Bogdan Troanca decided to put his trusted colleague to work and challenged Sebastian Ilii to be this week’s mindit chats spotlight!
Let’s have a look at how our chat with Sebastian went.
1. What’s something that happened to you that can only happen here? What’s unique about mindit.io?
Community. Innovation. Flexibility. These are the first words that I say when my friends ask me about mindit.io. What makes us stand out from the crowd is this passion for growth and being there for each other. We’re not only building software projects, but also powerful minds that have an impact on the world. What I love most about mindit.io is the amazing community where you instantly feel welcomed and can be yourself. You will always be cheered on when you win, and have a shoulder to cry on when it’s not your day.
Something that only happened to me here? I know that it might sound like a cliche, but the fact that you’re not alone. I always have my team to support me and it’s not just “I”, it’s “we”. Another thing that only happened to me was to receive appreciation from my colleagues after just the first two months in mindit.io. That was really a confidence boost and I received the confirmation that I belong here.
2. How have you grown professionally while on our team?
It’s funny that, when I joined, I didn’t know much about Scrum and software development. I worked with other project frameworks, coming from the digital advertising industry. I was a bit scared at first, but I was up for the challenge. At the beginning, my (informal) mentors, Roxana Staneiu and Bogdan Troanca, shared with me lots of knowledge and insights, always there to support me in the early phase of my journey. But now, you can call me a scrum guru ;)… and I want to keep growing. Besides Project Management, I want to grow in a Key Account Management role. Who knows what will be added next on my bucket list?!
What I want to say is that your background doesn’t matter, as long as you’re willing to grow.
3. What was the moment you knew you’d made the right decision to work here?
Haha, actually, I knew I wanted to be part of the mindit.io story before I made the “official” decision. And this happened during the interviews I had with Ailin and Roxana. Feeling their passion when sharing with me about mindit.io made me realize how lucky I would be to join this amazing community. And I think I manifested and the universe brought me shortly in mindit.io.
4. How would you describe an ideal day at work?
Definitely starting the day with a nice cup of coffee in our Comarnic nomad garden. Working from the mountains turns me into zen mode and there’s nothing better than being surrounded by birds and squirrels while also facilitating a project meeting. You don’t need to activate your white noise feature on your headphones, because Comarnic got you :).
5. In one word, how would you describe your team?
Or in my case, teamS. It’s a great challenge to work in multiple teams, because they are different and you don’t get bored easily. I am very grateful for working with such amazing people that will always do their best to create high quality products. I have the utmost respect for them and I am very happy that I managed to create an honest, open bond with everyone.
Aaaaand yes, you asked for one word: INNOVATION (especially because the Planteneers Team has won the “Most Innovative Project of the Year” mindit.io award).
6. If you could swap jobs with anyone in mindit.io for a day, who would it be and why? What do you think would be the most surprising thing about their role?
I would swap jobs with Roxana Irinciuc, our amazing Head of Marketing (if she’s up for the challenge). That’s because I have a Master Degree in Brand Management and I previously wanted to work in Branding, PR and Social Media. I am curious to see how she’s maintaining our brand strategy and what it takes to be a Marketer in the IT industry.
7. Which benefits are your favorite and why?
Definitely our minditNomad homes. It’s definitely something unique, that matches our nomad value, to work from anywhere. You can also bring your friends and family with you and have a blast. This benefit is on top of my list because I like to be spontaneous and say “Well, I want to work from Cluj next week”. Then I just book the first flight and spend a great time working and exploring new places.
8. What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining mindit.io?
Be brave and open to new challenges. Don’t overthink too much and be prepared to have an amazing journey, filled with life-long learning and great people.
Check out the fantastic opportunities in our OPEN ROLES, and think about taking the plunge to be part of our team today!
9. What is the mindit.io value you feel the most and how you do you live it?
Team. Because it’s about all of us and we grow together. We can always count on each other and have an impact in the software development environment by building together.
10. If you could do anything else for a living, in an alternative universe, what would that be?
I would be a tennis player, for sure. I love watching tennis and I think this sport matches my personality: it is professional, fair and respectful. In another life, I would have wanted to be Roger Federer, because I admire his resilience and calmness. To be a tennis player, you need to have a strong mindset and always anticipate the next move. I believe these are qualities that every Project Manager should have as well, so maybe this is the source of my connection to tennis.
11. What movie, book, or TV show would you recommend? How do you relax and unwind?
I usually recharge by travelling and exploring new places and cultures. My life goal is to visit every country in the world. But for now, I just want to spend some time in Bali.
Movie: Harry Potter (preferably a marathon)
Book: Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey
TV Show: Friends
12. Who would you tag next to be interviewed by us?
Roxana Staneiu, the mic is yours.
