Her Story
About Simina
I've been in retail for almost 16 years, working for the same company throughout my entire career. What makes my journey unique is that I've switched to different roles and worked through different countries - I started in Europe, in Romania, which is my country, then moved to Mexico, and now I'm working on an expansion project here in the United States. Currently, I'm a project manager leading what I would say is the most complex project I've had in my life - opening more than 150 stores in less than one and a half years. This kind of project requires both strategic planning and strong execution, and I've had this amazing opportunity to live and be part of this amazing project. I'm facing a lot of challenges, and I've built a lot of experience managing cross-functional teams and delivering results under pressure, under a lot of pressure. I think it has helped me a lot to define my abilities to align people toward the vision while staying very hands-on with execution. If I had to pick my most notable professional achievement, I would say flexibility - because as I mentioned, I moved from one culture and continent to another with different approaches and different perspectives. I switched to three different cultures and languages, and that flexibility to stay there, do my job, and influence other people's lives is what I'm most proud of. When we are stepping into a leadership position, we have this influence on other people - we are changing perspective, showing that yes, it's possible, yes, it's a big deal, but you are making that feeling less pressure, less intensity.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Simina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say 99% to my personality. Even if I feel that it's too much, I'm finding the way to have a balance between my personal and my work agenda. And 1% I would say that all the people that are surrounding me - everybody has a strong contribution on your life, but if you are not willing to move, if you are not willing to take a risk, nothing matters. So I think 99% is my personality and my willingness to achieve more every day. I remember when I moved to Mexico, I took that challenge. It was my first time going, traveling to that country. I'd never been before, and I took a leadership position having into my team like around 100 people, which was sometimes a tough decision if the opportunity is next door and you have to switch a lot of things - city, country, continent, food, water, everything, also friends. I think it all depends on you. There are people that will influence you, will guide you, but everything is on you.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't give up.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think it's really important - make it in a genuinely way. Don't lose your originality and your personality, but do it right. Keep your main characteristics, but do it right in the same time.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges - you will always have challenges, so I'm not complaining about challenges. I'm taking every problem like an opportunity for a solution, so I really enjoy challenges because it makes me feel alive. And what I'm seeing, the relation between challenges and opportunities, is when you are able to go through the challenges, the opportunities will come, will knock through your door. So everything is related - there is a strong relation between challenges. It's like in a video game. You are going to the next level, it will be difficult, but once you are completed with that level, you will feel really satisfied, and you will see the opportunity. So you will have the next level, which will be a little bit harder.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, personally, it's very, very important to be credible, to gain credibility, because if you are credible, you can influence and have impact into other people. And be really intentional about your voice. What I try to say is that you don't have to wait to be recognized. You don't have to wait that somebody will pick you and will nominate you for a job or for a project. You have to position yourself.
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