If you have lost trust somewhere, do not give a second chance

Introduce yourself – what do you do, which areas of activity are of interest to you?
My name is Bilyana Gavazova – journalist, communication expert, and founder of B&T Communications. I have many years of experience in storytelling, building trust, and creating valuable content.
If I have to break the mold and introduce myself outside the protocol – I will say this:
“I am a 44-year-old girl who has not stopped dreaming, asking, shooting, listening to people, and inspiring with their stories.”
I love to find meaning where others see routine – and opportunities where many see obstacles.

When did you realize that you wanted to be an entrepreneur, not just an employee?

These things are not understood, they are felt – you know that the time has come for change and for a new leap. After 20 years in the highest-rated media in our country, after thousands of television broadcasts and questions asked, I decided that I could be useful not only to the Bulgarian consumer but also to those brave entrepreneurs who want to position their business in a different, yet highly impactful way.
Not just to seek answers, but to build voices.

I did not want to become a “boss.” I wanted to create a team that believes in the power of words as much as I believe in the power of stories. To gather around me people who are passionate about their work because I believe that employees are the heart of a company.

What were the most defining moments in your professional journey so far?
Recently, I quoted Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player in the world, who is guided by the maxim that “Loss is not an option.” But sometimes defeat teaches more than victory – if, of course, you are willing to learn.

What made me take my first bold and responsible decisions as an entrepreneur was the restructuring of the company. From co-founder, I had to become the sole owner of the company and take responsibility for important processes that could not be stopped.

Bending is not scary. Falling – neither.
The scariest thing is if you lose meaning and cannot stand up. But I stood up.
Stronger, clearer in my values – and with the right people by my side. Because inspiration remains when there is meaning behind every action.

Was there a turning point that changed your vision of success?
The question “What is success?” can have countless answers – different in color, tone, and taste.
For some, it is measured in revenue, likes, positions, and titles. For me, success is measured by something simpler and far more meaningful:
success = pleasure

Or in other words:

• if you wake up on Monday with the feeling that you are starting not just a week, but a new opportunity;

• if your work inspires you, not exhausts you;

• if the feeling that you are in the right place is stronger than the desire for a vacation – then you have found your calling.

And then you have succeeded. Truly.

How has your role in business changed over time – from creator to leader?
Being a leader means knowing that without the people by your side, you are a leader only of your own ego.

I prefer the word “creator” over “founder.” Perhaps because my profession has always required me to start from a blank canvas – in every interview, in every project, and lately in every training on communication skills.
True leaders do not just manage – they inspire, support, and most importantly – create an environment where others can grow.
That’s where I found my role – in giving value, turning experience into direction, and communication into strength.

Where do your ideas come from – intuition, market, need?
Life, people, meetings – they are the real generators of ideas. The more authentic we are nowadays, the more we capture hearts and reach people.
Consumers are not just metrics and data from statistics – they are living people who want to be seen by name. To be engaged with a story.
And the client/partner values two things the most: how much time you take from them and how many problems you can solve for them.

How do you understand when an idea has value and potential, and not just sounds good?
When I see the client's reaction. In our team, we work for positive feedback, not for invoices.

The truth is that the hardest thing in the service business, in the business of communications, marketing, and PR, is to make people believe in an idea they cannot touch. There is no packaging, composition, and label – there is only air that can inspire, create trust, and move forward. That is the power of good communication.

How do you approach the creative process – do you have rituals, methods, or do you rely on “the moment”?
I rely on inspiration, but I rely most on the people I work with in the team. I have little experience as an entrepreneur, but I quickly realized that humility in accepting someone else's idea, another perspective, is the most important tool for achieving a good result.

What inspires you outside of business – art, people, travel?
I feel truly uplifted by meeting new people and getting to know different places.
Recently, I visited a Bulgarian village – Panagyurishte colonies, which left a lasting impression on my mind and heart.
At first glance, it gave me pleasure for the senses – with beautiful views, delicious food, and colorful people, but deep down it filled me with a silence that heals, and with simplicity that reminds what truly matters.

What are your unchanging principles in work and life?
They are exactly three:

● Honesty
● Loyalty
● Discipline

What place does ethics occupy in entrepreneurship according to you?
This is the key to building long-term business relationships. I work with a small, boutique team that knows that at the center of the big game are ethics and individual approach. To hear the client, to work in a way that achieves a result that justifies the capital and resources spent.

In our business – “Communication that changes the game” – is the one that creates trust, not noise. Which speaks with truth, not tricks.

Do you believe in the balance between personal and professional life or do you accept that it is an illusion?
I do not believe in illusions, but I believe in choices.
I know that balance is not constancy, but the ability to readjust – according to priorities, moments, and the people around you.
There are days when work is everything. And those when family is everything.

Balance is not mathematics. It is not measured equally, but by meaning.
I do not seek it every day – I seek it in the season, in the year, in the big picture.
Because sometimes the best thing you can give to your loved ones is your fulfilled “self” after a meaningful workday.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned “the hard way”?
If you have lost trust somewhere, do not give a second chance.
Because forgiveness is a personal choice, but trust is a strategic decision.

How do you motivate yourself in moments of doubt or failure?
I focus on the things I have, not on what I lack and creates deficiencies.
But my biggest pillar, my reason to keep moving forward, is family. Their love is fuel, their affection is the true meaning in this life.

What legacy do you want to leave behind – as an entrepreneur, but also as a person?
To be one of those entrepreneurs who do not just build a business, but a community, values, and attitude.

And if one day someone says:
“Thanks to Bilyana, I believed in myself, in my idea, or in my voice” –
that will be my truest legacy.