People of ZigiWave with Ivaylo

My background

I have graduated the Technology School Electronic Systems in Sofia with a profile in software development. After that I studied computer science in Denmark for 1 year.

I returned to Bulgaria and worked as a Junior Developer for about a year. Then I left for Gibraltar to work as an application support for a betting company. I spent 4 years there  I started as an application support and then continued as a developer.

After that I got back in Bulgaria and this is when I started my journey in ZigiWave. This was a bit more than three years ago.

My role at ZigiWave

I became a Lead at the ZigiWave development team about 6 months ago. In my role I strive to help the team move forward, deliver the tasks on time, and do whatever is necessary to keep our clients happy. I also think it is very important to help each person from the team develop at an individual level, to learn new skills and grow.  

I maintain our backlog and make sure we stick to the plan we created. I discuss all the challenges with the team and help them focus on the things that will make the Software Development Life-Cycle smoother.

Currently, I am also sharing the Product Owner position with our CTO, being a focal point for product related questions.

The Zigi team

Our team is wonderful, and I am happy that everyone, not only in the development team, but also in the whole company, is positive and open-minded.  

The Dev team grew a lot lately. Same time last year we were only 3 people, now we are 7 and soon about to become 8. Most of us are from Bulgaria, but we now also have people from India and Russia, so we are a multi-cultural team, and we love to communicate and exchange experiences. There is always something to learn from each other, and it is very enriching and interesting.

My advice to someone just starting at Zigi

The most important thing is to be open-minded, to be able to accept and benefit from different ideas. Be open and respectful for other peoples opinions and ideas.  

Also, to be ready to self-develop and learn all the time. With our product the challenges come one after another and we have ambitious goals. This requires constantly exploring new technologies and developing new technical skills.  

What is the most important lesson I learned from my job in ZigiWave?

The team you work with is of great importance. If the friendly atmosphere is missing things get unpleasant quickly and you lose motivation. This is why I highly appreciate the environment and the people we have in ZigiWave  friendly and warm relations with everyone.

I have some negative experience from other companies where I worked before. I did not last long there, because the teams were very chaotic, and there was no appreciation. The team you work with is really of utmost importance.  

How I deal with difficulties at work

Again, with the help of the team. Software development  it might sound strange to someone  but it is actually a team effort. You do your tasks, but to be able to progress and for your work to make sense you depend heavily on other colleagues  developers, integration engineers, everyone For example, Lyubo  our R&D manager is always ready to help. When I have a challenging situation, I can always turn to my colleagues for help and advice.

... And in my life, in general

In life I take a different approach. I have the habit of keeping things to myself. For now this works, and I usually deal with hardships on my own. I try not to burden the people I love Maybe this is not the best way to do it, but for now it is working for me.  

How do you celebrate success?

Most often with a vacation for a week or two. But to be honest, I dont pay much attention to my personal successes. To me it is more important when I succeed with a team. Be it at work, or with friends.

For example, I have friends we gather with to play football. When we win we then celebrate together (well, even if we dont win, we might have a drink or two). So I celebrate successes mostly with friends and family, with my close ones.

Recharging and de-stressing

I play computer games. I like reading books, though I dont have much time lately. I walk in the park or in the mountains if the weather is fine. I walk out with my dog. I like going out with friends, too.

I just do something that distracts me from my problems and burdens for a while.  

My favorite activities

I like reading a lot of comics lately. I watch animes, as well. It might sound childish, but there are some quite serious topics discussed in comics and animes. There are some thriller and psychology moments that are definitely not for children.  

I love travelling. I have been in about half of the European countries, for example  Spain, England, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, France, and more. I love visiting foreign countries and exploring their cultures and traditions.

Another thing I love is adventures and extreme sports, like bunjee jumping, parachute dropping, rafting, skiing

My sources of inspiration

Firstly, my parents. I appreciate very highly everything theyve done for me, all their help in my life so far.  

Then the mentors Ive had in the different companies Ive worked in. For example, when I was in Gibraltar my team lead helped me a lot. He helped me for my career development, but also helped me settle and get used to the new environment and new culture I was in. He showed me what to learn and what to stress on in order to develop myself in the direction I wanted.

Books and movies I like

Fantasy  dragons, elves, dwarfs  this kind of stuff.  Lord of the rings is one of my favorite books, and movies.

I am not very good at remembering titles, but I like Stephen Kings books, too. For example, The green mile is a movie I like a lot.

Favorite place in the world

Home. At home I feel my best, calm and at ease. I spend most of my time at home, especially now when Im also working from home. This is the place where I gather my energy, recharge, and then Im ready to go out in the world and fight the battles it throws at me, so to say.

A day in my life

My day starts with a dogs tongue on my face.I wake up early, as you can imagine. My dog is called Trixie.

Then I start work. My workday starts with catching up with the tasks of everyone in the team. I strive to help everyone who has any difficulties or questions. Then I start with my own tasks. If there are any meetings, I prepare for them and attend.  

When the workday ends, I go out for a walk with Trixie, play a little bit with her. Then I have dinner, watch a movie to relax, and go to bed.

In weekends I sleep until later, of course. As late as Trixie can handle.

The things Im looking forward to

Buying my own home. I have started searching, and I hope until the end of this year, I will have found the perfect place.

In terms of work, my role at the moment is a serious challenge and I really want to develop in it. I want to give my best to drive the team forward, keep growing ZigiOps and making it the best integration platform out there.