The situation in more developed countries truly motivates me

Introduce yourself in a few words..

In short - I have over 14 years of experience in business, with a primary focus on B2B service sales, as well as team management in the field of human resources. For the last more than ten years, I have actively worked in the IT outsourcing sector in Bulgaria. I have completed two master's degrees at TU-Varna – Industrial Management and Microsoft Information Technologies. My last position was in an international IT company that is positioned in over 10 countries and held the role of Site Manager & CEE Talent Acquisition Manager. Additionally, I was a municipal councilor in Varna from 2019 to 2023, as well as a member of the Public Council of the professional high school of economics in the city. In 2020, I received the greatest recognition – the title of senator in the international non-governmental organization Junior Chamber International (JCI), represented in over 110 countries. As a hobby, I strive to share my experience with the youth and present practice and knowledge at various events in schools and universities, as well as to go to the gym and swim.

For you, traveling the world is?

Traveling the world will always be something unique and unrepeatable for me; it is an opportunity to see new places, cultures, nature, architecture, different environments, and to try different dishes. In the last 3 years, I had the opportunity to visit about ten countries across Europe, and those moments were like a restart in my life. I am eagerly looking forward to my next destination.

How many different countries have you seen so far? Tell us an interesting story or highlights from your travels?

Not that many, I admit. I have many friends and acquaintances who share that they have visited over 30-40, even more countries. For many years, I missed what you could call golden moments to travel and enjoy new places. I have been to 11 countries so far. My tourism has been both to see my friends abroad, passing through Oktoberfest in Munich, and to explore the architecture of different cities and amazing natural locations. For example, regarding natural attractions, I would mention a relatively close destination - Plitvice Lakes, which is a national park in Croatia, or even closer, Meteora, in Greece. I truly believe that such places everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime!

Do you like to repeat destinations? Give examples and motivation “for” or “against”?

I am definitely “for”. Again, I will speak with examples – from what I have seen so far, Budapest in Hungary and Prague in the Czech Republic are cities that I definitely want to and will visit again. The life, the environment, the culture – I liked everything very much in these two destinations. Interestingly, both cities are crossed by rivers. Apparently, water is part of me, and even if I change my place of living, I need to be close to some larger body of water.

What was your first trip that truly changed you as a professional and can be said to have changed your thinking?

I would rather say what was the trip that changed my thinking, and that was a distant visit to Greece and my meeting with Meteora back then. It was slightly foggy at times and very humid; it was in the late autumn,  at the same time everything was so majestic, and as they say – I was getting chills from the amazing natural picture that unfolded before my eyes.

What do you learn about yourself and your professional skills, when you are in a new cultural environment?

The so-called soft skills and actually not so much what you know, but how you really relax to talk among people from other nationalities, how quickly you manage to win them over and share information with them on various topics. First and foremost, we must have an open mind towards everyone and regardless of cultures and customs, seek ways to get closer. Every single new acquaintance should be seen as a door to new opportunities and at the very least as a way to learn something new.

Have you met people or ideas during your travels that have influenced your career path?

In the Czech Republic, I have an extremely close friend from my student years, who has developed a lot and has been living there for more than 10 years. He, absorbing their culture, is one of the people who greatly influence my consciousness and attitude towards my development in life, both personally and professionally.

Do you think that your travels help you expand your professional network? How?

Traveling abroad can always expand our professional networks. Our participation even in professional events – such as conferences, forums, networking gatherings in different countries expands our worldview and contacts. If people are positioned in international companies, it is good for them to have the opportunity at least once a year to be assigned to the central office in another country, to see their colleagues there in person and to exchange with each other. Not to mention that live contact is not to be underestimated – it will always strengthen the bonds between colleagues and professionals from different departments.

Is there a city or country that has inspired you to start a new business or project?

In this case, I would say that currently from the destinations I have seen – Prague is the place that has impressed me the most. It seemed to me like a place where one can find the balance between business, professional development, personal life, and sports.

When you are in an unfamiliar country, do you feel more motivated or more distracted? Why?

When I am in an unfamiliar country and see the environment that might be better than that in our reality, I would say that I feel more motivated and wanting this to become part of our reality, part of Bulgaria. I joked last year with my best friends when we were in Austria and traveling by train. I asked myself when this train would age and come to Bulgaria, to delight the people using our railways.

Are there destinations that act as a “restart” for your creativity and ambition?

Every destination with incredible architecture, as well as with very beautiful nature can act as a restart for me. There are many, and it would be hard to say something specific as a location.

How do you manage the balance between work and pleasure when you travel?

If the travels are during vacation and not business-related, it is really important for a person to completely disconnect from the work process and to delegate some of their tasks to trusted colleagues. We know the rule that work will not end and will always wait for us, and that’s why we should truly rest, come back recharged, and complete all the necessary tasks that have piled up while we were away.

How have travels changed the way you perceive the value of money?

I wouldn’t say there is a change in the value of money regarding travels. Of course, everyone roughly calculates in their mind according to our reality how the prices are at a given location, what we get for the money we spend, but during such journeys, where we create memories, we are always ready to relax a little more. Additionally, in many destinations, as is also the case in Bulgaria, we can see great extremes – from very poverty to great wealth and luxury.

Do you travel with the aim of finding new ways to make money?

Always subconsciously or consciously, ideas from what we see come to mind. It is in our nature to want more and to strive for more. Traveling can only expand our worldview in this area and give us the foundation for something that one day can be seriously monetized in our lives, and why not take advantage of it?

What lessons about financial independence have you learned from different economies and cultures?

Do not spend more than you earn and have. If you are going to buy something expensive, buy it when you have saved for at least 2-3 more of the same item. I joked during a conversation in front of students, seeing that the majority of them had very expensive phones from a specific brand, you know which one, and I asked them exactly about the value of this item and having it, whether if their parents were not financially supporting them, they would afford it and do they have saved as much, as for two more such phones, for example.

Do you think it is better to spend on experiences rather than material possessions?

Experiences 100%. No one will take anything material from this life. And experiences fill us; they give our consciousness new sensations, ideas, opportunities; experiences build us.

How do you see the future of digital nomadic life?

To live in some village, in a beautiful and well-maintained house with a wonderful flower garden, to have high-speed internet and reliable sources of electricity – why not. It sounds wonderful to me. If this is what we mean by digital nomadic life, of course.

Are there specific countries that are more favorable for work and investments?

With new technologies, the world is a big village, and every place is favorable for development, I believe. Whoever has not asked, who has not truly believed and has not taken the necessary actions, has not developed.

If you could choose one place in the world to develop your next big idea, what would it be and why?

I believe we live in times when it is good to travel a lot and see different destinations, but not to forget our roots, and the place for developing the next big idea should always, at least for me, be Bulgaria.

What are the destinations you would definitely recommend to be visited and why?

It is nice to see extremes and to always appreciate the place where we reside. After all, a car trip along the Alps and all this greenery at the foot and houses with flowers like from magazines and documentary films left a serious imprint in my mind. Zugspitze – the highest point in Germany and a unique lake at the foot, where you can ride a pedal boat, is something…maybe this place and moment brought me to some meditative state. And again, the nature I saw going there was exactly with the same Alpine-type houses with flowers on the small cozy terraces. Truly beautiful and unique!

What is the career advice you would give based on what you have seen around the world?

Never give up and know that opportunities are hidden behind every corner. When one door closes, another opens…otherwise, the car is not bad. Excluding the joke, seriously, opportunities are hidden everywhere around us. The world and different locations are more accessible than ever, and we just need to strive to see and embrace as much as possible from all cultures.