Bogdan Sandu started the Design Your Way blog back in 2008 and now runs Upcut Studio, where he scales client websites to hundreds of thousands of monthly visitors. His early companies were registered in Hong Kong and Paris rather than Romania — and not for tax reasons. Clients in the US and Europe hesitated at Romanian entities. Hong Kong, for whatever reason, didn’t raise an eyebrow.

He’s also cheerfully unimpressed by the scramble to optimize for ChatGPT and friends, calling it a gold rush that pays out about 3% more traffic for all that effort — so Upcut keeps its money on ordinary SEO instead.

We also got into the 28,000-subscriber newsletter he deliberately shrinks, an economics master’s that turned out useful anyway, and a completely unhedged defense of Taylor Swift.

• Why “registered in Hong Kong” opened doors that “registered in Bucharest” didn’t

• The number he puts on LLM traffic — and why he’s not chasing it

• Why he deletes people from a 28,000-person mailing list on purpose

• What surprised him at King of the Court padel night

  
  

Find Bogdan at upcutstudio.com and on X at @bogdansandu.

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Mirela Mateescu runs Vin Oriunde — wine, anywhere — and she means it literally. She’s hosted tastings in a car showroom, a beauty clinic, a hair salon, and, her favorite, on top of Arcul de Triumf. Her argument is that where you drink it and who you’re with are as much a part of the wine as the wine is.

She also insists that a “good nose” isn’t a gift you’re born with — it’s just practice, which is bad news for anyone using “I can’t taste anything” as an excuse.

She offered to train mine, so that’s apparently happening now. Plus: what to actually buy for 100 lei, and why she refuses to name a wine she hates.

We also chat about:

• Why linden blossom sends her straight back to childhood

• The 100-lei bottle she’d grab for a party without thinking twice

• What she’d do for a living if wine disappeared tomorrow (it involves noses either way)

• The wine equivalent of pineapple on pizza — and why she won’t play along

  
  

Find Mirela at vinoriunde.ro, or DM her on Instagram @profadevin if you’re paralyzed in the wine aisle.

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Laura Balan is a Bucharest-based mindset coach, and she runs on one rule that does a lot of heavy lifting: never negotiate with your inner critic. Spot the unhelpful thought, ask whether it’s getting you anywhere, throw it out. No debate, no three-hour internal committee meeting.

She’s also refreshingly unimpressed by toxic positivity — her take is that your nervous system knows when you’re lying to it, so chanting that everything is wonderful does approximately nothing.

Confidence comes from doing hard things and finishing them. Along the way we get into:

• Why your nervous system quietly rejects affirmations it doesn’t believe

• The habit Laura swears by — it takes about four seconds

• What a 9-year-old missing basketball shots teaches you about resilience

• The client who was losing her hair over a job she was genuinely great at

  
  

Find Laura at laurabalan.com on Instagram @laurabalan.mindbalance.

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• 3rd Space Bucharest — sign up to hear about events & new podcast episodes

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Connect with Eric

Some people build companies.

Others build communities.

This week I sat down with Ioana Ioanăș, who somehow manages to do both while leading one of Bucharest's Rotaract clubs, organizing charity projects, and helping young professionals prepare for an AI-powered world.

We talk about why volunteering is one of the fastest ways to grow, the surprising lesson she learned at the U.S. Embassy, why "creating moments that matter" has become her life philosophy, and how stepping outside your comfort zone keeps opening unexpected doors.

It's a fun, 8-minute conversation about purpose, generosity, and why the people who give the most often end up receiving the biggest opportunities.

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• 3rdSpaceBucharest (learn about monthly events & 3rd Space AI Circle)

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What do balloon animals, London street performances, and mortgage loans have in common?

Antonela Vulpe, apparently.

Before helping Romanians buy homes, she spent 15 years in the arts, making balloon giraffes for kids on the streets of London (and somehow making a surprisingly good living doing it).

In this short conversation, we talk about why people often buy houses they can't actually afford, the emotional side of money, why financial trauma is more common than most people realize, and how meditation helps quiet a busy mind.

We also cover her favorite Romanian city, why The Odyssey is really a story about life, and how one sad clown accidentally scared away a child in London.

A fun 8-minute conversation about careers, money, and the unexpected paths that lead us home.

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• 3rd Space Bucharest newsletter (find out when new episodes are released)

• 3rdSpaceBucharest (learn about monthly events)

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What if the best networking trick wasn't networking at all?

This week I sat down with Livia Ioniță, who accidentally discovered something while planning her own wedding: strangers can feel like lifelong friends in just a few hours—if you create the right environment.

We talk about why people are tired of performing, the invisible psychology behind memorable events, why dancing is secretly great life advice, and the tiny details (like music and timing) that most guests never notice—but always feel.

It's a fun, 8-minute conversation about building communities where people can finally relax, be themselves, and leave with more than just another LinkedIn connection.

Connect with Eric

• 3rd Space Bucharest newsletter (find out when new episodes are released)

• 3rdSpaceBucharest (learn about monthly events)

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What do corporate executives and detectives have in common?

According to Steliana Moraru, quite a lot.

In this short conversation, we talk about why Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot would probably make a great business strategist, how she evaluates startups, and why founder chemistry matters more than most people realize.

We also discuss her signature sarmale recipe, the surprising gap between her polished LinkedIn profile and real life, and why she believes businesses should obsess less about growth and more about keeping customers happy.

A quick conversation about startups, leadership, detective work, and the important role that chili peppers play in Romanian cuisine.

🎙️ 3rd Space Bucharest is a series of short conversations with interesting people from the community—the kind of conversations that happen when people stop talking about job titles and start talking about what actually interests them. 🍷🇷🇴

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Most CEOs spend their free time reading business books.

Dimana Vlaeva spends hers thinking about Ancient Egypt, science fiction, and how people make decisions.

In this short conversation, we talk about why she'd most like to meet Ramses II, what debt recovery has taught her about responsibility, and why she thinks people spend far too much time worrying about the past.

We also discuss moving from Bulgaria to Bucharest, the surprisingly underrated beauty of Bucharest's parks, and her recent deep dive into the world of crypto and blockchain.

A quick conversation about leadership, human nature, Ancient Egypt, and why sometimes the best way forward is to stop looking backward.

🎙️ 3rd Space Bucharest is a series of short conversations with interesting people from the community—the kind of conversations you'd rather have over a glass of wine than in a boardroom. 🍷🇷🇴

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Most people struggle to finish one startup.

Tiberiu Andrei has started ten.

In this short conversation, we talk about building an AI that plays Mortal Kombat, why completing a Half Ironman was easier than building a company, and why he believes too many people are becoming "AI slop creators."

We also discuss the startup idea he would build if he had to start from zero tomorrow, the Romanian startups he's excited about, and why "What do you do?" might be the worst networking question ever invented.

A quick conversation about startups, AI, endurance, and what happens when curiosity becomes a lifestyle.

🎙️ 3rd Space Bucharest is a series of short conversations with interesting people from the community—the kind of conversations that usually happen after the icebreakers are over and the drinks arrive. 🍷🇷🇴

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After spending three years in South Korea, Mihaela Mărănițu returned to Romania with a few unexpected habits: eating with chopsticks whenever possible and occasionally bowing to senior colleagues without realizing it. 😄

In this short conversation, we talk about the culture shock of arriving in Seoul, why she still prefers tennis over padel, her surprising love for Michael Jackson, and what life in Korea taught her about human connection.

We also discuss something many of us struggle with: spending less time on our phones and more time with the people sitting right in front of us.

A quick conversation about travel, culture, sport, and why authentic relationships might be more valuable than another hour of scrolling.

🎙️ 3rd Space Bucharest is a series of short conversations with interesting people from the community—the kind of things you'd normally talk about over drinks, not on LinkedIn. 🍷🇷🇴

Connect with Eric

• • 3rd Space Bucharest newsletter (sign up to hear about events)

  • 3rdSpaceBucharest

  • 3rd Space Bucharest on Instagram