Spotlight on BWBW Success: In conversation with Cristina Popa

We are delighted to introduce Cristina Popa and focus on her enormous success with the Bring Women Back to Work (BWBW) program in Switzerland. Cristina moved to Switzerland in 2019 and is now a Business & Integration Architecture Senior Analyst with Accenture DACH .

Read on to find out more.

BWBW:  Cristina, you are originally from Romania and now live in Switzerland. Can you tell us a little about your childhood in Romania and your family life.

Cristina Popa: My family is the nucleus of my universe and the wind in my sails. I was born and raised in Romania as part of the middle class. It was a very humble environment and despite the hardships of the time, at the end of the communist era, and not much in the way of material wealth, my parents and older brother taught me adaptability and helped me build my “never give up even in the face of great hardship” muscle.

I moved to Switzerland in 2019, with my husband of 16 years, Alex. Together we have two little boys and a 16 year “young” cat, Pixie. Living and working away from family and loved ones, while raising a young family, we have learned to lean into one another in our daily lives. We make a great team.

BWBW: You studied Finance & Banking and did a Masters in Business & Managerial Economics. Can you tell us a little about your career since graduation?

CP: I actually started working long before graduation as a 15 year old in the summer breaks to afford what my parents often could not. My studies were in Finance, which I do sometimes regret, as I am more of a creative person. After graduation I worked in various jobs in many different industries including retail, sales, IT, pharma and consumer goods. I have quite a mixed job profile as I am extremely curious and always needed to satisfy my thirst for knowledge. In fact, I worked as a Make-up Artist alongside my finance roles so I always kept my creative juices flowing even while my week was filled with Power Pivots and Powerpoints!

Throughout my career my values always remained central: Fairness to all, no matter their background and where they come from. I like to lead from behind and I feel responsible not only for my own growth but also that of those who ask for my assistance. I have no issue stepping back and offering others the limelight to make room for their growth. Time is my main challenge as I want to do so many things and to be of service!

I am most proud of the person I have become now. No title or job could have given me the strength I have built since I became a mother six years ago. Becoming a mother strips you of your identity and I had to create new building blocks to become a new and improved Cristina since the birth of my children. It was no easy task but I did it!

BWBW:  Cristina, why did you apply for the Bring Women Back to Work program in Switzerland?

CP: I heard about the program from Alexandra Colceriu (Antonie) and I am absolutely certain it was fate guiding my path.

Switzerland is a really tough place for new mothers hoping to get into the job market, and after 5 years out of the workplace, I was only receiving negative replies. The program gave me something that others had refused to give me for a very long time. It gave me a vote of confidence. 

Only a few months into the program, I could see a new me emerging, excited for a new stage of self improvement. It helped me to take the biggest leap which was building back my self worth. Now, I am a completely different person, thanks to Vanessa’s incredible initiative and tremendous work with the Bring Women Back to Work program.

BWBW: What can you tell us about your journey with BWBW? What were the challenges you faced during your time with the program and what are you most proud of?

CP: Where do I begin? To be honest when I started the program, I was scared and filled with self doubt. Although I knew Salesforce from many years previously, when it looked like Hi5, it still seemed scary and difficult to comprehend. Luckily, my cohort and I had an excellent trainer and I worked hard, often at night, even when the kids were running fevers. I gained five certifications in one year and to be honest,  I did not pass them all the first time. Even when I failed an exam I knew I was one step closer to succeeding. I just kept going and did not give up. 

Essentially, BWBW gave me something I was missing terribly. It gave me a community that to me seemed like family, filled with women hyping each other up, creating study groups and supporting each other with advice. 

If you think this program is strictly related to Salesforce, let me tell you you are terribly wrong. It gives you everything you need to get back out there.

• You need to learn the technical part of Salesforce? You have expert training.
• Do you feel overwhelmed? You have workshops covering your mental health.
• You feel in a style rut? Yes, there is a workshop on that too!

And that is just the tip of the iceberg!

BWBW puts an entire toolkit at your fingertips. All you need to do is say yes. Say yes to yourself and trust you can easily achieve incredible things.

I joined the Trailblazer Community, I had mentors and a coach, I joined the Salesforce meetups happening in my area and I expanded not only my network but my horizons too. That was my lift off!

After one year with the program, I managed to land a consultant role with Accenture. I am extremely proud of this as Accenture is such an active, supporting partner of the Bring Women Back to Work program. 

BWBW: At BWBW we support our participants with both mentors and coaches. What impact has mentoring and coaching had on your journey?

CP: I’m a strategic person, so my mentor and coach’s guidance on navigating the Salesforce ecosystem was really important to me. Their constant presence and reassurance represented a direct line to the place I wanted to get to. You know the saying you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with? With my mentors and coach, I learnt to think like them, to act like them and to have their self belief. 

BWBW: Cristina, you now work at Accenture, as a Business & Integration Architecture Senior Analyst. Can you tell us about your new role?

CP: Yes, at Accenture I am a Business & Integration Architecture Senior Analyst. Theoretically the role is self explanatory but in reality it involves much more than just the role of Analyst. In fact, currently my tasks involve activities from many different positions, everything from Key User to Project Manager and so on. But the roles and titles are almost irrelevant to me as in the end, through my results and impact, you can see I have developed the skills to progress in my career. In essence, besides the technical capabilities, your soft skills matter a lot. My current project has taught me many valuable lessons in true leadership apart at all from the nitty, gritty of the technical aspect.

Alongside my main project at Accenture, I also like to take on other responsibilities related to the topics I enjoy. For example, my involvement in the internal newsletter, my focus on Luxury Retail along with hosting mini workshops on Time Management and even Make-up Tutorials.

As I celebrate my incredible first year at Accenture, I admit I was scared that I would not live up to expectations but I really pushed hard on my mental pedal and I am happy I allowed myself the courage to take the opportunities that came as a result. I did five Salesforce Certifications, I passed my B1 French exam (oui, oui), I enjoy my role as Content Specialist at Women In Digital Switzerland and I spoke on stage at the Salesforce World Tour, Lausanne. I still cannot believe I had that opportunity.

BWBW truly helped me take that first step which is always the hardest to take. 

I am now extremely proud to work for Accenture as here you impose your own limits and without doubt the environment is set up so you can reach your highest potential.

BWBW: Cristina, any final words for women who are hoping to return to work after an extended break and working towards becoming a better version of themselves?

CP: For me personally, the most important lesson I took from my year with the program was that I bring value, whether other people chose to see it or not. I am strong and resilient and I can achieve whatever I want as long as I put in the effort required.  If I want it badly enough, I will achieve it sooner or later.

I now believe there is nothing like the power of community. We are social beings who thrive by helping each other.

If you are considering joining the program, do not be afraid to take a leap of faith, your future self will thank you. Through Bring Women Back to Work you will have an opportunity that is incredibly valuable - do not sleep on it!

Huge congratulations, Cristina on all you have achieved with the Bring Women Back to Work program and what you continue to achieve in your role with Accenture. Your story highlights your determination to rebuild your life in Switzerland and achieve your potential. Thank you for your leadership and your support of those in the BWBW community and beyond.

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