Nadia Gountcheva

I help leaders to transform their companies.

I like to solve people’s professional and personal challenges while being a strong listener and a trusted advisor. To make my clients stand out and sustain their growth, I combine proven methods and tools from the top experts in the areas of strategy, operations and business transformation with out-of-the-box thinking in the context of the latest market developments. Each client situation is different and so are the approach and the solution. I work with leaders to pin down and build together the right solution at the right time.

Skilled at seeing the big picture without sacrificing structure and detail, I take pride in my commitment to quality. I draw upon my knowledge of case studies, best practices, psychology and human behavior to help my clients identify and stir in their own unique ingredients for high team performance and business impact.

My Values

Authentic and genuine attitude helps to position us in the environments that are right for us. I believe that when you are yourself, you are not only more credible but also attract those who share your values, you feel more at ease and are able to give your best.

Compassion and empathy should not be perceived as a weakness in business and impressive leaders have proven to have good amounts of each. However, these qualities need to be part of an emotional intelligence skill set to bring out the best results.

Integrity starts with giving credit to the quality of your character and translates into high standards and a strong ethic in the business and social context.

Respect must be a given in every positive environment, trust is earned. Loyalty and Reliability in my personal and professional life have earned me the trust of others.

Perseverance is key to successful transformations and change efforts, as these are typically accompanied by resistance and unwillingness to change the status quo.

Last but not least, staying in touch with nature, removing noise and achieving inner balance are very important for me. I do this through meditation, travel and anything that helps to stay out of the box.

 In My Free Time…

My passion for cultural understanding and diversity helped for the success of several initiatives. In my role as Vice President of AIESEC Berkeley, I raised the ranking of a 25-people team from an underperforming local committee to 2nd place among 37 US teams and my team received two AIESEC National awards. I often mentor and coach women entrepreneurs as a mentor for the Cherie Blair Foundation. I am also the recipient of the QS/Top-MBA Social Impact award.

A classically trained pianist with the rare gift of perfect pitch, I can identify pitches and harmonies without an error even when an orchestra plays and I had maximum scores on most music exams at university. Over a period of eight years, I grew and managed a community of 1800+ members interested in classical music in Germany. I also raised money for orphanages using my recordings. (Listen to a couple of my home recordings at the bottom of this page…)

As a child, I liked to spend the entire day in a room reading books. One book a day was more the norm than the exception, until responsibilities and advances in technology started to create distractions and slow down the momentum… I plan to get back to that reading speed.

I strive to achieve a balance between my work, personal life and spiritual well-being. I have dedicated a year to practicing the ancient Chinese martial art Tai Chi taught by Master Somov, a direct student of the great Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang.

I am an avid traveler and enjoy hiking, exploring the rich cultures of different countries, sightseeing in historical cities and observing the immensity of the ocean waves. After having spent a significant part of my life abroad and traveling across the continents, I came to the realization that there is no place like home...

Last but not least, I love collecting cooking blog recipes on apps like Yummly/Tasty and experimenting with exotic dishes and fine dining, while practicing a healthy and responsible diet that supports the Earth’s natural resources and proper animal treatment.

You can hear me play here…