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| Ana Bean-Jones in Sintra, her hometown |
Ana B. Jones. Influencer. Portugal.
I'm Ana Bean-Jones. I was born in Sintra, Portugal, a place considered a Heritage by the UNESCO although my ancestors were from Venice. I love classical music, especially Maria Callas, a person who I adore a lot but as a Portuguese I admire Mísia and her fados and her saudade. I'm an influencer. It's not an easy job because your opinion is important for your followers. You must be very responsible and honest with them. Life is a great theatre and it's important to be a good actor to avoid bad things, and a good spectator to learn good ones. I'm a Bean-Jones and I hope that I had influenced them with my sense of humor and shyness. Follow us with our hashtag #TheJones.
-Good morning, Ana Bean-Jones, and thanks to attend us.
-Good morning. It's a pleasure.
-It's difficult for me, as an interviewer, to sum up some questions about you.
-Why?
-Because of your job.
-Well, I'm an influencer, a person who creates opinion over other people.
-You create opinion, you explain stories, you recommend places... how can I be sure that you are who you say you are?
-You will never know it. It's a risk that you have to choose: believe me or not. Being an influencer is a job. It doesn't mean that you believe in your critics, it means that you defend your position and your point of view because there's an important objective: earn followers and create a positive or negative opinion about something, somewhere or someone.
-How is the life of an influencer?
-A normal one like other people. Influencing isn't only a pleasure or hobby for me, it's also my profession, and then, I must try to do my best every day, even these days when I'm not very inspired.
-What happens these days?
-Well, you must choose your position, maybe an opinion, maybe a suggestion, maybe a negative critic and then you take another look to check if you still think the same about them. If they like you, you use the social net that you consider the best and express these opinions, if you don't like them, you change them and you start again.
-How many times have you started again?
-Every day. Every new day is a new beginning and you must start doing things to fill your life with your interests and hopes.
-Portugal isn't a big country... How can a Portuguese influencer arrive to be the best and the most followed and survive against the Anglo-Saxon competence?
-Creating good contents and writing interesting posts. I don't agree about the idea that Portugal isn't a big country.
-Why?
-Portugal is a great example of surviving and resilience. We suffered a terrible economic crisis and we got over it with public policies which helped the poorest citizens. The rate of unemployment was a shame and now the country is growing again, the unemployment is going down and we're creating workplaces and new opportunities for our young people. This kind of things makes big a country, not the extension or the number of inhabitants.
-How has this success been possible?
-We are great administrators of our resources. We trust in the potential of our citizens because we believe that people are the most important active of a country.
-How do you feel being a member of The Jones?
-It's the same that Portugal. The most important active in our family is every member of it. We're people with great energy and creativity and we must believe in ourselves.
-How is a normal day with The Jones?
-A normal day is a day full of happiness and effort. We laugh a lot but we work very hard. You learn better if you spend good time. It's easier.
-How long have you been studying English?
-Since I was in the school. English has a great presence in Portuguese schools, in our TV and even in the cinema. All the films are offered in original version and this is something that helps people to learn English.
-Then English is not difficult to learn for a Portuguese?
-Well, it's difficult because English comes from German and Portuguese from Latin but if you learn a language in the school when you're a child you have advantage because it's easier for you although we haven't got English spaces to practice it. Perhaps, this is the main problem because if you don't speak a language, you forget it. It seems impossible, but it's true.
-What can you explain about your life with The Jones?
-It has been a great experience, a great source of inspiration to write something in the future, to take profit of our experiences and try to influence in other people.
-Which is your best memory with the family?
-It's impossible to choose only one but I remember two special days: the first, when Maria, an old friend, visited us in Tokyo and sang Un bel di vedremo, an aria of Madame Butterfly. It was the most exciting day with The Jones. There was also another day when I decided to invite my family to eat a cake that I had prepared. It was very important for me. I must admit that food and sweets are also very important for this family. We appreciate good food.
-Which character would you like to influence?
-Maria, my friend. I would like that she returned to sing again because she has the most beautiful voice ever listened.
-Do you like music?
-I'm an influencer. I'm curious. I need to know. I need to discover new things. I love music. Music is the result of the human soul, a mix of feelings and geniality.
-Which is your next project?
-I'm working in a new project with Mísia, the best Portuguese artist. It will be a success.
-What's the worst nightmare of an influencer?
-I suppose every influencer has his/her own demons, his/her own Frankenstein. The worst nightmare is to have a mistake in an opinion that can damage other people. Likes and follows are an important part of my job but they are only statistics. The most important is that you must influence people in positive things not in negative ones.
-You're an influencer. Can you create a slogan for The Jones?
-Overcoming obstacles.
-Why?
-Because The Jones are much more than a family, they are a tool to forget bad moments and discover that you can return to do things that you loved and you believed that you weren't going to do again and this thinking is a big mistake. It is never too late to do something that you like and the most important is that when we have had difficult moments we have overcome them like a family with comprehension, help and effort.
-Thank you very much, Ana Bean-Jones.
-You're welcome.
I like to dream about Portugal,
and it's less easy when you are there.
Maria de Medeiros
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