Who am I?
Master in: brand design and strategy, strategic planning, communications, service design
Focus on: market and consumer research, field research, trendwatching, insights extraction, programme design, team facilitation
Number of workshops done: > 20
Number of projects: > 10
Industries: retail, FMCG, telecom, automotive, hospitality, beauty, logistics, IT, arts & culture
From a very early age I have had the tendency to analyze everything around me - what I read in books, saw on TV or in real life. Later in life, I contemplated every decision, be it a fundamental or a mundane one, looking at it from different angles and lenses, but most notably, the philosophical one.
When I read my first marketing textbook, I was fascinated by the notion of the brand, as a way to convey layers of meaning beyond the surface. Fast forward to the present day, my professional journey has always been fueled by my motivation to be part of creating authentic, full-bodied, meaningful products, services and experiences that leave their mark on people and bring value, convenience or joy to life.
In the last 9 years I’ve had the opportunity to dive into many different industries as part of the marketing team, the advertising agency, and the strategic consultancy. In every instance, I’ve been seeking answers to two essential questions: “Why is this important for people?” and “How is this going to improve their lives?”. Today, I ask these questions as a redesign facilitator - the expert, who guides, without steering the wheel and giving the answers, in order to nurture ideas to take form, grow and be born in the world.
The three most important professional project
Chronologically speaking:
Rooting every project I’ve participated in during my 3 years at Saatchi & Saatchi and BrandWorks into a solid strategic foundation, which enabled goal-oriented marketers and idealistic creative teams to speak a common language - that of human nature and behavior.
Establishing an independent studio for brand design and strategy - Posoka studio - where, together with my husband, I helped small and medium-sized businesses understand the value of the brand, reveal their essence and take the right direction with care and passion
Infecting people with pure joy and excitement by spreading the swing dance and culture as part of the Lindy Hop Bulgaria dance school.
Your biggest failure and lessons learned
We failed to build a strong team and move our brand studio forward. We were not as tenacious and committed to our own brand as we were to our clients'.
We came to a realization that doing everything at once is inefficient and unhealthy, so we put our egos behind us and stepped back to do what we are really good at in a new context. Change has brought both of us inspiration and growth, personally and professionally, as it happens whenever you dare to try something new.
On Sunday I wake up early to…
share a cup of coffee with Vassil, listening to my daughter’s laughter, my dogs’ barking, the music of leaves and my smart friends’ silly jokes.