About me

IT Architect

I have more than 10 years of experience working for some of the largest technological giants such as IBM and Siemens. My largest successful international project was the infrastructure migration for Coca-Cola at more than 70 locations in 26 countries. I was in charge and led the installation of the only IBM BlueGene/P supercomputer in Bulgaria (and in Southeast Europe). My experience as a programmer, system and network administrator, my knowledge of different platforms combined with the skills I honed as software engineer, infrastructure architect, brand manager and salesman enabled me to become a multifaceted specialist, to manage project for implementation of hybrid solutions at different scales, to take various roles and evaluate tasks from multiple perspectives. I was directly responsible for a business worth about US$ 4 million per year.

Entrepreneur

I launched my first startup (it no longer exists) in 1998 right after my Master Degree in Telecommunications. By now I have started four companies, out of which two are still in existence and I am actively involved in the operation of one of them. I consider my last 4 years at IBM (out of 8) to be my best business education. The largest transaction that I was a part of was worth US$ 10.9 million (list price), and I was involved in the capacity of an IT architect. However, I opted to be a small entrepreneur in order to be closer to the clients and have the freedom to set my own daily agenda. Nevertheless, I use every day what I learned from the big corporate world and especially when I try to avoid its mistakes. My companies are involved in the development of mobile and web applications, digital media and publishing and online platforms for SaaS and business.

Photographer

Right after the world of innovations, information technologies and computing, photography is my second biggest passion; however, chronologically it was the first. I started shooting with photo and video cameras as a kid. I used to develop my own black and white films. Over the years my passion grew and my involvement in photography deepened to borderline mania. I had my own photo studio (and equipment for at least two). Then I fell in love with compact digital systems, especially Fujifilm X, prime lens and the strobist techniques. Since then I enjoy the minimalism of my equipment and the mobility such systems offer to a photographer. My favorite themes are the female portrait and street photography. I organize thematic seminars and workshops for small groups of photography enthusiasts.

My major strength is the synergy between the perspectives of the technological expert and the business person.

Moreover, my broad experience in the field of IT (ranging from software engineer to infrastructure architect) helps me fathom the details and enables me to speak the language of the narrow specialists in almost all IT fields. Innovations are very exciting to me, but I have the pragmatism and the common sense to restrain my enthusiasm because I understand that even awesome revolutionary ideas with great technological potential still have a long way to go. In order to be broadly accepted by the market, or even to achieve minor boutique success, they need far more than to be revolutionary. The balanced mix of utility, usability, simplicity, elegance, and, often, entertainment will be the key for the success of most projects, regardless of whether they are targeted towards enterprise or end users.

I often use open source software components and platforms for their stability and flexibility. But I believe in hybrid systems and solutions, which implement time-tested components in the right framework to take advantage of their best features. However, even perfect technologies are meaningless if they fail to make people happier if they are not transferred into products and services, and if they do not facilitate and expand our lives and communications. They are made relevant by content, not by tools. Our future is intertwined with digital content (electronic books, magazines, digital TV, movies and music on demand, digital photography, etc.). The new media are entirely based on the Internet, and so are the new humans. I would like to observe this process and at the same time make ideas come to life…

Have a business related question?

What do you sell?

I am IT solution architect and Internet expert and I can provide broad portfolio of services (planning, migration, implementation, operation, optimisation, and support) in the scope of Cloud and Internet services, IT project management, IT operations management, web and mobile development, WordPress consulting, digital media publishing, training (incl. photography courses and workshops) and many others. I have a unique blend of experience that allows me to offer such a diverse range of services but don’t think about me as a single person. I have several experienced teams around me but of course, you can work directly with me.

How much does it cost to work with you?

It varies depending on what’s needed. I’m happy to send a quote or give an estimation when I know more specifics.

Can we still work together if we live in different countries?

It depends… Nowadays Internet is everywhere and as much as I enjoy meeting face-to-face I’ve found that talking on the phone, online, and communicating by email can save everyone a lot of time that would otherwise be spent traveling. Business is simply conducted via email, phone and video chat as needed. Of course, I am happy to travel at least across Europe. Currently, I’m living in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. And if you are in the area, then it would be great to meet.

Can you start now?

I only take on a few projects at a time to ensure that each client gets their deserved attention. Please send me an email to check my availability, as this changes all the time.

How do you accept payment?

For most projects, I request a 40% down payment before scheduling the work. I accept payments via bank transfer or PayPal. The exact details and terms will be provided in my proposal. The remaining will be paid on completion of the project.

Language?

My native language is Bulgarian but I speak English and we can also communicate in Russian. I have also limited basic level of Spanish and Catalan.