Vera Teixeira has been a valuable member of the Ambitious team for two decades

In the world of footwear, commitment and passion are key ingredients for success. Today, we will take you on a journey through time and experience as we sit down with one of our remarkable Ambitious team members, who has dedicated two decades to our brand. Meet Vera Teixeira, a true embodiment of dedication, passion, and experience.

Who are you? Tell us a bit about your story: where were you born, what were the values you grew up with, and how do you apply them in life in general and specifically in your work.

I'm Vera, I'm 39 years old, and I currently reside in Vila Nova de Gaia. I grew up in Vizela, where values like respect, honesty, and responsibility were the cornerstones of my upbringing, making me a determined person ready to face challenges. This reflects in both my personal and professional life, as I've been with Ambitious for two decades, witnessing its growth. I'm constantly looking for ways to improve and facilitate the work of the entire team, always striving for continuous improvement. In summary, I'm constantly seeking to be a better person, both for myself and for others.

Tell us your story, Vera. How did you enter the footwear sector, and what has been your journey over the years at Ambitious?

When I was younger, I wanted to become a kindergarten teacher, as you can see, nothing to do with shoes! But in my family, most people worked or still work in the footwear industry, so from a very young age, I heard about shoes and saw my aunts sewing shoes by hand on weekends. With the possibility of moving to Felgueiras, my parents enrolled me in the Polivalent Footwear course, where I learned to perform various tasks in all production sectors. The course had not yet ended, and the same school opened registrations to take the Footwear Styling and Modeling course. I fell in love with the course and enrolled. In mid-February 2003, when I completed the course, I had the opportunity to come work for Ambitious, and I've been here ever since. Initially, I started by dealing with sample processes, from cutting by hand, driving the samples through various sectors until they were delivered to the customer. Later on, I began making adjustments to the models, which were still quite manual at the time, and this marked the beginning of my journey in modeling. However, I didn't feel very motivated, as the future wouldn't involve manual modeling. So, I sought a solution and took a more updated CAD-CAM course. Fortunately, the company supported my quest for improvement, and three months later, we had the first CAD-CAM station at Ambitious. Since then, I've been in the industrialization department, developing everything necessary to produce orders.

Tell us about your hobbies, what you do to stay positive, inspired, and energized?

I have several hobbies, such as traveling, reading, walking in nature, going to the beach, watching movies, and doing sports at the gym and in the pool. I'm also a catechist, but dancing is my greatest challenge and passion. In 2019, I enrolled in a dance school to learn to dance. The gym, dance, and a connection with nature balance my energy. Interactions with friends, reading, and traveling provide me with experiences and inspiration. Sharing ideas and experiences enriches me, and I often apply what I learn in my daily life.

How do you see the world and how you manage your relationships with others?

I see an increasingly demanding world, with many challenges and a lot of competition. Like everything, it has its good side, but it's also becoming, in my opinion, a more selfish and self-centered world. For me, it's not the ideal world, as I believe that all people are valuable; each has qualities and competencies. In cases where I don't identify with someone's way of being or thinking, I simply respect their point of view. I don't like to get into conflicts.

Tell us about your workday/work routine. What functions do you perform and how do you manage them?

In my department, we perform various functions, including:

• Procurement and purchase of raw materials.
• Development and testing of soles, forms, insoles, and footbeds.
• Modeling and improvement of models for customers and production.
• Development of cutting tools and preparation for machine cutting.
• Task management according to the company's needs and deadlines.

I already have some tasks lined up for each collaborator, which helps manage the workload better. Promoting sharing, since the beginning of this year, I try to create the habit of having a snack or sharing a few minutes of the day to be with/talk to my office colleague. I do this so that each of us feels closer and more at ease. We don't follow a specific daily routine, but we adapt our tasks according to the company's demands and established deadlines.

What challenges do you face in managing your team, and how do you inspire positivity and attitude?

Working in a team is not an easy task, but over time, I try to organize the work better, anticipate some processes, set the tasks and responsibilities of each, and promote a spirit of mutual assistance. Of course, each of us has a different personality or approach, but by knowing how to respect each other, everything falls into place and works. I make an effort to recognize and praise the good that has been done, always motivating to do better. When things don't go so well, I encourage that the next task will go better. Sharing ideas/suggestions for improvement and being open to listening to other opinions.

I often say, just because someone does it, doesn't mean I have to or will do it. A different attitude with someone will generate different behavior. So if something isn't right, the first change always has to start with us.

To be Ambitious is to be and do better, every day!