Galina Grudova

We talk about the cost of success, teamwork and lessons in business with Ms Galina Grudova in her most favourite and inviolable space - her home.
by Maria Kasimova-Moace / photography: Tedi Grozdanov

GALINA GRUDOVA
"Unique Estates is the most desirable employer in the real estate industry."

Galina Grudova, partner and member of the management board of Unique Estates, has been in real estate since 1995. For two of them, she has specialized mainly in the sale and rental of luxury properties in "Addis" Ltd - Diplomatic Property Agency in the country, serving embassies and large international companies. She has been part of the Unique Estates team since 2006, and in those seventeen years has not only had a remarkable career journey, but has also been an integral part of the heart, mind and soul of the company, where she also looks after the professional development and growth of her colleagues.

You have been working in real estate for more than two decades. How has the market and clients changed through your eyes?

When I started my career in this field 27 years ago, there were still no strict rules and regulations. We did everything with a lot of enthusiasm and heart because we loved the process, but from the perspective of my experience now, I can also see how many mistakes we made and how many difficulties we could have saved ourselves. In those years everything was different - market prices were calculated in dollars, there were no rules and no working model. I am happy and grateful that first in Adis Ltd and then in Unique Estates, we actually created the luxury segment in Bulgaria.

As part of Unique Estates since its founding, and more recently a shareholder in it, how would you define the main characteristics that set it apart from other companies in the industry?

I have been the first member of Unique Estates since 2006. Back then, Vesela Ilieva, as the founder of the company far-sightedly and really boldly for that time decided to create in an absolutely chaotic market a company focused in selling luxury properties. It took us time to define for ourselves what luxury property means - what characteristics it must have to be in this segment. We also had to define what we put into the term luxury market. Today Unique Estates is the leader in this same luxury property market in Bulgaria. We are a company with a clear structure and vision, with an exceptional team of sales people, highly motivated and focused to serve the most delicate and specific needs of our clients. As part of the Unique Estates leadership team, I am proud of the fact that our professionals are respected and valued and their expertise is constantly invested in.

What does the company's history look like and what does its future hold?

I clearly remember every moment from my first day of work until today - these memories are very motivating for me. I'm grateful that I started from scratch - the salespeople who come to us now have no idea the challenges we dealt with. We started in a small office, in a room with eight desks. We looked for solutions for every situation, it was difficult, we improvised at every step, but we were extremely satisfied to do even one deal a month. We were learning on the fly how to channel that enthusiasm and create the perfect team going in the right direction. Today, seventeen years later, we are an institution. We wrote the rules ourselves - in practice, through successes and mistakes. And continuing to adapt and change them to suit new markets and modern customers.
And as for the future... I remember every small victory, every tear, every sincerely shared joy, and I know that as a team we are moving forward confidently. If there have been moments of despair and lack of motivation regarding a deal or workflow, I've realized the next day that the difficult situation has made us better, wiser and stronger. That's why every day at my company is inspiring and unique, and why I wake up and breathe this work.

What are the qualities that a broker must have to define himself as successful in his profession?

Emotional intelligence is of utmost importance to me. Traders who possess it are analytical, detailed in their approach and manage risk successfully. It is also important, of course, that they are hard-working and focused, and that they do not lose heart. Mistakes should drive us forward, not discourage or demotivate us.

Every profession brings its own professional distortion. Which is yours?

I'm demanding and strict in teamwork, but I'm that way with myself. At the same time, I am sensitive to the emotional needs, fears and demands of my colleagues and I want them to see in me a stable partner. I often share past mistakes with them - I want them to see that behind a successful professional is a holistic process. I am naturally vulnerable, sensitive to people's negative attitudes both personally and professionally. In the beginning of my professional path this hindered me because under the power of emotions I stopped objectively judging and acting in business. But now I am unshakeable! I can hardly be affected because I believe in my competence and skills, I express them without hesitation and when I am sure of my position and opinions, I defend them and do not back down from them.

What does career development look like at Unique Estates?

Unique Estates is the most desirable employer in real estate. People here are taken on from day one in the team, they go through a series of training related to practical knowledge, communication, expression, feedback, emotional intelligence... Every salesperson with drive and zest for work is motivated to grow in their career, and we have levels that salespeople go through every three years. If you unleash your qualities and show your abilities, you can reach the highest positions in the company.

Your job is all about communication. What have you learned about people in all these years of helping them find a home?

I realized that each person has their own feelings and needs. There are things that make him flicker and move him forward. If we can get into the soul of the client, we will also understand how to manage and execute the perfect transaction for them and us as professionals.

Is there a deal you'll never forget?

I don't want to forget anything from my trip, but the success I think of often is a spectacular deal with an Arab embassy. I spent five years developing it, and to this day, I still don't understand how I kept fighting and never gave up. It wasn't easy, there were a lot of vicissitudes. But thanks to the deep emotional bond I built with the ambassador and his family, and hence the trust from the state that was behind the deal, I eventually succeeded. I was in New York when I received the final confirmation. Colleagues in the company had long forgotten about this deal and were unaware that I was still working on it all alone. That experience and that success have been hugely significant for my career.

How important is home to you?

From my earliest childhood years, I have needed to be physically and emotionally connected to a place. In my 50 years I have had several important homes. I choose them carefully; I am particular about certain things. I'm meticulous about functionality, and the way a home should be finished and furnished. My home is not a social place - it is first and foremost my and my children's sanctuary.