my zwei life

an introduction and my intention here

Early next year, I will return to school for Thomas Hübl’s The Timeless Wisdom Training, an introduction to spirituality. My intention here and now is to share more of my experiences as they unfold over the next two years. I usually post bits and pieces of my life on Instagram, but this journey feels more intimate and vulnerable, so I feel to share it here instead. Let’s see how it goes.

For those who follow my zwei life from a certain point in time I want introduce myself first. 🤍
A couple of weeks ago I asked chat gpt to describe myself. I thanked him for such a nice summary 💁🏻‍♀️
Ileana Sebe is a versatile professional with expertise in advertising, branding, and creative projects, along with a passion for self-development and art. She is currently the Community Leader at Next Advertising, a creative agency in Bucharest. Her work in this role emphasizes fostering a respectful and innovative environment, enabling creative contributions from her team.
Additionally, Ileana is the founder of ZWEI, a lifestyle brand inspired by nature that integrates food styling, branding, photography, and design. She describes her creative ventures as therapeutic, helping her explore her emotions and thoughts. Over the years, ZWEI has evolved to include mentoring and coaching as part of its offerings.
Beyond her professional career, Ileana has been deeply involved in personal growth, drawing on practices like yoga and psychoanalytic therapy to achieve balance and self-awareness. She also mentors others to navigate their personal and professional challenges.
If you're looking for more details about her work or coaching services, you can explore her personal projects through www.zwei.ro.

Back in 2010, following the financial crisis, I decided to take a break from my daily job in advertising to explore whether I had any hidden talents or other passions to pursue. After months of uncertainty and wondering "what if," I finally started doing things I enjoyed. My creative journey began with cooking for friends, small gatherings, and for my friends’ small businesses. Over time, it evolved into food and product styling, as well as collaborative projects with both old and new friends.

Here are some photos from my early work. You can find the rest of my portfolio [here].

At some point I also began earning money from bigger (food/product) styling projects, but when it comes to beauty everybody has something to say and and by the end of the day, I often found myself feeling dissatisfied with my work. So, when an opportunity arose to return to the advertising industry, I took it—and I’ve been with the same agency for the past 12 years. Initially, I worked as a Strategy Director, and since 2020, I’ve taken on the role of Community Leader at Next Advertising.

When I say ‘my zwei life,’ I’m referring to the creative projects and other interests I pursue outside of my daily job.
For the last 15 years or more, I’ve been in psychoanalysis therapy, and these days, I also attend group therapy. I will get back to this long-term experience in a separate letter;
Of course, throughout these years, I’ve often considered becoming a therapist myself. However, each time I got closer to the decision of returning to school, I discovered something that suited me better.
In 2019, I attended the Mindlearners coaching school which profoundly impacted me on many levels. Surrounded by so many accomplished women working in the corporate world, I gained a clearer perspective on my creative side and what it can bring to the coaching experience.
For two years, I practiced coaching and then realized that something else resonated with me even more: mentoring. I found immense value in sharing my personal experiences and opening up with vulnerability—something mentoring allows you to do. Vienda’s The Mentor Training gave me the tools and courage to step into this new role.
There’s more to come on this soon ✨
For now, I’ll leave you with a selection of photos from two of my photo albums, Flora Afterlife and Flora Erotica, both inspired by my emotions, personal growth, and a deep connection to nature.

I have so many more things to share, but this first letter has become already too long. (‘post too long for email’ I received twice this notification 🤷🏻‍♀️)
I am very new to substack so bear with me with all the small imperfections; it will get better in time. Of course I would love to get feedback and replies and all the connection this platform has to offer and I will find out in time.
For now the cover and introduction to my latest album, Sentimental ‘76; it definitely needs a dedicated letter.

thank you,
ileana
🤍✨🕊️