You earn more when you help others to earn

Introduce yourself in a few words..

Svetlana Prodanova – Vŭlcheva, national director of BNI Bulgaria.

Tell us what are the philosophy and values of the company you currently represent?

The philosophy is Givers Gain® – you earn more when you help others to earn. Other values are: lifelong learning, building relationships, positive attitude, traditions and innovations, responsibility and recognition.

How long have you been developing your current company?

For 10 years.

What are the most valuable lessons that the events of this period have taught you?

To remain committed to progress, even when the result seems unsatisfactory. To realize the wealth of human stories in the business world. To respect all those people with their stories, even if often different from mine, to learn from them.

If you personally had to write a job advertisement, how would you attract the attention of a future employee?

With the truth: a positive and supportive environment with unlimited opportunities for learning.

What does your company do to organize a constructive and beneficial working environment for all?

We maintain open communication, without hierarchy. We are tolerant of mistakes (when they are not systemic, of course). We talk regularly. The managers are open to feedback.

Should people in the team be friends?

No. It is important that they are ready to work together to achieve common goals.

What makes you look forward to going to work?

The opportunity today to become even better than I was yesterday, to create even more value for someone.

How do you handle difficult and stressful moments?

With awareness. By keeping focus on the bigger goal. With sports and movement. By reminding myself how I successfully dealt with something difficult before.

What work model does your company adhere to – office or remote? What do you think about the possibility of offering flexible working hours, within which employees have greater freedom to balance their personal and work commitments?

We work from the office. We are flexible when someone needs to take care of a sick child, for example, and prefers not to take sick leave, or when someone has a slight malaise, does not want to infect others, and feels fit to work from home.

How do the continuous technological changes worldwide affect your business?

We invest in the necessary technologies to have an increasingly better connection with our clients and to improve the measurability of our results.

How important is the hierarchy and what does it mean to you? What kind of communication do you advocate in your company?

We do not behave hierarchically. Of course, it is known who makes the decisions (even the unpleasant ones). We communicate freely, on a first-name basis. Everything we can say in person, we say, not write emails/messages of one line.

What is your career advice for all people who are building a strategy for their professional development?

To have the mindset to work hard. Success comes with accumulation.