Inspiring stories. Enrica, 28, Trade Marketing Manager at vente-privées
I could spend hours hearing about people’s stories. What exactly they do, how they got there, if they had it all planned at the age of 5 or if everything happened unexpectedly…. This is why I chose to interview some of the people I met along the way. I met Enrica in Paris several years ago, when she just moved in from Milan. She’s a hearted person, always smiling to life, even when it gets tough. At 28, Enrica has already had professional experiences in three different firms in two countries, and currently is Trade Marketing Manager at vente-privee (yes, the site that makes all of us want to spend all our money in a one online shopping session). Here’re Enrica’s story and tips.
What’s your job exactly?
I am Trade Marketing Manager in the French branch of the vente-privee.com Group (European e-commerce website, leader of the online flash sales). More specifically, I deal with the marketing development plan for the website cosmetics sales.
How did you picture your adult self as a child?
I’ve always been, and still am, a dreamer. My mind wondered around, as I imagined to be a dance teacher, a Physics researcher, an entrepreneur…My recurrent dream though is being a mother of a numerous and happy family.
How about your education and the influence it had on your work experiences?
My education has been really important for me, helping me become who I am today, both personally and professionally. After highschool I graduated from Bocconi in Business economics and management; during this three-years degree program I’ve been selected to participate to two exchange programs, one in Canada and one in the US. These two experiences were crucial, as I understood I wanted to keep on studying abroad, and that’s how I got to Paris, in 2010. Here I got my Marketing master’s degree from HEC (Haute École de commerce Ndr.) It’s weird to think about it, but when you choose your university career at 18, you’re potentially defining your all future…
How did you get your first job and how were you led form one firm to the other?
Once I got my master’s degree I got back to Milan, to work in cosmetics; I got a position in the Trade Marketing Beauty team of Chanel Italy. One year after this very formative experience I followed my Chanel group manager into a firm specialized in watches and jewellery B2B (not a clue of what we’re talking about? Here’s a useful link! Ndr), and I became Brand Manager. Here I had the chance to develop my entrepreneurial and creative skills; life then brought me back to Paris, where I got my current job at vente-privee. Today, I can apply to my job all the skills I developed through time: sensitivity, rigor, attention to details and out of the box thinking.
I believe that in order to live these positive experiences one needs to be open, success oriented… things you can learn by living passionately your job and creating relationships with coworkers. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last 5 years.
As an Italian living in France, what are for you the pros and cons of living abroad?
Living abroad is not always easy… French and Italian culture are close, sure, but there are times in which differences are strongly perceived. And there also are a lot of stereotypes: pizza, pasta, mafia and Berlusconi (#evergreen). Also, our sense of humor is radically different from the French one; where’re straightforward, frank…. The ‘Italian’ way of communicating is not always appreciated. On the other hand we all know that many people are positively attracted by the ‘Italianness’, to which I am strongly attached.
Where and how do you see yourself in 5 years?
There’s been a time in my life in which I planned ahead, trying to see me in the future, but I don’t do that anymore. I think that positive things can come from the unexpected, both on the professional and personal level. I know I wish to have a dynamic, international, fulfilled and happy life…. Maybe with an activity on my own launched….. Is that too much ? Otherwise, I let life and common sense (the little I have left) do their job!
Which are the greater satisfactions, and fears, you get from your career?
I like my job, the inspirations I get from the projects I work on and the people I work with… My greater fear, that I think to share with many, is to lose everything (my credit, my achievements…) We belong to a generation that born into a success that somebody else earned and grew up during a great economical crisis, that we try to overcome by finding a good job, in order to feel fulfilled… Hence the fear of losing everything and the need to create a personal business to challenge myself!
The one thing you’d do again and the one you’d change, if you could go back in time.
I have no regrets, every choice I made throughout life had a reason, and even if all my choices were not successful I’d redo everything. Nevertheless, if I could get back in time I’d improve two things: I’d try to have a more rational approach to choices, and I’d listen more to the people I love.
An advice to your younger self.
Let yourself be surprised and do not be in a hurry!
One quick final Q&A…..
Your commuting song: Over, by Drake (I can obsess over one song, repeatedly)
Last book read: “Sapiens”, by Yuval Noah Harari. Currently reading “A brief History of Time” by Stephen W. Hawking
What do you always bring with you: wallet, ID and credit card, always ready for a departure!
During your spare time you: do a lots of sport and yoga
An inspiring person: my mom
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