With nearly a decade of leadership experience in the telecommunications industry, Petya Yovcheva (EMBA’11) felt the need to further expand her knowledge and deepen her understanding of business. As a seasoned professional, she sought out AUBG’s EMBA program in 2010, confident that it would provide the advanced knowledge and strong network needed to elevate her career and open doors to new opportunities.
The experience lived up to her expectations: Petya says the EMBA provided the cutting-edge business insights she sought, along with valuable connections with fellow professionals, many of whom have become trusted colleagues and lifelong friends.
In this article, the AUBG alumna, who has since established her own successful business, talks about the ways the program has shaped her career path, the importance of the AUBG alumni network, and why she feels a strong commitment to giving back to the community.
Motivation to Enroll in AUBG’s EMBA Program
By the time she was 24, Petya had already stepped into a leadership role as a team manager. However, after the birth of her daughter, she decided it wasn’t the right time to pursue Executive MBA studies.
For her, it was essential to be able to fully commit to the educational process to maximize the benefits of the program. Over the next seven years following her maternity leave, Petya gained significant experience in setting up and leading multiple teams.
This period of growth fueled her desire to build upon her practical experience with a deeper understanding of both the theoretical and practical aspects of business.
“Studying at AUBG was a dream for me,” she said. “I learned about the EMBA program in its early years, but I decided that it would be better to gain more experience first, before enrolling.”
Petya was confident that AUBG was the ideal environment to further her education.
“I knew that AUBG was the right place to do that – I knew that the program had strong faculty members teaching at some of the best universities, as well as interesting business cases and real projects to work on.”
“I was sure that I wanted to be in an environment with proven professionals, that I can communicate with regularly, taking advantage of their experience and skills. This would later on prove to make the execution of practical group assignments much more interesting and rewarding. Back then, I didn’t know that these relationships would later develop into strong personal friendships.”
Career Impact
Despite having nearly a decade of managerial experience by the time she enrolled in the program, Petya’s career had been largely focused on a single sector—telecommunications, as part of Orbitel (Deutsche Telekom).
‘At the same time, it was so exciting, interesting, and useful to understand the challenges faced by my cohort colleagues who had experience in different industries and in different roles,” she said. “I believe that this helped me a lot to expand my point of view, gain from their experiences.”
This new perspective encouraged Petya to accept an offer from the Dutch financial company ING and become part of the company’s management in Bulgaria while still in the third semester of her EMBA studies.
“Up to that point, I had been leading sales, customer care, and administration teams, but I was now developing in a different field – business development, project management, and executive recruitment,” she said.
This shift laid the groundwork for what would come next in the alumna’s career. A few years later, Petya founded Skill Force, a company that has been successfully consulting and assisting the management of many international and Bulgarian companies in the selection of key personnel for their business for over 13 years now.
“It is worth mentioning that the Skill Force team includes AUBG alumni, and that a significant number of fellow AUBG graduates put their trust in us, as we work together on many recruitment projects,” Petya said.
Study Highlights
Petya’s time in the EMBA program was filled with valuable experiences that left a lasting impact.
“The interesting projects, valuable discussions, sleepless nights, and the desire to make the best presentation, to balance between work (especially a new job where you need to prove yourself), family, and studying – it was certainly a challenge,” she said.
The EMBA program is demanding and requires a high level of commitment, Petya said.
“Without time-management and prioritization skills, it wouldn’t have been possible, and this is also one of the critical skills for any manager, which you further develop over this year and a half.”
In addition to the development of skills and knowledge, what the alumna found most rewarding about the program was “the confidence that you can complete any task in no time, the team of strong professionals you can always turn to for advice and discuss any business issue, and the friendships.”
Giving Back to AUBG
More than a decade after graduation, Petya remains committed to AUBG, supporting the university both financially and by actively recommending the EMBA program to others.
“I will always be grateful for the experiences, the knowledge, and the friendships. The path I walked after the EMBA program definitely wouldn’t have been the same without this experience,” she said.
“I believe that when you have received so much, it’s important to give back, which is why over the years the team at Skill Force and I have financially supported both the undergraduate program and the EMBA program.”
In addition to financial support, Petya’s work brings her into contact with many professionals, and for some, it’s the right time to consider enrolling in the EMBA program, she said.
“I am always happy to share my personal experience, to tell them more about the program and what it can offer them in terms of career advancement and personal growth and development.”
The Role of the AUBG Alumni Network
The AUBG alumni network has played a significant role in Petya’s professional journey.
“They were some of my first clients who trusted and supported me when starting my own business, the people who encouraged me in my new endeavor, and I will always be grateful to my AUBG fellow students!”
The AUBG connections have extended beyond professional support and have grown into close personal friendships, Petya said.
“We have become close friends with so many AUBG alumni, sharing many events and holidays together and continuing to enjoy each of our gatherings. For over 10 years, our cohort has managed to gather for our traditional Christmas Feast – where each of us prepares a dish to share with the others and this celebration we eagerly await every year!”
Advice to Prospective AUBG EMBA Students
Petya’s advice to prospective students is clear and enthusiastic: fully immerse yourself in the EMBA experience.
“Don’t hold back! Dive in deep and give your best – not only in terms of projects and assignments, but also in the active life of your cohort, parties, and the opportunities to get to know your colleagues better. You will forever remember and cherish these 16 months!”
