- We are thrilled to have you join us today. Welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
My name is Stoyan Mitov and I’m the CEO of Dreamix, a bespoke software development company operating from multiple locations around the world. We have headquarters in Sofia, Bulgaria, and London, United Kingdom.
I am also a co-founder of the Citizens app—an app that lets local Bulgarian citizens be heroes in their communities. People can sign up and report irregularities and things in their areas or environments they would like to improve. Each alert should contain a photo or video and a brief description of the problem. Thanks to the platform, their concerns quickly reach the administrations of the respective municipalities responsible for the maintenance of the urban environment.
- Can you share which of your business achievements so far rank in your personal top 3 and why?
I’ve always thought that relationships between people are at the heart of a successful business. When there is no team cohesion, transparency, and communication, I think a company is doomed from the very beginning. That is why I am extremely proud of our company culture.
The numbers prove it: we have a 95% employee retention rate, considering our 60% year-over-year growth.
Secondly, I am very happy that we have started hiring people from abroad. Last but not least, our company’s revenue increased 7.5 times from 2017 to 2022.
- What’s your secret to success? Does it lie in your daily routine, or do you have any success rituals?
No, I don’t have any rituals. Actually, the key to success is quite simple: just keep going. There’s a thought I once heard that I really liked. It was something like, “There’s no such thing as stagnation. If you’re not moving forward, it means you’re actually slowly and surely going backwards.”
I am a dynamic person and the aspiration for development is my natural state of being.
Many things inspire me. First, it is the people who make Dreamix what it is. The daily conversations I have with them are really energizing. My family is a great source of inspiration for me, too. I want to be able to share with my three kids that I have achieved something big and meaningful. And, of course, my friends—some of them are really successful and they show me that everything is achievable.
Also, being physically and mentally fit is super important for me, as I am responsible for 200 people and families. So, being in my best condition is fundamental to the success of all of us. Having a clearly defined routine is something that helps me.
I used to work 12 hours a day, for more than 10 years. Now when I go home, I don’t bring my laptop and I do my best to be present with my family and not do any work.
Furthermore, I do sports six days a week. It is 20 minutes per day but it is enough. Lastly, I walk to the office for half an hour. I can reflect, and listen to podcasts—this is my “me” time.
- What do you think about business mentorship? Have you had a mentor or have you been one?
Mentorship could be a very beneficial exchange for both parties. I believe you can learn something from anyone you meet, as long as you are willing to.
I don’t exactly have mentors but I have very close friends who are really successful. The interaction with them is constantly helping me aim bigger and come up with out-of-the-box ideas.
I’ve started working more closely with one person from the UK. He is not mentoring me, but simply talking to him helps me realize things I couldn’t fully comprehend because of my busy schedule, etc. Having people close to you who are smart, ambitious, and genuinely good human beings is really helpful.
What is more, we tend to build relationships with our competitors. This allows us to draw on their expertise, especially if they are bigger than us. It also works vice versa.
- How does your company keep up with innovations in the tech world?
Embracing innovation is essential for any business to thrive and meet customer demand. This is especially true for software developers, as this industry is developing at a rapid pace.
Our approach consists of regular brainstorming sessions. Every week, we discuss emerging trends and evaluate whether we can or should implement them in our work. Everyone is committed to expressing their creativity and knowledge.
As we all know, artificial intelligence (AI) is now a game-changer. It’s a controversial topic for us and we are still working on determining the best ways to use it. There should be a gradual uptake of this technology in order to test different options. However, there’s no denying that AI has the potential to facilitate almost every process.
- How do you envision the future of your business?
We focus on face-to-face interactions with our customers, or as we call them, partners. Our aim is not to just contribute code but to provide business value. We cherish relations, not transactions and that is why we have worked for years with our partners helping them scale and grow. So, we plan to remain as proactive as we’ve always been.
To further increase our value we also plan to invest heavily in building our expertise in AWS. Cloud will bring value to billions for the companies of the future and AWS is the biggest player in the market. We are even now seeing the high demand for such expertise from our partners.
- What are your core values in life?
My motto in life is short and simple: Whatever you do, always give your best. Even if things don’t turn out as expected, your conscience will be clear. Be honest, not judgmental, and be open to new experiences.
- Finally, tell us what you like to do when you’re not working.
First of all, I love spending time with my family and friends, be it at home or on vacation. Sometimes, I manage to steal some time for my passion from my school years—football.
Another passion of mine is reading books. My favorites are “SPIN Selling” by Neil Rackham and “Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself” by William Li. The list could go on and on.
You can reach me on my socials, here.