The most long-term results come from those decisions we make with thought… and with feeling

Introduce yourself in a few words…
My name is Stefka Tancheva and I believe that work can be not just a place, but a space for growth – as people, as teams, as a community.
I live HR not as a function, but as an art. I started my career in a recruitment agency after completing a master's degree in business management in France. Subsequently, I worked as a trainer and brand manager. In the spring of 2014, I made a transition and after the first successful HR project I led, I discovered my mission to be an HR artist and leader. The greatest recognition for me is the award for HR professional of 2022 and the choice to become a member of the Board of BAUH.

How would you describe your career in a few words?
A journey. Transformation. Connections. At first – without clear logic. Later – with lots of inspiration. Today – purposeful and conscious. I am convinced that the most long-term results come from those decisions we make with thought… and with feeling.

What was the most important choice that shaped your path?
Not to wait for the "perfect opportunity", but to turn every given role into a platform for learning, contribution, and expression. And one more thing – to surround myself with people who inspire me and further ignite the professional fire within me.

What would you like to know at the beginning of your career, but no one told you?
That failures are not enemies, but mirrors. That not everything has to happen quickly. And that sometimes the most important conversations are those that are not scripted.

How can one understand which profession is suitable for them?
By not seeking promising names of roles, but by listening to their reactions. What do they immerse themselves in? What makes them lose track of time? When do they feel useful? And when – authentic and themselves?

Which skills do you think will be key in the next 10 years?
I will start with the ability to listen deeply and hear, not just to respond. The ability to adapt and learn continuously, translating knowledge into action. And, paradoxically – humanity. It will remain the most deficient resource in the era of artificial intelligence.

How to build a network of useful contacts without looking interested?
By not being. When you approach with genuine interest and without a hidden agenda, people feel it. The best networks are not "built", but nurtured – with care, persistence, and exchange of value for all parties.

What is the biggest mistake you made in your career, and what did you learn from it?
I accepted a role in which I was not myself and went against my own values – just for the hierarchical high positioning and entry into the "club of directors". I learned that when you accept only out of ambition, you often work with half a heart. And that brings neither results nor satisfaction.

How to recognize a toxic work environment and when is it time to leave?
The body knows. If you start losing your sleep, your voice, yourself – listen. The toxic environment often masquerades as "high demands" or "challenges", but the truth is in the feeling – usually accumulated and quietly suppressive.

What would you do differently if you could start over?
I would ask more questions. To others – and to myself. Or maybe I would be less strict with my own pace of progress.

How to maintain our motivation in times of stagnation?
By allowing ourselves to pause. Not every delay is a loss. Sometimes it is in the pause that the clearest insights come. And by reminding ourselves of the "why" behind the "what".

How to achieve a balance between professional and personal life?
By not dividing them so strictly. I am whole – both in the training room and when I hug my daughter. Balance is a matter of boundaries, priorities, and many conscious choices.

When is it time to change our career, not just the job?
When you change another position, but the emptiness remains. When you feel that you have outgrown not just the team, but the field itself. When the voice inside says: "There is more for you, but you won't find it here."

If you had to give just one piece of advice to people who are seeking success, what would it be?
Success is not the top of the ladder, but the direction in which it is easy for you to walk – even when it is hard.

What is your definition of a "successful career"?
A successful career is one in which you wake up with a sense of purpose and go to bed in peace. In which you grow without losing yourself. And in which you not only achieve, but also change – yourself and the world around you.