Follow the path that excites you and makes you take new steps

Introduce yourself in a few sentences..

My name is Bozhena Pandelieva, I graduated with a master's degree in Management from University College London (UCL) and specialized in Fashion and Luxury Brands Management at HEC Paris. I have been involved in marketing, PR, and communications since graduation and this is still the field that inspires me and in which I want to develop.

What did you dream of becoming in your childhood?

My dream was to become a fashion journalist. I made my own magazines with clippings and wrote articles since I could write. This was also the profession of all my dolls, I clearly wanted to have colleagues! My dream partially became a reality, as to this day I write for the magazine Premium Lifestyle – a leading publication in our country for all aspects of life lived with taste.  

At what age did you earn your first money? Tell us an interesting story?

I started working at the age of 15 as a journalist for the newspaper 168 hours. As incredible as it sounds, I had sent my material to the editorial office, inspired by the Turkish series that were entering our country at the time, comparing them to a profanized version of classical ancient Greek legends. My creation caught the attention of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper and he invited me for a meeting. After I managed to convince him that I had indeed written the material myself, he expressed a desire for me to collaborate with the publication on a regular basis. I had the pleasure at such an early age to immerse myself in the world of deep journalism – at that time 168 hours was one of the most read and respected weeklies. This was invaluable experience, which not only gave me professional skills but also made me responsible for my personal finances from an early age.

What are the main factors and examples that build us as individuals at an early age and shape our interests? What is your recipe for curiosity, sources, and wells of information and inspiration at this stage of our human development?

I am very curious and inquisitive by nature and I am truly grateful that I was born in the era before the advent of artificial intelligence, when everything is just a quick chat away. I think that the seed of my interest in literature, history, fashion, film art, psychology, and many other fields is the family environment – my mother and I have always discussed various universal human topics, we played knowledge games, and being knowledgeable for me is synonymous with prestige and success. Unfortunately, “Renaissance people” are an endangered species today, but despite that, with care and attention from parents and a good and inspiring educational environment, I believe that curiosity can be provoked and developed. Because although artificial intelligence provides quick answers to any inquiries, without initial interest and a desire to delve deeper into a given field, questions will not arise. My worldview and understanding of good and evil, beautiful and ugly has been largely shaped by the fairy tales and books that were always around me as I grew up, and I think that this type of development of imagination cannot be replicated by technology.

Has there been any significant change in your perceptions in more mature age about what motivates you to do or not do something?

As the years went by, I began to realize more and more that the greatest luxury I have is time, and I became very selective about how and for what I spend it – both professionally and personally. In the early years of my career, it was of utmost importance for me to develop – a significant contribution to this was the extremely competitive environment in the financial sector in London, where I spent several years. I was motivated by aspects such as career and financial growth, creating a network of people in environments that I find interesting and enriching, obtaining professional qualifications. Today, of course, I am still motivated by successes and growth, but I pay more and more attention to how I feel along the way. If a position brings me any objective advantages, but I do not feel inspired, nothing about it makes me put my heart into it, I believe it is time for new perspectives. My work with professionals at an exceptionally high level in some of the most prestigious companies in the world has given me valuable insight into how I want my path to look and what is truly valuable.

Whose decision was it where to pursue higher education and what to study? Was this decision correct, viewed from today’s perspective?

The decision was entirely mine. After I decided that I could engage in fashion journalism without having a higher education dedicated entirely to it, I chose a bachelor's degree in a field that I find enriching for a curious and constantly questioning person like me, namely sociology. Sociology is an infinitely interesting and eye-opening science that beautifully built upon my foundation in ancient history and culture, obtained at the National High School of Ancient Languages and Cultures. For my master's degree, I chose Management, as much as it may sound immodest, I have always known that I would be in a managerial position and it was important for me to master the nuances related to managing people and processes, managing business, etc. Before I left for London, I was selected to participate in the Young Leaders of Bulgaria program, through which I studied management and entrepreneurship at the most prestigious universities in the USA. After completing my master's degree in London, I satisfied my love for fashion and specialized in Fashion and Luxury Brands Management in Paris. I believe that the combination of these different specialties forms a very good homogeneous whole that prepared me for the perfect positions and environment for me. Therefore, I have never considered it a problem to enroll in specialties that are not directly related to a person's future professional path – in today's world, where there is no knowledge that is not publicly available, it is important for a professional to be passionate about what they do, to have overcome difficulties, to have put their heart into the field that attracts them – from there on, fate knows its job and good professionals always find their way. As my mother always repeats to me – there is no unrecognized labor.

Share more about your interests, knowledge, skills, and hobbies?

Besides work related to marketing, PR, internal and external communications, as I mentioned, I write articles and various materials – this is my hobby and greatest passion. As a side hobby, I would mention caring for my physical and spiritual development through communication with inspiring people, books that make me think and question my perspective, and sports – Pilates and boxing.

Would you change your profession today and which areas of activity capture your interest?

The wonderful thing about my profession is that it is not tied to a specific industry. I would be interested in diving into different industries, but I would not change the nature of my work, as it is the best professional manifestation of who I am as a person.

They say that personal branding is everything that people say about you when you are not in the same room with them. What would you like to hear today?

In my opinion, it is extremely valuable and increasingly rare for a person to be a good professional and give their all, regardless of what they do. It may sound like a cliché, but I deeply respect effort and professionalism in every field of activity – a person can be a cleaner and do their job in a way that truly makes a difference. They can be in the highest management position, but if they are not passionate about what they do, it shows and affects everyone down the chain. In this regard, I would like and have the fortune to hear that I am a professional who can be relied upon. Someone who is punctual, thinks, and does not mechanically perform tasks, and last but not least, is a good person. Someone who always does more than expected and the results show it. I do not understand mediocrity and for me the meaning of any activity is to be carried out in the best possible way – whether in work, personal life, or sports…

Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as our soft skills, are key conditions for success in recent years. How do you cope with the daily challenges of life to stay in good shape and mood?

My work, namely communications, has given me a good foundation for dealing with conflicts, finding an approach to different characters, and for diplomacy in a business environment. I have witnessed many situations where wonderful professionals fail to unleash their potential due to a lack of basic social skills. I think it is the responsibility of every person to work on these qualities because nowadays no one is in an isolated environment – even working from home, we still have to communicate and help each other, and our relationships with them are crucial for our development. Regarding coping with daily challenges, I am still learning not to take work problems personally. This is very difficult when a person loves what they do, but accepting that some things are beyond our control brings peace and freedom. And in another aspect – when something saddens or disappoints me, a few minutes playing with my pet, the wonderful Pomeranian Noli, quickly reminds me that life is beautiful.

What are the most important conclusions you have made so far about maintaining proper communication considering the different characters of the people you meet daily – colleagues, friends, close ones?

I have gone through a good school regarding communication with difficult characters and as a main conclusion, I could say that aggression and bad attitude should never be taken personally. Although it is easy to say and hard to achieve, they are always expressions of helplessness and fear, not of superiority, and when a person has a center and faith in themselves and what they are as a person and professional, no external factors can shake them.

What do you think about money? What is their influence on your life? What is your advice to people who often ask themselves questions related to money and how sufficient they are?

Money is undoubtedly an important aspect of life. At the beginning of my career, I worked in a department of Barclays Private Bank, responsible for organizing partnerships with luxury brands and organizing events for ultra-wealthy clients of the bank. This gave me a good insight into the lifestyle, perspectives, and views of people with personal wealth over 100 million pounds. I would say that money supports the feeling of happiness and satisfaction, but they are certainly not a component of it. Of course, this is also a matter of values and worldview; personally, I have felt happier on a bench in the park than at some of the most exclusive places in the world. Nevertheless, I think that money gives freedom and the opportunity to choose. Because the bench is not so charming if it is the only option.

What is the most valuable career advice you would give to people?

To follow not the path to something they consider their dream, but the path that interests them, where every step enriches them, where they meet interesting people, learn valuable lessons about themselves and life. The one that excites them and makes them look forward to new steps. It will surely lead them to their goal.