Change Advisory

Consulting, and advising to effect change: ✔digitization, transformation ✔education ✔ career

Founder & CEO

When I left my banking career to try something new, the number one question everyone asked me was: How did you find the courage? The thing is – it’s not about the courage; it is about knowing what you want and planning for it.
That’s why I started this podcast – to help banking and finance professionals and make their career changes possible.
Each of our guests has done a successful career pivot and we are going to discuss practical advice, actionable tips, and inspirational stories that can help you change your career.

Founder and host of "Change is possible - Your career transformation guide " podcast 

TEDx Speaker

I was a guest lecturer in Northern Illinois University ; Newcastle University; Sofia University; University of national and World Economy, Sofia

Topics I teach are Transformation, Digitization, Leadership, Communications, How to prepare for work life

Guest Lecturer

In a series of articles, I  share my knowledge and experience with regard to the various new and emerging payment methods in Asia.

Forbes Contributor; Future of payments - Asia experience

Citi

As the COO for the Treasury and Trade Solutions  Business in Asia, I am working with the team in formulating and executing business strategies to facilitate underlying growth, drive digitization and transformation to deliver exceptional client experience across the region. I partner with key stakeholders to lead re-engineering initiatives that enhance business processes, governance and productivity. I also lead the In-Business Risk and Control team in Asia.

Chief Operating Officer, Treasury and Trade Solutions Asia Pacific

I lead multiple teams of professionals located  across Asia to deliver  valued and timely independent assurance on the design and operating effectiveness of controls over Securities and Fund Services product, operations and support functions in Asia, covering 16 countries. 
A also lead the transformation efforts to change the  Audit Methodology in Citi as part of the Internal Audit global transformation program.

Director APAC Securities and Funds Services , Internal Audit

I Lead an international team of professionals in Europe Middle East and Africa region consisting of 36 Citibank entities and two Regional Processing centers. Main task was to perform Country and Global Transaction Services  specific reviews in order to assess the risk and control environment and to ensure that any existing and emerging risks are mitigated with sound controls that would support entities growth.

Program Director Europe, Middle East and Africa TTS, Audit and Risk Review

I was a founding member of Citibank in Bulgarian - we set up and opened the bank for clients within 6 months. We achieved profitability within 7 months of operations. GTS became the second largest revenue generator (after Markets) in Citi Bulgaria through development of new products and attracted 80% of the total bank customer base. I was member of the Management Board leading a team of relationship managers and product developers.

Country Global Transaction Services (GTS) Head

Raiffeisen

I initially joined Raiffeisen bank Bulgaria as a founding member responsible for Operations and Client Services. Subsequently,  I lead the team who  opened the first several branches of the bank in various towns in Bulgaria and set the foundation for the large branch network of Reiffeisenbank Bulgaria.
I relocated to Bucharest, Romania in 1999 as a COO. During my tenure I lead the team to design and implement strategic restructuring, process and organizational improvements.

COO, Member of the Management Board

Career Strategist I Change advisor for Leaders | I help successful professionals build freedom, income & impact through portfolio careers | Speaker I Ex-Citi COO | Follow for modern leadership, career and change

Over the past 25 years, I have built a successful international banking career.
Most recently, I was the Regional COO for Citibank’s $2Bn business across 16 countries in Asia - leading large-scale transformations in digitisation and culture.

But in 2021, I walked away from my high-paying executive role.

Why?

Because I wanted more space.
More time with family.
More alignment between who I am and how I work.

But I didn’t want to start from scratch.
So I asked myself a question:
What if I could build a career around everything I already know - and love?

That’s how my portfolio career began.
And it changed everything.

Now, I help other professionals do the same.

What I’ve built since 2021:
→ A 6-figure portfolio business with 3 income streams
→ Founder of Change is Possible - a business community for professionals redesigning their next chapter
→ 100K+ LinkedIn followers (grew from 17K in under a year)
→ Coached 100+ professionals through successful career transitions
→ Host of a Top 20 global podcast on career change, Change is Possible
→ TEDx speaker, Forbes columnist, and Bloomberg TV guest

Want to build your own portfolio career?
🚀 THE PORTFOLIO CAREER ACCELERATOR (Launching October 2025) 
Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1thkmph_EwRxLGfuL9muCsRir1uKDdF2nXYeI7X_1oSA/edit

This is an 8-week program designed to help you:
→ Turn your expertise into income
→ Build a personal brand that opens doors
→ Create your first income stream - even before you leave your job

Only 20 spots. 12 already claimed.

Other ways we can work together:
✔️ Join my business community — Change is Possible https://changeispossible.co.uk/ - doors open for new members on Sept.10, 2025
✔️ Book me to speak — I deliver keynotes on leadership, change, career reinvention, and the future of work - send a DM.
✔️ Hire me as an advisor — I support companies navigating complex transformation - send a DM to meet and explore.
✔️ Book 1:1 coaching — For senior execs ready to design their next chapter - send a DM.
✔️ Book my LinkedIn Growth Bundle — A 2-session intensive where I teach you the exact system I used to grow to 100K+ followers. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bLp7wmK8xhIpfFu8beImvD5JZQHYsbraTBx5Orjx0zs/edit

P.S. Still wondering if change is really possible?
🎧 Tune in to my podcast Change is Possible — where 100+ professionals share how they redesigned their careers and lives. Watch here - https://www.youtube.com/@ChangeIsPossiblePodcast

The moment you choose to lead…

You sign up for criticism, rejection, and isolation.

Because leadership isn't about making popular decisions.
It's about carrying their consequences when everyone else has gone home.

Here's what they don't tell you in leadership training:
• You'll be misunderstood by the exact people you are fighting for
• You'll be criticised for having the courage others lack
• You'll face opposition even when everyone privately agrees with you
• You'll be accused of motives you've never had
• You'll be rejected for refusing to bend

That's not the side effect.
That's the job description.

Leadership is lonely by design.
It will test parts of you that you didn't know existed.

If you need constant validation, find a different path.
But if you can handle the heat, here's your survival guide:

1️⃣ Stop waiting for thank-you notes
Your job isn't collecting likes.
It's creating change. Tattoo this on your mind.

2️⃣ When the noise gets loud, get quiet
Return to your why. Your values. Your mission.
Let them be louder than any critic.

3️⃣ Build your war cabinet
Find 3-5 people who'll tell you the truth and remind you of your strength.
Leadership is lonely, not solitary.

The right thing rarely gets a standing ovation.
Do it anyway.

Because somewhere, someone needs exactly the leader you are becoming.

♻️ Repost if this resonates
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✉️ Get these insights directly to their inbox and ask me direct questions. I read every email.  → Subscribe in the Featured section

Ani Filipova

Nobody likes to be disliked.

But in work (and in life), it’s inevitable.

The image from Monica Federico is absolutely spot on 🔥

Every time you choose honesty over popularity, someone won’t like you. And that’s the price of being real.

We all face this choice at work.
Every. Single. Day.

When you choose honesty:
• The colleague seeking validation stops asking you to coffee
• The manager pushing bad ideas labels you "not a team player"
• The meeting where everyone nods? You are the only one speaking up

The moment I stopped playing the game:
- My lunch invitations decreased
- My "easy to work with" reputation vanished
- My political capital shrank

But something unexpected happened.

The right people started finding me.

• The colleague who needed real feedback before a big presentation
• The manager who wanted someone to challenge their thinking
• The client who valued truth over comfort
• The team that trusted my word because it never changed

Here is what choosing honesty cost me:
- The fake workplace friendships
- The exhausting politics
- The mental gymnastics of tracking lies
- The anxiety of being "found out"

Here is what it gave me:
- Sleep without replaying conversations
- Respect from people who matter
- The freedom to be the same person in every room
- Work relationships that became real friendships

The popularity booth is always packed.
Standing room only.

The honesty booth?
Plenty of space.
Because the entry fee is everything fake about you.

Here is the reframe that changed everything for me:

💡 You can survive someone not liking you.
But you won’t survive a career built on betraying yourself.

💬 Which booth are you choosing today?

♻️ Share if you are tired of the popularity game
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more workplace truths
→ Sign up for my free masterclass on portfolio career on September 24, 2025 - link in Featured

They called you delusional.
They said you'd never make it.
They bet against you.

Soon, they'll claim they always believed in you.

The pattern is predictable:

When you struggled in silence 

→ They were nowhere
When you questioned everything 
→ They offered doubt
When you needed support 
→ They gave warnings

But you did something they couldn't:

- You worked when no one was watching.
- You persisted when quitting made sense.
- You chose growth over comfort.
- You bet on yourself when they bet against you.

And now?

They're rewriting history.
"𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥."
"𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭."
"𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

You know the truth.
You remember who showed up.
You know who believed before the success.

The doubters? Let them fade.
The critics? Background noise.
The naysayers? Irrelevant.

Your real supporters celebrated your potential, not your achievements.

Keep building. Keep growing. Keep proving.

Not for them.
For you.

-----------
The hardest part isn't the doubters.

It is the fact that you are doing it alone. The moments when even you wonder if they are right.

That's why I built a community of people who get it. Who are building their own paths despite the noise. Who support each other through the messy middle.

If you are ready to surround yourself with believers instead of doubters → Join us inside Change is Possible: https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
We are the ones who'll celebrate your first win, and your final victory.

♻️ Share if you are done listening to doubters
👉 Follow me Ani Filipova, for daily truths about Leadership, Career and Change
📩 Subscribe to my newsletter "The Change Blueprint": https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9

You promoted your top performer.

Within 12 months, the best people in the team are gone.
(This happens to 60% of new managers.)

Your top performer was a superstar:
• Crushed every target
• Closed impossible deals
• Cut costs by 40%

So you rewarded them with a team.
Except you forgot one thing:
Being good at the work ≠ Being good at leading people

No one taught them that leadership isn't about doing.
It's about developing, growing, coaching.

So they defaulted to what got them promoted:
→ Micromanaging every detail
→ Taking over when things got hard
→ Judging others for not matching their pace

The result?
Your other A-players leave.
Your culture erodes.
Your superstar burns out.

I watched this movie 100 times throughout my career and the truth is: 

You can train someone to manage.
You cannot train someone to care about people.

Here's what actually works:

1. Test for leadership DNA before promoting
Watch how they:
• React when someone else gets credit
• Handle a struggling teammate
• Respond to "that's not my job" situations

2. Make leadership development non-negotiable
• 90 days of intensive coaching
• Shadow successful leaders
• Practice on low-stakes projects

Investment: $5K and 3 months
Cost of a bad promotion: $840K (yes, really)

3. Reward the behaviour that builds companies
Your next promotion should go to someone who:
• Grew 3 people into promotion-ready talent
• Turned around a toxic team dynamic
• Built systems others could run without them

Not just hit their numbers.

After 25 years watching promotions succeed and fail, here's what I know:
Great companies should not promote their best players unless they are also their best coaches.

What's the worst promotion decision you have witnessed?

♻️ Share this if you believe we need to fundamentally change how we develop leaders.

🔔 Follow me, Ani Filipova for daily insights on building leaders people actually want to follow.

📤 Sign up for my newsletter and get weekly insights - link in Featured

Most employees have brilliant ideas.
Too bad their boss only listens to his own.

I learned this from the worst boss I ever had.

Brilliant guy.A lot of experience. Had ALL the answer.
Never listened. Everyone was way beneath him. 

At first, I tried harder.
I'd repeat myself. Raise concerns. Speak louder.

But he kept brushing off my ideas.
Dismissing my concerns.
Shutting down my feedback.

So I stopped trying.

And I wasn't alone.
One by one, our entire team went silent.

Here's what he was left with:

❌ A team of "Yes" people
❌ A team halfway out the door
❌ A big mistake he refused to hear about

In these situations, there are warning signs, but many leaders ignore them: 

⚠️ No pushback anymore
If nobody challenges your ideas, it's not agreement - it's resignation.
⚠️ Instant agreement
Those quick "yeses"? People are avoiding conflict, not supporting your vision.
⚠️ Problems surface too late
When issues only emerge in crisis, your team gives up on prevention.

I vowed never to create that silence and lead this way.

Here's what actually works:

1️⃣ Reward honesty.
When someone shares a tough truth, don't just listen - thank them publicly.
"Sarah just saved us from a massive mistake. 
This is exactly the feedback we need."

2️⃣ Make constructive conflict a habit.
Every major decision must have an assigned devil's advocate.
Their job? Poke holes. Find flaws. Challenge assumptions.
It's not defiance - it's how we make better decisions.

3️⃣ Speak last.
Write your thoughts down, then ask: "What does everyone think?"
And wait. Really wait.
The ideas will emerge, sometimes better than what you wrote down.

4️⃣ Create a culture of safety.
After hard conversations, say: "That took courage. Thank you."
This is how the team knows: It's not about harmony - it's about honesty.

The brutal truth?

Your team's silence is your annual assessment report.
And most leaders are failing.

What's the toughest truth your team has ever told you?
Drop it in the comments - I'd love to hear.

♻️ Every boss needs to read this. Send it to yours (anonymously).
→ Follow me for the leadership truths that will make or break your career
📩 Ready to build your portfolio career? Join my community: https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
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They don't prepare you for the betrayals in leadership.

Not from enemies. From the people you lifted up.

The analyst you mentored for 3 years 
→ throws you under the bus in a meeting.

The team member you protected 
→ spreads rumours when times get tough.

The peer you trusted 
→ takes credit for your initiative.

Here's what 25 years taught me about leadership betrayal:

• It's not personal, even when it feels like a knife in your back
• Their betrayal says everything about their character, nothing about yours
• The higher you climb, the bigger the target on your back
• Loyalty is earned in good times, revealed in bad times

The survival manual nobody gives you:

1️⃣ Trust, but diversify
Never put your career in one person's hands.
Build bridges everywhere.

2️⃣ Your gut knows before your head does
That slight discomfort in meetings? The way they avoid eye contact?
Your brain is processing micro-signals from 25 years of pattern recognition. Listen!

3️⃣ Turn betrayal into rocket fuel
They expected you to crumble. Instead, deliver your best work.
Success is the ultimate response.

The brutal truth?
If you've never been betrayed, you've never truly led.

Leadership isn't just lonely.
You are out there, visible, with a target on your back, and the people you trusted most know exactly where to strike.

Still want the title?

♻️ Share this with future leaders to prepare them
Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily content on Leadership Career and Change
-----

🌍 → Join the movement: Our community of careerchangers https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
Doors are open for new members till 20 September.

📩 → Get weekly insights: The Change Blueprint https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9

🎙️ → Hear the stories: Change is Possible podcast https://lnkd.in/g73EpXEt

Everyone sees the title.

No one sees the weight.

Leadership isn't just strategy and success.
It's shielding your team from pressures they shouldn't carry:

→ Budget battles that cost me my sleep for years.
→ Politics that drained my soul daily.
→ Boardroom toxicity I swallowed so they didn't have to.
→ The fear: "Am I even good enough?"

You smile.
You stay strong.
You carry it all.

Because that's what leaders do, right?

But here's what 20 years in leadership positions taught me:

Leadership trains you to be the shield.
But never teaches you how to survive it.

Here are the stats:
→ 55% of CEOs reported a mental-health issue in the past year.
(Source: Deloitte x Workplace Intelligence survey)

→ 26% of executives report symptoms consistent with clinical depression vs. 18% of the general workforce.(Source: McKinsey Health Institute)

→ 4 in 10 senior leaders admit they can’t talk openly about mental health with anyone in their organisation.(Source: Deloitte x LifeWorks Mental Health Index)

That needs to change.

If you are a leader, here’s how to protect yourself (these saved me for years):

✅ Create your circle
Find 3-5 leaders who understand. Meet monthly. 
Real talk only. (This saved my career)

✅ Show your human side
Share one genuine challenge weekly.
That’s how your team will see you as a human 
(Perfection isolates, humanity connects)

✅ Protect your energy 
Sacred time for: Walks. Thinking. Rest.
Non-negotiable. (Exhausted people protect no one)

The best leaders I know?
They are strong AND supported.
Driven AND balanced.
Successful AND whole.

You don't have to wait until you break.
Portfolio careers let leaders diversify their impact - and their identity. 
Less weight on one title. More meaning across multiple roles.

Join my free masterclass on Portfolio careers: https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj
📅 September 24
🕐 1 PM CET / 7 AM ET
🕖 7 PM CET / 1 PM ET

You'll get my Portfolio Career Guide + experience one of my community masterclasses.

Because the strongest leaders know when to build new options.

♻️ Share this with a leader who needs support
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily leadership truths

----
If you want to learn more:
🌍  Join my community of changemakers https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
📩 Get weekly insights in your inbox: The Change Blueprint https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9
🎙️ Hear the stories: Change is Possible podcast https://lnkd.in/g73EpXEt

Negotiation isn’t only a boardroom skill.

It’s a daily survival skill.

You are negotiating every single day.
And losing more than you realize.

With your boss about deadlines → You cave
With your team about priorities → You compromise  
With your kids about screen time → You surrender
With your spouse about everything → You give in

The cost of bad negotiation isn't just money.
It's your voice. Your boundaries. Your self-respect.

After reading "Never Split the Difference", I finally understood why I kept losing more than winning..

These 6 FBI tactics changed everything:

1️⃣ Mirror Their Last Words
Them: "This timeline is impossible."
You: "Impossible?"
Them: "Well, maybe with more resources..."

They'll reveal what they really need. Every time.

2️⃣ Label What They are Feeling
"Seems like you're frustrated about the workload."
Watch their shoulders drop. Their guard comes down.
People fight positions. They soften to understanding.

3️⃣ Use Tactical Empathy First
"I get why this feels unfair to you."
You're not agreeing. You're acknowledging.
This disarms resistance faster than any argument.

4️⃣ Get Them to Say "No"
Instead of: "Will you approve this?"
Ask: "Have you given up on making this work?"
"No" makes people feel safe. Then they'll tell you how to get to yes.

5️⃣ Aim for "That's Right"
Summarise their view so perfectly, they say, "That's right!"
Not "You're right" - that's compliance.
"That's right" means they trust you.

6️⃣ Call Out the Elephant
"You probably think I'm being difficult."
Say the negative thing they are thinking before they do.
It's like stealing their ammunition.

Which one are you trying this week?

Because here's what I learned after 25 years:
The person who understands human psychology wins.
Not the loudest. Not the toughest.
The one who sees what others miss.

📌 Save this for your next difficult conversation
♻️ Repost if someone needs to see this today
→ Follow me  Ani Filipova for leadership truths that actually work

PS: I don’t know Chris Voss and I’m not being paid to post this.
Just sharing what genuinely helped me and wish I’d used sooner.

Same water. Same heat. Different results.

But nobody asks: 
Who’s controlling the temperature?

In corporate, I let everyone else set my boiling point.
My boss. My clients. My deadlines.
Everyone but me.

I was the potato - softening under pressure.
Or the egg - hardening against it.
Never questioning the heat itself.

After 7 years as COO, I realised the real question isn’t:
“How do I handle the pressure?”
It’s:
“Why am I letting others control my temperature?”

That shift changed everything:
→ Every "urgent" request was someone else setting my heat to high
→ Every impossible deadline was accepting their temperature gauge  
→ Every weekend email was letting them control my thermostat

The people who transition from corporate to soloprenuership?
They are not heat-resistant.
They are heat-aware.

They ask:
• Who benefits when I’m always boiling?
• What if I turn down the heat before I burn out?

Building my portfolio career taught me this:
→ You don’t need to be the potato or the egg.
→ You need to be the chef.

Control the heat. Control the transformation.
That’s the difference between burnout and freedom.

Now I decide:
🔥 Which projects get high heat (my priorities)
♨️ Which get a slow simmer (maintenance mode)
❌ Which get pulled off the stove entirely (not my circus)

The water’s still hot in entrepreneurship.
But I control the dial.

💬 Who’s been controlling your temperature lately?


♻️ Repost to help someone realise they can adjust their own heat
👥 Follow Ani Filipova for daily insights on building careers you control
🚀 Ready to control your own temperature? Join my global community, opens Sept 10: https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
📊 Free webinar - Future of Work: https://lnkd.in/gT5S8Sbs
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---

Your inner circle might be your biggest problem.

Not because they are bad people. But because they are giving you a roadmap to a life they cannot imagine.

After 25 years in corporate and 4 as an entrepreneur, I've learned to spot them:

1. The Comfort Keeper
"Why rock the boat? You have it good."
They want you safe. Not successful.

2. The Dream Diluter
"Maybe start smaller?" "Be more realistic?"
They shrink your vision to match their courage.

3. The Perpetual Victim
Everything happens TO them. Never BECAUSE of them.
Their energy drains yours. Their excuses become contagious.

4. The Comparison Creator
"Did you see what Sarah achieved?" "John just got promoted again."
They never celebrate YOUR wins. Just highlight what you lack.
Makes you chase others' paths instead of creating your own.

5. The Yesterday's Expert
Still giving advice from 2010. Haven't evolved. Haven't grown.
But speak with the authority of outdated experience.

Here is what I discovered:
You don't need to cut them off.
You need to adjust their volume in your life.

→ Comfort Keepers become coffee friends, not advisors
→ Dream Diluters get updates, not plans  
→ Victims get compassion, not partnership
→ Comparison Creators get muted on social media
→ Yesterday's Experts get respect, not guidance

The people who should have volume turned UP:

✓ The ones who've done what you want to do
✓ The ones whose eyes light up at your ambitions
✓ The ones who ask better questions than give advice
✓ The ones who challenge you WITH support
✓ The ones living the change, not just talking about it

Your circle isn't just who you know.
It's who has influence over your next decision.

Choose wisely.
Your future depends on it.

💬 Which one hit closest to home?

♻️ Share if you are ready to audit your circle
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for truths about careers, leadership, and building the right support system

If you want honest advice from people building the same thing you are, come join us.
Change is Possible Community → Link in Featured

Stop letting their fears shape your life.

No one can ruin your day.
Unless you let them.
And then you pour it on the wrong people.

Here's what nobody talks about:

That colleague who undermined you in the meeting?
You smiled. Stayed professional.
Kept your composure for 8 hours straight.

Then you came home.

And snapped at your kids for being kids.
Got irritated when your partner asked how your day was.
Felt annoyed when your mother called to say “Hi”.

We take our worst moments to the people who love us most.

The jerk at work isn't stealing your peace.
You are gifting it to them.
Then charging your family the price.

Your anger may be valid.
Where you aim it is a choice.

What to do about it:

🏠 When you work from home, there's no commute to decompress.
You walk out of your office straight into family life.

Tell them the truth:
"I just finished a tough call. I need 10 minutes to reset."
Then disappear and come back calmer. 
They'll understand.

🚗 Commuting from work?
You have a built-in buffer. Use it.
Sit in your car for 2 minutes. Breathe. 
Switch on the engine
Music on max. 
Think why are you angry and at whom.

😡 If you already snapped:
Apologise immediately.
"I'm sorry. I'm angry about how I handled something at work, not at you."

They are not mind readers.
They can't see the meeting that went sideways.
They just see you being short with them.

Name it. Own it. Deal with it.

What's your reset ritual between work and home?

♻️ Share with someone who needs to hear this
👉 Follow me, Ani Filipova for more truths about the real cost of success.



Image credit: A.G.E on Pinterest.

It almost feels unfair, doesn't it?

Some people simply breeze through and always find something better.

We all know someone like this:

They lose a job → within weeks, they are in a better role
The business fails → they are already on the next one
Life knocks them down → somehow they rise stronger

I've watched this pattern repeat throughout my career, and now as an entrepreneur, these are the 10 things these people do differently: 

1. They don't get stuck in the "why me?" loop
That has never helped - better to channel the negative energy into finding a way out.

2. They take the hit, but they don't stay down
Yes - take the time to cry, feel very sorry for yourself for a day and then plan next steps. 

3. They use humour as armour
Nothing diffuses stress faster than making fun of it.

4. They are brutally honest about reality
Call things what they are - no sugarcoating, no denial, just facts.

5. They focus on what's in their control
Can't control rejection. Can control showing up daily.

6. They are a little obsessive
Tracked every metric, every win, every lesson for 365 days straight and that's how I moved from 17k to 100K followers on LinkedIn

7. They always take action
Because things will change for the better only if you take action.

8. They don't confuse identity with circumstance
Lost the title. Kept the brain that earned it.

9. They reinvent the story while it's still being written
Shift the narrative from “what happened” to “what I’m creating next.”

10. They don't aim to "bounce back" - they aim to "bounce forward"
Never wanted the old life back. Built one I'd never have to quit.

Let's admit it - we've all been jealous of these people who always seem to have the "good luck" to land on their feet.

But here's the truth: it's not luck.

They just refuse to stay down. And they pour every ounce of energy into making their comeback happen.

So next time life knocks you down, don't waste time wondering why "them" and not "you".
Just follow the playbook. It's all in the carousel.

Because the only difference between you and them?
They've already decided they are getting back up.


♻️ Know someone who needs this? Share it.
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How do they do it??

Most leaders think they are approachable.
They don’t realise - their teams might be just too scared to disagree.

Silence in meetings isn’t agreement.
Nods in the room aren’t trust.
Easy alignment is often just a hidden fear.

Don’t wait for the damage.
 
These are the 13 blind spots that make you less approachable as a leader. 
If you see yourself in any of these -
It’s time to change.

1. You start meetings late and go over time.
 Says: “My time matters more than yours.”

2. You keep rescheduling 1:1s.
 Says: “You are not a priority.”

3. You talk about growth  but never create space for it.
 So when do they grow? In between fire drills?

4. You reply fast to your boss  but ignore your team.
 Your priorities are showing. And they are not your people.

5. You say “door’s always open”  but you are never there.
 Visibility matters more than slogans.

6. You want them to open up but you never do.
 You’ve built a one-way street. That’s not trust.

7. You say “Don’t stress”  but change nothing.
 That’s not support. That’s avoidance.

8. You ask them to step up without clarity.
 Now they are guessing. And getting it wrong.

9. You say “I trust you”  but double-check everything.
 Your actions scream control.

10. You say “Let me think” and never follow up.
 Their ideas disappear into the void. So they stop trying.

11. You vent about leadership.
 You think you are relatable. They think it’s unsafe.

12. You confuse “friendly” with “approachable.”
 Kindness ≠ trust when things get hard.

13. You multitask in conversations.
 Looking at your phone says: “This isn’t worth my full attention.”

👉 Which of these do you see most often in leadership today?

Becoming truly approachable changed everything for me - including my entire career path.

If you are ready for your own transformation:

✨ Follow me, Ani Filipova for daily insights on Leadership, Career & Change
🌍 → Join the movement: Our community of changemakers https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
Doors are open for new members till 20 September.

📩 → Get weekly insights: The Change Blueprint https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9

🎙️ → Hear the stories: Change is Possible podcast https://lnkd.in/g73EpXEt

As COO, I watched these 7 communication mistakes hold back careers.
Including my own...

The worst part? 
We all think we are great communicators.

But these subtle habits create invisible walls between us and the people we need to influence, connect with, and lead.

Here are the 7 mistakes, and you can check how to fix them in the carousel.

1. Apologising Before You Even Start
❌ “Sorry, can I just say something?”
❌ “Sorry if this is a dumb question…”
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: Starting with an apology makes you sound unsure before you've even spoken.

2. Giving Advice Too Soon
❌ “You should just…”
❌ “Have you tried…”
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: People often don’t want solutions - they want to feel heard.

3. Your face says one thing, your words say another.
❌ Smiling during serious points.
❌ Smiling while giving difficult feedback.
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: Smiling when being firm confuses people - it makes your words feel insincere.

4. Talking in Circles
❌ Starting with too much backstory.
❌ Repeating the same point in different ways.
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: The more words you use, the less people remember.

5. Avoiding Eye Contact
❌ Looking down or away while speaking.
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: It makes you seem distant, unsure, or even untrustworthy - even if that’s not your intention.

6. The ‘Invisible Eye Roll’
❌ Glancing at your phone while someone’s speaking.
❌ Checking your email while talking to someone.
❌ Sighing or shifting in your seat.
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: These micro-reactions scream, “I’m bored” - even if you’re not.

7. Closing Conversations Without Clarity
Ending meetings with:
❌ “So… yeah…”
❌ “Alright, let’s just figure it out.”
❌ “I guess we’re good?”
➡️ Why It’s a Problem: Vague endings leave people unsure what happens next.

You know the cliche: 
People don't remember what you said.
They remember how you made them feel.

Well...these 7 mistakes make people feel small.

Fix them, and watch how differently people respond to you.

Which one hits closest to home?
(For me, it is always no.1 - still have to stop myself)

→ Save this for your next conversation + follow me Ani Filipova for daily leadership and career truths.

---
🌍 Join the movement: Our community of career changers https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9
Doors are open for new members till 20 September.

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To this day, I still have to remind myself not to do #1

When you are backed into a corner, everyone expects you to surrender.
I almost did...

I spent my last 2 years at Citi feeling trapped:
• Every job option led somewhere I didn't want to go
• Too invested to walk away
• Too comfortable to risk everything

Classic corner. No visible ways to exit the situation.

That's when I realised:
Corners exist only when you accept the walls around you.

When you are truly trapped, you have 3 options:

1. Surrender (what 90% do)
Accept your fate. Shrink to fit. Hope for luck.

2. Fight your way out (what 9% try)
Burn bridges. Make enemies. Leave scorched earth.

3. Build a door (what 1% create)
While everyone watches the walls, you quietly construct your exit.

I chose option 3.

For 18 months, I built in plain sight:
• Kept delivering at work (maintaining the illusion)
• Built my network after hours (creating options)
• Developed new skills (expanding possibilities)
• Saved aggressively (buying freedom)

Nobody noticed the door I was building.
Until I walked through it.

Every wall is also a surface to build on.
You are not trapped.
You are just looking in the wrong direction.

Stop staring at the walls.
Start building your door.

💬 What door are you building that nobody sees yet?

Sometimes the best escape plan isn't dramatic.
It's methodical.

🌍 Join my community where we help each other build doors, not just stare at walls:  https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9  We are open for new members till 20 Sept.

→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for the truth about navigating careers and impossible situations.
📩 Get weekly insights: The Change Blueprint https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9
🎙️ Hear the stories: Change is Possible podcast https://lnkd.in/g73EpXEt 

Image credit: bookthoughs on IG

After 3 years of overthinking, this career decision method I created saved me.

Most professionals ask the wrong question:
"Should I stay or should I go?"

The successful ones use a different system entirely.

After wasting 3 years in analysis paralysis, I developed this 6-step method:

🎯 The Dismantling Technique
→ I broke down every fear and opinion one by one until they lost their power.
→ When the same doubts kept looping, I knew it was just noise and I ignored it.

❓ Returning to Why
→ Whenever doubt crept in, I went back to my three goals: kids, health, business.
→ If the answer didn't serve them, it was a clear no.

🔍 The Credibility Check
→ I stopped taking advice from people who had never done what I wanted to do.
→ Instead, I listened only to those who'd walked the path and that advice changed everything.

🎭 The Identity Shift
→ I stopped defining myself by my old title and started owning my new story.
→ The reaction from others shifted from warnings to admiration.

⏰ The 6-Month Test
→ I asked myself: if nothing changed in six months, would I be proud of staying?
→ Every time I pictured it, the answer was dread.

🧭 The Body Compass
→ When I imagined resigning, I felt light and free.
→ My body knew the answer before my mind admitted it.

If I was leaving now, I'd also use AI prompts to accelerate this process.
(I've included them in the carousel)

Stop collecting opinions.
Start collecting evidence.

The decision you are overthinking?
You've already made it.

💬 Which step revealed your answer?

---

The smartest professionals don't wait until after they quit to figure things out.

They build while they have the safety net. The steady income. The time to prepare properly.

That's what we do in my community - help you create your transition plan while you're still inside. No dramatic exits. Just strategic preparation.

Ready to stop asking and start building?

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

What would you build if you had 18 months to prepare?

Should I stay or should I go?

Most 1:1s accomplish nothing.

Let alone that 70% of leaders don't even bother to have them.

I bet you’ve had such bosses: 

Boss 1: Never scheduled them. "My door is always open" was code for "I'm too busy for you." Every time I would stop by to discuss, he would ask me, "Can you come in 30 min?" and he rarely makes the time.

Boss 2: Cancelled 80% of them. Usually 5 minutes before. The message was clear - everything else mattered more.

Boss 3: Turned every 1:1 into a status report. "Give me your updates," followed by glazed eyes and zero engagement.

The worst part?
They all thought they were doing me a favour by "making time."

When I became a leader, I swore I'd be different.

Because 1:1s aren’t just status updates.
They are your most powerful tool to build trust, clarity, and momentum - if you know what to ask.

That’s why I use a simple flow like this 👇

1. How’s everything going for you this week?
2. Anything on your mind you’d like to discuss?
3. What were your goals last week, and what was accomplished?
4. What’s your top focus and goals this week?
5. Is anything slowing you down or blocking your work?
6. What do you need from me right now?
7. Is there anything you are waiting on from others?
8. How’s your workload right now? Manageable?
9. Is there anything you’ve wanted to bring up but haven’t?

Your people will tell you everything you need to know.
But only if you ask the right questions.

💬 What is your go-to 1:1 question that always uncovers gold?
Building a master list for leaders who actually care.

♻️ Share this with a leader who needs better questions
👥 Follow Ani Filipova for leadership insights that actually work.

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Generational leadership advice is backwards.

My boss was a Boomer. My peers were Gen X. My direct reports were Millennials and Gen Z.

Every single day, I exhausted myself translating:
- Boomer hierarchy into Gen Z collaboration
- Gen X skepticism into Millennial optimism  
- "That's how we've always done it" into "Why do we do it this way?"

I was a full-time translator instead of a leader.

Until I discovered what actually unites every generation:

1. Everyone thinks their generation works the hardest
- Boomers: "Kids today don't know real work"
- Gen Z: "Boomers don't understand we are always on"
Plot twist: They are both right. And both wrong.

2. Everyone is terrified of being irrelevant
- Boomers hide it behind authority
- Gen X hides it behind cynicism
- Millennials hide it behind hustle
- Gen Z hides it behind irony

3. Everyone wants the same thing - 
..they just can't admit it.
To matter. To be seen. To leave something behind.
The only difference? Their language.

My breakthrough: Stop managing generations. Start connecting humans.

When the Boomer boss says "respect the process"
And the Gen Z employee says, "this process is stupid"
Ask: "What outcome do we both want?"

Turns out they wanted the same thing.
They just couldn't hear each other.

The future doesn't belong to leaders who master generational differences.
It belongs to those who make them irrelevant.

♻️ Share to help leaders bridge the generational gap
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My first negotiation...

They mopped the floor with me.
Made me question if I belonged in business at all.

Thankfully, it didn't stop me. Took me 3 days to stop replaying it. Then I went back for more.

There are many real first attempts that shaped me:

• First day as COO: Sat through a strategy meeting. I had no idea what I was doing but thirty days later, I found my rhythm.

• First TEDx talk: Got on the stage, start speaking, Mic broke. 500 people staring. Had to restart. Still got the ovation.

• My first job rejection: crushed my dream of an international career, but I built one anyway.

• First LinkedIn posts:  I don't want to even remember them...

The first time should feel impossible.
Awkward. Terrifying.
Like you don't belong.

That's how you know you are growing:

• Your voice shaking
• Your hands sweating
• Your mind blank
• Your confidence shattered

Then slowly:

• Your voice steadies
• Your hands still
• Your mind clears
• Your confidence rebuilds

But different. Earned. Real.

The brutal truth?
Most people never start because they are waiting to feel ready.
You'll die waiting.

Start ugly. Start scared. Start anyway.

💬 What first attempt are you avoiding because it feels too big?

♻️ Share this with someone who needs to start
➕ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily insights on careers, leadership and building courage


-------
🌍 → Join the movement: Our community of career changers https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

📩 → Get weekly insights: The Change Blueprint 
https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9

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Yesterday I calculated the real cost of my career.

I had to sit down.

Four years ago, when my twins were 10, the math looked like this:

If they leave at 18, I had 6,570 days with them.
I'd already burned through 3,650.
At my corporate pace - 10 hours a week of real presence - I'd have only 4,160 hours left.

That's 173 days. Total.

My next promotion would’ve taken 4-5 years.
My kids would’ve been gone in 4.

So I jumped.

Left the COO title. The salary. The status.
Built a portfolio career instead.

Corporate life: 10 hours/week with them
Portfolio career: 40+ hours/week with them

The last four years were the best years by far:
• Morning get-together before school (not conference calls)
• Afternoon conversations (not client meetings)  
• Weekend adventures (not PowerPoint prep)
• All summers together 
• Being present for 1,460 days, not 173

My corporate friends think I'm crazy.
"You gave up COO for what? Time?"

Yes. Time.

Because the only currency that matters is presence.
Not the presents you can buy.
The presence you can give.

Those three years I have left?
1,095 irreplaceable days.
26,280 precious hours I would never get back.

You can always build another career.
You can't relive their childhood.

This isn't about being lucky. 
I just did the math in time to make a change.

You can too.

Before, it's just you and you wondering where the time went.

💬 How many days do you have left with what matters most?

♻️ Share this to help someone rethink what truly matters.
👥 Follow me,  Ani Filipova, for the truth about building careers that honour what matters
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