Carmen Gálvez, Peruvian IM student and Digital Marketing Strategist

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Carmen Gálvez is a journalist who specializes in digital marketing, combining the skills that marketing departments in companies most need. She moved from her native Peru to Barcelona, ​​where she has been working in digital marketing for various companies for 10 years, always complementing her work with specialized training to continue growing as a professional. She recently worked at the startup Mayordomo Smart Lockers, a company born of digital transformation. She tells us about her career in the following interview.

With a journalism degree under your belt, when did you become interested in digital marketing?
My first exposure to digital marketing came in 2004, creating content for project newsletters that we distributed via email. However , it wasn't until 2011 in Barcelona, ​​working as a content manager for an entertainment website, that I felt the calling of digital chile mobile database marketing. There, I learned about several of the facets and possibilities offered by the online world, so I began looking for courses on content and social media to stay up-to-date. I also had a boss who saw my potential, placed a high value on professional development , and shared with me topics such as commercial marketing, advertising networks, analytics, and more, which were new to me and broadened my field.

What were your first work experiences in Peru like, in the judiciary and at Swisscontact? What lessons did you take away from that time?
It actually happened 17 years ago, from my position in charge of institutional image at a Judiciary branch , which is corporate image for private companies. It was actually my internship for my Journalism degree, but I consider it work experience because my tutor left the branch a month after I started, and the administration invited me—as an intern, of course—to take on all the functions of the institutional image section . So I saw it as an opportunity to empower myself and gain experience. My time
at Swisscontact was extremely enriching; I felt valued as a professional and also as a person. Swisscontact is a Swiss foundation that manages external funds for development projects , and I started as an assistant in the office in the city of Cajamarca, Peru. But we quickly saw the need to communicate what we were doing to both internal and external clients and stakeholders. There were six projects that promoted the economic development of the region by strengthening management and accounting capabilities, improving products and services, etc., so there was a lot of information to draw on. I had an extraordinary boss who trusted me completely, so I also began working as a communications manager; I planned and created content for newsletters, maintained contact with the press, collaborated on the organization of networking events, oversaw the design of promotional materials, among other things.
I also had a stint as a staff journalist for a newspaper , where in addition to covering local news, features, and interviews, I also managed an entertainment column. It was intense and I enjoyed it. I even had to cover a shooting at night, and I still remember how my colleague and I would run through the middle of the gunfire praying we wouldn't get hit by a stray bullet. It was a wonderful time, and I wasn't bad at it, but I realized that street journalism wasn't for me. It's a wonderful job, but it can be very demanding if it's not in your blood, so I left for another offer. I've always tried to work on something I truly enjoy; that's something I've always been very clear about.

Why did you decide to move to Barcelona? How did the city welcome you?
Because of my previous relationship. I decided to pursue that personal project here in Spain and leave the professional development I was experiencing in Peru, but as they say, life is everything that happens to you while you're making other plans, and that's how it is. Since I arrived in Barcelona, ​​I've always felt at home . Two months later, I started studying Catalan to integrate and because I'm drawn to languages, and I didn't stop until I reached level C. Barcelona has introduced me to positive people who have supported me, offered me various opportunities and ways to continue my education , and offered me jobs that have been the first step toward growth. It's also given me a family that drives me forward.