Be fair, even when it's hard

On June 21, 2025, a birthday is celebrated:

My name is Plamena Toteva and I am happy that my career so far has been consistently related to the banking sector.
I have been working in retail banking for nearly 20 years, having held various managerial positions.
Today, I have the privilege and great responsibility to manage mortgage lending at DSK Bank – a market leader in the sector, where it has been exceptionally strong throughout its history.
I find a lot of meaning, inspiration, and personal motivation in what I do.

How do you feel on your birthday and what do you associate with the beginning of this new personal year for you?

I was born on June 21 and I love this day – it is not only the longest day of the year, but also the beginning of astronomical summer.
Accordingly, I associate it with new dreams, new successes, the freedom in the warm breeze of sea evenings, and the next cycle after the summer solstice.
This year, I awaited my birthday with great excitement and even impatience, and at the same time, I feel more inner peace and confidence than ever – perhaps this is the most valuable thing that each subsequent year of life experience gives you.
In this regard, I wished aloud to have learned my most important lessons and to have a happy new personal year – with fewer expectations, even towards myself, and more time for the little beautiful things in life.
I feel grateful and filled with curiosity about what lies ahead.

What moment from the past year would you define as the most meaningful or transformative in personal and/or professional terms?

Perhaps the moment when I realized that no matter how much I invest in my work, the true value can come for both me and the company when I invest in my personal motivators for satisfaction. In recent months, I have set a goal to be a more active participant in public speaking and in forums that shape the environment in the real estate sector – and at the same time, this has enhanced my own reading through constructive discussions.

The feeling of being the only lady on stage in such a complex and dynamic field as mortgage lending carries a huge positive charge, especially when you have crossed new boundaries.

On a personal level, I believe I have found the right balance between high work engagement and taking more time for myself – to actively return to sports, to spend quality time with my family, to create comfort in my home, to connect with my friends whom I love very much, and to have meaningful conversations that add different shades to everyday life.

Overall, the year has been challenging and transformative. Therefore, I could not highlight a specific event, but rather I am grateful that it gave me new directions, support from my closest people, and the wonderful team I work with, and the confirmation that if we are comfortable, it means we are not developing and not overcoming challenges.

What career goals do you set for your new life year?

We work in a model of constant innovation and I would like our efforts to lead to even more speed, satisfaction, and predictability, when our clients make one of the most important decisions in their lives – namely to purchase a new home.

I believe that this is where we are leaders and truly exceptionally brave – especially when we talk about innovations in mortgage lending that we implement through our ecosystem.

From a career perspective, it is important for me that both my work and that of my team stand out with professionalism, shared desire for success, strong motivation, and the aspiration to become better – but also to have fun while the “magic” happens.

What is the most valuable career lesson that life has given you so far?

“Finding your passion in work” – then everything that happens to you and in which you invest effort looks completely different and brings you true satisfaction.

What do you wish for yourself and what would you like to inspire in others through your personal example?

My personal example is based on several core principles that have proven over time to be very strong motivators for happiness and development. Namely – for me, the strength lies in being authentic, fair, and responsible, even when it’s hard.

I am a woman who does not give up her style – neither in the way she looks nor in the way she works. Every success of mine is the result of hard work, perseverance, and energy for new knowledge and growth. I always follow the principle of acting with a “cool mind and warm heart,” because I care a lot about the people I work with.