Be guided by the value you provide, it is very visible
· Georgi Malchev - Xplora
When you hear a new employee in the company saying after a week, "I feel like I've been here for at least a month," that is the best reference for it!
Introduce yourself in a few words..
Zhorо Malchev, managing partner at
Over the years, I have been a director of a department in the Ministry of Economy, a management consultant, an operations director, a business development director, and a member of the board of directors of holdings.
Tell us what the philosophy and values of the company you represent at the moment are?
From the very beginning of the agency, we chose
As it was at the beginning, now the three pillars of Human Digital are:
- Consumers - in marketing services, we always seek and speak to real people who are the exact target consumers of our clients
- Digital marketing - we talk about digital in an understandable way because the terms are not important, but the goals and results
- Environment - we create a friendly environment for our team, genuine partnership and human relationships with our clients and all stakeholders.
Most of our clients are long-term, unless we are only doing a digital strategy or audit. Clients appreciate that they see a professional team on their side and are often amazed that we tell them, “there is no need for this campaign, channel, or format at the moment.” They realize that for us this is missed revenue from services, and that we live by the Human Digital philosophy and values.
Regarding the team - there is a very strong culture of mentorship and support. Everyone has their own mentor and looks forward to their turn to take responsibility for developing someone else's potential.
How long have you been developing your current company? What are the most valuable lessons that the events of this period have taught you?
We celebrate 10 years since the establishment of the agency in October 2025. I still remember, I think, when we were about 2 years after establishment, Stoyne Vasilev asked, “what surprised you the most,” and my answer was “that in such a short time we managed to build a culture that sustains itself and is truly Human Digital.”
Then we went through a period when other companies were advertising in the name of our agency or my name. At one point, even advertising agencies were running Google automated ads (P Max) in my name 🙂
We give lectures in many places. Often afterwards, owners or people from the teams of those agencies, or their partners, have shared with me that they apply many of the good practices we shared. And that they really work. I am glad that we help the entire industry.
We have also had a few “teaching lessons” - from dishonest clients. It turned out that they had also been through other agencies and were looking to “get away” for a few months without paying. Currently, those companies are no longer on the market - there is no way to be long-term successful this way 🙂
For me, the most valuable lesson is that people are looking for a brand they can trust - as an agency, employer, corporate trainer. And that it is up to you to meet the expectations for such a brand. After that, you are together for years.
If you personally had to write a job advertisement, how would you attract the attention of a future employee?
If I can choose - I would like them to come based on a recommendation or because they saw something from us that touched them. We call this self-segmentation. And this is exactly what happens with job candidates with us.
So when I make a job advertisement, I will make it so that:
- it is clear who it is for, but also for whom it is not. For us, for example - it is not for strong individualists, nor for people who do not like to be part of a team. Or for people who do not take responsibility - for the client, for teamwork, and for their own development.
- to make their story for the brand of Xplora - to visit the special sections of the website for success stories of clients and
- to make sure of their choice by reviewing stories and posts of superHUMANS, as we call the people from the team. This way they will understand more whether they will find their place with us - for developing their potential and for friendships and relationships.
What does your company do to organize a constructive and fruitful working environment for everyone? Do people in the collective need to be friends?
The word responsibility - towards the success of the client, towards your team, and towards your development. Everyone has their own mentor and develops their potential. Everyone participates and can add value. And as normal as it always seemed to me, often people who come to us from other companies tell us: “Wow, there are no “chosen ones” here and there is no massaging of anyone's ego.”
We always share good practices - this makes the industry better. Here’s one of our “secrets” - twice a year the team fills out a KISS form - keep / improve / start / stop in three areas. For the clients and the value we provide them. For the processes and the working environment. For the specific superHUMAN.
I often smile when I talk to new people in the team. Whether they have worked elsewhere or this is their first job - they have read a lot about us before becoming part of the team. But they always share, “It’s even cooler than I imagined and expected.”
With us, the friendly, almost family, environment is part of the corporate culture. People come and in the first week, when I meet them, they say, “Wow, I feel like I’ve been here for at least a month. Everyone is so friendly and supportive.” Example? A friendly environment means being ready to do something for your friends. With us, this means helping someone who needs guidance or support, but also making sure there is time.
We celebrate birthdays together, go to a big Greek team building every year, the separate teams go to a villa, … And at the team buildings, we have no corporate messages or training on how to work better together. They already work as a team, and friendly, almost family, relationships help a lot with that.
What makes you enjoy going to work? How do you deal with difficult and stressful moments?
The word responsibility - you have taken a commitment, it brings value, it is up to you to give. This applies to both clients and the team and partners.
When there is a stressful moment? We manage the situation, always with a long-term vision. First - value must be provided for all parties. Second - the situation is analyzed, a decision is made based on prioritization, and then it is applied.
But perhaps the most important thing is what we do before and after such situations. We work hard to reduce the likelihood of “stressful situations.” When we talk about a client - where they start from, what success means for them, what will be success in 3 and 6 months, every month we go into detail about all activities, with full transparency for services and costs. For the team - I have already shared about the KISS form - keep / improve / start / stop.
This allows us to plan and take responsibility for what can be realized when. Part of the culture at Xplora is that everyone knows that we cannot turn something back, but we take responsibility for our future actions. That’s why we talk about how to solidify and strengthen the excellent things, as well as if there is something we do not want to happen again.
And for some of the really stressful moments - the team has heard me say a few times, “I have never been to such training. And if we find such training and had to pay for it - it would be very expensive.”
What work model does your company adhere to – office or remote?
The short answer - whoever wants and however much they want. There are people we see at team buildings in Greece or at gatherings of separate teams. And those who want and are almost every day in the office. But everything is in the details 🙂
When you start in the company - you always have your own mentor, or you work very actively with your manager. That’s why at the beginning, people from Sofia are mostly in the office for the first two months, together with the manager, and “absorb” the culture of Human Digital. If someone is not from Sofia - we figure out optimally how a few times during this period they can be in the office.
After that - whoever wants. Some teams have a day they regularly choose to be in the office. Other teams - agree day by day whether they will be in the office. As I joke - if I see one designer, I know that more will come shortly. We often have people joining with a beautiful view of the sea or mountains.
What do you think about the possibility of offering flexible working hours, within which employees have greater freedom to allocate their personal and work commitments?
We have a Missing channel in the company chat. You just write “I’m starting 30 minutes earlier, I’ll leave earlier,” or - I’m going for a longer break. It works great because everyone in the team has taken their responsibility.
For several years we have also introduced a half-day off in the month. Everyone can use it. We tested, saw within a few months why someone might not be able to take their vacation within the month. For over a year, we have not had a case where someone has not managed to take a half-day off.
Perhaps we should say that people always manage to take their vacation - they have the right to leave from day 1, they do not wait for any periods. Again, because everyone takes responsibility for others and their vacation, just as they are on leave.
I am very happy how everyone helps each other. We are people, and this often includes someone having a sick relative. Just a message in the chat, a conversation with the manager, and everyone has taken their responsibility to help.
How do the ongoing technological changes worldwide affect your business?
As a culture - we do not rely on just one technology. Nor just on one advertising ecosystem.
The same applies to AI technologies. The team has the opportunity to test numerous tools, as we have many training sessions and exchanges of good practices. Everyone has the opportunity to share and build upon technologies. Our clients see this and appreciate it.
How important is hierarchy and what does it mean to you? What kind of communication do you advocate in your company?
Many people, when they come from another company, are impressed by what the Human Digital culture is. It is very difficult to feel the hierarchy in Xplora - roles, experience, responsibilities are felt, but not hierarchy. With us, everyone can make suggestions regarding marketing campaigns as well as improvements in the company.
Parking spaces, for example, are on the principle - the first to sign up has the first right. We create many occasions for teams to work and have fun together, and to discover the human aspect in culture and relationships. At team buildings, we do not have boring speeches or scratch our egos, but encourage the team to have fun.
For me, the greatest manifestation of our culture is the attitude and support you receive - regardless of how long you have been in the company.
What is your career advice for all people building a strategy for their professional development?
Be guided by the value you provide - it is very visible. And when choosing where to work, especially at the beginning of your career - always seek and choose the place where you know who your mentor or manager will be and they visibly care about you. You feel the two most important things in a mentor - empathy and high standards.
And one tip from me - create your personality profile as early as possible
The moment you have to give examples of your strengths - you will see that they are directly related to your personality profile and the efforts you have made based on that profile.