Alex Olteanu is the founder of mesageria, a brand that blends technology with old objects and makes wedding parties memorable through phones that record voice messages during the event.

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

Alex: I’d say I’m a geek with social skills (impossible, I know). I love technology, and at the same time I enjoy making people’s lives easier, all combined with a passion for old things.

That’s how I founded mesageria, a brand that combines old objects (vintage phones) with modern technology. The vintage phones are brought back to life, given new functions (for example, they can record voice messages), and rented out for private events (such as weddings) or brand activations.

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

Alex: I think they would talk about trust, reliability, and a “let’s make it happen” attitude (that exact spirit that makes anything possible). I’ve always lived by the “extra mile” motto, meaning taking things a bit further, and that has meant always offering more than I think people expect.

Journey & beginnings

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

Alex: I think all the experience behind me came with a lot of courage. The diversity of fields I’ve worked in over time has made me much more diligent with any idea, and from idea to plan it’s just one step. I believe the most important thing I’ve learned (and set out to do) was to start — because once something is started, half the work is already done.

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

Alex: There were multiple moments when I found myself asking, “So what do I do now?” And I think each of those situations made the decisions that followed easier. When I founded mesageria, I had just spent almost seven years in the same multinational company. It was another such moment, but with an infinite desire to go on my own (for as long as possible). It worked, and I managed to turn a simple idea into a full-time business.

Challenges & decisions

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

Alex: Of course, it was when I decided to step a bit out of the corporate zone and develop my own brand. At the time, I saw it as something temporary, but here I am two years later, still here.

At that time, mesageria was just a prototype (which I had worked on for six months). It was far from ready, but I already had everything in mind: an online booking platform, phone models to restore, and how to reach as many people as possible. That helped because it kept me on a business path that could otherwise have easily fallen apart.

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

Alex: For mesageria, it was the moment when brands saw the value in our concept and started asking for various features I hadn’t necessarily thought about until then. I decided to respond to those requests, and that led to the development of an entire business unit focused on brand activations using vintage phones (basically, old technology brought back to life). That’s how new features appeared and how, for example, I made the rotary system of a 50-year-old phone work again and recognize the dialed number. And the people who interact with the phones at events make everything so much more beautiful.

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

Alex: Experience definitely helped enormously. My journey was completely atypical because I started (as a student) working for a series of film festivals where I developed both technical and production skills (and where I learned that sometimes you can be good at everything). I had a taste of entrepreneurship in HoReCa, learned sales in the financial sector, and then continued in the corporate IT market. All the accumulated experience is part of who I am today. I learned from many mistakes, solved problems through trial and error, and optimized many processes during my corporate years. That defines a lot of how the mesageria business is organized, from pricing strategy to component sourcing.

Present & differentiators

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

Alex: I like days that bring something new, and I think that’s the biggest advantage of being an entrepreneur. If many days focus on marketing and communication, the most beautiful ones are those when I decide that a certain vintage phone model should be part of the mesageria collection. That’s when the search begins in collectors’ groups or at fairs.

And of course, as simple as the mesageria business may seem, it actually consists of many elements: vintage phones, hardware for the mesageria system, software that is continuously improved, new features and new areas of application (the most recent project involves museums and art galleries), plus the new project, wedding on film.

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

Alex: I believe I built everything around a quality service rather than the “cheapest” one. I’ve always put clients at the center and I always put myself in their shoes. That’s how all business decisions are defined.

In addition, everything about mesageria started from the premise of building something unique. It would have been very easy to import phones that already have a voice recording function, but I chose to focus on authenticity and build my own system compatible with old phones. That makes things sustainable at the same time, because I chose to save old objects instead of creating new ones without personality.

Values & inspiration

C&B: Was there a dream or desire that kept you motivated regardless of obstacles?

Alex: As far as mesageria is concerned, from the beginning I set out to have the largest collection of vintage phones in the country available for rent. Did I get there? Very possible. But what’s more important is the trajectory I followed. And happy clients have always been the best motivation.

C&B: What values or principles guide you day by day and how do you manage to keep them alive in what you do?

Alex: I brought many personal principles into the business, and sometimes that wasn’t exactly pleasant. One of them is related to the balance between what you give and what you receive in a business relationship. That’s how I built mesageria’s relationship with all clients, and it’s a foundation for pricing policies, quality standards, extra services, and many other values that define the brand.

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

Alex: I mentioned earlier that the most important step is to start. And I think that’s the first piece of advice I would give anyone. To start, no matter how shyly, small, or with minimal investment. Once you’ve taken that step, it will be much clearer whether the idea works, whether you have the right people around you, and especially whether you are made for it.

Alex Olteanu’s journey shows how a passion for technology combined with an appreciation for vintage objects can turn a simple idea into an innovative business, where every detail matters and every client becomes part of the story.

The post Alex Olteanu, Founder of Mesageria: How Technology and Vintage Make Weddings Unforgettable appeared first on careers-business.com.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: In 2001, during university, I decided that the most important thing was to prepare myself in the field I was studying, and I worked for about one year in multinational companies to accumulate knowledge and experience. Then, at the end of university, I chose a company where I could develop, not the highest salary. In 2008 I started entrepreneurship on a fairly small scale. In 2010, after two difficult years, I returned as an employee, and in 2014 I resumed entrepreneurship. Over the last 11 years, I have built one of the most successful young Romanian brands.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: In 2009 I lost around €250,000, almost all my money. The crisis hit many industries hard. I started all over again…

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: I have always wanted to show that Romanians are capable of creating things of exceptional quality, and this has followed me like an obsession.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: I don’t think I have fundamentally changed. I have only gained the scars of entrepreneurial experience in an economy at the beginning of its path.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: From what I have perceived, their opinion of me is that I am very calm and that I always make long-term plans, or even too long-term. And it’s true, I don’t know if that’s good or bad, it’s simply how I function.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: The most difficult decision was returning to entrepreneurship. We still do not have a sufficiently long history of capitalism to have learned to encourage action and possible mistakes.

C&B: What motivated you to create a premium brand in a market dominated by mass products?

Adrian Paul Cocan: There was a need in the market for a premium product, a truly premium one, made with great attention to all details. I did not start from the idea of a premium brand, but from that of a product. Premium brands existed in the market and still do, but there are not many premium products. I’ll just give the example of some brands sold as premium in Romania that, in their countries of origin, are at most mass market. The country brand has worked wonders for these imports, but the substance is fragile.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: Obsessive attention to detail, complete vertical integration (we grow animal feed, have our own cows, process the milk and even handle a large part of the logistics). From the very beginning, we sought an organizational design that would stimulate the construction of know-how, R&D, and bring the best methods for the tastiest and healthiest products possible. And above all this, a belief in fairness. We have never launched a product that is not exactly what it says on the label, and we have never hidden realities behind euphemisms.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: A typical day doesn’t look typical at all. In general, I deal with major projects and the days rarely resemble one another. There may be many meetings or short sessions, sometimes micro-management and other times solving problems that colleagues encounter for the first time.

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

Adrian Paul Cocan: First of all, honesty. I call things by their name and I do what I say. And I always keep my word, even if sometimes it comes at a cost. Secondly, rigor. It is a concept that should be learned and developed in school and within the family. If you don’t do things rigorously, you simply waste time. And thirdly, work. Big things and good things are achieved with a lot of sustained effort over a long period of time.

C&B: How did the story of Lăptăria cu Caimac begin and what was the decisive moment in launching the brand?

Adrian Paul Cocan: Lăptăria started from two personal frustrations. The price of milk as a raw material is often very low, and farms tend to generate income from crop production. This has adjusted somewhat over the past 11 years, but not completely. The second frustration is one that persists. I was in Stockholm in 2014 and, in a superb supermarket that carried products from all over Europe, Romanian products were missing. I wanted a top product not only for the local market, but for the global one as well.

C&B: What are the key stages in obtaining a truly premium product?

Adrian Paul Cocan: Study is the key. Everything must be studied, from product history and technology to competition, consumer opinion, and international clinical studies. That’s how you can make truly informed decisions. Then the product must fit our requirements: WITHOUT. The “without” list is so extensive that it completely excludes many categories. For example, without powdered milk, without stabilizers, without anti-caking agents, without preservatives, without starch, without anything that should not be in a good product. And the final point on the list is that we must be able to produce it in the existing factory.

C&B: What plans do you have for the coming years in terms of portfolio and production?

Adrian Paul Cocan: We have many plans. We have many R&D projects. In countries with uninterrupted tradition, product diversity is huge. Over 1,500 types of cheese, over 600 types of acidophilus products, sour cream, butter, etc. Romania is currently at around 10%. Dairy consumption per capita is still low, although increasing. In Western Europe it is three to four times higher, and diversity helps because it brings something for everyone.
I am very proud of my team. They have done a lot of pioneering work. For example, real kefir. Until two weeks ago, for almost three years, we were producing the only real kefir in Romania. There is only one other on the shelf, produced in Germany. It’s just one example. All our products are fundamentally different from the market’s usual approach. We built everything against the current “this is how it’s done,” because that model led to the massive decline of local processing and the relocation of production to other countries.
We have many finalized recipes for all categories (nothing in those where it is mandatory to include “magic powder” ingredients, such as fruit yogurts). The focus will continue to be on things that others cannot produce at the quality level we offer.

Adrian Paul Cocan’s story is not just about entrepreneurship, but about perseverance, accountability, and vision. It is a journey shaped by patience, research, and a deep respect for quality, proving that excellence is never accidental, but the result of constant, courageous choices.

The post Adrian Paul Cocan, co-Founder of Lăptăria cu Caimac: How to build an authentic premium brand beyond compromise appeared first on careers-business.com.

In 2015, together with three other partners, he founded Captive Escape Room, which has now become one of the most appreciated escape room venues in Romania. He is also a partner at Breakout Escape Rooms and Gateway VR Studio. In his spare time, he sings with the band Alex & The Fat Penguins and records voice-overs for commercials. He has a golden retriever named Freddie and believes that in life you should do what you love if you want to be happy. His name is Mihai Ungureanu and, at 40 years old, he declares that he has already lived as much as others in three lifetimes. Today, we talk with him about business, decisions, challenges, and what is happening in the escape room market.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence to spark the curiosity of those who don’t know you yet?
Mihai Ungureanu: As they were coming out one by one from one of Captive’s escape rooms, a few clients who had just escaped from our hardest room asked the game master who designs the rooms, who creates them. The game master pointed at me, giving me undeserved credit, since out of the four partners, I was the only one there, sitting in a corner, doing something on my laptop. At that moment, the team began to applaud me. Somewhat shocked and not knowing how to react, I stood up and bowed to them. That’s when I realized we had managed to build more than just games—we had created real experiences and that, more than entrepreneurs, we were a bunch of guys who had taken play and gaming to another level. It’s not a single sentence, but I found the story and its meaning relevant.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative arc of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Mihai Ungureanu: I would say that the beginning of the business was among the moments that marked me the most. To make my answer more relevant and to explain why it had such an impact, I’ll give some context. At the time, I was working as a voice-over and MC, I was involved in a few music projects, and I was also doing audio production for commercials. So, I had a rather relaxed schedule and plenty of free time. In addition, most of the projects I was part of were collaborations, so I didn’t really have a team or colleagues. Captive Escape Room fundamentally changed that entire context and, along with it, my life. Suddenly, I had a daily schedule, clear responsibilities, and a team to collaborate with for everything to work. Obviously, I transformed. Then, naturally, other defining moments followed: from positive client feedback, which confirmed we were on the right track, to investments in expansion and, most importantly, the pandemic, which brought major challenges.

C&B: What were the initial challenges in bringing to market a relatively new concept at that time?
Mihai Ungureanu: The first and most important challenge was making the concept known. We knew we had gold in our hands—it was obvious from the clients’ feedback—but we were facing great reluctance from those who had never tried an escape room experience. Back then, we were trying to explain to friends, acquaintances, or even curious potential clients what such an experience was about, and it wasn’t easy at all. It’s the kind of activity that has to be lived to be fully understood. Communication and marketing were the toughest parts. In addition, there was also the challenge of earning people’s trust, since it wasn’t yet a proven concept in Romania at that time.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, no matter the obstacles?
Mihai Ungureanu: I’ve always been guided by the idea of doing what I love. I strongly believe that if you don’t find pleasure in what you do, there’s a big chance you’ll end up unhappy. I’m not saying every day is perfect and challenge-free, but the overall satisfaction you get when working on something you’re passionate about makes up for the tougher moments.

C&B: What did you look like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed since then?
Mihai Ungureanu: On the outside, pretty much the same, but deeply changed on the inside. As I mentioned earlier, Captive Escape Room changed my perspective on work, responsibility, and success. At the beginning, I was a pretty laid-back guy, going from project to project without too many worries. Today I am much more grounded in reality, more responsible, but also more aware of the importance of balance between work and personal life.

C&B: If we met with your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Mihai Ungureanu: I think they would say I’m an open, smiling guy and a good communicator. I also like to believe they trust me or feel safe knowing I’m in charge of something. They would probably also say that I can be a perfectionist at times and that I insist on doing things “by the book.”

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Mihai Ungureanu: The most important decision I made was to move music into the hobby category, rather than treating it as a career. I felt that, despite my huge passion for music, I didn’t have the consistency and discipline necessary to build a solid career in this field. By letting go of the pressure to make it a job, I freed myself and was able to enjoy it in a different, healthier way.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or your way of making decisions? Was it a natural process or learned?
Mihai Ungureanu: I think it was both. I was gifted with an ease in communicating with people around me, which has helped me a lot in life. But at the same time, I learned a lot from the experiences I had, from mistakes, from what I observed in other leaders. I pay attention to people and try to adapt to each situation.

C&B: What sets Captive Escape Room apart from other escape rooms in Romania?
Mihai Ungureanu: I’d say that from the very beginning Captive stood out through its business vision. While most escape room venues, in the early days of the industry, had between one and, rarely, three game rooms, we planned from the start to have five. That helped us make a bigger impact and quickly attract public attention. On top of that, we put a lot of focus on original scenarios, high-quality set design, and the client’s experience. It wasn’t just about puzzles, but about creating an engaging and memorable story.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments of the day bring you the most satisfaction?
Mihai Ungureanu: Lately, since we’ve also become partners in the Gateway VR Studio business, I have to split my time between three locations, which can be quite tiring considering the distances and traffic in Bucharest. My day usually starts with checking messages and reservations, then continues with trips between locations, meetings, technical and administrative checks. What makes me happiest is seeing clients coming out excited from the rooms or receiving positive feedback. That confirms that all our work makes sense.

C&B: How has the Romanian audience changed in terms of appetite for interactive experiences like escape rooms?
Mihai Ungureanu: Obviously, the interest is much higher now than it was a few years ago. First of all, nowadays it has become a very popular concept. In the beginning, as I said, people were reluctant or didn’t quite understand what it was about. Today, escape rooms are a go-to option for team buildings, birthdays, or outings with friends. The audience has also become more demanding, which forces us to constantly keep up with their expectations.

C&B: How did you discover the escape room concept and what inspired you to launch Captive Escape Room in Romania?
Mihai Ungureanu: I discovered it through friends who were planning to open an escape room venue themselves. I went to play at their place and I was instantly hooked. I found it to be an incredible experience and immediately realized it had huge potential in Romania. The idea of stepping into a story, solving puzzles, and collaborating with your team to escape seemed extraordinary to me. That’s how Captive Escape Room was born.

Mihai Ungureanu’s story is one of passion, courage, and the ability to turn play into unforgettable experiences.

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