The real challenge is to grow together with your company

How would you introduce yourself to the audience at https://careerdailynews.com/?

My name is Vladimir Rashev and for 20 years I have been engaged in the implementation of business software and project management in this field.

What key milestones and transformations would you highlight in the development of Balkan Services from its inception to today?

Over the last 20 years, we have gone through all the natural stages of growth. We started from scratch - a few partners, who built the company literally step by step. Today we are an organization with a clear structure and scale, which ranks us among the leading medium-sized companies in the Bulgarian market and a leader in areas such as BI, financial consolidation and XBRL.

Over these two decades, we have changed a lot as an organization. We have accumulated deep industry expertise,  established clearer processes and a sustainable operational model that allows us to work effectively and predictably.

Our clients have also changed – their requirements have become more complex and strategic. This clearly showed us the direction in which to go: we focused on medium and larger projects, where we can take on greater responsibility, apply our full potential, and create real value for the client's business.

How would you describe your current market position and the scope of services you offer?

We are established as a reliable partner and leader in consulting and implementing business software. And this brings with it the responsibility  to present ourselves consistently at a high level.

We work with companies that want to optimize and digitize their business processes. We bring a combination of business understanding, consulting expertise, and technical depth - which allows us to design and implement solutions that truly work in the client's real environment. We cover a wide range of business areas - finance, operations, sales,  manufacturing, project management, and data analysis. Behind every project stands a team that knows both the business logic and the technology - and takes responsibility for the result. This is complemented by comprehensive IT support and infrastructure services that provide a stable and reliable technological environment for long-term operation.

In your latest customer satisfaction survey, a 99% positive rating was reported. What do you think are the main factors for this result?

For me, a successfully implemented project is one that brings real value to the client. At Balkan Services, our goal is precisely that – to provide a solution that works effectively, meets the initially agreed goals, and is executed within the planned deadlines and budget.

For the client, this means predictability – clarity in the process, lack of surprises, and alignment between expectations and results. Receiving a working solution on time and with the agreed quality is a key element of trust.

At the same time, we ensure that projects are financially sustainable, so that the collaboration is satisfying for both parties.

If I can summarize with one clear criterion – a project is truly successful when it starts to be used actively. When the solution is part of the client's daily work and genuinely supports the processes and people in the organization.

This approach likely allows you to build long-term relationships with your clients. How do you see your role beyond the specific project?

For us, it is important that relationships with clients are built on trust and openness - without unnecessary formality, but with clear frameworks for collaboration. We strive to be the partner with whom they can discuss not only a specific project but also broader topics – technological strategy, development of their systems, or upcoming business changes.

This partnership can be expressed in many ways - daily IT support, implementation of a new system, upgrading or integration with existing solutions. It can be a question related to cybersecurity or the overall IT strategy of the company. It is not always necessary for us to execute everything, but it is important for the client to have a competent reference point – someone with whom they can rethink their options and make an informed decision.

Ultimately, it is about building dialogue and trust over time. When the client  takes an important decision — operational or strategic — to know that they have someone to turn to. This is the value of long-term partnership that exceeds the boundaries of any individual contract.

What were the most serious challenges faced by the company over these 20 years?

In our case, many of the colleagues have been with us from the very beginning or for many years. With growth, everything changes – the scale of the projects, the profile of the clients, the way of working. The challenge was not just for the company to grow, but for us to grow along with it – to remain relevant to what the market requires, and to what the clients need.

We work with various companies in the market and the environment around all of us is constantly changing. The important thing was that this change should not happen chaotically or too stressfully, but should be manageable – to be an active part of it, rather than just reacting under pressure.

There is also something very human in the whole story. Over time, not only the business changes, but we as people and leaders do as well. The perspective expands, decisions are made differently, priorities are reassessed. Perhaps this is one of the biggest challenges – the entire team of people who build the company must be able to develop along with it, rather than remain at a stage where it has already outgrown.

In the IT industry, the market and technological environment are constantly changing. How have you adapted to these changes over the years?

To be honest – quickly. The alternative is not to adapt, and that has never been an option for us. At Balkan Services  we accept change as a natural part of the environment in which we work. It does not ask whether we are ready – it just happens.

We cannot predict everything, but there are things that are obvious – for example, that the speed will continue to increase. The question is not whether there will be change, but how we will meet it. Whether we will look at it with fear and tension or seek the opportunities it opens.

Rapid change brings risk, but also opportunities. When the market and technologies move dynamically, you have greater freedom to position yourself as you want – as long as you have a clear idea of where you are heading.

What we cannot control is the pace of changes. What we can control is our attitude towards them – whether we will react defensively or use them as a lever for development. We strive for the latter. The goal is to stay fit and ready to act, no matter how fast the environment around you moves.

Do you remember a moment when market uncertainty required extremely fast adaptation?

The period 2020 -2022 was truly a challenging moment. Many projects were delayed or temporarily halted, because businesses simply did not know what was next. There was uncertainty and it was felt everywhere.

At the same time, there was a sharp and urgent need for digitalization – remote work, data security, tools for communication and team collaboration in an online environment. This accelerated processes that would otherwise have taken years.

For us, it was indicative how quickly the adaptation happened. Within a week or two, entire organizations switched to a remote working mode and continued to function. Not after long strategies and plans, but because it was necessary.

So this period was both a stress test and a catalyst. There was uncertainty, but there were also many opportunities. In such moments, you can see how quickly you can change when you have no other choice.

 

Speaking of changes, how would you describe the development of digitalization among your clients in recent years?

If we go back 20 years, the volume of data that companies worked with was significantly smaller. Software solutions were limited, and digital processes played a supporting but not a leading role. The computer was a tool, but not an environment where almost everything happens.

Today, the situation is fundamentally different. Almost every company relies on business software, cloud services, and  mobile devices. If you do not have the necessary systems, you practically fall out of the market. Just like if everyone has a mobile phone, and you do not – you formally exist, but you are actually out of the game.

It is no coincidence that among the largest companies in the world today, it is precisely the technology and software companies that dominate. This shows where the center of gravity in the economy has shifted. Software is no longer an auxiliary function – it is at the core of business.

For us, this means a more complex environment, more complex projects, and many more systems, integrations, and data. The good news is that clients are much better prepared. They understand better what they can expect from a system, where the added value is, and how technologies give them a real competitive advantage.

Digitalization has transformed from an addition to business into its foundation. And this naturally made our work more responsible and more interesting.

What motivates you when you reach yet another goal after the realization of each new project?

What motivates me is the idea of becoming better at what we do – not just to implement another project, but to do it with greater ease, more structured, and more effectively. With the accumulated experience, you start to see where you can optimize processes, how to learn faster, and how to use the tools you work with more effectively.

It is important to build an environment in which the entire team develops their competencies - not only technically but also in understanding the business of our clients. The deeper we know their real needs, the more adequate and valuable solutions we can offer. This makes our work more meaningful.

Another strong motivation is for the team to become more independent. To have clear processes and enough confidence to manage projects without constant operational intervention from my side. This gives me the opportunity to focus on strategic priorities - not what will happen in the next month, but where we want to develop the company in the coming years.

Ultimately, motivation comes from development – of the organization, of the people in it, and of myself as part of this process.

In the year that Balkan Services celebrates 20 years in the market – what is your vision for the next stage of the company's development?

Twenty years in the market is not just an anniversary - it is proof that we have built something sustainable and valuable. And it is this foundation that gives us the confidence and clarity to look ahead.

The people at Balkan Services are at the core of everything we do. A team that continuously develops, shares knowledge, and grows together - not only as specialists but also as people who deeply understand the business of their clients. Investing in them and in the culture of shared knowledge will remain our top priority.

We are also looking beyond our current boundaries - towards new partnerships, new sectors, and opportunities for a more substantial presence. The need for reliable partners in digitalization will only grow, and we want to be among those who set the standard.

At the same time, we are carefully exploring how artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are changing the requirements that businesses place on their systems and data.

The environment is changing rapidly and the questions are more than the answers - but one thing is clear: data integration, information quality, and analytical capabilities, and the speed of data processing will become even more critical for decision-making. This is an area where our expertise is deep and where we see serious potential for development.

I believe that the most interesting period for Balkan Services is yet to come - with proven experience behind us, a built team and ambition that has not changed since day one.