Authentic connections bring value

Introduce yourself in a few words..

I am Zheni Deleva, a wife and mother of two children, and I have been part of the team at Rakuten Viber for seven years. I am responsible for managing B2C communications in Europe, media partnerships, as well as for implementing processes to optimize data-driven results in Viber's key markets around the world.

How would you describe your career in a few words?

Dynamic, fulfilling, and shared with talented people.

What was the most important choice that shaped your path?

When I was 16, my mother told me she could give me 2 BGN a day for the summer vacation. At that moment, I made a decision — I went to the sea and started my first job. I painted ceramic toys with children. Since then, except for my two maternities, I have not stopped working. I believe that this decision played a key role in shaping me as a person — it built my respect for money, my desire for independence, and the right attitude towards discipline and work.

What would you like to have known at the beginning of your career that no one told you?

That through challenges we grow.

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

By recognizing their strengths.

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

The skills that will distinguish us and make us irreplaceable will be those inherent to our human nature, such as emotional intelligence, problem-solving skills, crisis management, quick decision-making, and adaptability.

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

When we approach with genuine interest and satisfaction in communicating with people, authentic connections arise that can bring value.

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

At the dawn of my career, I expected that my work and efforts would be noticed by themselves. I believed that my managers would be fully aware of my contributions without me having to make an effort to present it. Later, I realized that visibility on our work is key.

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

When we feel bad due to lack of support or transparency, a hostile environment, or we are overly stressed. It is time to leave after we have tried to positively influence and it becomes clear that there will be no change, but most importantly before it affects our physical health and emotional well-being.

What would you do differently if you could start over?

I would not change anything.

How to maintain our motivation during times of stagnation?

Everything is a matter of internal setting. Look at the calm as a challenge, get excited!

How to achieve a balance between professional and personal life?

I do not have a recipe for this eternal question, but intention is a good first step.

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

When job satisfaction declines, when we stop being productive, feel the need for a restart or retraining, especially in the context of rapidly evolving technologies. I am completely “for” such experiments. They are a source of inspiration, personal satisfaction, and new opportunities.

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

Today, to be successful, it is not enough just to have a good career. True success means being healthy – not just physically, but in excellent mental and physical condition, in personal and professional balance, and with high life satisfaction. The term in English is 'in fine fettle'. I have a desire and awareness of this state and I work purposefully every day to not fall out of it, or to quickly return. My advice is: recognize what hinders you and what helps you to be in your 'in fine fettle', and work consciously to achieve it.

What is your definition of a “successful career”?

The happiness from what you do, combined with having a contribution to the success of the company, is a definition of a successful career.