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At Scalefocus, we like to follow traditions - especially when it comes to team gatherings. Our Quality Engineering team gathered last week for their regular “QE Catch-up” - a regular event that brings forward new ways to learn and get to know each other. That is especially valuable for the newly joined colleagues - during those events, everyone is actively speaking to each other and bonding as people and professionals. Because, as in Lord of the Rings, every Fellowship must be so bonded that their mission is always complete. Challenges Make Us Perfect In the QE Catch-ups, we usually hear a talk on an interesting topic from a current project and the main and most useful points of what has been learned from it. This time, we made sure to create a team-bonding experience too by everyone taking part in a teamwork challenge. The colleagues were divided into random teams and had to design their own team flag. The visualizations had to include what they have in common, symbols of their work together. The idea was to creatively express their characteristics on paper on the whiteboard. We had some truly creative flags (as you can see in the gallery below), but finally, Team 4 won the public vote for the most awesome flag. They, of course, got an award - a voucher for a Quiz Night event. We are continuing to look ahead towards new team experiences and events that bring out the greatness of people. Stay tuned for more events from Scalefocus - you can check out most of them on our Facebook page.

In the cold fresh air of November, we take our gaze back to the warmth of last month. In October, ScaleFocusarians kept being active and the events, socialization, and learning experiences flowed. Here are the memories of what is keeping us warm in the coming winter! Time for Sport & Celebrations In October, Scalefocusarians took part in a number of sports events in several of our office locations. Our colleagues took part in Business Run Burgas, Business Run Plovdiv, Sofia Marathon, and Liebherr Business Run Plovdiv. The runners didn’t disappoint with their endurance and persistence! In Sofia, ScaleFocusarians also took part in the Table Tennis IT League where we played and had a lot of fun among colleagues. Besides the purely physical aspect of sports, we know there are many other ways to be competitive and active. Our gamers gave their all-in Office Game Night at our Infinity office. We tested new games among which Mortal Kombat 11, FIFA 2020, Dixit, Cards Against Humanity and, of course, had delicious food and drink. With the support of our friends from Destructive Creation, we helped create new and beautiful benches for the Professional High school for Computer Programming. The students built the benches themselves – with the help of several of our awesome colleagues! Аnd as for celebration… there was, of course, Scalefocus Varna 1st Birthday! Our colleagues gathered for an awesome seaside birthday for our Varna office. On the board of one of the biggest sailing ships in Bulgaria, we had a great time with cocktails and toasted the growth of ScaleFocus Varna with many wishes for the future. Knowledge-sharing and Мore In October, Scalefocusarians took part in several forums, hackathons and lectures. Оur bright colleagues in Varna and Plovdiv visited the forum Career Days – IT, Communications and Outsourcing. In Varna, we had a prepared coding challenge for all enthusiasts who visited the Scalefocus booth. At Sofia East, QA students from Telerik Academy Alpha visited our office. They met with our specialists in the field and took part in a specially created QE Quiz Night over pizza and beer. We also had our Salesforce team gather for a Lunch & Learn session and a Finance team gettogether – our colleagues played archery tag and bonded over dinner. Several of our colleagues from Burgas took part in Hackaton Burgas as a jury. The contest was organized by “Prof.Assen Zlatarov” University. Students participated in completing an IT challenge – creating a concept of an eco-friendly project. The NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2019 took place in Burgas Free University. ScaleFocus had several representatives who helped in the role of jury and appraisal of the presented projects by the students. Again in Burgas, high school students from the Professional High School for Computer Programming as well as students from Burgas Free University visited Scalefocus’ office, to receive advice and conduct interesting discussions with our colleagues. ScaleFocus’ Front-End practice was on focus in October. In an event at Vintage House, Plovdiv, IT enthusiasts gathered to hear which framework – React, Angular or Vue – works best within one and the same app. You can read more about it here. In October, the first IT treasure hunt in collaboration with Dextrophobia Rooms took place, again in Plovdiv. We engaged 11 teams with fun riddles and challenges. The evening finished with ScaleFocus’ Plovdiv office 5th birthday party. Activities continued out in the open, too. With the support of our friends from Destructive Creation, we helped create new and beautiful benches for the Professional High school for Computer Programming. The students built the benches themselves – with the help of several of our awesome colleagues! Meanwhile, colleagues from Sofia East and Sofia South managed to spend a Sunday giving love to furry friends! ScaleFocusarians visited, took on walks and spent time with the dogs from Gorni Bogrov Municipal Dog Shelter. Needless to say, there was love all around! This was October in Scalefocus. Stay tuned for more surprises and events in November. If you want to join our awesome team, check out our current openings here.

"At the beginning of my career, I was often avoiding things that brought me out of my comfort zone. It was something I worked on, but the job itself makes you more assertive. With the huge diversity of technologies and projects, you simply have to be adaptive. I don’t feel so uncertain about new things anymore and I never say ‘no’ when I’m approached with something new. Like this interview." Tell us who you are. My name is Polina Mihova and I am а Quality Engineer III at Scalefocus. I’ve been a part of the company for almost 6 years now and I’m working on many different projects. I’m responsible for the whole process of manual and/or automation testing. How and why did you join Scalefocus? I was looking for a job and a colleague from the university, who at the time worked at Scalefocus, recommended the company. I went through the interview process and got hired. The fact that it is a Bulgarian company really impressed me. I came to Scalefocus with only internship experience, a diploma and a strong desire to learn. Funny thing is that even though I applied for a QE position, based on my knowledge and experience (which wasn’t big) six years ago, I was first hired as a Software Engineer. I worked as one for about a year and a half. Later, there came an opportunity to begin as a QE and I took it. It turned out to be a great and positive change for me - I felt like I fit in the right place. It was the best decision for my career because my work now brings me satisfaction and joy daily. How was the transition for you? It was easy, overall. I was determined and enthusiastic. The colleagues from the QE and HR departments helped me a lot. They saw in me the qualities suitable for the job and my eagerness to change and learn. I got the chance and took it. I liked being a developer too, but in my work as a QE, I find a lot of aspects that fit me better as a professional and a person. The transition was a challenge, but a positive one. I was the only QE in my first team and it was hard, but awesome in the sense of learning and growing. The work is really dynamic and diverse, there is a lot of communication with people and even clients. This communication helps me to understand better the business logic of the work, the business processes and the essence of the client’s needs. That is crucial for better testing of the product later. Do you like challenges? At the beginning of my career, I was often avoiding things that brought me out of my comfort zone. It was something I worked on, but the job itself makes you more assertive. With the huge diversity of technologies and projects, you simply have to be adaptive. I don’t feel so uncertain about new things anymore and I never say ‘no’ when I’m approached with something new for me. Like this interview, for instance :) Are you an introvert or an extrovert? An introvert, for sure, but with some extrovert qualities. In the work of the QE, it actually helps to be an introvert - to look more closely, to observe the details, to have consistency. The extrovert quality that is beneficial here is the ability to communicate with anyone. Why do you like your team? They are young, positive people with a jest for life and work. They are super helpful when needed and we as a team manage to make everything run smoothly. They are also really fun! What gives you fuel in the morning? Coffee! I wake up really early and come to the office before the others. This is my time to charge up for the day and I’m actually most productive in the first part of the day. And what gives you fuel in your personal life? My family, my niece, and nephew and my awesome partner. My friends, too. I am a real homebody, actually - I love being at home, on the sofa, or cooking something delicious, just being there. I love the cinema and going to the theatre and reading books. I also love Bulgarian folklore dance, it’s been in my heart forever and I used to dance in an ensemble. What advice would you give to a starting QE? Тake your time to build experience. Be adaptive. Communicate a lot. Everything is really dynamic in IT and you can never say you’ve learned it all. You should always try and learn more and listen to the people around you when they have something to say. What is the most tricky part of being a QE? Being a team player and always putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. The recipe is to be delicate in communicating what needs to be done and help the team you’re working with believing that if you are insisting on something it’s really important, professionally. What would you be if you weren’t a Quality Engineer? Maybe a teacher. *** People of Scale is a monthly rubric in which we show the inspiring humans behind the IT curtain at ScaleFocus.

We are already feeling the first breaths of winter. But while the sun is still around, we decided to create another great knowledge-sharing experience from our Practice on Focus series. This time, we engaged the specialists of ScaleFocus’ Front-End practice. And thus, Game of Frameworks came to life. For about three hours, оn a Thursday night, enthusiasts gathered at Vintage House, Plovdiv, to hear which framework - React, Angular or Vue - works best within one and the same app, with live presentations and a lively discussion. Three Frameworks, One App No Game of Frameworks is complete without its key players, a.k.a. The ScaleFocus Front-End gurus. Three of them took the stage at Vintage House to present and “defend” their favorite framework - and how they work within one single application. The first presenter, Atanas Plachkov, a technical lead in our UX/UI department, presented the React point of view. The second - Slavozar Vargulev, Senior Software Engineer at ScaleFocus - gave his “vote” for Angular. Third presenter, Ivaylo Georgiev, UX/UI developer who presented Vue point of view (pun intended). All frameworks were compared regarding their specifics and usage within one app. Тhe speakers engaged the audience and each other with fun moments of opposition. House of ScaleFocus Always Wins Despite the hot discussions, all lectors and the audience finally concluded that all frameworks have their own specific benefits, advantages, and applications in the work. The Game of Frameworks didn’t actually have a winner - more like three. The public itself was not at all passive! Atanas, Slavo and Ivaylo got a lot of questions - like which framework of the other two would they choose besides the one they prefer. Among the guests were our friends from the Delta Source team who recently joined the first IT Treasure Hunt in Bulgaria, organized by ScaleFocus. The evening concluded in friendly chat, laughs and of course, beer. We are looking forward to the next night of knowledge-sharing and awesome friends around.

Let’s just put it that way: if Indiana Jones had IT knowledge, he would have probably joined Plovdiv: Scaled, too. The IT Treasure Hunt, organized by Scalefocus in partnership with Dexrophobia Rooms happened last weekend in Plovdiv, in a competition where strong knowledge in IT and bravery in decision-making made all the difference. One Race, Eleven Teams Eleven brave teams started at Nebet Tepe in an equally challenging and fun two-and-a-half-hour race around the city - to solve IT riddles, find clues to the next location and finally, become the winner. The enthusiasm of the teams was clear from the start - everybody rushed to solve the first riddles to win points first and several of the teams had totally different strategies. Some chose to solve the mandatory IT missions faster and do fewer of the not mandatory ones and others - to do more optional missions. Both strategies brought points to the teams and created a truly active and intriguing race. Winners & A Birthday Party Plovdiv: Scaled turned out to be a perfect Saturday in sunny Plovdiv. The teams were able to explore the city’s secrets by moving from location to location, test their knowledge in IT and prove themselves in an unforgettable race. At the finish line there, of course, had to be one winner - team Ханко Блят, with a total of 180 points! They were closely followed with a difference by only 5 points by the Delta Source team. Third place was given to Туристите. Among the other teams that took part were Татенцата, BG team, Idiots, Айляк team, No Thanks, and others. And then it was time to party! Scalefocus’ Plovdiv office celebrated 5 years since its official opening and Scalefocusarians, together with the participants of the Plovdiv: Scaled race gathered together in Kamenitza Brewery. There, a master brewer gave a tour of the premises and presented the guests with a selection of special beers. After awarding the winners of the race, it was time for cake and of course, a party to remember. Stay tuned for more of our initiatives that gather together IT specialists, enthusiasts and fun-loving people to learn, grow and have a blast together!

We already dived head-first into October (and it will be a pretty eventful month, we can promise that!). And yet, it’s impossible to overlook the imprint of September. At Scalefocus, we managed to create another memorable month in terms of events, fun times and laughter. After all, the experience is what counts - and we always try to live it to the fullest. Here are the accents from last month. Helping the Community ScaleFocusarians were involved in several charity initiatives in September. One of them was the “Caps for Future” initiative in which people gather plastic caps to raise funds for the purchasing of baby incubators for hospitals that need them. In Varna, Burgas, and Sofia our colleagues brought the collected caps - over 90 kilograms total - and joined the cause. Members of our Varna team also took part in cleaning the beach line in the event “ФасОFF “Постави боклука на място“. Also in Varna, in a special event, our colleagues played old-school games to support the initiative Back-to-school Charity&Fun. The raised funds were donated to helping disadvantaged children locally by buying 380 notebooks for the start of the new school year. Knowledge-sharing & More In September, ScaleFocus remained a hub for knowledge-sharing initiatives. The Infrastructure team was central in the initiative “Practice on Focus” for the month - our colleagues prepared presentations and took a trip together outside of Sofia for workshops and team-bonding. And, of course… there were beers and barbecues involved, too. The “Practice on Focus” initiative is going strong - for October, we will put the spotlight on our Front-End specialists with a special Game of Frameworks - stay tuned for more information soon! We also had a cool start of our monthly Posture Fix trainings in our Capital Fort office - specialists helped our colleagues with exercises, aimed at helping them move more freely and without back and neck pain - something everybody working at a desk knows well. And as movement goes, we didn’t stop there - our colleagues from Scalefocus’ Burgas office - Emo, Ivo, Petar, and Vesi - joined Burgas Run and showed their running skills and ability to enjoy life and sport. We are proud to say they made a great time and finished with a smile! And that's exactly how September at Scalefocus finished as well - with experiences, laughter, and fun.

“Here at ScaleFocus, you learn every day - especially if you talk to the people and are not afraid to ask for advice and help. If I have to describe my field and my work in three words, they would be: dynamic, interesting and challenging.” Tell us about yourself and your work. My name is Elizabeth Velichkova, people call me Betty. I am Infrastructure Administrator at ScaleFocus and I’m involved in several projects. My job includes providing a working environment for different software solutions and supporting it after the deployment. I love learning and challenging myself every day feel useful. Why did you join Scalefocus? I wanted to grow professionally. I used to work in software support and I often felt limited to one project or product. I had friends in ScaleFocus who told me about the company and I decided to apply because I liked it a lot. I especially appreciated the fact that people here are really friendly and positive. How would you describe your team? United, always smiling and super helpful all the time. I had great mentors in ScaleFocus - people who taught me a lot and walked me through the processes with great patience and understanding. I always felt comfortable asking questions or for something to be explained to me. That’s what helped me feel more comfortable as a professional and build up my experience. Describe your job with three words. Dynamic. Interesting. Challenging. In your opinion, what quality is absolutely necessary for someone doing your job? A lot of inner motivation. Also, the ability to not give up easily and even be a little stubborn - because the work is pretty complex, there are always problems and you should never give up. And a third thing - patience. How do you pick yourself up in difficult times - professionally and personally? Therе are always times when you feel more challenged or anxious and it’s normal. For example, we just finished a very big and complex project - one of the biggest and most complex eCommerce platforms in Bulgaria. When I feel anxiety, I always remember to depend on my team - and to get a little time for myself, to arrange my thoughts. And - of course - it helps to have good friends to count on. How do you deal with challenging projects such as this? Again, the team is key and also, to be open to learning all the time. Do you feel inspired by your team? Yes, on a daily basis. Everybody knows a lot about different things and even the smallest discussion can teach me something, I love listening to them. What inspires you right now? The smiles of everyone in the company. It’s the greatest thing about coming to work in the morning. Also, I love listening to music and it inspires me a lot. If you could choose one superpower, what would it be? Teleportation! I would love to go wherever I want for a split second, spend some time there and get back without having to travel for long. What do you love to do outside of work? I love high-speed cars and motorcycles, it’s kind of a passion! I am soon starting motorcycle lessons myself. I love drawing and I do it whenever I have time. I draw a lot of ship anchors. And I also have great admiration and love for the sea - that’s why I took part in the Summer Vibes initiative this year and it was awesome. If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is now embarking on the path of Infrastructure Administration, what would it be? To never give up, even when it seems hard. And bonus advice - to always speak to his or her colleagues because that makes all the difference sometimes. To be able to learn every day you need to be open but also choose a company where this is possible, where there are diversity and positivity within the teams. I think I found just that here.

The IT company ScaleFocus with a 5-year project, with no analogue, to solve the biggest problem of the IT industry Ten thousand people from all over the country will receive free IT training over the next five years. The initiative is powered by the biggest Bulgarian IT company – ScaleFocus. People from all over Bulgaria – both those with some theoretical knowledge and those without any experience or knowledge – will be able to enter the ScaleFocus Academy. Two months after the start of the training, they will begin to work in a real team for a client. This project aims to resolve the biggest issue, faced by the IT industry – shortage of qualified and motivated talent. Kick-off of the ScaleFocus Academy in Burgas ScaleFocus Academy begins this fall in Burgas, thanks to the full support of the municipality. Then, depending on the interest and pro-activeness of other municipalities, it will spread around other big cities. ScaleFocus Academy will work with local schools, universities and organizations to spark interest in IT and build the right model for employees’ development. Other software companies with local offices will be involved as partners. This will solve another big problem – the concentration of IT business in only 1-2 big areas in the country. “The purpose of the ScaleFocus Academy is to retain the young and motivated people in our country, to enable them to gain knowledge and experience free of charge. Our industry is confronted with the mismatch between demand and availability of motivated IT professionals. We have set ourselves the daunting task of changing this.” Plamen Tsekov | CEO | ScaleFocus The duration of one practical course will be half an year. ScaleFocus experts and project partners will not only share their knowledge, connected to the latest IT technologies and trends in the world, but also elaborate on the development of professional and cultural values, effective work in international teams, ethical communication with clients and colleagues. This will be especially valuable for people without previous IT experience or work within an international team. ScaleFocus Academy will help to provide the necessary workforce for the IT industry in our country. “Free training for 10,000 people over the next five years is an ambitious goal. In the first two years alone, we will invest about 1 million BGN. However, we believe that through ScaleFocus Academy we will significantly improve the quality of IT services throughout the country. ” Plamen Tsekov According to a report of the Bulgarian Outsourcing Association in 2018, 67,300 people are employed in the IT and BPO sectors in Bulgaria, and by the end of 2020 the industry will need approximately 79,000 people. ScaleFocus is the largest Bulgarian software company with over 1000 specialists, 200 clients worldwide and development offices in Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas and Varna. The company’s revenue for 2019 is expected to exceed 60 million BGN, 80% comes from projects in North America and Western Europe. Over the next few years, the company will triple its capacity by setting up development offices in other cities in Bulgaria and the neighbouring Balkan countries. Follow the next steps of the initiative at scalefocus.academy for more information.