Meet Andrea Figueroa, our first female team member who came to create order in this whole adventure. Before Andrea joined our team, Paco, Alejandro, Hugo, Alan and I (Diego) fought our own organization issues, worked in a smaller office and Andrea's feminine touch was crucial. She has helped us in many areas, which for a start-up is a crucial skill to have.
In Andrea's case, she began to support us in the commercial department by attending functions for our card reader sales (mPOS) , engaging potential business prospects, following up with clients and customer service. In parallel with these activities, she also managed the team’s calendar, maintaining a productive agenda, so that any meeting, flight or team conference was under her control.
Not only have we seen her grow professionally, but personally as well. Her husband, Andres along with their two little daughters, Ximena and Amelia, visit us on a regular basis infecting us with their joy and laughter.
What is your role at BelugaPay?
At Beluga Pay, we keep track of all transactions that are made each day, in conjunction with our operations and administration team. Personally, I am responsible for reviewing these transactions and electronic vouchers that support each operation. The quantity of each transaction is reviewed and primary importance is given to reviewing signatures. Verifying that the signature is correct is critical, if not, there is a protocol we need to follow.
This is my most important task at hand while my team acts as the filter so our clients can receive their deposits on time.
In addition, I review unrecognised charges and liaise with our acquiring bank for sales, purchasing, and invoicing. All of this is done in conjunction with our finance department and operations team to ensure our company is functioning optimally.
What do you like most about working at BelugaPay?
Beluga Pay is my second home. Beyond being my workplace, I see it as the space I feel most productive, where I arrive and forget about my problems or personal matters and develop my personal knowledge and skills instead. I love interacting with my teammates at Beluga Pay, I consider them not just co-workers but close friends.
I have enjoyed meeting different people from all parts of the world, people that I admire for their intelligence and capacity to mobilise such a huge project. It is a great privilege to see how passionate my development team is. I would not be able to single out just one person above anyone else but they all have my utmost respect and admiration for their commitment and performance.
Beluga Pay is not common office environment, it is very special, as we are always in constant communication. We have difficult days and days where we have more time to relax and have a little more fun. This makes our work load seem more manageable. I recommend this dynamic to most offices, so that work becomes your second home.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
My free time is completely dedicated to my two daughters, they are my motivation to wake up every morning and wanting to become a better person. We sometimes go to the park, movie theater, out to eat and visit family.
How many tasks can you do at a time?
In the area I work in, I'm always multitasking.
What motivates you to do your job?
My motivation as I've mentioned before are Amelia (5 months) and Ximena (5 years). They encourage me to be a better person, to work and provide them with the best. My children motivate me to wake up every morning with a smile and continue to move forward, because I know in the future they will follow in my footsteps. Although many sacrifices need to be made, especially time, I'd like them to be proud of me when they grow up and one day understand all the sacrifices you have to make as a mother.
We understand you've been with BelugaPay since the beginning and you've worked in different areas. What have you learned in each area and how did you get to where you are now?
I believe being part of the project from the very beginning has given me a great understanding of each operation of the company. Being part of our sales team, I learned how our app worked and to be at hand of the developers to provide support to our clients. At the same time being the right hand of our CEO, Alejandro Avila, as his personal assistant has made me aware of the level of responsibility he carries. As there is so much going on in his head, at times I have to try to guess what he needs or what he is thinking. You might not be aware of how busy he is until you read his schedule (which is always full!)
Knowledge of all these different areas of Beluga Pay makes my work life easier and my hours spent, more productive.
Thank you Andrea! We look forward to working with you for many years to come!
