The world is not just houses and sunsets, there are many other challenges

Introduce yourself in a few words:

My name is Katerina Buyuklieva. Zodiac Sagittarius. I work with pleasure and travel with pleasure. For 27 years I have been a partner and managing director of Media Club. I am responsible for strategic negotiations with all media and building stable partnerships with media owners.

For you, is traveling the world?

It is not just traveling 😊… - the preparation, the organization, the whole process is an adventure. I always set off with curiosity.

How many different countries have you seen so far? Tell us an interesting story or highlights from your travels? 

My love for traveling is great, and as we know – love does not count. It is interesting that almost at every point I have stepped on, I meet someone who speaks to me in Bulgarian. When in Lapland on New Year's Eve in a bar-cafe, a very nice boy Elf greeted us in pure Bulgarian,  we froze in place…A Bulgarian Elf is not met every day. The world is indeed very small…

Do you like to repeat destinations? Give examples and motivation “for” or “against”?

Yes, I have cities, places that I enjoy visiting repeatedly and with pleasure. There are points around the world that have cultural and sports events, which is a huge attraction for me. Let's say, the world is not just houses and sunsets😊 I love trips with an accent.

What was your first trip that truly changed you as a professional and can be said to have changed your thinking?

The presentation in Munich, in the iconic office building of BMW in the distant year 2005. With colleagues from 7 countries, we presented individually, each presenting their market. The media advertising strategy in Bulgaria was prepared by our agency's team (media club) and presented by me. I remember every second: from entering the building (until then it was an architectural landmark for me), through the presentation, the questions and answers, the faces of the people, atmosphere… everything. The result was more than successful. This is a moment I always return to when I am faced with a big challenge and need courage and a bit of recklessness😊

What do you learn about yourself and your professional skills when you are in a new cultural environment?

Communicating with different people in different places puts you in situations for which you are not always prepared. I am convinced that everywhere the saying “You are greeted by your clothes, you are sent off by your mind” is valid. In reality, it is not necessary to leave the country to find yourself in a different cultural environment. It is good to be prepared before meeting new people (when possible). There are surprises, but whenever you make prior efforts, set aside time, and prepare, it pays off.

Have you met people or ideas during your travels that have influenced your career V path?

Yes. Fortunately, back in my student days. In Berlin, during an internship at a consulting firm, I was the “shadow” of a very interesting person. After a month of joint efforts to achieve understanding, I received invaluable advice from him: Regardless of what you are tackling, what you are undertaking, the rule for success is BALANCE. Balance in relationships, in ambitions, in negotiations… in everything, every day.

Do you think that traveling helps you expand your professional network? How?

No. To build professional contacts, it is not necessary to travel. When you want to create a contact with someone, you need three to five calls and you reach whoever you need. That’s what mathematics says😊You just need to know who you are looking for and know why.

What skills do you develop the most when you travel, and how do they reflect on your work V?

Discipline. Accuracy. Constant attention and intuition.

How do you manage the balance between work and pleasure, when you travel?

Sometimes it is hard, but even during the busiest trips, you have time to look around, to enjoy a nice coffee in a nice place. When I travel for pleasure, time stretches and I feel that the day is at least two times longer.

How have travels changed the way you perceive the value of money?

Five money is five money everywhere. I don’t think that traveling builds the attitude towards the value of money. I see money not just as a means of exchange. Fiat money embodies the state standard, crypto – individual freedom, and   the real value – as always – is what you can do with it.

Do you travel to find new ways to earn money?

No.

What lessons about financial independence have you learned from different economies and cultures? 

Independence is an expensive pleasure. You have to work hard. Mental labor is heavy, but not always well valued. Where mental labor is well valued, things are good and that is motivating.

According to Vyou, is it better to spend on experiences rather than on material possessions?

I believe that one should invest in a quality life. Not to accumulate things that do not help you live with the values you profess. Each of us has their own value system and that is wonderful! I curiously follow what my daughter's peers spend their money on.

How do you see the future of digital nomadic life?

When we mention  THE FUTURE, let’s look in the mirror and realize that someone invented and produced it. The culture of consumption starts with the mirror. You cannot build a building, a car, a mobile phone, or a comfortable sofa if you are far from the team, only with a computer and good internet. There are many areas in our life that require working in teams, physically located in one place. Not continuously, but it is mandatory. There cannot be sports achievements, medical care, delicious food, delivery of anything without well-managed teams of people.

Are there specific countries that are more favorable for work and investments?

It depends on what you want to develop.

If you could choose one place in the world to develop your next big idea, what would it be and why?

The place does not matter, for big ideas you only need like-minded people. Fortunately, technologies shorten all distances and remove many obstacles. I am grateful that we are witnessing this technological rise😊

What are the destinations you would definitely recommend to be visited and why?

Paris and London from European capitals. There, literally every three to six months you can notice progress. They are very fast, and at the same time extremely sustainable and I really like that.

What is the career advice you would give based on what you have seen around the world?

People are important. In work and personal life, satisfaction comes from meeting the right people. If I had to formulate it as advice – learning foreign languages gives breadth of thinking. Every foreign language is an entry into culture, thinking, history, and that is a prerequisite for understanding. It does not matter that today the “universal language” is largely English. Access to learning foreign languages is so easy. You just need desire and curiosity.