At talaint®, we’re keen on celebrating inspiring professionals and sharing their success stories with you! Today, we introduce you to the wonderful journey of Desi Manova.
Desi is deeply committed to supporting meaningful causes and initiatives. She has successfully aligned her personal and professional passions in the face of a Partnership Specialist at Tuk-Tam. In this role, she takes the initiative to forge valuable connections and empower the youth by promoting meaningful causes and demonstrating how they can actively engage and make a difference.
For the two inspiring years at Tuk-Tam, Desi has jumped into various causes, organised many events, received invaluable knowledge and connected with countless people. It’s safe to say that Hive (Kosher) is one of her most essential and impactful contributions! “Even the sleepless nights don’t bring me down because I know how much of a difference the whole event makes,” she shared with a smile.
Adaptive, charismatic, and armed with a delightful sense of humour – Desi Manova in her interview for talaint® now:
Could you say a few words about yourself? What industry do you work in?
I’m part of Tuk-Tam’s partnerships team, and honestly, I love it! I get to talk to all kinds of great people and build relationships that truly matter. Working in a role where I can make a difference feels incredibly rewarding!
What’s one fun fact about yourself that most people don’t know?
I’m a published author! In 2021, a friend and I published a collection of life stories from elderly people in Blagoevgrad, capturing their wisdom, memories, and the history of the town. The process showed me how every wrinkle tells a story worth sharing!
What was your first job ever? How did it shape you?
My first job was babysitting two kids at the same time when I was 15, and let me tell you, negotiating bedtime with two determined toddlers is excellent training for life. It taught me patience, responsibility, and how to think on my feet when things didn’t go as planned. Honestly, if you can survive double the tantrums, you can survive just about anything!
What’s the last thing you learned that really surprised you?
I recently learned that all bell peppers are supposed to grow into red peppers! Green peppers are just harvested earlier, which is why they’re less sweet and cheaper. I had no idea I was basically eating a work-in-progress every time I chose a green one.
Can you share a mistake you made that ended up being a great learning experience?
I tried to fix the jammed “S” on my laptop keyboard myself, and let’s just say it backfired—big time. Now I’ve been lugging around an external keyboard for over a month because, surprise, too many words in Bulgarian and English need that “S”… A silly example, but still taught me a solid lesson: it’s totally okay to admit you don’t know everything and ask for help from someone more experienced.
What’s one professional achievement you’re most proud of and why?
I’m still pretty early in my career and can be a bit too self-critical to call anything a big achievement just yet. But I’m proud of the work I do—building meaningful connections with people and going beyond surface-level conversations. Plus, I love that I’ve figured out how to have fun while doing it!
What’s one challenge in the industry right now that excites you to solve?
One thing that really excites me (and the whole Tuk-Tam team that’s working on it) is showing young people that spending just one hour a week on their professional growth can make a real difference. It’s wild to think how something so small can ripple out to impact not just their lives, but all of Bulgaria. We’re always trying out new ideas to make this feel easy, fun, and worth their time!
What do you think is the next big trend in your industry?
I think the next big trend in our industry is all about gamification and ditching the formalities. People want experiences that are fun, engaging, and easy to dive into—no complicated rules or stiff processes. It’s exciting to see things shifting toward more creative and interactive ways of connecting and learning.
What’s your dream project that you’d love to work on?
My dream project would be reshaping Bulgaria’s education system to make it work properly for everyone, no matter their learning style or background. I’ve been passionate about education since I was a kid, and I’d love to help create a system that’s accessible, inclusive, and truly supports every child’s potential. It’s a big dream, but one I’d be thrilled to work on!
I am just a person willing to…
make a meaningful difference — with a good dose of humour along the way!
