Name: Ana Caracaleanu
Age: Let’s say… past my mid 30s.
Job Title and Description: Marketing Communications Exec by day / Chief Hustler at Amevie by night
College Name/Major: University of Toronto, Undergraduate in Geography and GIS – Ryerson University, MBA
Website: amevie.com
Twitter Handle: @simplyamevie
Instagram Handle: @simplyamevie
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
I currently wear many hats and I do many jobs, so no two days are the same. At my day job, I manage a customer experience team and run marketing communications campaigns. Any other time, I am a CEO, CMO or CFO, or a chief in charge of something at my start-up, Amevie. I also teach social media one semester per year.
What is the best part of your job?
I love everything that I do. I am always connected to the customer, in one way or another. That’s the best part.
What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
I was a Marketing and Mapping Assistant at one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the world. I just applied fresh out of my undergrad and landed it at the first interview—but this was a decade ago. I feel that now it is much more competitive to get a job as a new graduate, and that’s why internships are very important.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
My company’s motto is: “The sun is new each day.” I live by this quote in my day-to-day activities, but also at work. No matter what happens, we can always do things better. Every new day is an opportunity to improve. It also helps by not taking things to heart and having a more peaceful and relaxed life.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
My biggest mistake has been not pivoting fast enough. I don’t believe we need to fail at something to learn and grow, but we should definitely learn how and when to pivot, when to change directions. I learned this lesson in sailing—if you want to keep your sails up, you need to adjust according to the wind.
What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?
That was meeting Tim Draper and not knowing who he was. (I actually pitched him my business.) Ignorance was definitely not bliss in this case.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
Sharpness. I don’t care where you went to school or what grades you got. It counts to get you to that interview, but when I interview someone, I am looking for proof that they are smart and that they can learn fast.
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
If you aspire that one day you would become an entrepreneur, start now. Don’t delay it. Try your best now, while you don’t have debt, you don’t have a mortgage to pay and you can still live with your parents. It gets harder in your 30s.
What’s the one thing that’s stood out to you the most in a resume?
I always look for other activities, passions, anything else that a candidate might add besides their education/experience. For example, one time a girl I was interviewing put down her blog as “other,” and I was impressed when I read it!