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When Trini Goyanes joined Simms & Associates, the company was still at a very early stage. The team was small and the organization was still defining its identity — understanding what it wanted to offer and how it would position itself.
Looking back, Trini remembers those first months as a time of discovery. The company was still figuring out who it was, but what convinced her to stay was something very simple: the people.
“The colleagues,” she says, smiling. Working closely with Amanda at the time also played a big role. She enjoyed the way they worked together and quickly felt that Simms was a place where she wanted to build her career.
In those early days, the structure of the company was still evolving. There were excellent professionals in the team, but everyone had to take on different responsibilities as the company grew.
“I even did marketing and graphics at the beginning,” she recalls with a laugh.
Learning by doing
One of the defining aspects of Trini’s early years at Simms was the need to be flexible. With a small team and an ambitious vision, everyone contributed wherever they were needed.
In practice, that meant learning new things constantly and stepping outside traditional job descriptions.
“There were days when it was simply ‘what do we need today?’” she explains.
At one point, an opportunity opened in the support team — a moment that would become a turning point in her career. Coming from a completely different background, moving into support meant diving deeply into system configuration and technical work.
“It was a shock,” she says honestly. “A radical career change.”
Yet that challenge also helped her grow. Learning to tackle new responsibilities gave her confidence and allowed her to develop new skills that she had never expected to explore.
Collaboration, trust and a boutique spirit
If there is one thing Trini believes has remained constant throughout the company’s growth, it is the collaborative spirit within the team.
Even on difficult days, she says, people continue to support each other with humor and a genuine sense of teamwork.
“There’s always collaboration, and there’s always a bit of good humor,” she explains.
Another aspect that has remained consistent is the way Simms works with customers. Despite the company’s growth, Trini still sees it as retaining a “boutique” approach — a style of consulting where recommendations are honest and grounded in expertise.
Consultants are encouraged to give customers the advice they truly believe will work, even if it means challenging expectations.
“We tell customers what they really need, not just what they think they need,” she says.
For Trini, this combination of collaboration, trust and professional integrity is what makes the company special.
After almost a decade, the reason she has stayed remains the same: the people she works with.
She speaks warmly about colleagues who continuously support each other and share knowledge every day.
“That’s what makes the day-to-day work enjoyable,” she says.
Looking ahead, Trini’s hopes for the future are simple but meaningful. As the company continues to grow, she looks forward to seeing the team come together more often — especially during the annual kick-off events.
“More kick-offs,” she says with a smile.
To close the conversation, Trini highlights the contribution of Josep Carrasco, describing him as a dedicated colleague who is always ready to help and committed to offering the best possible recommendations to customers and teammates alike.
As our 10th Birthday Series continues, we keep celebrating the people who have helped shape Simms & Associates over the past decade.
One story every week. One year celebrating the people behind Simms & Associates.