“Have a lunch with”… Silviu Gugui – Manager at eMAG Bulgaria

Тhe campaign “Have a lunch with the boss of…” is becoming an increasingly recognizable opportunity for young people in Bulgaria to meet leaders of attractive companies in our country. The meetings are held in an informal atmosphere and the conversations are open and honest. They could be just the beginning of a future mentoring relationships between the youth and the leaders.

Тoday we share with you the impressions of Silviu Gugui (Manager at eMAG Bulgaria) from his meeting with Sergey Stoynov. Sergey also shares his feeling about the campaign and his participation in it.

What motivated you to participate in the campaign “Have a lunch with the boss of…”?

Silviu Gugui: This program is very interesting and it’s something that I would have been interested in when I was younger and in an earlier stage of my career, so it’s only logical for me to want to participate. I believe that learning never stops and sharing knowledge is always beneficial for both parties. Also, I’m always looking for new perspectives and looking for feedback on how the business I represent is seen from the eyes of the customers, so it was a very helpful experience in that regard.

What determined your choice of a campaign winner? Why did you choose Sergey?

Silviu Gugui: Sergey looked very entrepreneurial in nature and very dedicated to his field of work, finding the best way to present himself and motivate his desire to meet me. He is a technical savvy person, so I knew he would easily understand some of the “behind the scenes” of the business and I was looking forward to discussing with him the aspects he was curious about.

Would you, please, let us know how the lunch went? What emotions and impressions did the meeting leave you with?

Silviu Gugui: The lunch went very well, it was a very fruitful conversation that extended a little bit more than the allocated time. We talked about what he wanted to understand about eMAG and also about personal things as from them we can learn also a lot and transfer it to the professional world. It was a very good experience and an inspiring one.

What do you think are Sergey’s strongest qualities?

Silviu Gugui: Sergey is a very driven person, and he has good entrepreneurial skills. He has very good and very strong personal values so he’s an overall great guy who is searching and willing to develop.

Did you learn something new from your conversation with him? If yes, what was it?

Silviu Gugui: Sergey contributed with valuable information about how he – as a customer – perceives the things that we do in evolving the business and I am pleased with the feedback he gave me.

Would you participate in the campaign “Have a lunch with the boss of…” again?

Silviu Gugui: Sure, as I answered to the first question, I think this is a great program and I want to support it also in the future if given the opportunity.

What advices would you give to young people who are yet to participate?

Silviu Gugui: I think there is great value in meeting people and discussing interesting topics. I learned a lot of things during my development so far from people and I plan to continue doing so. That being said, my advice can only be to participate in this program and see what you can learn from the people you will meet. 

What motivated you to participate in the campaign “Have a lunch with the boss of…”?

Sergey Stoynov: What motivated me was the great opportunity to stand face to face with today’s business leaders and to discuss with them important topics related to business and career development.

Why did you choose Silviu Gugui?

Sergey Stoynov: I chose Mr. Silviu Gugui for the opportunity to peek behind the curtain of the most successful business platform in Bulgaria eMag for the last 10 years. I was immensely pleased to be able to discuss the future of e-commerce in our country and the Balkans and the trends on how to make this market even more successful for our latitudes. And, as nerdy and bold as it sounds, I was delighted to challenge Mr Gugui to a general brainstorming over the coming year and how it would affect eCommerce in totality and how it would be beneficial for eMag.

Would you, please, let us know how the meeting went? What is the most important thing that you’ill remember from it? 

Sergey Stoynov: The meeting was more than pleasant (I hope for both sides). I’ve learned a lot of things “from the kitchen” that helped me to understand the e-commerce world better from the inside.
The most impressive thing for me was Mr. Gugiu’s openness and his impeccable attention to detail and leadership.

What about Mr. Gugui made the strongest impression on you?

Sergey Stoynov: Mr Gugui has many qualities that a modern leader should have: patience, drive, consistency and a vision for tomorrow. Perhaps, his greatest strength is that he manages to balance his workload with his daily routine and to be constant in all contingencies.

What was the most valuable advice you got from him?

Sergey Stoynov: There’s one piece of advice he gave me at the beginning of our conversation that surprised me a lot, but I would prefer to keep it for myself. 🙂

Would you participate in the campaign “Have a lunch with the boss of…” again? 

Sergey Stoynov: Absolutely! I highly appreciate the opportunity to get some helpful advices from successful leaders in our country.

What advice would you give to young people who are yet to participate? 

Sergey Stoynov: Don’t give up, dream, dare and believe in yourself! No matter how difficult and impossible it may seems.