Meet the team: Maria Bielsa

Get to know Maria Bielsa, Junior Marketer working from our office in Barcelona! The fastest Spanish speaker you will ever meet, and a true Catalan, hailing from Tarragona. Being a true Spaniard, you can definitely wake Maria up for a glass of red and, of course, good food.

Maria joined Team Rinkel in February 2023, where just a a few weeks after starting, she was already present during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. You could definitely say that was a flying start!

Continue reading to find out more about Maria.

What is it exactly you do at Rinkel?
My job title is Junior Marketer for the Spanish market. It's a role that involves collaborating in the implementation of marketing strategies, content creation, social media management, market analysis and support in marketing campaigns.

I work hand in hand with my colleague Silvina, lead marketing in Spain, and the rest of the marketing team in Rotterdam. One of the most important requirements of my role is to keep up with the latest marketing trends and tools.

What is the first thing people think when they hear your name?
The truth is that I don't know. It seems to me that since most of my colleagues are not from Spain, when they hear my name they immediately know that I am Maria the Catalan, since my name is so common here!

Do you have a nickname in the office?
Not as far as I know! But you never know with these things... my colleague Anja always says that I speak very fast and it's hard for her to understand my Spanish. I wouldn't be surprised by a nickname related to that!

My friends from Oxford used to say that we Spaniards sound like “Speedy Gonzalez” speaking, maybe that's it?

What do you like most about working at Rinkel?
When I started working at Rinkel, we were quite early in the process of launching in Spain. That means I had the opportunity to experience the launch in the Spanish market completely.

I also highly value learning and professional growth and I enjoy the work environment. Most of my colleagues are quite young, and if they are not, they definitely feel that way!

In every plan we have, we always sit together to see what the best approach is.

What do you like most about team marketing?
I like that even though we all work from different places, communication is very good. I always know what my colleagues are working on and that makes everything go in sync.

In addition, when a new project arises, we propose "brainstorming" meetings and in these sessions all kinds of ideas appear and we are always surprised and discover new things.

Do you have a lifehack on how to stay focused?
To be honest, at first it was difficult for me to get into the role of working from home 3 days a week, without distractions and finishing all of my tasks.

My colleague Silvina suggested me to write down in my own calendar the distribution of tasks by hours. It worked perfectly! Now, if I get too caught up in a task, an alarm goes off so I don't forget about any other tasks that day.

Also, I sometimes resort to breathing techniques or take short breaks to refresh my mind and stay focused on my responsibilities.

Who inspires you?
The truth is that I have had many people in my life who have influenced me in the world of work, especially my family. Unline my brothers, who knew for years what they wanted to do when they grew up, I was looking for my path.

My parents always encouraged me to work in the summers when I was studying. That energetic spirit made me "dance" from one place to another until I found my place.

What’s your favorite quote?
Last year I decided to spend my summer in Oxford to improve my English. Here, I met an incredible family who welcomed me as one of their own. I was at a difficult moment in my life, looking for the right path to take and my time in England helped me a lot.

The last day before I left they gave me a painting with this sentence that I will always remember:

What’s your favorite office saying?
"When do we eat?"

I'm kidding, but I do love food! Thinking about food definitely motivates me a lot when I'm working.

If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be and why?
The truth is that I had never asked myself this question, but last year I went to see a Frida Khalo exhibition in Barcelona, ​​it was impressive.

His perspective on seeing life made me reflect a lot. A suffering person, with a difficult life who always sees the bright side of everything.

What is your archetype?

Maria is almost 50% explorer! Explorers are drawn to the unknown, whether it's a Himalayan peak or an untravelled path, and they thirst for adventure. They go on trips, not holidays. They also have a touch of the 31% Rebel. The Rebel is comfortable throwing caution to the wind and bucking the system, if it means getting their point across. Finally Maria has a 23% Intellectual. She is the quintessential dinner party guest. Interesting questions and thoughtful debates are her trademarks.

What’s your favorite drink?
I don't have one in particular. I love so much, from a good coffee to a red wine with an intense flavor.

I am something of a "geek" when it comes to both specialty coffee and good wine with a designation of origin.

What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I have two main passions, music and sports. I practise rock climbing, pilates, acro yoga, enjoy hiking in the mountains, skiing... even wakeboarding. You could say I'm the typical person who tries everything but isn't good at anything! Haha. 

As for music, I have always lived music with great intensity and that is why I am starting to play music in some places as a DJ to show others how music can always change your mood for the better.

I love making the most of my free time to recharge and enjoy the things I'm passionate about.