Inna’s story - How two weeks can change a life
Everything started with STAG Fly… As a fresh graduate, I was looking for jobs. One of the companies I had my eyes on was STAG Fly, a Swiss foreign-owned globally operating company, which opened a factory for the manual weaving of fishing flies in Moldova during the mid-90s. I have tried many times to “knock” at their doors and only due to my persistence did they offer me an opportunity. After two weeks of the trial period, I was recruited as fore(wo)man. Within half a year I was working as a Quality Manager dealing exclusively with special clients.
This experience opened my world into a technical field, a field where I continuously learn, and which continues to be dominated in Moldova by male leadership.
I continued my experience as a manager in a fairly new German company operating in Moldova. I had to deal with the paperwork in German, grow as a Manager and get involved in the technical projects. During the first two years of this company on the Moldovan market, it dealt with projects in the production of dust and sawdust extraction systems for furniture production halls and wood processing. In 2009 I became its Director and during the following 8 years, I learned about management and leadership from my German peers while on the job, from seminars, and during my study visits. I got engaged in projects that were getting more and more interesting – such as production and delivery of a ventilation system for the second Draxelmaier factory in Balti, metal construction and delivery of trucks and shipping containers in Europe and Emirates, support to the water treatment plant in Orhei, production of poles and pillars for the camera and traffic lights in Ungheni and Ciadir-lunga, etc. It wasn’t easy, but I was proud to be a part of the process that showed the whole world that Moldova is capable and able to deliver at European standards.
Working for this company gave me wings and the strength to fly… I have set up my own company “AMIASTEEL GROUP” LTD, as early as 2012. I had big plans for it but had time to work on them only after stopping to work for the German company in 2017. During those 5 years when I was still working for the German employer and owning my company, step by step, I managed to think of a strategy for my own company and purchased the necessary equipment to start the production of welded metal constructions. As of 2017, I became more engaged in growing my business and managed to sign an important long-term production contract with a Belgian counterpart. I invested in developing and building a team of 30 people. I made sure that my staff is attending trainings and learning from their peers during study trips abroad. I realized that with a strong appropriately certified team we will succeed even more. I am a “German” product in a way, and I like things to be done at a very high level, therefore I make sure that we comply with ISO9001.2015 standards and that we continue improving ourselves. Until today, we managed to cover a small niche and we are exporting 95% of our final products in Europe and the Americas.
Creating my own company gave me a new perspective and opened up the hidden desires that I hesitated before that to achieve. I understood that everything is possible in the current world if you are flexible enough and you know and can receive joy from what you do. As I was reaching 40, I was reflecting on my subsequent dreams and my next wish was to celebrate my 40th birthday holding a baby – my baby. I started to prepare myself physically and mentally for this process as soon as I reached 38. I was also preparing my replacement because I wanted to have my company in good hands during my maternity leave. I had an easy pregnancy and I continued staying active and engaged with my company, at the same time developing myself professionally. A few days before reaching 40, Sebastian was born. My big dream came true. After his birth, I continued being active online, and only within a few months I was able to return to work full of positive energy and eager to do more and get involved in more projects.
I grew up with siblings and understood the value of family and did not want age to stop me from offering Sebastian a sibling. One year and nine months later, in the fall of 2020, I gave birth to Stefan, my second boy. I cannot be prouder of my two beautiful, smart, and kind children. More than anything, I am extremely happy that the boys will grow up together and will have each other when we grow old.
Despite my passion for my business, my boys are the ones I can talk endlessly about. They teach me about patience and discipline. I take them to work with me sometimes, but I am grateful to my parents who are helping and supporting me in this important task of growing them. Thanks to their support I can also focus on my next project, which is the set-up of a second company during the year of pandemics in 2021. I do this jointly with another full of hopes and dreams young woman which helps me a lot with the management of the first company.
This is my story, and my story is about the endless possibilities we can have, and we can create for ourselves if we are focused and persistent. The area of work – the production industry – is not an easy one for a woman in a society which believes that production is still a male-dominated field. It is important on this journey is to have allies, mentors, and teachers. I was lucky to have two great mentors who taught me about Swiss and German work ethics, supported my dreams and professional ambitions, and helped me overcome difficulties.
Still, my greatest teachers at the present moment are my kids. They help me develop my creativity and the best times of my day are the times spent with them when we can hug each other, tell each other about the achievements of the day, and just enjoy our leisure time together. I also teach them what I know best and expose them to financial education from diapers, because this is important knowledge to have.
Family and business can coexist, and you can be successful at any age in both of these areas. I believe that women that choose a business or career should enjoy what they do daily and not expect results already the following day. The results may come later, but they should be the first ones to open the offices and the last ones to close them. Through my personal experience, I know how important is for women to develop confidence in themselves and overcome their fears. They should not forget to invest in their personal development and have a plan A, B, and even C either in their personal as well as in business lives. My wish to these women is to become courageous and invest in themselves. Be courageous!! Be persistent towards your goal!
Inna Chiriac is an Entrepreneur, the Founder and CEO of “AMIASTEEL GROUP” LTD and “Stahlbau”S.R.L