Velichka Georgieva – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories
Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Velichka Georgieva, People & Culture Manager at Imperia Online. She speaks about her journey from working in casinos to becoming a People & Culture Manager in the gaming industry, emphasizing how her passion for supporting others, deep personal connections, and dedication to meaningful work helped her grow into leadership, and advising others to pursue the industry with genuine passion, resilience, and authenticity. Read more about Velichka here:
Hi Velichka! Your career began in the casino world, but you’ve since built a meaningful role in the games industry as People & Culture Manager at Imperia Online. What drew you to make that shift and how did you find the courage to start over in a new field?
Honestly, the transition felt surprisingly natural, even if it looked bold from the outside. Working in casinos taught me a lot about people – their hopes, their struggles, their energy. But deep down, I always knew I wanted to do more than just observe; I wanted to truly support and empower the people I work with.
When I found an opportunity in the games industry, it felt like the perfect place to combine my training with my empathy and curiosity about people. Gaming is creative, fast-moving, and centered around passionate teams, so it’s the ideal environment to grow alongside others. Starting over was definitely challenging, but what gave me the courage was my genuine belief that I could make a real
difference here – both in helping individuals feel valued, and in shaping a culture where everyone can thrive. I guess at a certain point you stop worrying so much about how new a path is, and start focusing on the people you’ll get to walk alongside.
You started at Imperia Online as an intern and grew into a leadership position over several years. Looking back, what were the moments (big or small) that shaped your growth and helped you believe in your own potential?
When I look back, my journey at IO has really been full of smaller moments that added up to big changes, both in my work and how I see myself. At the start, I had a lot of doubts – I was incredibly focused on perfecting every task, but struggled to find true satisfaction or confidence in my work. What really shifted things for me was connecting on a deeper level with my colleagues.
Realizing that people trusted me, confided in me, and even affectionately called me “Mama Zajka” – that feeling of being someone’s go-to person was both humbling and uplifting. Over time, the genuine compliments and the openness from people around me started to build up my own sense of self-worth. I’m a naturally hard-working and relentless person, but it’s the relationships within the team that made me believe in my own potential. I understood that my growth wasn’t just about how well I completed my tasks – it was about how much I could lift others up along the way. That’s what made every hour in front of the computer completely worth it: knowing that I could make even a small difference for someone else. To this day, it’s the people – those little moments of trust and support we build together – that keep me going and give me faith in
what I do.
For people who want to join the games industry but don’t come from a ‘typical’ background, what’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice? Don’t just fall in love with the perks – fall in love with the craft. The games industry looks glamorous from the outside, but what really matters here is genuine passion and commitment. If you don’t feel a true spark – if you’re not driven by curiosity and excitement about games and the people who make them – it will be hard to find real fulfillment. Coming from a
non-traditional background myself, I learned that your story doesn’t have to fit the mold. What matters most is your willingness to learn, to dive in wholeheartedly, and to bring your unique perspective. The industry is full of inspiring, driven people who pour their hearts into what they do – you need to be just as ready to do the same. So my advice is: devote yourself to it for the right reasons. Love what you do, and be brave enough to show up as yourself. That’s what makes you stand out – and what sustains you through the challenges and the rewards that make this industry truly special.