Boosted by various factors, such as a rapid growth rate, various investment-friendly policies, and increasing consumer spending power by the government, Romania today is considered an investment hub attracting investments across the globe. The country has a thriving advertising market, helping brands expand their client base through brand awareness and innovative media campaigns. Started in 2016, Minio Studio is a Bucharest-based multi-award-winning integrated agency specializing in strategic creativity. At the helm of the firm’s operations is Ioana Mucenic, a well-known entrepreneur and CEO at the firm. Listed as one of the most successful women in advertising in Romania, Ioana, throughout her career, has been part of thousands of advertising campaigns while dealing with clients nationally and internationally. A mom to a four-year-old boy and three dogs, her overall entrepreneurial journey is a testament to human perseverance, hope, and achievement.

In an exclusive interview with The Global Women Leader, Ioana sheds light on her educational and professional journey, the inception story of Minio Studio, and much more.

Tell us about your educational journey. How did your time at the University of Bucharest, Romania influence you as an individual and as a professional?

During my university days at the University of Bucharest, I pursued two faculties simultaneously, Law and Journalism & Communication Sciences. It was a lot of hard work to manage both of them simultaneously. Three years into law, I realized my love for advertising is here to stay. Hence, I discontinued my law degree and finished my degree in communications. I had a wonderful time during my university days and made many connections there. Today, I am also working as a teacher at SNSPA, another university in Bucharest, where I teach Advertising in English to master students. I see it as a way of giving back and helping to shape a new generation of young professionals in advertising.

Take us through the formative years of your life and your expansive professional journey.

During my childhood, I lived alone with my mother. Being a teacher, she used to work a lot. So, most of the time, I was on my own. Since the beginning, I have been fiercely independent. I co-founded my first advertising agency, named Pastel, at just 21 during my fourth year of university. Before that, I had only two years of working experience in local ad agencies. Along with my ex-partner, I started the firm from scratch. During that time, there was no social network. We had no internet or even a computer and used to go to coffee shops to write emails to our small clients. After a decade with the firm and countless misunderstandings, we decided to part ways, a crushing low. The agency had felt like part of me, and leaving was like losing a piece of myself. But some former colleagues were brave enough to join me, and together we launched Minio in 2016, working from my living room at first. Remarkably, major clients followed, and since then, the agency has grown tremendously.

Last year, I launched a new agency called Maker, dedicated to producing snackable short video content. With a unique business model, we operate as a collective, collaborating with over 100 content creators who can create engaging content directly from their phones. This service perfectly meets the demand for constant, real-time content at affordable budgets.

Introduce us to Minio Studio. Tell us about the key roles and responsibilities you shoulder as CEO of Minio Studio.

I started Minio nine years ago, with former colleagues, many of whom are still with me or have become our suppliers. Over the years, the firm has come a long way. Now a solid team of 25, we also have over 50 awards in local and international festivals. We are also Romania’s most awarded agency for Employer Branding Expertise.

"A strong leader doesn't dictate what to do, instead, they inspires, motivates & cares about their people"

As a trained strategist, I focus on shaping our vision, future roadmap, and building essential processes. I stay actively involved in day-to-day operations and projects, while leading a dedicated management team to inspire growth and drive significant scaling.

In your opinion what have been the biggest ‘wins’ that you have achieved so far in your professional journey?

I am incredibly proud of my team, who have stood by me for over a decade, and I deeply value their loyalty. I am equally proud of the clients we partner with, both nationally and internationally. Today, we work with major brands like Kaufland, Coca-Cola HBC, Mondelez, L'Oréal, Heineken, British American Tobacco, and many others. What is also important for us is the working process, where we strive to provide a stress-free project for our clients, so they feel that working with us is simple and joyful. And to do that, we also have a special focus on the internal environment by working disciplined and calm, collaborative and as efficient as possible. For us, results are just half of the battle, it is also important how we get there, in a calm and caring way.

Ioana Mucenic, Partner & CEO, Minio Studio

An accomplished entrepreneur, Ioana Mucenic started her first advertising agency at just 21. After a decade at Pastel, she left the firm to start her new venture 'Minio'. Throughout her career, she created and implemented thousands of advertising campaigns while dealing with clients nationally and internationally. Apart from that, she is the CEO of Maker Studio, a Short video content platform, and has co-founded Sport for Life, an NGO dedicated to promoting sports among children.