Meet Goce Mitev, Sales Capability Manager in Pivara Skopje, who told us details about his career path, the challenges he faces every day, the teamwork, and the community he builds every day with colleagues and the record number of working hours spent in trainings intended for our sales.

Goce, you have been part of Pivarci team for almost 10 years. You started as a Business developer, and today we are talking about your career path from the position of Sales capability manager. If you had to do a brief retrospective, how did your professional development went over the years?

I started my career in Pivara Skopje as a Business Developer. I remember as if yesterday was December 1, 2013. At the beginning we were trained by the colleagues from the Sector for Development, and I had great support from my Line Manager and the colleagues from the team – Strumica.

The beginning was quite turbulent, but I had huge ambitions and for a period of only 3 months, I managed to achieve great results with a growth of almost 70% of the entire performance. I managed to deal with several challenges and at the same time to build great partnerships with colleagues and of course with the customers. But I was always striving for something more, not only that achieved my goals but I constantly exceeded them. I started to see the big picture and make decisions that were in the direction of better team achievements. This approach of mine and my personal ambition were recognized as potential for development by my Line Manager in January 2015. I become a Team Leader to the sales team in the Strumica region. At the beginning of this adventure together with the team, we set a team vision and made a strategy for the development of all sales territories. We managed to achieve all team goals, and at the same time I had the opportunity through the company platform Fast Forward 1 to learn and upgrade my leadership skills to contribute as much as possible for the company and to justify the trust and opportunity which I got.

Pivara Skopje has shown that it is a company that gives equal opportunities to all who have potential for development, so in February 2015 my potential was really considered, and I became part of the development centers, in which I have continued my career path in a much bigger and a wider region that has great potential for sales promotion.

So, in April 2016 I faced a new challenge and moved to live in Bitola. A huge challenge and at the same time a great opportunity to show what I know and can do. I used all the organizational skills, I worked on building the sales skills, knowledge and competencies of the team members I led, and I always tried to be motivated and to feel supported and heard within the company. On April 1, 2017, I joined the Commercial capabilities Department as a Sales Trainer. I was well accepted by my colleagues and in a short period of time I was able to create and deliver trainings and exercises on my own. For a period of 4 years, I have been certified for 38 modules, so that I can deliver them to my colleagues in the commercial sector and I have already delivered more than 200 trainings. In June 2021, my dream to lead the Commercial Capabilities Sector of Pivara Skopje came true. Now I have the opportunity to work on the realization of company strategies and to have impact in the development of company culture. I always strive to be guided by all company values and I enjoy all the challenges I face every day and I would say the best is yet to come.

From today’s perspective, what is the biggest challenge you have ever worked on? What are you particularly proud of from your work so far, as part of the Commercial capabilities Sector?

I am proud to be part of this 100-year-old authentic story called Pivara Skopje, which grows and develops over the years together with us, Pivaraci, and has a significant socio-economic impact in our country.

As Pivarec I have achieved several outstanding sales results, I have received the award for best innovation at the company level in 2018, my current job position allows me to play a significant role in the development of a number of talents, but something I am especially proud of that I was the project leader of the largest group platform for learning and development of commercial skills and that is the SALES ACADEMY.

Together with the team I led, we managed to adapt it in a period of 9 months, localize it with our entire product portfolio, integrate it cross-functionally and successfully launch the Sales Academy in Pivara Skopje. We have made a complete transformation of the initial experience of the new Business Developers and introduced a licensed learning process through a start-up, sales and leadership license. We have successfully launched the platforms for all new and existing Market Developers, Telesel – operators and Team Leaders. The results for one year show that we are on a great path where the new colleagues achieve full performance for a period of 4 to 6 months, and for the existing ones we have already developed a learning platform through which we will upgrade all their advanced sales skills that will help them further promote business with our customers.

I am extremely grateful to the whole team that worked tirelessly on the launch of the Sales Academy, together we launched a project that offers added value to our sales force, in terms of new knowledge and skills that enable them to deal more effectively with field challenges.

What motivates you personally?

I am motivated by the opportunities I see ahead, and I am also motivated by my family. There is a saying that one who enjoys the daily responsibilities, he will not work a single day in life. I enjoy all the challenges every day.

Pivara Skopje really gives an equal opportunity to all Pivarci who want and are ready to grow. We have countless grouping tools and platforms available, all you need is a desire to learn and a desire to grow. I am motivated by the fact that all decisions are made in a team, objectively, without biases, and I am especially motivated by our work environment where every mistake is seen as an opportunity to learn. There is no condemnation of the individual, but on the contrary, together we learn, grow together, and celebrate wins together.

What does it mean to you to be a Pivarec?

Once Pivarec, forever Pivarec. It is a sense of belonging, of pride. I really feel like part of a big family, in which we share all the challenges together every day and support each other. The culture that we build together, the community on which we base all our activities and business plans, helps me to constantly find the better version of myself, and to be a better person both in the workplace and in private.