Introducing the Secret Life of Madalina, Head of Project Management at Salt & Pepper

Madalina, the Head of Project Management at Salt & Pepper, is also known as the SuperWoman. She manages to make the 24 hours in a day look endless, as she somehow finds the time to do it all! She’s both a technical person and a soft skills mentor, a Psychology major, a chef in the kitchen, traveler, blogger, and content creator. We’ve been impressed with her knowledge, skills, and amazing personality since day 1.

And now we can’t wait for you to meet her too!

Tell me about yourself

I am Madalina, and I am a traveler, a soft skills trainer, a blogger, and a content creator. Additionally, I am also the Head of Project Management at Salt & Pepper.

Enjoying an amazing view!

How did you start working at Salt & Pepper? What made you change your job?

I joined the team almost half a year ago, and I did that because I saw an opportunity here. I think that S&P is on an ascending path and that there is a lot of room for growth. I am eager and excited to be part of this story, in helping the company and the people here. I’ve known some of the team members before joining, and that was also a plus.

How did you know it was the right opportunity for you?

I knew that it was a challenging environment. Things are not as settled as they are in corporations, and I come from that environment. I thought that it’d be a good challenge for me to put everything that I’ve learned throughout the years into action. I feel that my knowledge and my expertise are adding value to where the company is right now.

What does a day in the life of a Head of Project Manager look like?

No two days are the same. I make sure that we’re aligned in the processes that we implement while managing projects, making sure that we are working as unitary as possible. Another big part of my job is making sure that my colleagues have all the necessary tools and resources needed in order for them to do a good job. I spend a great deal of time talking and listening to my colleagues because I want them to know that they can always come to me with anything.

It is also very important to me to help my colleagues with their professional path and grow in the direction they’ve chosen.

Home office vibes

What do you do in your free time?

Ah, I started with spoiler alerts while introducing myself! My free time is split between additional professional activities. As I mentioned before, on one hand, I am providing soft skills training sessions, and on the other hand, I am majoring in Psychology. On the more fun side of things, I enjoy traveling whenever I get the chance. Although, right now, due to the COVID-19 situation, I started labeling a simple hike around Cluj as traveling (laughs).

I enjoy cooking and eating what I cook, I love reading, dancing, and I used to enjoy painting. I haven’t painted anything new in a long while, but from time to time, I still enjoy getting my hands dirty.

What motivates you to do everything that you do?

For me, it’s just a good mix that really works and brings me joy. I have my job, the training that I facilitate in soft skills, and my Psychology courses; so professionally, I feel like they complement each other very well.

I also chose to train others because it’s something that I enjoy, and I feel like I do my part in giving back. And no matter how you look at it, and no matter what ‘we sell,’ it’s a people-focused business—we work with and for other humans.

Also, I have content creation and blogging. It's actually keeping me linked to the people outside the IT area. It keeps me rooted in myself and challenges my creativity.

I am all about the journey. I have dreams and plans, of course, but I think it’s about the journey and not the final destination. I do it all because it makes me happy.

Knowledge-sharing o’clock

What was the biggest decision you’ve made in the last year?

I don’t know if it’s necessarily big, but my whole routine has turned upside down. Last year was about adapting, and so I did. It helped a lot that I kept everything organized when it came to work-life balance. Even though it’s a bit of a cliché: adapting, changing, and moving forward was key.

While working from home, it’s easier to get distracted and lose focus, just as it’s easy to forget about the boundaries between what is work and what is your personal life.

Therefore, the fact that both my husband and I have managed to keep everything in place and create new, healthy habits, has kept us both sane.

Tell me about someone who inspires you

I actually have a mentor, and I’ll choose her. She was one of my managers in the past, and she has great experience in leading people and managing projects. She’s definitely a source of inspiration because she also does additional things besides being a great professional.

I admire her for paving the way to being a complete person that gets involved and nurtures all of her passions.

Plus, whenever I feel the need to discuss different things, she’s my go-to person.

What is your greatest strength? What about your weakness?

I think my biggest strength is my ability to look for the solution instead of focusing on the problems. As for my weakness, I tend to be more stressed in some situations than I’d like to be. At times, I have a hard time (even though I know the textbook on stress), but it is not always easy to keep under control.

When you find yourself in a tough position, it is hard to take a few steps back and assess it from afar. But I acknowledge that it’s what I am supposed to do and try my best to be objective. Sometimes, just talking to someone else helps, just to vent for a few minutes until I reach a conclusion on my own (laughs).

If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

Guatemala! (answered as fast as possible) It’s been on my radar for a long time. They have hiking trails, the weather is perfect, and they are surrounded by the sea. What’s not to love?

Meet the team at Salt & Pepper

If you enjoyed learning about Madalina and you want to ask her a question, simply connect with us, and we’ll be happy to chat!