About us
Embark on a digital journey where your vision is amplified, and your brand’s potential is unleashed. We’re not just a boutique Digital Business Management agency; we’re your collaborative catalysts for growth and creativity. We specialize in empowering coaches, creatives, and service providers to focus on what they do best โ inspiring change and driving innovation.
Our clients are the trailblazers and dreamers who have embarked on a mission to enrich lives through their expertise and creativity. Are you part of this dynamic group seeking to make a lasting impact? Let’s connect and discover how we can elevate your venture to new heights.
By partnering with us, you gain more than streamlined operations; you gain a team dedicated to expanding your vision. We thrive in creating reliable systems, time-efficient processes, and delivering crystal-clear strategies. This is our forte, our promise to you.
Ready to transform your business from routine to remarkable? Let’s journey together towards seamless growth.
The future is bold, brilliant, and yours for the taking.
Welcome to Free the Digital!
I’m Ioana Stepanov, your guide in the digital business landscape.
With over 15 years of experience in business development and a passion for creating meaningful relationships, I created Free the Digital so I could live a life worth talking about.
But more than just putting food on the table, I also wanted to meet wise and kind people in the creative industry and help them bring their vision to life, wherever they are in the world – are you one of them? ๐
In 2019, I quit my corporate job as a Regional Business Development Manager for a large European insurance company and embarked the entrepreneurship boat.
My journey since then has been nothing less than interesting (yes, with the thousand and one meanings behind this word), with a mission to reshape the way business management is perceived, beyond the hustle and bustle, focusing on the person behind the business idea.
I started out as a Virtual Assistant, and since then, my business and my skills evolved to meet the growing needs of my clients. In 2021 I spread my wings and created The Free Team – and what you now now as Free The Digital.
Today, aside from leading my team members to becoming the best versions of the individuals and professionals they can be, my focus is on building purpose-driven brands and scaling businesses through process optimization, system implementation, and effective delegation strategies, all while continuously enhancing my skills to stay ahead in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
Originally from Bucharest, Romania, I’m based in Prague, Czech Republic – I spend copius amounts of time traveling with my partner while working from postcard-looking locations around the world and drinking all the coconut shakes I can get my hands on.
You can also find me reading on the beach, pulling weights in a CrossFit gym, petting random cats or dancing the night away at a music festival – to a life worth talking about!
Education:
๐น Brand Strategy Bootcamp – Brand Rebel Academy by Anneli Hanson (online, October 2023)
๐ธ Dubsado Specialist Certification – Dubsado, a Customer Relationship Management platform (online, April 2022)
๐น Digital Business Management – DBM Bootcamp by Deya Aliaga Kuhnle (online, March 2021)
๐ธ Virtual Assistance – Virtual Excellence Academy by Hannah Dixon at Digital Nomad Kit (online, May 2019)
๐น Master of Business Management & Communication – Faculty of Communication and Public Relations at SNSPA (Romania, February 2009)
๐ธ Bachelor in Business Administration – Faculty of Tourism and Commerce Management at Universitatea Crestina “Dimitrie Cantemir” Bucuresti (Romania, July 2007)
Services provided:
๐ธ On a project basis:
– Brand Strategy
– Project & Launch Management
– Dubsado DFY set-up / Dubsado Account Audit
– Clarity & Strategy Call + 90-days action plan
๐น Monthly retainers:
– Digital Business Management: Operations Management, Team Management
Want to pick my brain on work, entrepreneurship, and/or the digital nomad lifestyle?
I’m happy to help – book yourself a 60′ consultation call and let’s chat!
No strings attached, no sleazy sales tactics, no marketing funnels. Just you, me, our two brainz and a conversation where you get to ask me whatever your heart desires. ๐
Meet my rockstars
The Free Team.
Here are the exceptional people that take the brand and operations strategy we create for your business, with you in its center, and turn it into reality!
Jeni Zฤnoagฤ
– GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jen is our creative powerhouse in brand and web design.
With a passion for visual storytelling that began years ago, Jeni brings a wealth of experience to our team. Her design philosophy centers on simplicity, symmetry, and meticulous attention to detail, underpinned by a can-do attitude that ensures every project is not just completed but mastered.
Jen’s ability to transform concepts into visually stunning designs makes her an integral part of our team’s mission to elevate your brand’s visual impact.
Cristina Cฤluean
– VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
Cris is the empathetic ear and problem-solving heart of our team.
Known for her warm and engaging demeanor, she effortlessly connects with clients, ensuring their needs are not just understood but anticipated.
Specializing in General Administration and Community Management, Cristina’s dedication to personal growth and customer services is unmatched โ her commitment to excellence and continuous learning guarantees that your administrative tasks are in capable and caring hands, delivered with a smile on her face too.
Gabriela Singureanu
– AUTOMATION SPECIALIST
Gabi is passionate about automating business processes like a kid in a candy store.
With a client-centric approach, Gabi excels at process mapping, documenting, and defining automation requirements while adhering to best practices.
She understands the human element in business operations and skillfully adapts automation to align with work styles. Her approach ensures systems operate efficiently without overextending their capabilities, maintaining optimal performance and user satisfaction.
Services provided:
Services provided:
Services provided:
๐น Graphic Design: website design and optimization, mage content creation for social media and websites, eBooks & marketing materials, merchandising, etc
๐ธ Admin: inbox management, calendar organization, file management, basic bookkeeping, research, etc
๐น Customer Service: client communication, community management, creating and managing live events, etc
๐ธ Process: research & documentation, SOP creation & management, process mapping, workflow design, etc
๐น Tech & Systems: CRM tools setup (Dubsado, Acuity, Slack, etc), email marketing automation, troubleshooting tech hiccups, etc
Overwhelmed at the thought of having to hire multiple specialists with diverse working methods, communication styles and preferred platforms?
Book a chemistry call and let’s get you a team with a multitude of skills and a unified approach:
1, 2, 3 – easy!
Trust the process.
We’ve been there, too: it’s hard to read the label from inside the jar. We’re here to help you identify your business needs and step in exactly where you need us to.ย Here’s what our process looks like:
Book a free discovery call
After you book the call, we send you a discovery call questionnaire so you can prepare the answers in advance.
During the call, we will discuss your needs & check our fit.
If all works well for fit, weโll identify the type of services we offer that best suit your needs and send over a proposal for you to review & accept.
Structure & implementation
Then the fun part starts!
Weโll sign a contract that will keep us all accountable & on task.
Weโll send over a client worksheet so we can get to know you even better and tailor recommendations for you.
Weโll talk about the worksheet, how you want to structure your month, whether itโs with recurring calls or something else.
Review & adjust
We check-in and adapt where needed.
After 6 to 12 weeks, we sit down and look at what worked well and what could be improved.
We reassess for fit and discuss if there is both the potential and interest in committing to each other in the long run.
Last but not least, we enjoy growing your business together!
We don’t just use ‘digital’ in our name for nothing: we take pride in testing the latest in tech and digitalizing our work to deliver our services better, faster, and easier. Here’s our toolkit:
We don’t just use ‘digital’ in our name for nothing: we take pride in testing the latest in tech and digitalizing our work to deliver our services better, faster, and easier. Here’s our toolkit:
Doing the things
we believe in:
We strive to go above and beyond prioritizing our client’s best interests, and we don’t hesitate to surpass expectations when necessary to attain a higher objective.
Our growth is tied to the growth of our clients; their progress propels us forward.
We embed freedom into every aspect of our work.
We’re authentic and transparent, empowering our clients with the liberty to make informed decisions – we actively listen to them and provide diverse solutions, never restricting our clients to a one-size-fits-all approach.
We draw from a broad spectrum of industry knowledge while continuing to enhance our expertise, offering unparalleled value to our clients.
This ignites our innovation, driving us to approach every endeavor with eagerness to find creative solutions to complex opportunities.
Ready to hit refresh?
Let's talk and find the best fit for your business!
SERVICES
TRIVIA
๐ธ 45 clients from 10 industries and 11 countries
๐ธ 5 years of activity
๐ธ 8 languages spoken (4 team members)
๐ธ 54 YEARS OF COMBINED WORK EXPERIENCE
Made with โจ by Free the Digital ยฉ 2019-2024