If you were keen on singing, playing music, sports, and traveling and worked full-time, how would you fit all these into 24 hours per day? Take a few minutes to read the story of Ivaylo Razhenkov and let it inspire you by showing you that when you follow your path, the Universe is always on your side, no matter the rejections you face, the pauses you make and the years it takes!
- Ivaylo, you have been part of Strypes for nearly a year and a half now. How would you reflect on your journey with us?
- I have decent experience as a bartender and a worker at a pyrotechnics company, but my job at Strypes is the first one that offers so much fun and a field for personal and professional growth. It was by chance that I heard about the company from a friend of mine and decided to apply for a position, but I am thankful for the opportunity to work with a great team and to face so many challenges that help me strengthen my soft skills – communication, self-discipline, ability to focus, and many more.
- We know that for you work goes along with multiple hobbies. Which one is your favorite?
Even though I never studied music as a child, I knew I had it in my DNA. I grew up listening to some of my favorite pop and rock stars such as Elvis, Queen, Alice Cooper, Modern Talking, and many more. When I was 16, I decided to take up singing and later – to start playing the guitar, mostly learning by watching online lessons. Eventually, I also went to study music and singing at the university and soon became quite advanced in the field. Although I did not continue my studies, I kept dealing with music and participated in a rock band as a guitarist and vocalist. At that time we recorded our first songs and video clips, which turned out to be well-accepted by the public.
How does this hobby impact your personal and professional life?
As I wanted to step away from my comfort zone, music was the right solution. When I was younger I had to overcome the unrest of performing live in front of people by getting as much as I could on the stage, participating in a band, recording for the first time in the studio, and at the same time performing as a single artist.
My passion also brought me to the stage of one of the most popular musical TV shows in Bulgaria which was a surprise even for myself. It was the first big performance for me and would have a crucial role in defining if I should stop or continue dealing with music. I was so inspired to be selected to participate at the beginning, and a bit disappointed when I dropped out of the show in the next phase. I know that many people would give up after being rejected when making their first steps, but failure was not an option for me. I decided to keep working and, as of today, this has been the best decision I could have taken.
Apparently, it didn’t stop you from building a reputation and becoming a rising star in music in Bulgaria.
At least, it didn’t stop me from trying harder and last year was one of the biggest payoffs I have had so far. I was part of the supporting act for a main event with the participation of a famous Bulgarian singer in front of more than 300 people. By chance, it turned out that we performed even after the main guest and were warmly accepted by everyone, bringing joy and entertainment to the whole event. As of today, I believe it worked because I just did my best without worrying about mistakes or rejection.
Does your work at Strypes contribute to being a better musician?
Indeed, time management, responsibility, focus and the idea of lifelong learning are all helping me improve aspects of my life, including my performances and skills in singing and playing. Work and achievements in such a technical field and the impact we make together for global industries prove that with passion and motivation good results are a matter of time.
- How about your other hobbies?
I am also keen on sports – volleyball, street fitness, trampolines jumping, and mainly football. I used to train a lot and play as a child, but now I stick to amateur games and participate in our Strypes football team from time to time. As a football fan, though, I keep supporting my favorite teams – Manchester United, Real Madrid and Spain’s national football team, in particular. Maybe, they are also the reason for my dream to keep traveling and visit Spain one day. So far, I have had some great experiences in Türkiye, Austria, Greece and I am looking forward to exploring more countries and locations in the next months.
- It will be interesting if you tell us how you manage to organize yourself with so many spare activities and hobbies of yours.
It is essential for me to find the balance between work and leisure and between time with friends and time on my own. I am putting effort to plan my day ahead, to show discipline and to avoid wasting my energy for “anything”. I would advise everyone to keep in mind their priorities and to have a strong focus on their goals. It is also important to like being active and doing different things you like – music, sports, traveling, concerts, billiards, karaoke, or anything else.
- What is ahead of you in relation to your passions?
I really want to build on my biggest passion and to start creating music myself and I am already working hard in this direction. Also, I am currently creating a new band with the belief that best performances are ahead of me. I am also inspired to help other performers for whom music is passion and a way of life. And last, but not least, why not have our own music band here at Strypes?
Did you like Ivaylo’s story? Find the rest of our colleagues’ inspiring stories here.