—I wanted it to be perfect, to look good, to taste impeccable, trying to make everything a 10 out of 10.

Today, I think much more strategically. I see the business as an ecosystem: brand, distribution, profitability, scaling, scaling, scaling.

The most important transformation is the shift from “we make desserts” to “we build a brand with direction, positioning, and impact.” From a certain level, it’s no longer just about how good the product looks or tastes, but about how capable you are of creating a coherent operational system—from production and refrigerated delivery to retail listing and maintaining quality.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: I think they would say that I am demanding and hard to satisfy, but always growth-oriented.

I place a strong emphasis on standards—both in the product and in the image and experience. At the same time, I am 100% involved in what I do and I always look for solutions, not blame. I see every challenge as an opportunity to do things better.

And, probably, they would also say that I am extremely stubborn and the ideal combination between rational thinking and emotional intelligence. I was often told when I entered the world of entrepreneurship that in order to succeed, I had to think like a man.

Well, I managed to succeed by acting like a man at times, but also knowing when to make empathetic decisions and when to use my intuition in building relationships.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: The decision to transform Rawmantic from a small project into a scalable business.

It meant investing in branding, distribution, processes, and taking on greater financial risks.

This mindset shift—from “small producer” to “brand with expansion potential”—is what completely changed our trajectory.

C&B: What has your role as co-founder taught you about leadership and decision-making under pressure?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: That leadership does not mean always having the answers, but having clarity of direction.

In the toughest moments, I learned to make decisions based on numbers, but also on intuition—especially in a creative business, where not everything is quantifiable. There were many times when I had all the possible data available, and the best decision turned out to be the one with the least “data,” but the closest to my heart

And…perhaps the most important lesson: to remain calm in crisis situations and to always project stability and self-control, because the team always absorbs the leader’s energy.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: My days are divided between strategy, operations, and product development. I wake up at 8, prepare my breakfast, take my supplements, get an energy boost from the coffee shop downstairs, which is when I start my day. I go to the production space, create the plan for the day, reply to emails, and attend meetings. I never end a day without movement—running, weights, or cardio. It helps me a lot to clear my mind of the stress accumulated during the day.

I work both on the business side—partnerships, distribution, optimization—and on the brand and experience side.

The most satisfying moments are when I see the final product reaching the customer and the real reactions of people—that’s when everything takes shape and we know we are on the right path.

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

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: Authenticity, quality, and determination. Grit.

We don’t launch products we don’t believe in and we don’t make compromises that affect the customer experience.

I apply these principles in every decision—from ingredients to partnerships and the way we communicate.

We will never choose solely based on profitability, and we have often sacrificed profit margins in favor of product quality. The customer always feels when a producer lowers quality, and it is very hard to win back a disappointed customer.

C&B: How did the idea of Rawmantic come about and what need did you identify in the market before launching the platform?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: The idea came from a personal need.

Following the transformation my sister Andreea went through—losing over 70 kg—we understood how important it is to have real, not restrictive, alternatives for sweets.

There were “sugar-free” products on the market, but very few that were truly tasty, premium, and coherent as a brand. Many were full of processed, inflammatory ingredients, with sugar replaced by alternatives that were even more harmful.

We identified exactly this gap: desserts that look, feel, and position themselves at a premium level, while also being healthy and containing no sugar.

C&B: If you were to summarize the essence of Rawmantic in a single sentence to inspire readers, what would it be and why?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: Rawmantic is proof that you don’t have to choose between pleasure and balance—you can have both, in a more conscious, refined, and sustainable way. Because you matter, and what truly matters is what you do in the long term.

The Rawmantic story is not just about desserts, but about mindset, ownership, and long-term building. Beyond the product, one lesson stands out: the real difference lies in the ability to take action, adapt, and build consistently—even when the path is far from perfect.

The post Toanchină Ioana Miruna, co-Founder of Rawmantic: The story of a brand redefining healthy desserts appeared first on careers-business.com.

Cristian Chirnogeanu is, first and foremost, a full-time father and husband; only after that, an entrepreneur. He is married to the woman he knew he would marry since he was 10 years old and has a “cool” kid, exactly how a Chirnogeanu should be. He loves his family life and treats it as his most important investment.

He is the co-founder of CORNiCO Snack Food. He has made many mistakes—some he didn’t learn much from, but others taught him how to learn from them. His flaw? He works a lot. Just kidding. He works a lot, but sometimes he also gets bored of work. He draws energy from people, and if the work doesn’t involve interaction or isn’t useful to others, he no longer finds meaning in it. He is a social liberal. He enjoys entrepreneurship, but equally cares about people and the idea that things should work well for everyone.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: What defines me is more related to my family life than to my business life. However, if I were to identify a few key moments that influenced my professional path, they would be:

2015 – In a martial arts gym, I met the general manager of one of our main competitors today.

2019 – We opened the CORNiCO Snack Food Services branch in Romania.

2020 – The pandemic gave us the time and context needed to position ourselves in a market that had been largely monopolized until then—the Fan Food industry.
Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying: for us, the pandemic was an opportunity.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: It depends on what we mean by difficult moments.
The most difficult moments were actually the ones I caused myself.

I’ll choose this one: in 2020, without formal entrepreneurial training, in a context where many of our clients were completely blocked, I decided to rent a larger warehouse—even though we didn’t have an immediate real need for it.

I did it based on a principle I had read in books: “in times of crisis, you must invest.”
Without a concrete plan and without a clear structure, that decision brought us very close to shutting down.

Looking back, it was one of the most valuable lessons: courage without strategy is not entrepreneurship, it is pure risk.

Here, the advice would be not to read books anymore. Just kidding. The real advice is not to apply mechanically what you read, without context, without numbers, and without a plan adapted to your reality. Books provide direction, not ready-made decisions. Entrepreneurship begins where you filter information through your own market, your own cash flow, and your own risk.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: My goal is to live long, live well, and be free.

And if along the way I can help other people do the same, then the journey becomes truly fulfilling for me.

C&B: Cornico.ro covers a very diverse range of products, from popcorn machines and nacho accessories to packaging and ingredients. How do you decide which products enter your portfolio?

Cristian Chirnogeanu: I’d like to know the answer to that myself.

A client who is used to a certain product in a cinema or stadium is very hard to convince to try something else. There are many people who tell us:
“I go to the movies just to eat nachos, especially for that cheese.”
Try convincing that kind of client to choose something else.

What we bring to the market are not just products, but indulgence moments—what we might commonly call “cheating moments.” People don’t come to eat differently; they come to reward themselves.

For this reason, the selection process is very rigorous. We receive many samples, we test a huge number of products, and without exact statistics, I can say that under 10% of them make it to real market testing, in commercial conditions.

I constantly attend industry fairs, where we discover new products that can naturally align with what we already have in the portfolio, without forcing changes in consumer behavior.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: Usually, people say that we seem like a very relaxed company.

However, when they look at the numbers and our evolution, they are often pleasantly surprised. That is actually the direction we want to reach. I would like CORNiCO Snack Food to be described like this: “It’s a relaxed company that handles any situation calmly, objectively, and with maturity.”

I know we’re not fully there yet, but this is the standard we set for ourselves and build toward every day.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: AIKIDO

Going to Aikido classes was by far the best thing I’ve done for myself.

It taught me to stay calm under pressure, not to force confrontation, and to use the energy of the context in my favor—lessons that apply just as well in life as in business.

C&B: What differentiates the equipment and raw materials you offer from other solutions on the market?

Cristian Chirnogeanu: Clients appreciate our openness in teaching them how to use our products so that it benefits them commercially, not just selling to them.

Our main differentiator is price. We are positioned above the market average, but the value clients receive is directly proportional to what we ask. We don’t just sell products, but also know-how, stability, and predictability.

Our clients are those who want to build a premium segment in the market, who also take care of their end customers. And when we talk about individuals, they are people who want the best for their families.

This should not be seen as positioning against competitors—on the contrary. We have different categories of clients, even if at first glance we operate in the same market. Our competitors do a very good job for the segment they serve.

There are situations where we send clients to competitors when we cannot deliver exactly what they need. We see this as a sign of maturity and respect for the market.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: My day starts around 6:30. I don’t use an alarm; although it may seem counterintuitive, alarms make me sleep poorly because I’m afraid I won’t hear them. So I wake up when my body tells me it’s the right time.

After 9:00, things get busy. If this were a video game, we’d say the characters are loading.
At that point, I paradoxically become less productive, but I’m immediately activated by a client who needs advice, help, anything. I really enjoy being of service to people.

It’s office work, but often also warehouse work. I like staying connected to what actually happens in our warehouse, not just what’s on paper.

Then comes my favorite moment: when I get home to Felix, our little boy. I tell him “The Jungle Book” story and we read from “Doctor Aumădoare.” These are, without a doubt, the most beautiful moments of the day.

Sometimes I go shopping before getting home, but more occasionally, usually weekly.

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

Cristian Chirnogeanu: My main value is freedom—my freedom and the freedom of the people around me. That’s when I know I’m on the right path.

C&B: What trends do you observe in the food service and fast food industry, and how do you adapt your offering to stay relevant?

Cristian Chirnogeanu: It’s important to mention that we only marginally touch the fast food segment. Our real market is Fan Food—places where people go to have fun and where our products complement the experience: cinemas, stadiums, events, entertainment spaces.

Even though I said there are people who come “for nachos and cheese sauce,” the reality is that our products are an added benefit in a context where people primarily come for the experience and entertainment.

Market trends are well known: healthier food, fewer calories, less sugar, less processing. We are not in conflict with these trends.
For example, popcorn is undoubtedly one of the healthiest classic snacks when we’re talking about fresh snacks, prepared correctly and consumed in the right context.

C&B: What are the strategic plans for Cornico in the next 3–5 years? Portfolio expansion, internationalization, or new services?

Cristian Chirnogeanu: CORNiCO Snack Food’s plans are not designed for 3–5 years, but for a much longer horizon.
We don’t constantly change direction or reinvent our strategy year after year. We have the same plan, consistently applied over time: to educate the market and bring cool products, regardless of context or market.

Yes, we are constantly looking at expansion into other countries. We have branches in several states and distribute to even more. For example, from Romania we consistently deliver to Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova. If we include occasional deliveries, we have long surpassed Europe’s borders.

For us, however, the rule is clear: existing clients have the highest priority.
New plans only appear when we are sure they do not affect relationships and the level of service offered to current clients.

Growth, in our vision, does not mean expansion at any cost, but continuity, trust, and long-term building.

For Cristian Chirnogeanu, entrepreneurship is not about rapid growth or spectacular decisions, but about balance, clarity, and consistency.

The post Cristian Chirnogeanu, CORNiCO Snack Food: Business doesn’t start with ideas, but with assumed decisions appeared first on careers-business.com.

W Sanjeewa Amarasinghe is the Founder & CEO of Micro Clean NexGen, a visionary clean-tech entrepreneur, ESG advocate, and public speaker whose journey from textiles to clean-tech innovation embodies resilience, reinvention, and purpose-driven leadership.

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

Sanjeewa: After 12 years in textile and apparel regional marketing, I entered my entrepreneurial journey in 2019, launching ventures across chemicals, dairy, green energy, skincare, and fashion. The pandemic became my first test of resilience, forcing me to pivot and build a profitable regional business within two years. Then in 2023, I faced both business and personal betrayals that left me homeless in Hong Kong. Instead of retreating, I chose to stand firm, reimagine sustainability, and create Micro Clean NexGen—a clean-tech innovation designed to power circular economies and zero-carbon environments. Each chapter of my career has been defined not only by adversity but also by the determination to transform setbacks into platforms for growth.

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

Sanjeewa: The most difficult moment was losing everything in 2023-2024—betrayal stripped me of both stability and trust. I had no home, no resources, and no certainty and no one around. Very closet and loved ones laugh, left, mocked, humiliated and Yet, I refused to lose my vision. I embraced solitude, reframed hardship as a teacher, and began crafting a clean-tech innovation that could regenerate systems and eliminate waste. I overcame it by anchoring myself in purpose, resilience, and the belief that innovation can rise from ashes.

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

Sanjeewa: I started my career at the age of 20, and the very first promise I made to myself—and to my mother—was that I would not work after 40. At the time, I had no idea how such a promise could be fulfilled, but unconsciously I kept moving toward it. This year, as I’m turning to 39, I feel I have met that self-driven target. The last 20 years were not easy—they were full of preparation, hardship, and lessons that shaped me into the person God intended me to be. With my new innovation, I have proven to myself that I have found my life purpose. From 40 onward, I will begin my “real life” as I promised. My dream has always been to be a leader who inspires people and creates the greatest possible impact for humanity and the planet.

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

Sanjeewa: At the beginning, I was conventional, eager to learn, and followed a few role models. After 12 years, I became my own role model—my own boss—navigating life as an entrepreneur. Success came, but so did betrayal, rejection, failure, humiliation, and homelessness. I stood alone, trusting the process and believing in God. When I became homeless, I was just an entrepreneur. Today, after 30 months,

I have become someone the world needs: a volunteer, a public speaker, a mentor for the next generation of leaders and startups, a consultant to non-profits, an advisor to ESG platforms, and an innovator driving environmental solutions that are socially and economically viable. I now lead toward a circular economy system, transformed by adversity into a thought-leader and change-maker.

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

Sanjeewa: They would describe me as resilient, visionary, trustworthy, humble, and an example of never giving up. I set high standards but empower others to rise to them. My collaborators often remark that I turn setbacks into opportunities and inspire them to see challenges as platforms for growth. For them, my journey from homelessness to building a clean-tech startup is proof that persistence and faith can overcome any obstacle.

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

Sanjeewa: The most important decision was refusing to return to employment after losing everything. I saw a clear path forward, even though I knew it would take time. From that moment, I came too far to ever go back. It has now been 30 months since I was homeless, and I still drive the same vision I had then. That decision pivoted my entire life into my life purpose.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or decision-making approach? Was it a natural process or something you learned over time?

Sanjeewa: Leadership was something natural from childhood, shaped by hardship and resilience. Yes, it was forged in adversity. I learned that leadership is about clarity and action. Over the last two and a half years, when I had nothing to lose, I was given the opportunity to sharpen my leadership style. It blends stoic resilience, spiritual purpose, and operational rigor. Leadership, for me, is not about control—it is about authenticity and empowering others to master their roles.

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

Sanjeewa: I was determined to create an innovation that tackled multiple problems, connected industries, and moved beyond short-term fixes to lasting impact. While many focus narrowly on profit or technology, I integrate resilience, ESG principles, and circular innovation into every decision. My approach is holistic—combining clean-tech, sustainability, and human empowerment to deliver meaningful change.

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

Sanjeewa: My day begins with gratitude, reflection, and clarity. I then focus on strategic work to scale Micro Clean NexGen. The greatest satisfaction comes when I see the seeds I plant creating zero-carbon, clean, and hygienic environments in a cost-effective way. Each deployment is proof that resilience can become impact, and that purpose-driven innovation can transform lives and industries.

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

Sanjeewa: Resilience, authenticity, and regeneration are the pillars of my work. I apply them by ensuring every decision aligns with sustainability, by mentoring others to embrace adversity as growth, and by holding myself accountable to the highest standards of integrity. Most importantly, I surrender myself fully to the purpose—because true impact comes when you give yourself completely to the mission you are called to serve.

C&B: How did you come up with the idea to start this business and choose its name?

Sanjeewa: The idea was born in silence, on a hectic and sad morning when I was having a cup of tea from my balcony during the very last days at my house before becoming homeless. I watched a team of laborers cleaning the street and walking path, and it struck me how traditional cleaning relied heavily on water, chemicals, and electricity, yet remained inefficient. That moment gave me a sign to study this problem. At the same time, I faced my final betrayal and homelessness, but I held onto the decision because I felt it came from the universe to prepare me for the unpredictable. After losing everything, I envisioned a clean-tech solution that could regenerate systems and eliminate waste. The name “Micro Clean NexGen” reflects both precision (“Micro Clean”) and the future we are building (“Next Generation”).

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

Sanjeewa: Let hardship be your teacher, not your enemy. Resilience is not about avoiding adversity—it is about transforming it into opportunity. Purpose is your compass, and innovation is your flight. Rise through resilience, and you will discover that the unknown is not a threat—it is a source of creation. Stay positive—it is not your bad karma, it is preparation. People and opportunities not meant for your journey will leave you; let them go. Embrace solitude and wilderness, for they always give you the chance to think bigger or create greater opportunities. Every small step you take during these times is a stepping stone to building the warrior within you.

Sanjeewa Amarasinghe’s story is not just about entrepreneurship, but about the ability to rebuild yourself after losing everything. It is a powerful example of how resilience, faith, and clarity of purpose can turn the most difficult moments into turning points.

The post Beyond Loss: How Sanjeewa Amarasinghe turned adversity into Clean-Tech Innovation appeared first on careers-business.com.

Cherry Fadi is a graduate of the Faculty of Dentistry at UMF Carol Davila and a resident dentist specializing in dento-alveolar surgery, as well as the founder of Smile City, a passion project that blends his medical expertise with an entrepreneurial spirit.

C&B: If you had to describe yourself briefly, in a single sentence that sparks curiosity, what would you say about yourself?

Cherry: I am a resident dental surgeon who chose to build not just a clinic, but a place where modern medicine and professionalism meet empathy and responsibility toward patients—namely, Smile City.

C&B: If we asked your colleagues or collaborators how they would describe you, what do you think they would say?

Cherry: They would probably say that I am perseverant, detail-oriented, and solution-focused, but above all, a person who constantly learns and strives to create a professional environment based on respect and continuous growth. I try to live by these principles and instill them in my colleagues at the clinic so that we can deliver medical services at the highest standards for our patients.

Journey & Beginnings

C&B: How were you at the start of your career, and how do you feel you have changed until today?

Cherry: At the beginning, I was almost exclusively focused on the medical side and the desire to become the best clinician I could be. Today, alongside my role as a doctor, I have learned to also view things from a managerial perspective: organization, leadership, financial responsibility, and team coordination. Experience has taught me that medical expertise and the development of entrepreneurial skills must evolve together to provide the best environment for medical practice.

C&B: Looking back, what were the turning points that shaped your professional journey or business?

Cherry: The most important moment was deciding to open my own clinic immediately after finishing university. It was a bold step, full of unknowns, but it forced me to grow quickly—both professionally and personally. The first months were defining, as every challenge became a practical lesson in management and adaptation. I can say I learned the lesson of resilience firsthand, no anesthesia included, to keep the medical connotation … Basically, like any entrepreneur starting out with ambitious goals but without concrete managerial experience, I faced difficulties and learned to handle them on the go. Yet these lessons were more valuable than any business course!

Challenges & Decisions

C&B: What has been the toughest challenge so far, and how did you overcome it?

Cherry: The biggest challenge was the lack of experience in running a clinic. You learn medicine at university, but entrepreneurship is learned in real life. I overcame this phase through extensive research, support from the right people, and, above all, perseverance. I understood that progress comes from consistency, not perfection.

C&B: What was the decision that most changed the direction of your career or business?

Cherry: The decision to invest from the very beginning in modern technology and a setting that allows patients to have a premium experience. I chose to establish high standards even though it required greater effort at the start. These decisions, however, were decisive in the clinic’s development and in the accelerated growth we enjoy today, even though we are a young business.

C&B: Has your style of leadership and decision-making formed naturally, or did you build it over time through experience?

Cherry: It has definitely developed over time. At first, I made decisions instinctively; today, I analyze the context, the people involved, and the long-term impact. Daily experience, mistakes, and successes have shaped a balanced leadership style based on communication and responsibility.

Present & Differentiators

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

Cherry: The day starts early, with many consultations and procedures, followed by coordinating the clinic’s activities and discussing with the team to optimize processes. The most satisfying moments are when I see real change in patients’ lives—when they leave smiling and with renewed confidence!

C&B: What do you think sets you apart from other professionals or businesses in your field?

Cherry: I believe the difference comes from a balanced approach between medical care and human connection. For me, each patient is treated individually, and the goal is not just the correct treatment, but a safe, transparent, and comfortable medical experience.

Values & Inspiration

C&B: Has there been a dream or desire that has kept you motivated, regardless of obstacles?

Cherry: Of course! The desire to build something of my own, something lasting, that provides patients with confidence and high-standard treatments. This goal motivated me even during challenging moments.

C&B: What values or principles guide you daily, and how do you keep them alive in your work?

Cherry: Professionalism, honesty, ethics, and respect for patients are fundamental to me. I try to keep them alive through every medical and managerial decision, as well as through the personal example I set for my team.

C&B: If you could share a single piece of advice with those who see you as a role model, what would it be?

Cherry: Don’t wait for the perfect moment to start. Growth happens when you have the courage to take the first step and the patience to continue, even when things are not easy.

Cherry’s journey shows that passion, perseverance, and the constant desire to grow can turn a dream into a successful business, while always valuing human connection and professionalism.

The post Cherry Fadi: How a passion for dentistry and entrepreneurial spirit built Smile City appeared first on careers-business.com.