Episode 7

The
Spark
 


Episode 7 - 12 April 2018

All’s well that eats well

Ana Maria Alvarez is a nurturing spirit, through and through. She tells of a hungry world; one in which caring for people is a necessity. It’s an accurate picture, but one we don’t always like to look at. Yet Ana’s not afraid to face this – and the many other challenges of work and life – head-on.

Not only does Ana provide for her family, friends, coworkers; not only is she developing cooking products that help people cook healthy and delicious recipes; but she’s dreaming of a kind of ‘stone soup,’ in which stomachs are full of food and meals are full of love.
 

“Now that I work for ‘Kitchen,’ I’m very sure this is the path I’d like to continue,” she says.
 

As Consumer Marketing Manager in our Kitchen Appliances division, or ‘Kitchen’ as she calls it, Ana surrounds herself with her favorite things. Namely, food and other foodies.
 

Ana landed on her current career by listening to her heart. Before this, she found herself expounding a lot of energy and simply noticed that her heart was ‘jumping’ less. It’s not an easy thing to observe, but she took note of it. And when the right opportunity for her arrived, she took note of that too.
 

At the time, the spark of inspiration was clear: “I will direct my professional expertise and education and will somehow turn it in to helping others in need,” she says.
 

Having a daughter herself, Ana is greatly concerned with how the first world treats the rest of the world; and how the possibility exists every day and in many ways to give back. How the luck of the draw can have such deep, resounding impact on someone’s life.

When personal passion crosses into a career: "Food is joy," says Ana. Working in Kitchen Appliances, she's been able to turn joy into a full time job.

Like most people, Ana deeply feels for the troubles of our world. “It’s just heartbreaking that you cannot fix it. The whole system is just broken,” she says.
 

But although she sometimes feels “sad and powerless and a bit useless,” this has never stopped Ana from pursuing her goals. Instead, it motivates her to put herself into a position – and in a career – where she can benefit others.

Dedicated to making life better

 

Working in two other Philips businesses before her current role, her career switch is another example of worlds colliding.
 

When in her former role in haircare, “I was talking about food. When I was in coffee I was talking about food 24/7 with colleagues. … And now I’m getting paid to talk about food!”


It was a moment when personal passion crossed with her career, and she seized it. Suddenly, one of her passions became her full time job.

“I’m connecting the dots with my job and my passion for food”

Of course, when talking about her work for a Cambodian NGO, Ana spends most of the time describing the menu, skipping over the solar lamp that she helped design – the one that literally turned night into day for people who didn’t have electricity.
 

But if you pay attention, you’ll hear how motivated Ana truly is, and you’ll understand why she’s interested in human fuel.
 

“I’m connecting the dots with my job, my passion for food...and my strong will to start actively, eventually, helping a community,” she enthuses.
 

It’s clear from talking to Ana that she loves her work and the products she works on. It’s also no coincidence. She’s simply found the avenue to work in the field she was most interested in. Of course it didn’t exist at the time, so she, with the help of her team at Phillips, had to invent it.

How did Ana do it – and how could you do it too? Here are her 5 tips for career success:

  • Be able to work in multidisciplinary teams

  • Be efficient and pragmatic

  • Be passionate about the process as well as the product

  • Be independent and trust yourself

  • Enjoy working in a bit of chaos

Episode 7 video thumbnail

Listen to the podcast to hear Ana’s story, including some Airfryer baking adventures, why she believes food is joy, and the motivation to give back.

What’s the career you’re really looking for? Have a look at our vacancies, and see if something makes your heart jump.

A dynamic career that no one could have planned.
Even you.

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