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.

Maura Anghel is a journalist at Ziarul Evenimentul, a trainer, a storytelling and PR consultant, founder of the Journalism and Public Speaking Club for Children and Youth, and also the president of an NGO dedicated to education and culture for children and adolescents. She is also the initiator of three publications with a social and educational mission: Glare Magazine – a glossy magazine about people and authentic lifestyles, EduLink – a magazine on education and pedagogical innovation, and Lumea Medicală – a platform for dialogue between doctors and patients. Through all these projects, Maura follows her dream of opening a cultural center for children and adults, a place where values, art, and inner dignity can return to being a natural part of life.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that sparks curiosity for those who don’t know you yet?

Maura Anghel: I am a person who translates the world into stories and teaches others to tell their own story—whether in a classroom, a newsroom, or on a stage.

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

Maura Anghel: The first was when I chose journalism as a way to understand and heal the world through words. Then, when I moved from the press to education, I discovered the joy of growing people, not just texts. The third moment was founding the Journalism and Public Speaking Club, which became a laboratory of courage and authenticity for children and youth. In recent years, I felt the need to take this language further—to adults, teams, and brands, through storytelling, PR, and conscious communication. All these experiences taught me that stories are not just strategies, but forms of meaning.

C&B: What was the first moment you realized there was a real need for this type of club?

Maura Anghel: When I saw how afraid children—and sometimes adults—were to speak about what they feel. It was clear we needed a space where communication was not just a technical exercise, but a return to authenticity. The club emerged as a response to this need: to learn how to tell our story without a mask, with meaning and presence.

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

Maura Anghel: Yes. My dream is to open a cultural center for children and adults, a place where everyone can reconnect with their values and cultivate them through art—whatever art means to them: words, music, painting, stage, or simply living life with purpose. I believe that education, culture, and authentic communication must meet in a vibrant space that shapes people, not just skills.

C&B: How did you start out, and how do you feel you’ve transformed since then?

Maura Anghel: At the beginning, I was a journalist who wanted to tell the truth about the world. Today, I am a person who seeks the truth behind every inner world. I’ve moved from news to meaning, from text to experience. I believe I’ve transformed from someone who writes to someone who listens.

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

Maura Anghel: That I am demanding, but fair. That I leave nothing to chance, but make room for freedom. That I have a special radar for authenticity and cannot work without soul. People in the newsroom would probably say that I live the word, and the children at the club would say that we do “serious play.”

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

Maura Anghel: The decision to no longer divide myself between “vocation” and “work,” but to unite them. I chose to stop separating journalism from education, PR from soul, business from meaning. This integration has led me to what I do today: conscious communication that respects people and their stories.

C&B: How do you manage to combine communication skills development with self-confidence and creative expression?

Maura Anghel: Through storytelling. When a person knows their story, they rediscover their power. In my workshops—whether with children or adults—I don’t teach techniques, but processes. I guide them from the words of others to their own words. That’s how confidence arises. That’s how authentic creativity is born—it’s not copied, it’s lived.

C&B: What types of activities or programs do you organize, and which are the most popular?

Maura Anghel: I work along three directions: Education for children and adolescents—through the Journalism and Public Speaking Club, which functions as a workshop for critical thinking, empathy, and courage. Personal development for adults—through storytelling, personal branding, and authentic communication programs. PR and narrative strategy consultancy—for brands that want to communicate with meaning and humanity. The most loved activities are those in which participants write their own story: from speeches and articles to their personal mission.

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

Maura Anghel: My day is divided between the Ziarul Evenimentul newsroom, coordinating the NGO projects, workshops with children and adults, and writing for my magazines—Glare Magazine, EduLink, and Lumea Medicală. But my favorite moments are when I see a spark of transformation: a child gaining courage to speak, an adult finding their voice, a reader writing that a text touched them. That’s where the meaning is.

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

Maura Anghel: Truth, purpose, and dignity. I believe that every word spoken or written must have dignity—that is, it must serve the greater good. In the newsroom, in school, in PR, or in personal life, I always strive to maintain that uprightness in communication that unites rather than manipulates.

C&B: How did the idea of founding the Journalism and Public Speaking Club come about, and what inspired you to work with children and adolescents?

Maura Anghel: The idea came naturally from the newsroom. I noticed how young people’s language was changing, how patience was decreasing, but also the desire for meaning. I wanted to create a space where children could learn to think and express, not just repeat. They themselves inspired me—their sincerity, the way they open up when they are truly listened to. That’s how it all began.

C&B: How do you see the club evolving in the coming years?

Maura Anghel: I see it growing organically, through a network of local clubs and educational partnerships. But beyond expansion, I see it as part of a bigger dream: the cultural center I want to open. A place where children and adults can meet, create, and learn from each other, through art, storytelling, and presence. A living space where value is not taught, but experienced.

Through her work, Maura Anghel demonstrates that stories are not just words but bridges between people, fostering courage, meaning, and authenticity every day.

The post Maura Anghel: The story that inspires children and adults to communicate authentically appeared first on careers-business.com.

Alex Ciucă founded Superior Media at only 21 years old, one of the first Online PR agencies in Romania. It was the summer of 2010 and he had just graduated from university. He had to choose between getting a job or starting his own business, and the idea of being an employee didn’t seem attractive, so he preferred to start from scratch. He went on to work with top companies in Romania and to coordinate communication for the most important cultural events in the country, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (starting in 2022) and the Enescu Festival (2023 edition). Later, he contributed to the launch of the fashion brand Aceeași Mărie and founded Maison Créative, a space for creative intersections and corporate events.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that would spark curiosity among those who don’t know you yet?
Alex Ciucă: I am a PR professional with a strong technical background and extensive experience in cultural communication.

C&B: If we were to follow a narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Alex Ciucă: In 2010 we started pioneering social media, convincing many companies to open communication channels on different social networks, including the Romanian Tennis Federation. Afterwards, for many years, we worked mainly with small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. Starting in 2017, we transitioned to larger companies, multinationals, and clients outside Romania. After the pandemic, we also specialized in cultural communication, through major projects in Romania such as the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, the Enescu Festival, and the Ideo Ideis Youth Theatre Festival.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?
Alex Ciucă: I think the most difficult moment was at the end of 2023, when I had to choose between two important projects in our portfolio: the Sibiu Theatre Festival and the Enescu Festival. I realized I couldn’t coordinate communication for both projects in the long run, after a very demanding 2023, so I chose to continue with theatre and withdraw from the Enescu Festival.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Alex Ciucă: I’ve always wanted to work on interesting projects that stimulate my creativity and challenge me.

C&B: How did you look at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed until now?
Alex Ciucă: When I started Superior Media, I had no agency experience, so it took a long time to build an organizational culture, work processes, a pricing strategy, and so on. We had to reinvent the wheel, which I believe slowed down our evolution in the early years, but taught us many valuable lessons.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Alex Ciucă: That I’m a dynamic person, a doer, very detail-oriented, and that I strive to make things work out as best as possible.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?
Alex Ciucă: I think the moment at the end of university, when I chose to start a business instead of getting a job, changed my trajectory forever.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or your way of making decisions? Was it a natural process or something learned?
Alex Ciucă: It was all natural, based on common sense and an empathetic approach to people.

C&B: What do you think differentiates your business or your professional approach from the rest of the industry?
Alex Ciucă: We use creativity to find the best solutions, both on the technical side, if it’s a digital project, and in storytelling.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?
Alex Ciucă: In the morning I answer emails and deal with urgent tasks from home, then I head to the office. In the evening I go to Maison Créative, where we constantly organize or host events.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them day by day?
Alex Ciucă: We always strive to be transparent in our relationship with clients. We are open to any feedback and we put the client first.

C&B: How did the idea come to you to start this business and give it this name?
Alex Ciucă: Each business came at the right moment and everything felt very natural. Superior Media came at a time when I wanted to work in communication but didn’t see opportunities in the market that appealed to me.

Aceeași Mărie is my wife’s business, which I supported from its launch. Thanks to this business, I learned a lot about clothing and accessory production.

And Maison Créative came at a time when we needed a space to bring several event ideas to life.

C&B: If you were to send a message to people who want to follow your example, what would it be?
Alex Ciucă: I think they should first learn what communication business means by working in a larger agency before taking the step toward their own business. Even if you are a good communicator, it doesn’t mean you know what running a communication business involves, so experience in another agency could prove very important.

Alex Ciucă’s story proves that passion, creativity, and courage can build strong careers and inspire the next generations of entrepreneurs and communicators.

The post Alex Ciucă: From Superior Media to Maison Créative – a Career Built on Vision and Courage appeared first on careers-business.com.

With over 15 years of experience in journalism, during which he held positions such as editor and contributor for prestigious publications like Adevărul, Forbes Romania, and Wall-Street.ro, Andrei Panait, senior partner and co-founder of Sparkling Content, made the transition to PR and communication in 2018. Today, he leverages his editorial expertise to create compelling communication strategies that highlight unique perspectives and deliver messages rooted in reality. His analytical approach and journalistic instinct generate campaigns that give brands a clear and strong voice, capturing the audience’s attention from the very beginning.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in one sentence to spark curiosity in those who don’t know you yet?
Andrei Panait: Empathetic, curious, and constantly focused on creative solutions, I enjoy crafting authentic and relevant stories for Sparkling Content’s clients.

C&B: If we were to follow the narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Andrei Panait: The red thread of my career is authentic communication: whether I was reporting on economic events or developing PR strategies, I’ve always been guided by the principle of clarity and objectivity. Key moments were often quick decisions and adapting to unexpected situations—the most important being when I took the full risk of entrepreneurship in 2020, after five years of juggling both employment and freelancing.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?
Andrei Panait: The toughest moment was returning to journalism in 2007 at age 28, after a failed entrepreneurial venture. The real challenge wasn’t the failure itself, but adapting to a completely different environment and overcoming the feeling of professional insecurity. The most valuable lesson I learned then was pragmatism and embracing difficult situations as opportunities for growth. Becoming a father at that time gave me extraordinary motivation to overcome any obstacle.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, no matter the obstacles?
Andrei Panait: The ambition that has always guided me is to never give up on what I set out to do, no matter the circumstances. I firmly believe that obstacles are simply moments where you need to find new perspectives and creative ways to achieve your goals.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey and how do you feel you’ve changed?
Andrei Panait: In 2003, when I started working in a newsroom in Bucharest, I wrote short news briefs for the Auto section and saw journalism as a chance for recognition. Today, I view communication as a universe of meanings and complex messages, where not just the information matters, but especially the context and its impact on the audience. I always see the bigger picture and deeply understand the importance of every detail.

C&B: If we talked to your team or collaborators, what would they say about you?
Andrei Panait: They’d probably highlight my empathy, attention to detail, and deep involvement in every project, my ability to quickly find solutions to unexpected problems, and my insistence on quality. They might also mention my humor or the natural way I try to create a positive and balanced work atmosphere.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your path?
Andrei Panait: Founding Sparkling Content in 2020 with my partner Andreea Rădulescu was the decisive moment. That decision not only changed my professional path but also gave me the opportunity to rediscover the true value of partnership and teamwork during a time of profound global transformation.

C&B: How did you build your leadership style or the way you make decisions? Was it natural or learned?
Andrei Panait: The way I make decisions developed gradually through hands-on experience. I learned to rely on empathy, clear communication, and smart delegation in the decision-making process.

C&B: What do you think sets your business or professional approach apart from the rest of the industry?
Andrei Panait: The main differentiator of Sparkling Content is our ability to quickly and efficiently deliver integrated communication services—from strategic consulting and content creation to press and digital campaigns—in a flexible model that turns the agency into a unique and versatile hub for clients.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?
Andrei Panait: My typical workday includes recurring activities in the morning, since communication is about staying updated with relevant news and staying connected to clients’ industries. Organization and progress evaluation are essential, so I dedicate time to those as well. Beyond these fixed points, we have regular client meetings and different situations that arise along the way. It’s not a static job and is only partially predictable, so staying adaptable and knowing how to prioritize is crucial.
The most satisfying moments are when I see ideas and strategies come to life, when clients and partners feel the real impact of our work, and their positive feedback confirms we’re on the right track.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?
Andrei Panait: Responsibility, seriousness, and honesty are my core values. I apply them every day in every project, convinced they are the key to long-term success.

C&B: If you could share a message with those following in your footsteps, what would it be?
Andrei Panait: Always look ahead, seek creative solutions, and remember that every challenge you overcome is a step toward your personal and professional growth.

Andrei Panait is proof that empathy, perseverance, and a clear vision can turn challenges into successful strategies.

The post Andrei Panait, from Journalism to Strategic Entrepreneurship in Communication appeared first on careers-business.com.