What Do You Need To Succeed?

August 28, 2023

Between writing about web design and user experience recommendations, I sometimes share stories related to my professional and slightly personal journey as a freelance designer living abroad. Here and there I also try to motivate others to keep going, give out advice (where is requested or fitting), try to empower others who are pursuing higher goals and at the same time try to apply the same to my own journey.

The path to peace is paved with uncertainty and doubt, bravely and consciously embraced.
Winning is not giving up! Women holding her fist in the air in a sign of win.
How do you define success? — Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash

It has been almost 7 years since the first time I came to Zagreb, Croatia, all by myself with one backpack and another huge bag of winter clothes. It was 01.10.2016, and remember the day (or rather the night because I arrived at 02 a.m.) like it was yesterday. Then the intention was to just stay for a semester at Algebra University College and enjoy all the new courses in English and then go back to Bulgaria. Little did I know I would have so much fun learning so much and meeting so many amazing people along the way that I would almost instantly decide to prolong to a full year.

That year became another semester during my master's in Mobile and Web technologies making robots and building 2D games.

One thing led to another and I already spoke Croatian well enough to get my first job in IT but as a pre-sales assistant. But my curious and creative mind with the entrepreneur in me wanted more. Then I started learning obsessively about user experience and how I can become a freelancer in Croatia. And when you open one door, ask questions and share your ideas, more of the same appears.

And here I am a business owner of a design studio AND (Angelova Nikoleta Design — genius, I know 😄) venturing into the world of solopreneurship head first. Offering design-related services that you can check here. Note: A more detailed Services page will be published later this week!

Titles that I can add to my CV now:

What are your recent titles, accomplishments or wins you have achieved recently and haven’t properly celebrated? List them in the comments! 😊

Note: Curious gang members or my newsletter subscribers also get an extended version of this same story that includes:

  • News — tech, design, popular
  • Materials and useful sources for improving their lives or businesses
  • Book recommendations for personal growth or spicing your life 😏
  • Heads-up about my plans

If you are interested in becoming a Curious Gang Member, you can subscribe here.

Do you want to collaborate?
Send me a message!

I will check my availability and get back to you within 24 hours.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.