Name: Daria Mircea
Title: Business development manager and senior workplace architect at Bright Spaces
What I do: I focus on growing the business globally, finding the right partners and innovators who understand the potential of 3D digital twins in the current social and economic context, exploring the markets and identifying opportunities to introduce technology and innovation in processes that could benefit the most from digitalisation, such as leasing. With my background in architecture and office advisory, I also act as an interface between our partners and our team, sharing strategic insights that drive continuous product R&D.
Why I got into the property industry: After working in architecture and urban planning for several years, I felt the need for a change. I read about workplace consultancy and immediately saw how it related to my previous experience, while giving me the opportunity to learn and grow in a different environment. The transition was smooth and it opened up a new world of possibilities for me – working with landlords, occupiers, brokers and now getting to enhance well-established processes with the help of digitalization.
When I became interested in ESG: I have always been passionate about protecting the environment and my first brush with the topic of sustainability was when I was in school. However, the growing topic of ESG became truly important to me once I began working in property and I understood how much the built environment contributes to carbon emissions. In support of ESG strategies, I see a good number of proptech solutions emerging.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Being part of a start-up team is a great challenge in itself. With everything moving three times as fast as in any other business, I need to be on my toes all the time. Operating as a tech start-up in an industry like property, famously set in its ways, makes it all the more challenging, when trying to get these two very different paces to synchronise.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: It’s not a moment, but rather a series of decisions throughout the past years that have led me to finding the best places to thrive in and the right people to learn from and work alongside. The fact that I don’t regret one minute of this journey proves that they were indeed the right decisions at the right time.
My biggest screw-up: I screw up all the time, in small ways, it’s absolutely normal and I like to focus on learning from my mistakes rather than choose the unproductive path of dwelling on them. Dust yourself off and carry on, right?
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: The hesitancy to try out new tech solutions. Holding off for perfection means missing out on real opportunities and prop tech is constantly evolving precisely through the feedback and insights driven by partnerships.
My main career goals right now: Growing our platform to become the Digital Twin Universe for commercial real estate. Technology adoption in this industry is accelerating as a response to digital-first expectations of new generations and we work hard to develop best in class solutions that are easily integrated into our partners’ processes.
What I do in my downtime: I like to enjoy some alone time when I can, reading fiction books, watching classic movies or listening to music. I try to get to the sea or the mountains for a much needed break from the city now and then, nature helps me clear my mind and reconnect with myself.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I would mix my love of great coffee and my desire to contribute to the community by opening a social enterprise coffee shop.
My advice for someone just starting out: Be courageous, explore and experiment. Don’t be afraid to fail, but learn from your mistakes. Don’t be afraid to take a different path, it’s never too late if you really want it.
My motto/mantra: Listen to your intuition!
