Interview with Milena Mironova – a member of the management team at MARANATA TRANSPORT GROUP LTD, Export Department
Describe yourself in a few sentences.
I was born in Kyustendil. In 1995, I completed my secondary education at the Vocational High School of Economics and Management, majoring in „Market Economy with Advanced Study of the English Language“. I received my higher education at the University of National and World Economy, Sofia. Now I am part of the team of Maranata Transport Group Ltd. Over the years, I have worked in several forwarding companies.
How did you turn to forwarding as a branch?
After completing my higher education, majoring in „Economics and Transport Management“, I got into the forwarding business more or less by chance. Together with several of my fellow students, we participated in the development of a project of the UNWE at the Ministry of Transport regarding a task for the preparation of the „Transport Strategy of Bulgaria“. It was very solid practical training for the transport industry. This was followed by a student internship in one of the largest international forwarding companies in Bulgaria. It also became my first workplace. The profession turned out to be intriguing and dynamic – with the opportunity to develop many individual professional qualities for a young person. Invaluable experience is gained from constant communication with clients and colleagues from other countries and cultures.
Important lessons you’ve learned over the years?
I’ve learned some important lessons both personally and professionally. One of the most important things is the power of the human factor. A well-motivated employee, both materially and emotionally, can achieve incredible results in a not so well organized or developed company, in terms of services offered in the industry. It is also true to say that a unmotivated employee in a large and well established company with a perfect organization achieves mediocre results for the company’s capacity. Another important point is the professional relationship between the manager and the employees. It is very important that the manager does not stress the employees with dry theories about work and unrealistic tasks and goals. Quite the opposite, a constant exchange of information is necessary, because the manager is the one who has the general vision and knowledge of the direction of development and work of the company. The employee, in turn, is the “hot link“ for customers, for the current state of the market and the factors affecting it. It is from the interaction of both parties that good management decisions, efficiency and people’s satisfaction are obtained. Emerging problems and conflicts are resolved in time, an secure environment is created and efforts are focused on new goals.
How did you start working at MARANATA TRANSPORT GROUP LTD?
I started working at Maranata Logistics in 2004. At that time, professionally, I was having some doubts about whether to continue to develop in this profession or to turn to something else. Then came the job offer from the owner Ivaylo Ivanov, who had started his forwarding company 3 years before that. He is a positive and energetic person, with a lot of professional experience and qualities. I happily accepted. Now, after years of working with this team, I can say that I would make the same choice again.
What does MARANATA TRANSPORT GROUP LTD mean to you?
This is not only a place for professional realization. Here one is part of a big family. In the team we have built, people are close-knit, hard-working and well-intentioned. I’m not saying it’s all an idyllic picture, no. Like everyone, we have daily difficulties and problems, but we always find a way to solve them together. We try to make people feel safe and calm in their workplace. For me personally, as part of the company’s management team, this is a very important condition and indicator for successful management, and results show it.
What distinguishes MARANATA TRANSPORT GROUP LTD from other forwarding companies?
We try to build a personal, special relationship with the client, observing the principles of correctness and honesty, regardless of the situation. Of course, the task is quite difficult, considering the specifics of the transport industry and the fierce competitive environment. A major contribution to the fulfillment of this task is the inherent Christian values and convictions of the company’s people, which they follow not only in a personal but also in a professional sense.
What does it take to build a good team?
It is necessary to set a correct practical example by management personnel – managers and direct supervisors. Secondly, the employees should be well trained, both strategically regarding the company’s goals and in the smallest details of the work. Thirdly, it is important that employees are given the freedom to take risks and initiative without fear in their work, even at the cost of a realized loss at certain times. This is how people learn to be responsible, creative and full-fledged. In this process, the role of the manager is fundamental. For an employee, the manager should not be that supervisor who will monitor what they will do and where they will go wrong, in order to give them a negative evaluation, but rather the opposite – the manager should be a good advisor and colleague who can be relied on for assistance and information, who knows what they can do, how and when to do it. At the same time, the responsibility for complying with the manager’s instructions and requirements should in no case be waived.
What are your predictions for the future of the business?
My expectations for the end of this year are for good results, compared to the past 2 difficult years. The reason for this is the market uplift observed in the last few months, which I think will continue until the end of the year at the same pace. However, intercompany indebtedness remains a dangerous point in the work. Therefore, for a successful completion of the year, strict financial discipline is very important. It mainly concerns the collection of payments from customers. For our industry, this applies with particular force due to the easily accumulated turnovers as amounts.
What do you do outside the office?
Outside of work, I have some rusty interests and hobbies. One of them is reading books. One might consider it a bit of an old fashioned activity with all the information and books available on the internet, movies etc. I am not denying the usefulness of the internet by any means. However, for me, all this cannot replace the charm of the book on paper – the freedom of imagination and emotions that it gives to the reader, without stereotypes and images imposed by another person. I also enjoy watching a variety of educational and science channels when I get the chance.
A wish for the readers of the MARANATA TRANSPORT GROUP LTD. blog?
I wish them to be healthy, positive and smiling, regardless of life’s difficulties and challenges, to try to put aside negative thinking. It affects not only each individual but our nation as a whole. May they more often show love and respect to everyone in everyday life, not only to those closest to them. That way we will live better and happier. Speaking of which, I would like to add the following quote:
„Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25,32-34)
