The past year has been a rollercoaster of experiences, challenges, and triumphs for all of us.
We recognized the importance of not only celebrating the grand achievements but also cherishing the small and mundane, often overlooked moments that make us be ourselves at work and at home.
To capture these milestones of this journey, we decided to get to know the personal reflections of our team members.
We answered a series of lighthearted questions, exploring everything from the highs and lows to the moments of joy and personal growth.
We invite you to read fragments of individual stories that shaped our 2023 — more than just answers, they are windows to the lessons learned, mistakes overcome, and the unique perspectives that made 2023 memorable.
Vlad Stoica, Chief of Design
Your 2023 title
A thrilling cake, with chilling toppings
A lesson that made you wiser
Challenges and difficulties are mostly temporary, and they can be opportunities for growth.
A mistake that made you stronger
Stubbornly sticking to an impractical idea, even when it became clear it wasn’t the best fit. It caused setbacks, but the silver lining was learning to be adaptable and open to changing strategies.
A platform that made your year easier
Figma, it’s always Figma
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
Mind reading would definitely help with those “make it pop” emails.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Playing with my daughter after a hard day always does the trick.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The Banshees of Inisherin
Fav work memories
- Meeting with the team at the office from time to time
- Brainstorming ideas with the design team
- It was really nice meeting Denis in Vienna
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
A friend told me that I’m a lot more organized than I used to be. 🙂
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- The patience to take things step by step
- Balancing work and family time in a healthy manner
- The desire to adapt to changes and continuously improve
Gabriela Popa, UI/UX Designer
Your 2023 title
Adaptability
A lesson that made you wiser
Finding joy in the journey, not just the destination. I learned to embrace the process and celebrate every small milestone I’ve set.
A mistake that made you stronger
Not asking for help.
I had some days this year when I was in over my head, but being found in that situation made me come up with solutions and be more adaptable.
A platform that made your year easier
At the beginning of the year we started using ClickUp, and I think it made a huge difference on how organized I was during some busier periods of 2023.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
Having the ability to pause time—whether for spending it with my family, work on design details or just have more to myself.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Cooking something I enjoy.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
After eight years of avoiding it, I finally binge-watched Breaking Bad and loved it.
The best book I read this year, hands down, is ‘La Sombra del Viento.’ Not only did I enjoy the story, but I also got to practice my Spanish.
Fav work memories
The brainstorming sessions with the design team. We always achieve great results by contributing to each other’s ideas.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
That I’m a reliable friend.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Being curious
- Not giving in to not knowing something
- Focusing on one task at a time
Denis Drăghici, Frontend Web Developer
Your 2023 title
Rollercoaster
A lesson that made you wiser
Our thoughts and self-affirmations are extremely powerful. Repeating them over and over again slowly turns them into our beliefs, shaping who we become. Therefore it’s very important to be aware of them and to be mindful of what we empower.
A mistake that made you stronger
Being afraid to ask for help. This was a mistake I actively kept making for some time. There’s actually nothing wrong in asking for help, whether from a close friend, a family member, or a therapist. Most of the time, you will get an objective opinion, and that might help you break out of your loop and encourage you to try new things or different approaches.
A platform that made your year easier
ChatGPT & Reddit
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
Having a clear & present mind.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Reading & sometimes meditation.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
Fav work memories
There’s only a specific one that crosses to my mind, meeting Vlad in Wien, having some nice talks and a glass of mulled wine – since I’m working remote, but other than that, every progress, achievements and growth we’ve done as a team.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
You bring joy to our team.
From: Us
To: Denis
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- My friends & family
- The desire to grow and become better in every way
- Being in this awesome team 🙂
Adelina Rotariu, Head of Operations
Your 2023 title
Stability
A lesson that made you wiser
Done is better than perfect.
A mistake that made you stronger
I ended up working 10 times more on a task because I didn’t research more for solutions and instead I just jumped in head first.
A platform that made your year easier
ClickUp
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
To be in more places at the same time.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Spa time – took some time to pamper myself.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
America Express (similar to The amazing race).
Fav work memories
Working with Andrei and Natalia at a tight-deadline pitch.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
“You are my favourite supplier.“
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- That I shouldn’t overthink things too much, and to keep applying the ‘Done is better than perfect’ mindset
- To rely more on the tools we have available to improve the operational side of things.
- To streamline processes which will save our team precious time.
Andrei Stoica, CEO & Founder
Your 2023 title
New beginning, again.
A lesson that made you wiser
More is not always better. Over the last few years, I tried to build several projects in parallel, and even if I still don’t think it was a bad idea, it wasn’t the best choice in my context. Because I didn’t really have much to leverage and lacked enough time to focus on either of them, I didn’t manage to make much progress.
A mistake that made you stronger
I tried to hire someone for business development this year, but because of a lack of clarity on my side or proper reporting, we didn’t manage to make any progress, and it took too much time to understand that. This forced me into finally working on building the business and getting new clients myself and this turned to be, in the end, a good step forward.
A platform that made your year easier
LinkedIn. So many people there and so much good content.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
I would like to be a genius to figure out a social system where no person is homeless or hungry.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
I take a big breath and remind myself that the alternative to what I have right now is nothing, not something better, just nothing. So I realise that whatever happens in that moment, it’s not really that bad.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
This book: “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab.
Fav work memories
Being at the BBN (the world’s B2B agency) conference in Milano this year with such amazing people.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
Victor, my son, told me one day that he thinks I’m actually really smart.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Take care of myself
- Drink tea to stay healthy
- Spend time with my family
Natalia Dărăbăneanu, Head of Marketing
Your 2023 title
EXPLORE
A lesson that made you wiser
Delegate to awesome people and everything will be fine!
A mistake that made you stronger
Due to multitasking and juggling with several priorities in the same time I missed double-checking a setup to a Linkedin campaign which resulted in spending more out of the aimed budget. In the end, the campaign went well, the client understood, and my team helped me come with a proper fix. I learnt the importance of prioritization, saying no to new tasks when my to do list was already full, and to delegate so I can better oversee.
A platform that made your year easier
ChatGPT, when I needed to research & brainstorm ideas for content, and when I needed to adjust my content for the
X platform.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
Expand time to do more for my clients, my team, and myself 💪🏻.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
I called my teammates who are compassionate & (very) optimistic people, and with whom I was able to quickly brainstorm solutions to fix the issue that was stressing me.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, a book by Stephen King
Fav work memories
I have many and it’s hard to select just a few, but I’ll try:
- a one-hour call with Daniel S. solved an issue I had been struggling with for weeks.
- two calls with Andrei & Ade when I made a mistake, and they were supportive & helped me provide a professional solution with a win-win outcome for all the parties involved in a timely matter.
- quickly aligning with two of my clients when I needed their input to move forward.
- working with Emi & Alexa made me feel confident that projects are well taken care of.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
“Amongst our team (i.n. the clients), you are a superstar! You brought extraordinary results to our initiative.”
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Having the right people by my side feels liberating and empowers me to boost my work & mood.
- Patience, determination, and proactive search, brings the best-fit clients and solutions.
- Taking (good) breaks makes me more creative.
Denis Șerban, Frontend Developer
Your 2023 title
All things happen for a reason
A lesson that made you wiser
You can do anything if you’re consistent.
A mistake that made you stronger
Not taking care of myself (physically and mentally).
A platform that made your year easier
ChatGPT & YouTube.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
To not have to sleep.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Spend time with friends.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The movie Entergalactic (2022).
Fav work memories
Pushing myself to solve things.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
That I’m wise.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Consistency.
- My sleep schedule.
- The drive to learn new things.
Tania Roman, Project Manager
Your 2023 title
CHANGES
A lesson that made you wiser
When in doubt, always trust yourself & your gut feeling.
A mistake that made you stronger
Not taking notes for a task, believing I could remember everything made me miss important parts & definitely taught me to pay more attention to details.
A platform that made your year easier
ChatGPT.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
Flying – it would make it easier to travel more & see the world.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Drinking coffee.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The Maidens: A Novel. Book by Alex Michaelides.
Fav work memories
- Having wholesome chats with the team while at the office
- Visiting our clients in Brussels
- Supporting the team whenever I got the chance
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
I remember being in a very busy period when I was told that I’m doing a great work even under a lot of pressure. This compliment motivated me to organize myself even better in times of crisis knowing that my efforts are appreciated.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- The amazing people in my life.
- The confidence in myself that I’ve gained along the way.
- Being motivated & determined to always improve my skills.
Iulian Ghenta, Frontend Developer
Your 2023 title
Adapting
A lesson that made you wiser
Shifting from freelancing emphasized teamwork and aligned workflows for collective success.
A mistake that made you stronger
Transitioning from freelancing stressed aligning work with team dynamics and highlighted the crucial role of seeking help.
A platform that made your year easier
Elementor.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
The ability to momentarily slow down time at will, not just for work efficiency but also to savor and enjoy significant moments.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Just taking a break to reset my perspective on tough days.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The movie Seven (1995).
Fav work memories
Celebrating team achievements and milestones together, especially during challenging projects.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
Being praised for delivering pixel-perfect implementations on WordPress projects.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Continue learning
- Foster teamwork
- Explore new tech
Emilia Negoescu, Growth-driven designer
Your 2023 title
Sunrise catcher
A lesson that made you wiser
Do things that make you uncomfortable, they force you to grow in so many ways. Embrace change; it’s the best catalyst for growth.
A mistake that made you stronger
One mistake was my tendency to make everything perfect from the start, and I have learned that a more heuristic approach is better for the business.
A platform that made your year easier
ClickUp (organizational p.o.v.) & Figma (‘you can do anything in there’ p.o.v).
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
I think being able to teleport might be an awesome superpower; (Just imagine traveling anywhere while coming home for dinner on the same day.)
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Usually watching a comedy series like ‘Friends’ will do the trick; but I always look at those days with a sense of acceptance: the glass is always full, even if it spills a little.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The Walking Dead’ Spin-off Series;
‘The Mountain Is You’ by Brianna Wiest (book).
Fav work memories
- Meeting the team at the office
- Chatting and brainstorming ideas
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
I make good decisions due to my analytical nature.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Invest in bettering yourself, mentally and physically.
- Stay present; life happens in the here and now.
- Being grateful for the people in your life.
Elena Iordache Stoica, Head of Growth
Your 2023 title
Never a dull moment.
A lesson that made you wiser
Setting and communicating very clearly the terms of a new collaboration is a key success factor.
As an expert it’s your job to set what you can and will deliver (in terms of commuted time, timeframe, expected results or completed deliverables). And, just as importantly, make sure the client understands those terms.
Rushing through this phase can lead to misunderstandings further down the road and opens the door to dissatisfaction on both ends – more commited time and effort than estimated, working on other tasks than initially agreed or an underlying feeling of “we still feel we didn’t get all we signed on”.
A mistake that made you stronger
Working on too many things at once. I was trying to work on day to day tactic things that were urgent and then on strategic directions to grow the agency. The reality is that it was easier to complete day to day work and “put out fires ” and that left me with little time and energy for the long term actions.
A platform that made your year easier
HubSpot for sure, I used it for web analytics, campaign analytics, understanding how leads are progressing through the pipeline. It’s a game changer to have a system that stores all your client data in one place – if you took the time to set it correctly.
It’s time for that one about superpowers. Which one would you’ve liked to have in 2023?
Prioritization without mercy:). Work is endless and choosing where to put your focus and what to say ‘no’ to is one of the most powerful tools you have.
A thing you did to turn a bad day into a good one
Chatting with a friend in the space and sharing struggles, realising other people have similar experience makes things a bit easier. And just getting out of my head and speaking to another person helped me a lot.
A movie and/or a book you devoured
The movie “Sing” on Netflix, watched it with my son and loved it.
Fav work memories
Going into the office every Thursday when most of us worked from the office and getting lunch together.
A compliment you received that will stay 4ever in your heart
When a client reminded me that a committed team that is always ready to help is not something you find easily.
3 things you’d carry on from 2023 to 2024
- Confidence that together with the right team anything is possible.
- The excitement to learn new things.
- The wisdom to say ‘no’ to shiny things that take your focus away from your main goals.
