The Humans of smrtPhone

This month’s featured “smrtie” is another one of our amazing Support team members, Dragoș Buiuc.

Name

Dragoș Buiuc 

Title / Role in the Company

I am first level support. I teach people how to use the smrtPhone system and help them learn things to reach their goals. 

How long have you worked for smrtPhone?

One year – it’s been great so far. I love it. I don’t have anything bad to say about my experience. 

What’s your background? 

I’m a physical therapist and personal trainer. Before Covid, I had a plan to start a business and go on my own and help people be more healthy, have a better mindset, and use their body to live better.  I specialized in massage therapy for three years. I worked in clinics and spas, focused on helping clients relax. I also worked with a basketball team, traveling the world and preparing them for games and helping recover from injury. It’s a great feeling when people come with an issue or pain, and with your hands you can take that pain away. When someone shakes your hand and looks you in the eye and says thank you, it’s a great feeling. But then Covid came and ruined everything. 

As part of my own fitness regimen, I do Jiu-Jitsu.  I met Vlad [smrtPhone CTO] at the gym and he was one of my mentors. After I was no longer able to do my work as a physical therapist and trainer, I tried working in a call center but I quit after two months. The people were not friendly, and we were forced to try to sell things even as we were trying to help people solve their problems. I didn’t like it at all. After telling Vlad about my experience, he said I should try working for smrtPhone and it would be different. That is how I got connected to the company – and he was right.  

What was your first job? 

My very first job was as a lifeguard. We have a big waterpark near here, and I started working there my first year of college. It was rough: 14 hour days and the salary wasn’t that good. But I had a lot of free time, so I had to do something.

Funny thing from that job: I only saved men, never any women.  

What do you like about working for smrtPhone? 

Definitely the team. For me, it’s the most important thing in a job: to have your teammates be there for you if you have a bad day or need help. Or, they need help and you can be there for them. Without a good team, it’s hard to be in a job. You cannot be alone. 

We are all good people. I hate fake people. I’m an introvert and I’d rather be alone that around people I don’t like. This team helps me a lot to get out of my bubble. 

It’s been different switching to software from my previous work, but I’m a good student and I like to learn new things. I acclimated pretty quickly. Even though there was a lot to learn, it’s not that complicated. Of course I want to improve myself and constantly be better. But, at first I was the one being taught and now I’m teaching. It’s a great feeling to see how far I’ve come. 

Describe smrtPhone in 3 words: 

Fast. Productive. Friendly. 

Is there a particular moment/project at smrtPhone that stands out and makes you feel proud?  

What I’m most proud of is not a particular moment, it’s an overall feeling. Since I started, the company has grown a lot. We’ve integrated with new CRMs, added new features, and created new products. I’ve seen how it’s grown and how well it is doing. I’ve contributed my thoughts and ideas, my role has grown, and now I’m helping others along the journey. Being a part of the forward momentum feels great.

What do you like to do in your free time? 

Everything that has to do with mountains: mountain hiking, biking, skiing.

I’m into photography. One of my plans for the future is to become a professional photographer. I take a lot of wildlife pictures. Right now, I’m still learning, but I see myself traveling the world and taking pictures. That’s where my heart leads. 

I also lift weights and go to the gym. But, if I’m not in the gym, I’m in the woods. 

When I step out of my block why my apartment is, the forest is only 10 meters away. Most of the time I’m going alone, and it doesn’t matter if its raining or snowing. It helps my mental state. In this modern era, if you disconnect from nature, you are dead. 

When you are on a peak at the top of a mountain… even though I’ve been there many times before and I know every tree, every leaf… every time I’m stoked about the view. I stand there like a zombie, being amazed at what I see. At that moment, you can’t have excuses about your life. You’re there, taking in the beauty. You have no words and no worries. 

Name something that is on your “bucket list”

I would like to learn Japanese and travel to Japan. I’m a big fan of the anime adventure series Naruto and it features a temple. I’d love to go to the village and see it. 

Also, I would like to know God more. I’m a Christian. Although I don’t believe in organized religion, which can be too much about rules, I do believe in Jesus Christ and in spirituality. I’d like to do more spiritual practice and know more about him.

What is a fun fact people might not know about you? 

I worked in an ice cream shop before Covid for about six months to help my friend out. It was a very cute ice cream shop and I was required to wear a really fancy apron. So there I was, 220lbs and muscular, and my job was to serve kids ice cream. I would put it in a cone, add some chocolate sauce, and give them sprinkles. That was pretty funny for me. People would double take when they saw me.  Sometimes the kids would not go to me because they were afraid, even in the apron. But all that work in the gym paid off in making it easy to scoop!