10 Years in 10 Questions: Happy Work Anniversary to Simeon Mirchev

This month, we celebrate the 10^th work anniversary of our teammate Simeon Mirchev. Simeon leads a team of IT professionals for one of the key US-based clients of TSD.

A strong team player with a problem-solving mindset and great attention to detail, Simeon is always willing to provide guidance on the solution to problems that often seem impossible to solve. What is very typical of our colleague is that he looks at a situation through several different perspectives determined to find the best approach and achieve an optimal outcome. And he does.

Simeon’s solid technical expertise combined with essential business logic know-how have made him a valued contributor to the efficiency of both our team and the offshore team of our client.

Meet Simeon in the following interview and learn about his remarkable professional journey of 10 years and counting with TSD.

1. Simeon, happy 10^th anniversary in TSD! First, I would like to ask you how your journey with TSD started back in 2013. Do you remember your first day?

Back then I was searching for new opportunities to help me develop my professional experience and TSD was one of the two companies that I was considering after the initial interviews were conducted. What caught my attention and affected my final decision was the professional and friendly atmosphere at TSD – a rare combination in bigger companies that I had worked at prior to that moment.

My first day started in TSD’s Sofia office, where I continued to work for the rest of the week – a small office back then with not more than 10 employees. Right after that, I was sent for two weeks to office Troyan, the heart of the company, where my colleague Angel Stanev conducted extensive training related to the position I was occupying at the time. I enjoyed the atmosphere in both offices and the main reason for that was the warm attitude and respect I received from the entire TSD team.

2. What was your role in the beginning, and where are you at right now? Can you make a comparison between then and now?

My role in the company initially was to work as a member of the ASE Team, a small team of three people that were entirely integrated into the structure of a client company – a big US-based financial institution. From a technical standpoint, my main responsibilities were to always ensure the availability of the company infrastructure as well as prepare reports for environment performance, perform application deployments, configurations, and maintenance.

Throughout the following years, I was given the opportunity to explore automation practices, learn new technologies, and take part in important infrastructure and process decisions for both TSD and its client companies. These opportunities have helped me greatly in both my personal and professional development and are one of the main reasons for my 10-year tenure at TSD.

Currently, I am leading a team of engineers who have become crucial resources for TSD’s biggest client. Over the years, our team has proven that we are able to deliver to the high standard demanded by our client, and we have taken up a number of business-critical tasks that are entirely carried out by us. It is not an easy task to do a comparison between then and now as everything is rapidly changing in the IT sector, including my professional path, but I can firmly say that I am happy with the way things developed.

3. What are the everyday challenges you face in your work, and what are the fundamental skills or personal qualities needed to deal with those challenges?

One of the most common challenges in my daily work is the cooperation and attention to detail required to provide sustainable and reliable solutions to problems. This is mainly caused by the wide variety of paths you can choose to complete a task and you need to ensure that it will withstand the high standards demanded by the industry. I am always striving to comprehend all possible outcomes and ensure that all included parties fully understand the technical side of the solution and how it affects the business. It is my firm belief that the latter part is a key to success in all business sectors.

As for personal qualities that are required, I would say that the ability and willingness to get acquainted with all opinions on a certain matter are crucial when it comes to overcoming challenges. I am always trying to cooperate and take into account different views as in the end we are all trying to achieve the same goal and more often than not, collective ideas lead to a better outcome than individual ones.

4. What is your favorite part about working in TSD, and how does your job inspire you?

My favorite part would be the collaboration with my colleagues from TSD daily. The company has always been supportive of me and not only they are giving me the opportunity to work on a certain project but often work side by side with me to improve it. In many cases, I have found guidance from my colleagues to problems that are seemingly impossible to solve, be they technical or approach related. This has helped me learn a lot and always inspires me to provide the same guidance when needed. TSD has a great team of quality employees and I believe this is what stands behind the company’s success.

5. What is the most important lesson you have learned over the years?

Be consistent and organized. Always listen to other ideas, understand them, and take them into account.

6. What does it take to become a lead of engineers, and what would you advise the guys following your steps?

Probably the most important quality is attention to detail. The position requires constant oversight and understanding of the environment and sometimes missing something small can cause a big impact on the business. I would certainly encourage the team to follow my path and strive to do better as there is always room for improvement.

7. Why do you choose to remain a part of the TSD team after 10 years? What has the company offered you in terms of professional development?

As previously mentioned, I have always found support and guidance from the company, and this has given me the confidence to propose and implement new technologies, processes, and solutions. The best part of all is when I can see the improvement from something I participated in. Additionally, TSD is always trying to do things the right way and not the easy way. This attitude is what kept me as a member of TSD for the past 10 years and continues to do so. Furthermore, I’ve been presented with career growth opportunities several times throughout the years, and I believe there are more to come. The company’s vision and approach indicate sustainable growth and I would be happy to be on board along the way.

8. Who is Simeon outside of the office, and what does he like to do for fun?

I am a person with multiple interests, including fishing, motorcycles, hiking, and more. My latest hobby is in the field of carpentry – I have obtained the core instruments required for the job and I have recently built an additional cabinet for our kitchen.

I try to devote most of my spare time to my family and friends. I am always striving to help and participate in their projects. When my son was born, this influenced many of my views towards the world and I am trying to be a good example for him.

9. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

The first cup of coffee and the day ahead. Although most days are very busy, I do enjoy seeing the results of my work and this is one of my biggest motives.

10. How do you envision yourself in another 10 years?

Potentially at the top levels of the management ladder in TSD.