If you had asked Angel Terziev 10 years ago whether he would one day build a career in the IT industry, the answer would have been an immediate “No”. Who would have thought that life would bring him to ICT Strypes?
Where It All Began
Back in high school, Angel studied mathematics and computer science, where programming was part of everyday life. Unfortunately, it never felt exciting for him, quite the opposite, actually: “I saw programming as something that just wasn’t for me. I was much more interested in people, communication, and psychology,” he says. This passion led him to pursue his dream of becoming a successful salesperson by studying Business Administration.
At just 19, Angel entered the world of real estate, eager to gain some work experience. Not long after, he realized that although his communication skills were serving him well, the role of a salesperson in this particular sphere wasn’t the right long-term fit, as it required him to be “morally flexible”, which conflicted with his values.
What followed was a period of uncertainty. Neither university nor his job felt fulfilling, and after stepping away from real estate, he spent months not knowing which direction to take.
A sales opportunity in a software company introduced him to the IT industry for the first time. Although the role wasn’t what he was looking for, it gave him valuable exposure to technology and sparked his curiosity about the field. Around the same time, Angel noticed that many of the people he admired happened to work in IT – not only because they were technically skilled, but because they were creative, interesting, and constantly learning.
Instead of dismissing the industry, he decided to explore it.
A programming course confirmed that becoming a developer wasn’t his path, but conversations with friends introduced him to roles like Project Manager, Scrum Master, and Product Owner: “At that moment, something clicked. I knew this is what I want to do.” These positions combined technology with communication and collaboration – things he genuinely enjoyed.
Rather than waiting until he was fully qualified, he started taking deliberate steps toward that goal. He joined an IT-related customer support team, built technical knowledge, gained experience in a mobile gaming company, and continued learning with every opportunity.
His advice to anyone considering a career change is simple:
“If you’re not ready for your dream role yet, ask yourself: what’s the closest position that will move you one step closer? Start there.”
That mindset eventually led him to ICT Strypes, where he joined as a Project Manager.
Learning to Connect
His professional journey wasn’t the only challenge Angel had to overcome.
As a child, he struggled to fit in socially and often felt isolated. Those experiences affected his confidence, and for years communication felt more stressful than natural.
At around 16, after he realized he was not the person he would want to be, he made the conscious decision to improve himself. He started learning about social skills and once he started applying the knowledge in real life, he was pleased to find out people react positively to a conversation starter most of the time.
Today, he believes strong communication isn’t a talent you’re born with, but a skill anyone can develop.
The principles he lives by are surprisingly simple:
- Maintain “soft eye contact” combined with confident body language.
- Pay attention to your voice – tone and intonation are important.
- Strive for a positive interaction – make the other person feel good about themselves – lead with something that you genuinely like or that sparks your curiosity about them
His favourite challenge currently?
Walking into a room where he knows no one and leaving with new friends.
Growth Begins Outside Your Comfort Zone
For Angel, personal growth has one constant requirement: discomfort. “There is no way to grow socially except by getting out of your comfort zone,” he believes. Whether it’s starting conversations, changing careers, or learning something completely new, progress only happens when you’re willing to step outside what’s familiar.
That philosophy even inspired one of his biggest hobbies.
At a New Year’s party (2024) he saw someone performing shuffle dancing and after he introduced himself, he started a conversation and asked where he could learn. Not long after, he had joined the Shuffle Dance Academy.
What began as curiosity became much more than dancing. It became another opportunity to meet new people from various backgrounds, get out of his comfort zone, stay active, and build a community. Today, Angel’s involved in organizing trainings, social gatherings, and charity events – one of which was proudly supported by ICT Strypes.
When asked what he still wants to improve, he doesn’t mention technical certifications or management skills. Instead, he would like to focus on strengthening his emotional intelligence and becoming an even better communicator.
And perhaps that’s the biggest lesson from his story:
Growth rarely begins with certainty. More often, it begins with curiosity – and the courage to take one more step outside your comfort zone
Want to read more inspiring stories?