Introduction
Greetings, I am Zulma Paredes, I live in Pereira in Colombia, a beautiful city in a land where they produce very good coffee. I love soccer and I love to swim... I have 2 pets, Shanna, my dog, and Lia, my cat. I am passionate about leaving people better than I found them. My favorite hobby is smiling.
I am a Bacteriologist, I have extensive experience in the food sector; from creation, recipe, production and logistics. In food manufacturing I worked in plants producing milk, coffee, milo, cheese, bottled water, breakfast cereals, soup bases and creams, cookies, candies, chocolates, infant formulas, condensed milk, powdered and cubed broth, chocolate drinks.
I worked as quality manager, production manager, logistics manager, project manager. I am part of continuous improvement groups worldwide, implementing LEAN, Kaizen 5S. I’m dedicated to helping to reduce operational inefficiencies and saving costs. I worked in 9 countries, and I had fun and learned a lot. For the last 2 years I have been working remotely as an operations manager for a distribution center in Marietta, Georgia.
My first job was as a laboratory analyst, after 1 year I was head of the pathogen laboratory I became quality manager, then I was head of the broth and soup production line and then I discovered that I had the skills to understand what was happening to others and I moved on to be part of continuous improvement groups worldwide... from there I participated in several projects both in factories and in supply chain, implementing LEAN, Kaizen 5S, helping to reduce operational inefficiencies and saving costs. I had the opportunity to work in 9 countries and when I returned at Colombia, I oversaw 3 distribution centers I specialized in distribution centers and for 2 years virtual working as operations manager for a distribution center in Marietta, Georgia USA.
Food Science Fellow
career options
This career gives you several options that allow you to explore what you like most and be able to stay there. Remember that when your work amuses you, everything will flow very well, regardless of the challenges.
Food Science Fellow
skills
What are the main hard skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
The way to improve a process is to measure it, which is why Key Performance Indicators KPI´s tell us exactly where we should work to improve them. This ensures business continuity. It is very important to understand that all KPIs are connected between the different areas, which allows the teams to be shown the importance of doing their job well, as this impacts the other process areas.
Mastering Spanish, English, Portuguese and other languages is very important nowadays to interact with people from all over the world. When you have diversity of team members, you can achieve something extraordinary, because each person has specific skills that together enhance a result. The key is to listen well and to focus on strengths – for this you need to learn several languages.
One of the activities that generates the most learning in the food sector is developing suppliers, because you learn from another process and you must use leadership strategies, to ensure that the supplier can advance in its continuous improvement... you also have to know how to report issues very aggressively and be part of the solution... this creates synergies that benefit both sides.
What are the main soft skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
Both in our personal and work lives, life gives us new situations and changes that we are not used to. That's its magic. Learning to adapt to being happy is possible, even if this generates vertigo and a lot of fear. However, remember that having the ability to adapt to changes will ensure that nothing paralyzes you. Fear, seen from another perspective, is the greatest enhancer to achieve goals.
Empathy guarantees us to develop healthy relationships at all family, couple and work levels, as we create comfortable and simple interpersonal relationships, thanks to emotional connection. We learn not to judge the person and to understand them from a much more comprehensive perspective. With this we manage to be respectful of each other.
Knowing how to solve problems can identify opportunities even in critical moments. The ability to think outside the box is an important skill for solving problems at work, as it often leads to better results. I belonged to Nestle's global continuous improvement groups, and the most valuable learning is to focus on the problem, measure it to see if the proposed solution is correct and train the teams on new actions.
One of the skills that companies value most is the ability to innovate. These ideas must be presented to the management committee, many times there is no need to have very robust plans at the beginning, just present the idea correctly and have it delivered to a team that develops it. It is always recommended to use a brief at the beginning and keep track of the progress in MS project or in the tool you define.
Zulma Yaneth
’s personal path
Tell us about your personal journey in
Food Science Fellow
:
My passion for the food industry began when I was studying Bacteriology and was able to do a university internship at Nestlé; I was so aligned with their principles and values that I worked at Nestlé for 25 years. I had the opportunity to work in quality, production and finally in logistics. I had many successes, and I also had great learnings that motivated me to be better every day and to prepare myself every day. I have a good internship (it's my professional secret) I always offered to replace the vacations of my colleagues and my bosses, and this allowed me to learn a lot. I had the opportunity to work in continuous improvement groups worldwide and worked in 9 countries and I think this was one of the most beautiful experiences I had. I learned that all problems are the same in different countries, the only thing that makes them different is the attitude with which you approach solving them.
Then I received a proposal from another multinational company, and I decided to accept it, and this is how I work virtually for a food distribution center in the USA. I am currently an operations Manager with extensive national and international experience in the food sector; leading the entire supply chain from start to finish (quality, manufacturing and logistics) Food safety specialist. Skills in project development through focused improvement tools. I have been working virtually since 2021 for LCFOOD Distributor, leading the operations of the distribution center ensuring the delivery of kitchen cleaning products, equipment and food for Tex Mexican and Italian restaurants in the states of Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas and North Florida, achieving double-digit growth in RIG. We have created indicators for all areas, monitoring them and generating action plans. We have also carried out a route analysis by customer and by seller to find the most efficient way to make the delivery. We have trained all managers to reduce or eliminate issues and implement continuous improvement actions and we have closed legal issues in USDA audits.
One of the most important keys in job performance... is to enjoy every phase and I learned to have fun, and I am happy doing what I like. Always have the good habit of updating yourself by studying, not only to have a better income, but also to make your job easier. There is something I want to talk to you about and it is the need to work on having a good attitude towards life... people with good vibes are magnetic and they get what they want.
What would you tell your younger you regarding building your current career?
If I were to advise my younger self about building my current career, I would offer the following insights:
Don't Fear Failure: Mistakes and setbacks are part of the journey. Failures are small opportunities that life gives us, to do better the next time. Don't fear failure; instead, treat it as a learning experience. Each challenge is an opportunity to grow and improve.
Stay Open-Minded: The career landscape is ever-changing. Stay open-minded and be willing to adapt to new technologies and industry trends. Embrace change as an opportunity for growth. When I was finishing my university degree, I was afraid of not finding my ideal job. I wanted to advance very quickly, and I understood that you must have a career goal to where you want to go and what steps you must take to get there...design a career plan. career and I always shared it with my immediate boss. I also asked him to replace vacations for positions above mine.
Embrace Continuous Learning: Never stop learning. Technology evolves rapidly, and staying updated is crucial. Invest time in learning new skills, tools, and technologies relevant to your field.
Final thoughts & tips
In conclusion, here you go on this journey and you are going to enjoy it with everything it offers you, the achievements, and the opportunities. You are going to meet incredible places and people who will temporarily accompany you during this trip. Please don't be afraid to take risks and leave your comfort zone. Surround yourself with people who are by your side when your light temporarily goes away, while you recover it and remember to be the light for the path of others. Learn from each experience, trust your skills, and stay curious in this ever-evolving field. Surround yourself with a support network, hold on to your passion, and believe in your potential to make a meaningful impact. Your future is full of possibilities; Take advantage of them, push the limits and shape the future with your unique talents. Best of luck on your exciting journey! Remember to always maintain a positive attitude at all times...this will make you different and you will always be able to focus on the solutions and not on the issue.
Resources to dig in more
IBM Skill Building: Problem Solving
Through this series of training, you can improve your problem-solving ability.
Coursera: Management for Food Companies
This training allows us to manage all the activities necessary to manage a food company.
HarvardX: Managing Happiness
Managing Happiness encourages you to explore the science of happiness, allowing you to find your truest self. Through cutting-edge survey tools, the best research, and trends in social science, positive psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, learners unlock the strategies to create a more purposeful life, full of long-lasting enjoyment and satisfaction
