FlexQube Employee Portrait: Cinthia

Meet Cinthia, a member of the FlexQube family since October 2017. Cinthia has a Mechanical Engineer degree from the Universidad Simón Bolivar and speaks Spanish and English fluently. Cinthia is based in Gothenburg at our HQ and is working as a Sales Engineer.

Can you tell us how your FlexQube journey started?

My FlexQube journey started 2,5 years ago. I applied for a job as a Design Coordinator, I thought my experience matched what FlexQube was looking for and I felt confident that I could perform well. When I came to the interview, Per (our CTO) was very open and he showed the product with a passion that inspired me. He told me FlexQube’s history and I was attracted to the concept and how fast the company grew. I happily accepted the offer I got.

What are you doing each day?

Well, I first started as a design coordinator but since a couple of months ago, I got the opportunity to start working as a Sales Engineer. I look for new prospects every day, and I often cooperate with the CMO and CEO on marketing and sales strategies. I work daily with Salesforce and LinkedIn, I manage all of my customers’ projects and give after-sales support. A part of my job is also to investigate new markets for us and help FlexQube have more presence and preference among potential customers in my region. I plan monthly visits to Spain (my main region) where I present FlexQube and look for new contacts and potential projects.

Is there something you wished you knew before you started?

I wish I knew that because of the different time zones our partners and customers are in, we have very flexible working hours. To be able to support Mexico and India I needed to work outside regular office hours here in Sweden. I also wish I had more clear information about the internal structure and who I was supposed to report to as a Design Coordinator, the organization grew very fast.

Have you surprised yourself during your journey at FlexQube?

Yes! I have surprised myself about working in different environments and cultures. I had never worked outside my home country before and as a migrant, I had to adapt to new cultures and learn new ways of communication, this process has been very enriching and surprising. I think I also am surprised by how much FlexQube has helped me accomplish personally the last two and a half years, I have done so many things thanks to FlexQube and I am looking forward to more.

We often promote learning as one of our biggest benefits. Have you learned something new?  

Yes, as I mentioned before, I have learned how to develop my skills and perform with different working cultures, I have learned about FlexQube’s standard products a lot and now the new challenge is to learn about automation and the eQart which is a new field for me.

As you mentioned, we have grown a lot in the last couple of years. Did you think something was going to happen since you started – but it didn’t?

We do different workshops from time to time; I would have appreciated more follow up to strengthen our work with continuous improvements.  

How would you describe our culture at FlexQube?

I don’t know if it is typical for Sweden or if FlexQube is unique but we have a strong culture of that you should spend your time at what you like the most and the things you are good at. I have always been able to change my role, test new things, and felt supported. We are very open in that way. One example was the opportunity to travel to the US, Mexico, and Spain for new activities and learning that may not be ordinary for a design coordinator. I would also say that our culture is defined by cooperation, innovation, and trust built on a global and multi-cultural caring for each other and or customers.

If you would compare our culture to a celebrity, who would you pick and why?

David Beckham. He is very good looking, collaborative, strong, and has a lot of courage. I also think he is entrepreneurial, ambitious, and a little stubborn.

We are a small but global company. Have you learned something new about another country’s culture that you did not know before?

I have learned from my Swedish colleagues that the decision-making process here is a little bit more like a consensus rather than hierarchical. From my American colleagues, I have learned that they are not afraid of trying new unknown things if you have a clear idea of what you want in mind. My Mexican colleagues have proven that they in all unexpected situations continue to give their best to overcome difficulties. From our Germans, I learned that technical preparation and practice saves a lot of time and money. From the UK I have learned that ironic humor is always good to break the ice and from India, I have learned that empathy sometimes helps thinking about problems from a different point of view and brings different solutions.

Cinthia won our nomination in March as our Value Performer, here is why:

“I would like to nominate an appreciated colleague as the Value Performer of March. She has a friendly, helpful nature and great knowledge of the FlexQube concept. She always strives to find solutions to satisfy our customers and she is always well prepared in everything she does. Her markets have been hit hard by the coronavirus but that hasn’t stopped her, and she hasn’t slowed down. She has shown fearlessness in making sure FlexQube is known in those markets even though at this time it will be much more difficult for her to do that. I’m impressed over on how she has pushed on more instead of slowing down.”