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Building a trust-based talent community: A conversation with Andreea Lungulescu, Founder of Talent Crunch Berlin

Fair Cultures is proud to introduce our partnership with Talent Crunch Berlin and granting a special 20% discount to all community members to Europe's leading Inclusion and Workplace Culture Conference in Barcelona - May 15th, Joan Miro Museum, Barcelona, Spain.


Follow Talent Crunch here and join our SPECIAL EDITION of FAIR DIALOGUES

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📅 March 11, 2025 | 🕒 Time: 16:00 CET / 15:00 GMT / 10:00 EST | 📍 Live on LinkedIn


Partnership poster with talent crunch berlin

Now, let's dive into our interview with Andreea and learn more about the talent community she has built:


Tell me about the journey to create Talent Crunch - what gap or opportunity did you see? What makes the Talent Crunch community unique in DACH's business ecosystem?

In fairness, Talent Crunch - Berlin was born out of a very personal frustration: the lack of truly engaged and collaborative communities for talent professionals in the DACH region. For years, I noticed how disconnected our industry often felt, so many talented people, yet no cohesive space where we could exchange ideas, tackle challenges, and collectively grow.


I believed that we needed more than just another “online networking group”. I envisioned a vibrant, solution-focused hub where talent professionals could connect authentically, share resources, and collaborate on improving the way we approach hiring, retention, and culture-building in Europe.


What sets us apart are three core elements:

  1. Our distinctive vibe

  2. Carefully curated content and speakers

  3. Exceptional execution of events and initiatives


We've built a trust-based ecosystem where professionals tackle real-world challenges through Blue Horn workshops, industry reports, and candid Slack discussions. In DACH's traditionally formal business landscape, we're pioneering a more dynamic, grassroots approach to professional community-building - one that emphasizes collaboration over competition.

quote by andreea: I recognised a shared ethos: the belief that creating inclusive, equitable environments is non-negotiable. 

Looking at our partnership today - what possibilities made you say "this is the right fit"? How do you see both communities benefiting and growing together through this collaboration?

Well, truthfully, I recognised a shared ethos: the belief that creating inclusive, equitable environments is non-negotiable. 

Also, watching everything you built with Fair Barcelona in 2024 and the level of excellence you held in the curation and delivery of the event - there are so many values shared between our initiatives!

And both our communities are rooted in driving systemic change, albeit in slightly different ways.


For Talent Crunch, this partnership opens up a space to elevate the conversation around DEI, inclusivity, and belonging within the talent space. I want to give people actionable insights and resources, especially for those who want to lead their organisations with fairness and equity.


I see us creating moments that inspire and challenge our members and longer-term: co-hosted events, cross-community discussions, and thought leadership pieces that make people stop and think.



Can you share some transformative moments you've witnessed within the Talent Crunch community? What kind of connections and relationships have you seen develop that really stand out?

There have been so many moments that stand out, but I remember when we just started out, I shared on the TC page (on a whim, honestly) a job someone from my network was advertising for. Only to find out 3 weeks later, at an event, that they filled the role with someone who saw the ad, from my community. I was happy for them both, really!


I’ve also seen companies find each other through Talent Crunch, partnerships, collaborations, and even full-scale hiring initiatives sparked by a single Slack thread. One of my proudest moments was hearing that two smaller startups connected through our network and later co-hosted an event to tackle employee benefits challenges, completely driven by the relationships they built here.


People found real friendships, finding that sense of belonging. Myself included! That’s the heartbeat of Talent Crunch: building a space where people support each other in a way that feels genuine and enduring.


Audience clapping at an event. Text: "Our Community in NUMBERS", "Talent Crunch Berlin", "3,000+ Active Members", "134% Monthly Growth", "9.2 Average NPS", "18+ Events".
Check out the community Website
How has leading this community shaped your own professional journey? What drives you to keep building and nurturing this community?

Without wanting to transition into a glorified Community Leader, I am not exaggerating when I say that the experience is transformative. It has given me the chance to connect with some of the most brilliant, driven, and innovative people in the talent space while challenging me to think bigger about what’s possible.


On a personal level, it’s been a journey of rediscovery, redefining my own purpose as not just a talent leader but as someone who facilitates growth and connection for others. In the last 6 months alone, I helped 4 people get jobs, directly, my network improved tremendously and so have my skills.

I gathered new skills, unlearned some others, it really is a path which I did not think about when I stepped on…and now it has proven to be a really rewarding one. My heart is so so happy when I have feedback such as “I found my dream job thanks to the community” or “that meetup help me change how I approach my team’s projects” - one can say that I’m here for the ripple effects.

A woman, Andreea Lungulescu, in a red dress sits smiling on a boat at sunset. Calm lake and trees in the background. Peaceful and relaxed mood.
Andreea Lungulescu | Photo by Arundhati Shenoy
Where do you see Talent Crunch's biggest opportunities for impact in the coming years? How might this partnership help realise that vision?

The biggest opportunities for Talent Crunch lie in scaling our impact while staying true to our roots. I envision us hosting flagship conferences, expanding our workshops into more cities across DACH, and building even more resources that empower talent professionals to navigate complex challenges like skills-based hiring, DEI implementation, and overall humanity in (what will be a partially) AI-driven world.


This partnership with Fair Cultures is such a stepping stone for us. Together, we can bring fresh perspectives to the table, particularly around inclusivity and belonging, which are foundational to building future-ready teams. And doing it in a way that prioritises ethics, inclusion, and humanity in every step.


Through this collaboration, I want us to bring confidence and empowerment to our people and to provide the tools and frameworks to turn those conversations into action.


That’s the impact I’m excited about, so I can’t wait to see what we build together.

 

If you too are interested in our community partnerships, reach out at contact@faircultures.com.





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