Employee Spotlight: Alexandru Toderasc | Blogs

Your journey at Access began somewhat unexpectedly. How did that moment of “pure luck” shape the career path you’ve built since joining the company?

I was alone in the office at my previous job when a colleague I hadn't seen in months walked in to celebrate her last day. She told me about The Access Group and asked if I'd like to send a CV over. At that point, I was stuck - bad pay, overwhelming work, no way out. So I said yes immediately and got a call within 12 hours. What struck me from that first call was how human and sincere the approach was. I even mentioned I'm a musician with long hair and earrings, just to make sure that wouldn't be an issue. The hiring manager explained how open and accepting Access is, and that mattered to me as much as getting the job itself. So here I was with the opportunity of becoming a Web Lead for The Access Group. A moment that changed my life.

You experienced an “incredible learning curve” early on. What were the most defining lessons that helped you build resilience and grow in your role?

The first month was a bit WOW. Impostor syndrome hit hard, everyone around me was so prepared and driven. But I quickly realised how much a tight, supportive team matters. I told my manager early on that I wanted to evolve as fast as I could and I was encouraged to do exactly that. I was free to think outside the box, free to learn and contribute. I realised I wasn't just a number on a pay slip and that my 20 years of digital marketing experience mattered here. Having the right tools, support from management and a "people first" culture, that's what helped me grow.

You mentioned receiving tremendous support from your manager and team during one of the hardest personal moments of your life. What does this experience say about the leadership culture at Access?

The day I started at Access was the day my mother passed. I thought it would leave a mark, being the new guy with a personal crisis on day one. But everyone, from my direct manager to HR, had my back. It made me understand this place was genuinely different. People came first, work-life balance mattered and I felt safe knowing that when life happens, you're not in danger. Through the years, I've seen this behavior define Access consistently.

Your role evolved rapidly, from Web Lead to Web Manager to Digital Product Executive. What factors enabled this progression and how did Access support you along the way?

What really enabled my progression wasn't just technical expertise, it was learning how to work with and through people. I shifted from individual contributor to team enabler. I started understanding what colleagues across sales and marketing actually needed and learned to translate complex data into stories that resonated with different audiences. Access made this possible in tangible ways. My managers coached me on stakeholder communication and gave me opportunities to present to senior leadership even when I wasn't sure I was ready. I was given autonomy to experiment and the safety to learn from mistakes. Without the guidance and trust from Not for Profit team's leadership, the Web Leads community, the Digital Product Owner community and Central team's leadership, my path would have been totally different. So thank you everybody!

You’ve described internal mobility as transparent and results‑driven. What advice would you give to colleagues hoping to transition into new roles within Access?

Start contributing beyond your job description before you're asked to. When I wanted to

move into more strategic work, I started solving problems that mattered to the wider team and building frameworks others could use. Build genuine relationships across functions. Internal mobility at Access works because people know your capabilities and your character, not just your CV. Be vocal about your aspirations with your manager, ask for honest feedback, and actually work on those areas. Access will give you tools and opportunities, but you must drive your own progression.

As someone working remotely from the very beginning, how have you felt included, supported and connected to the wider Access culture?

I never felt like a "remote employee", just part of the team. Regular 1:1s, team syncs and cross-functional collaborations were real conversations where my input mattered. Access has a trust-based culture, I'm measured on impact, not whether someone sees me at a desk. The tools enable collaboration, but it's the people that make it work. Location is just logistics; culture is what matters.

Access to cutting‑edge technology has been one of your highlights. How does this empower your team in delivering better digital products for clients in the public and nonprofit sectors?

Having AI tools has transformed how we work. Tasks that used to take hours, SEO optimisation, content analysis, customer journey mapping , now happen in minutes with better accuracy. For our education and non-profit clients, we can optimise for generative search engines, personalise digital experiences at scale and make real-time data-driven decisions. Access ensures we're not just keeping pace with the AI shift, we're ahead of it. It's genuinely exciting to work somewhere that invests in both technology and people.