I can 'read between the lines' and filter the realistic in every situation

New position: Founder and Lead Consultant/Founder & Lead Consultant

Company: The Sales Stuff

Introduce yourself in a few sentences and highlight some key points from your career development so far?

Hello, my name is Stefka Mihailova and I have over 12 years of experience in the field of software sales, with 8 of those in leadership positions. I have worked for both a large, established company that is a market leader and for startups, where I participated in building teams from scratch and entering new markets – Europe in particular.

 

What motivates you to take on this new role and what are your main goals in the position?

I founded The Sales Stuff, to enable more startup and growing software companies to work early on with proven specialists in the field of software sales. This is generally quite expensive personnel, which comes with high requirements, but in many companies, expertise can also come in the form of one-time consultations, specialized training, or partial participation in processes, without requiring a full-time appointment or commissions. Often, the problem with such an appointment is not just financial, but also that there is no room for high leadership roles – there is a need for work, not for management. Thus, my observations are that there is a period in the development of every company that creates wonderful conditions for collaboration between founders and specialists on a consulting or partially leadership basis.

What professional or personal qualities do you think will helpyou succeed in your new position?

From my personal qualities, I will rely mainly on my adaptability and ability to communicate well and to 'read between the lines'. This helps me quickly orient myself in different situations, to understand what my client really aims for, and not least – to successfully explain what of the desired things is realistic at the moment and what will require further work to achieve. I have over a decade of professional experience, and during this time, despite the modest 3 companies I have been through, I have experienced mergers, acquisitions, financing, closures, and restructuring of teams, starting such from scratch. The big boom of AI in SaaS, the adaptation of small and large companies to change – both as consumers and as providers of new technologies.

What challenges do you expect to face and how do you approach change management?

I love change; it always energizes me, motivates me, and makes me think of all the wonderful opportunities it offers. Of course, it also brings challenges. Perhaps the most challenging for me will be to find those people who are ready for a different way of working and to set clear boundaries for how this system works. Especially before the initial client base is established, which allows the business to be self-sustaining – it is tempting to say 'Yes' to a project that is quite different from your concept.

What is your approach to teamwork and building a strong internal culture?

I believe that a good team is made up of differently thinking people with the same values and work ethic. If we strive for this, then a strong internal culture will come naturally. I want to create an environment where people are well rewarded, where they feel heard, understood, where they are trusted, and they are happy and calm. When there is such a work environment, the right people give their all to make the company succeed, because it brings benefits to them as well. And the wrong ones drop out quickly. It can be said that I believe that healthy selfishness should be turned into a driving force. I cannot expect someone to view my company as their own just like that; it is not realistic.

What would you like people to say about you in the company after a few months?

After a few months (12-18, if we are to be realistic), I hope to have several clients who have come from referrals. And our small but close-knit team to ask me every day, 'Why didn't you start this earlier?'.