The Turning Point in the Career is a Choice Between a Secure Job and Own Business

Introduce yourself in a few words..

Hello, my name is Velislava Kovachka and I am a motivated professional with experience in luxury hospitality. I possess strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a drive for continuous development. I believe in effective communication, collaboration, and building long-term professional relationships. In my practice, I strive for high results, innovation, and added value for the team and organization I work for or consult.

In March 2025, I launched my own company Bright Coaching, specializing in consulting and training in the field of tourism, with a focus on revenue management and the concept of a secret client.

My long-standing hobby – astrological analyses – has also become part of my professional path. More and more people and companies use this ancient science in personnel selection, choosing an appropriate date for a contract, event, or starting a new activity. I believe in the cyclicality of time and that we can make wise choices if we "catch the right wave".

How would you describe your career in a few words?

I built my career through strategic thinking, analytical skills, and deep knowledge of the tourism market. I gained experience in different units and departments of international five-star hotel chains and independent luxury hotels. This experience allowed me to create sustainable business models and to maximize hotel revenues.

With a passion for hospitality and innovation, I implemented dynamic pricing strategies, optimized occupancy, and improved efficiency through technology and market analysis. I combined top-class hospitality with a business-oriented approach that brings real results.

Revenue management is not just numbers and tables – it is an art that combines intuition, market behavior, and human relations. I always seek a balance between value for the guest and profitability for the business.

I track global trends in hospitality and draw inspiration from sustainable tourism and the digitalization of the industry.

What was the most important choice that shaped your path?

Whether to stay in a high managerial position in a luxury hotel or to create my own consulting company – this was the turning point that shaped my professional path.

What would you like to know at the beginning of your career, but no one told you?

That working in tourism is not an island with a desk under palm trees, but serious, responsible, and team-based 24/7 work. The hotel is a living organism with its moods, ups, and downs. Leaving the office in the evening, you cannot rely on tomorrow being the same.

How can a person understand which profession is suitable for him?

When I started working in a hotel after my graduation, the director told me: "You have one week to leave. If you don’t, you will stay forever in this industry." And so, I have been here for over 25 years. Even on personal trips, I always think about what can be improved. When you live your profession, it becomes your second nature.

Which skills do you think will be key in the next 10 years?

Adaptability. The world is changing extremely fast, technologies even faster. If we are not adaptable, we will be displaced from the labor market. The challenge will be not to find information, but to filter it.

Also – emotional and mental intuition, to navigate through processes, to accept changes, and to protect ourselves from stress and burnout.

How to build a network of useful contacts without looking interested?

When we love what we do, we become inspiring – for ourselves and for others. This makes us attractive and we naturally attract like-minded people.

What is the biggest mistake you have made in your career, and what did you learn from it?

To assume that everyone thinks like me and we have the same vision. This inevitably leads to discrepancies.

How to recognize a toxic work environment and when is it time to leave?

When on Sunday evening we say: "Oh no, tomorrow is Monday."

What would you do differently if you could start over?

I would not stay in one position or in one company for so long. In the 21st century, this is professional seppuku. A prolonged stay leads to stagnation, loss of perspective, and creativity.

How to maintain our motivation in times of stagnation?

Communicating with younger generations – they are full of energy and ideas.

Also – brainstorming meetings outside the office, training, seminars, conferences – not so much for the knowledge, but for the inspiration and networking.

How to achieve a balance between professional and personal life?

Balance is like that between good and bad cholesterol – the overall result is important. If we accumulate excessive work pressure, we need to compensate it with personal activities that recharge us.

Personally, I practice an unspoken rule not to talk about work in my partnerships and friendships.

When is it time to change our career, not just our job?

When there is nothing more to learn or give, neither professionally nor in life. To shine, we should not flicker.

If you had to give just one piece of advice to people who are seeking success, what would it be?

More of a question: "Are you ready to pay the price?"

What is your definition of a successful career?

When someone asks you to teach them.

And when you can go on vacation without anyone calling you and without having to open your laptop – it means the structure works, the people are trained, and everything functions without you.