A word from the CTO

- Veselin Georgiev, Founder & CTO of Plan A

At Plan A, we pride ourselves on having an experienced and dedicated team, and Veselin, the CTO of Plan A, is no exception. With over 19 years of experience in software development, Veselin has held a wide range of positions in the software development field, from intern to software engineer, lead developer, software development manager, and finally CTO. Throughout his career, Veselin has primarily focused on web-based solutions, business platforms and products. He is an expert in technology setup, development organisation, startup consulting, and software development. But that's not all that makes Veselin special. We are thrilled to have him lead our development team not only because of his professional expertise but also because of his kind and responsible nature. In his free time, Veselin actively volunteers for charity causes and gives IT lectures to students, showing his dedication to both his work and his community.

An exciting journey so far! Can you tell us more about where your career path began and how you came to where you are today?

Veselin Georgiev: Software Engineering has come a long way in the last 25 years. When I first started my journey, the field was not seen as particularly prestigious or financially attractive. Back then, my interest stemmed from the entertainment and communication opportunities that the Internet provided.
During high school, me and my friends began experimenting with programming, computer games, and networking, which helped us understand the vast potential of the field. However, learning opportunities were limited, and we had to rely on thick books and programming circles to further our skills.
In the last decade, the industry has seen a significant transformation, making software engineering increasingly accessible and in high demand. The focus has shifted from the pure technical feasibility of a project to constantly improving efficiency and effectiveness of delivery, reflecting the increasing dependence on digital systems and processes in every aspect of business.
Throughout my career, I have held various roles and positions, and my goal has always been to deliver the best solutions, learn new things, and grow in the field. With the increasing importance of software engineering and the opportunities it presents, I am excited to see the future of the industry and the prospects it offers to aspiring software engineers.

What are the three most important elements for the success of a software project that you don't compromise with as a CTO? 

Veselin Georgiev: The successful implementation of a software project does not depend only on technical tools. It is difficult to narrow down just three elements for success, but I can say based on experience that these prerequisites must always be present:

• A Product owner who knows what he wants and can define the expectation for the project both in the initial stage and during development;
• A well-structured technical team, comprised of engineers with the right technical level and motivation to achieve the end goal and  a well-planned project Roadmap;
• A properly selected technical stack and maintaining it up to-date throughout the project's life cycle; 

What qualities do you look for when choosing new team members? 

What do you find the most difficult about technical management in a software company?

Veselin Georgiev: One of the biggest challenges, especially in a company working on many projects, across different business domains and technologies, is to keep the consistency between them. The motivation of the team to interact and help each other is also essential, regardless of the project and technology specifics. The industry is experiencing tremendous growth and incredible dynamics, and this requires a lot of effort to be on the forefront of technology, and to meet the needs of our business and our clients.
One of my personal beliefs is that the hardest things to do are also the most motivating, which is generally true for IT people. That's why we always take great pleasure when goals are successfully achieved, each time in a new and better way. 

What is your vision for Plan A's future development?

Veselin Georgiev: At Plan A, our focus is on the customer. We strive to understand each customer's unique culture and goals for our partnership. We prioritize high-quality technology and finding the perfect balance between innovation and practicality. Our goal is to tackle exciting and relevant projects that align with our expertise and drive business growth. In recent years, we have also made a push to become technological partners in several projects.

Description: One of the Plan A's company updates

What do you think will be the new technology trends in the coming years? How would Plan A adapt to them? 

Veselin Georgiev: The major trends are decentralization, machine learning/big data, internet of things, web and reactive interfaces. At Plan A, we follow business needs by trying to innovate and experiment with the latest technologies and solutions. This allows us to use our internal processes to keep our knowledge and technology stack up to date. We also have an interesting approach for selecting new clients and projects - we use a comparative matrix, which allows us to analyze the potential of new projects. The technological topic is one of the most important factors in making the decision.