Be ready to give first, then to receive
· Neli Naydenova
For everyone, success is something different. My word is "value"!
Introduce yourself in a few words..
My name is Neli Naydenova. I work as a business coach and I am part of the team at My Leadership Center – a leading company in the field of business coaching and organizational consulting. I see myself as an agent of change for the leaders and teams I work with, and this brings me incredible energy and inspiration.
My family is extremely important to me, and I am glad that my work energizes me so that I can be a fulfilled person in all life roles.
How would you describe your career in a few words?
For me, this is a continuous and valuable journey.
A large part of my professional path was dedicated to marketing and the development of successful brands. During my time at Nestlé, in Bulgaria and at the regional European level, I implemented large-scale business projects and had the pleasure of working with wonderful leaders and teams.
I got acquainted with the coaching approach through an internal corporate academy. I was fascinated by the intersection of deep awareness, action orientation, and achieving measurable results. I obtained international certifications as an NLP Master Practitioner and coach, with the idea of applying the skills in my work. At one point, I found myself at a crossroads – between the corporate world and entrepreneurship, between my passion for business and psychology. I pieced together the "puzzle pieces" and today I combine all these areas as a business coach.
The journey continues. After the dynamics of Italian cars, the precision and comfort of the Swiss train, today, in my role as a business coach, I feel like a pilot of a plane. I explore with curiosity and with a free gaze towards the big picture. I support more people in their growth.
What was the most important choice that shaped your path?
I don't know if it was the most important choice, but the most enriching was certainly my first decision to change roles. In this case, it was a responsible role in sales that took me out of my comfort zone. I discovered and developed qualities that I had not valued until then. After such a step, you enrich your experience and skills and see many more choices ahead of you.
To everyone who feels the urge to try something different but does not take the first step, I would say: Do not be afraid to enter the forest. At first, it is dark and unfamiliar, but often hidden are unsuspected opportunities and paths to new worlds.
What would you like to know at the beginning of your career that no one told you?
Over time, I learned that conflicts are an inevitable part of life and in no way violate my personal boundaries. On the contrary. In the clash of different viewpoints, more value and new ideas are born, as long as the focus remains on the topics and content, not on the qualities of the person. I am glad that we are increasingly working on this topic in my coaching practice with clients.
How can a person understand which profession is suitable for them?
For me, there are two factors. The first is to strive to know yourself - your strengths, weaknesses, and talents. The second is to seek the topics that truly "ignite" you and bring you meaning. And even when circumstances seem unfavorable, with patience, perseverance, and discipline, we manage to find our place and feel fulfilled.
What skills do you think will be key in the next 10 years?
Global analyses are categorical – the key skills of the future are adaptability, critical thinking, emotional and social intelligence, and technological literacy.
I agree with this picture and at the same time I believe that one inherent human quality will always drive us forward, and that is curiosity. My word is "discovery" – to be ready to venture into the unknown, to seek depth, and to be truly curious about the world and the person across from you.
How to build a network of useful contacts without appearing interested?
Our contacts with people are that important invisible safety net that we weave year after year and that catches us if we start to fall. I choose to be sincere, curious about people, to help willingly, but also to stand my ground without pretending to be someone I am not. I try to filter quality contacts from those maintained at any cost.
What is the biggest mistake you have made in your career, and what did you learn from it?
I avoid defining moments in my life as mistakes. Every step is a valuable lesson. I have made wrong decisions, but who hasn't?! I have made compromises under the pressure of common expectations and the pursuit of quick results. These moments taught me to value my intuition and to stand my ground to the end.
How to recognize a toxic work environment and when is it time to leave?
The symptoms of a toxic environment are easily recognizable - envy, lack of trust, intrigues, complaining. If this is fueled by management, the effect multiplies and the work process becomes a burden. When we often come home emotionally "drained" from work, it is time to seek another path.
What would you do differently if you could start over?
From the very beginning of my professional path, I would have been more categorical and brave in standing up for myself.
How to maintain motivation in times of stagnation?
When I feel that I am in stagnation, I approach it again with curiosity. I jump into the deep end and explore the reasons for the momentary lack of motivation. I remind myself of my values and resurface to continue moving forward, driven by the truly important things for me.
This is a case I often work on in my coaching practice and explore with great interest. Helping people in such a journey is a true adventure – sometimes exhausting, but always deeply meaningful and transformative.
How to achieve balance between professional and personal life?
What does balance between professional and personal life mean? For me, it is more of a mirage. Balance is a constant equilibrium, implying "equal" for everything, and sometimes the scale inevitably tilts in one direction or another.
The key is in clear priorities and in setting boundaries in different life roles – as a professional, parent, partner, friend, person. To have clear personal rules about what you would not compromise on. Sometimes work will take up more space, other times family and rest. The only thing we should not compromise on is health.
When is it time to change our career, not just the job?
When we feel that we are already cramped and we fight against the belief that we must play the same role for a lifetime.
I am inspired by the idea of the Renaissance person – the possibility of having more than one profession, occupation, passion. Human potential is infinite, and sometimes we are too enslaved by established norms. We do not dare to step out of one role and into another just because of the opinions of others or the temporary upheaval in material comfort.
If you had to give just one piece of advice to people seeking success, what would it be?
My message to seekers is to pursue their dreams and to be ready to give first before receiving. I learned this over the years – when you are ready to contribute first, the results and benefits will inevitably come. This distinguishes people with a thirst for development and an entrepreneurial spirit.
What is your definition of a "successful career"?
For everyone, success is something different. My word is "value". A career is successful when you have managed to do things better than yesterday, to leave something behind.