Welcome Anca!

Our newest member has joined the design team and she is making waves already. Anca Butnaru is our first fully remote and international employee based at her home in Sibiu, Romania. If, like me, you are unfamiliar with Sibiu then it would be described as a medieval city right in the centre of Romania, in the Transylvania region of the country.

We were keen to give you a glimpse into the latest newest member of our team so I did my thing and posed some questions to Anca, so I could get to know her better and to impart this information to you! Here’s what we chatted about:

Why did you decide to become a designer?

“I didn’t decide this, it was not a choice, things evolved naturally. I graduated from the University of Arts and Design, Cluj-Napoca, and my main focus at that time was graphic arts-traditional techniques (so in my mind I was an artist). I realised that this idea of an artist (nowadays) was not my thing, so I started to use my knowledge in this digital environment. Suddenly, I realised that I can offer much more through design. I felt relieved when I saw that people started to appreciate my work and here I am now.”

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

“I like sports, nature, travelling and I love talking and discussing with my friends about any subject in this world. I like to listen to what other people think. Different opinions usually help me see things from another perspective that I might never have thought of before.”

Where do you see yourself in 5 years or do you have any goals you want to achieve in the next 5 years?

“I like to set smaller objectives (achievable and realistic ones) that lead to big goals. You never know in which direction your path may go, but my biggest goal is to overcome myself and become the best I can be.”

Do you have a favourite food?

“Ohhh, yes I do. Who doesn’t?

It is a dessert, but not very sweet, that's called “Papanasi”. It’s made from a sweet dough, boiled or fried, having the shape of a donut with a small sphere on top, usually filled with soft cheese. “Papanasi” are served covered with sour cream and with a sour jam topping. It may sound strange, but they are more than delicious.”

How do you cope with working remotely?

“I love it, but I think there are advantages and disadvantages. I love it because I can manage my own time differently, I have a bit more freedom and no one distracts me when I work. At the same time I miss talking and laughing with colleagues face to face. Working remotely has absolutely massive benefits, but I don’t think it’ll ever be better than being in one place together, especially in the creative fields ”

Do you have a favourite band or type of music?

“I listen to almost any kind of music, depending on my mood. However, I like jazz because it is spontaneous and the same song sounds different if it’s played live.”

What is your favourite app right now and why?

“I think that depends on the product. I like the “airbnb” app. I think it has a very good balance between the way it looks /UI and the functionalities/features it offers to the user. Apart from that it is user friendly and can be easily used by anyone.”

Even though we have been working remotely with team members over the last few years, Anca has been the first Elixel team member to be fully remote and international. With how well she has settled in with the team and delivered amazing work for our clients she definitely won't be the last

If you have a project you want Anca and the team to work on, don’t hesitate to get in touch.