Cintia Nunes is the general manager and head of The Mills Fabrica in Hong Kong, the go-to platform for sustainability, impact and innovation in ‘techstyle’, a term that refers to the convergence of technology and lifestyle. The company also has a presence in the agrifood tech space via Fabrica’s investment portfolio, incubation program, interactive spaces and its environmental and social impact accountability.Prior to joining Fabrica, Cintia worked in strategy, insights and marketing at an FMCG multinational company where she focused on assessing consumer behavior insights and formalizing business strategies for more than 10 brands. She then pivoted to a Series A apparel startup where she helped drive brand awareness, customer acquisition, and retail and customer experience. Subsequently, she joined a social impact platform, where she helped to pivot its business model, making it one of the prominent ecosystem builders in Hong Kong through advocacy, bridging of resources and strategic partnerships.With a strong passion for driving social impact and systemic change, she is a strong advocate for cross-sector collaborations. In an exclusive interview with Inside Retail, she shared a few insights into how her career has unfolded thus far and what she thinks about topics and issues surrounding leadership skills.Inside Retail: Tell me about your career journey. How did you get into the industry, what are some of the different roles you’ve held along the way?Cintia Nunes: Throughout my career journey, I have had a diverse range of experiences that have shaped my perspective and passion for creating positive social and environmental impact.My career began in the FMCG industry, where I gained valuable insights into business operations and strategies. However, a pivotal moment came in 2014 when I had the opportunity to visit Bangladesh. Witnessing the transformative power of social businesses in changing lives greatly impacted me. After a few years, I sought a new direction and joined a few companies that worked on addressing environmental and social impact issues across industries. I wanted to broaden the impact of my work by collaborating with more stakeholders and innovators to create systemic change.Then came an opportunity at The Mills Fabrica – with a role that allows me to invest and support innovations within the textile and apparel and agrifood industries. As the innovation arm of Hong Kong conglomerate Nan Fung Group, consisting of a VC fund, startup incubator, and physical retail storefronts across Hong Kong and London, we have the capital and resources to drive meaningful impact at scale with entrepreneurs and innovators across the globe, helping them build their ideas and bring them to the masses. I’m grateful that my role allows me to work with different business models to make systemic changes and generate environmental and social impact across stakeholder groups and sectors. IR: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your career and how have you dealt with them? CN: There is a common belief that between environmental, social, and financial impact, one cannot have it all.One of the reasons I was immediately drawn to The Mills Fabrica is because it equally values ‘for profit’ and ‘for purpose’. It has been crucial for me to convey that my work not only generates profit but also creates a meaningful impact. I strive to showcase the potential for both financial success and environmental and social impact, dispelling the notion that these objectives are mutually exclusive. Most importantly, that environmental and social impact should not be an afterthought or a by-product of our business decisions, but the product itself.It’s a continuous effort to balance the pursuit of profit and impact, but I have remained dedicated to proving that it is indeed achievable through my work at The Mills Fabrica. Yes, it’s difficult, and these challenges will continue to exist, but being part of a larger mission and working towards a big-picture vision has provided me with the motivation and drive to overcome these challenges. The strong belief in our vision and being able to see the big picture allows me to build solutions, rather than be distracted by obstacles along the way. IR: What do you love about your job?CN: What I truly love about my job at The Mills Fabrica is the opportunity to drive real planet-positive and social change and witness the transformative impact it can have. As I previously mentioned, startups in the sustainability sector often face resource limitations, especially in scaling up to make a greater impact on the world. At The Mills Fabrica, we offer not only financial resources to them but also invaluable support and guidance to help these businesses build sustainable and impactful business models. In the first five years of being in the sustainability sector, I had a textbook mindset, constantly advocating and trying to prove the viability of integrating profit and purpose. But there is now a global need for this model at the current stage of our industry. And today The Mills Fabrica has become a leader in demonstrating how profit and purpose come together to drive meaningful change. Being able to contribute to a mission that integrates financial gains and positively impacts the environment and society is incredibly rewarding. That is absolutely the beauty of my job. It’s also a constant reminder of the power we hold to shape a better future, where profit and purpose coexist harmoniously for the benefit of all. IR: What are some of the key leadership lessons you’ve picked up over the course of your career?CN: Being an empathetic leader and staying true to your values. As I’ve encountered many leaders in my career, I recognized the significance of learning from different styles of leadership. Oftentimes, when people think of leadership, they simply associate it with being strong or authoritative. However, we need to challenge our perception of traditional leadership. In today’s world that we live in – and especially in my field – an empathetic, human-centric leader who prioritizes open conversations, collaboration and finding win-win solutions is increasingly important, as we want to bring out the best in people and promote collective success. Reflecting upon my journey, I also realized that the energy I project and the values I uphold have attracted certain people and opportunities that propelled my career – leading me to The Mills Fabrica. I also believe that empathy and staying true to your values can guide us towards creating a better and more sustainable future as well. IR: Do you have any “work hacks” for getting things done?CN: A clear and organized workspace is important to me. I don’t let my inbox cross triple-digit unread emails. And no mental notes for important things! I jot down my ideas and tasks to ensure that nothing gets forgotten. IR: What’s your approach to work-life balance? CN: I am a new mom so work-life balance is especially important for me now. I am very disciplined when it comes to setting time and boundaries for family and work. When I’m with my daughter – my priority is quality time with her without any distractions.This allows me to become even more productive at work – now that I’m more strategic about how I can maximize my time, I’m working in a more decisive and laser-focused way. More importantly, my family time also made me more motivated and passionate about my role at The Mills Fabrica. I want to show my baby that being a mom doesn’t mean giving up on personal aspirations. I believe it’s important for women to have choices and the option to pursue their professional and other personal goals if they want to.Not only do I want my daughter to see what I do and be proud of who I am at work, but I also want to work harder to create a better, and more sustainable world for her future. It has perks for her too!