Entrepreneurship Without Illusions: Are You Ready to Pay the Price?

Introduce yourself in a few sentences – who are you today as a person, professional, and woman?
My name is Desislava Avdjieva – born in Veliko Tarnovo and deeply connected to Bulgaria. I have been working in the field of marketing, PR, and advertising for 21 years, and for 17 years I have been developing my own advertising agency "Alternative Advertising," specialized in building brand identity, marketing strategies, and event organization. For the last 6 years, I have been consulting businesses as an outsourced marketing resource. I train teams in various companies on soft skills – emotional intelligence, stress management, conflict management, presentation skills, and public speaking. I am certified to lead the training program "Journey for Leaders." As a mentor, my greatest satisfaction is seeing people take real steps towards change. For several years, I have also been a host of business events. As a person, I am a traveler and dreamer – I love the world and its cultures, and when I return home, I cherish the silence and comfort.

How does a lady entrepreneur feel on Women's Entrepreneurship Day? What does this day mean for you?
For me, this day is special because I have been the organizer of the event in Bulgaria from the very beginning. Months of preparation and creative work come together in a few hours, during which I eagerly observe people's reactions. I always get excited and rarely sleep before the event. After it, I need to retreat and reflect on what happened.
Personally, Women's Entrepreneurship Day is a moment to thank ourselves – for the courage to make decisions, take risks, and combine multiple roles: entrepreneur, woman, mother, partner. Every success has its price, and owning a business requires not only time and resources but also a lot of personal dedication.

What did you dream of as a child? Was there a dream that still guides you?
I dreamed of being a flight attendant – and between the ages of 19 and 24, I worked in that profession after winning a competition and funding for training. Today, I am mainly guided by the feeling of not stopping the flight of my dreams and adapting to the changing world.

When did you earn your first money and what was the feeling?
At 14, I earned my first 40 leva. I bought silver earrings with a stone and a green sweater. I wore the earrings for more than ten years – they reminded me that the first victory always deserves a reward. I learned to say "well done" to myself.

How did your entrepreneurial journey begin?
It started difficultly. From the outside, it seems that things happen easily for me, but behind everything are time, effort, unforeseen situations, and deprivations. I started in 2008 – at the peak of the financial crisis. No one wanted to talk about marketing because it was the first item to be cut. I took a position as a manager in a small PR agency and for more than a year, I played the role of manager for two companies, one of which had almost no orders. In six months, my profit was 60 leva. I worked almost around the clock and did not take a vacation for seven years. Today, I often hear that "it is easy for me," but I know well the price of this path.

What challenges did you face at the beginning?
The difficulties came from the lack of clients and experience. At 25, I had no established network, and my savings ran out quickly. My first slogan was: "I am looking for work to eat." Later it became: "There is no way there is no way," and today it is "Think Alternative" – the agency's slogan.

What is the most difficult moment in your career?
The second crisis – in 2020. After years of success, we fell into reserve for six months. Many event companies went bankrupt. We started publishing books and projects with virtual reality. The team adapted, but financially it was a period of survival.

And what is your greatest success?
The moment when I could afford two months of vacation without jeopardizing the company. And a second time – when I managed to buy an apartment, although I later sold it. That was a symbolic victory.

Your greatest lesson as an entrepreneur and woman leader?
Not to forget myself, my health, and my femininity.

How did you choose what to study? Would you choose the same?
I graduated in social pedagogy, then Corporate Management, and finally Public Relations. I practice all three specialties daily and would choose them again. However, the most valuable are the diverse positions I have gone through.

How do you maintain your personal brand? How do you want people to talk about you?
I maintain it strategically and consistently – just as I work with my clients. I have even created training on the topic. When I leave the room, I want people to feel that they have learned something that brings them closer to their more confident version.

How do you balance strength and softness in leadership?
Through empathy, active listening, and giving space for everyone to express themselves. When people have their own responsibility and are team players, processes are followed not out of obligation, but because they lead to results and identity.

How does a lady entrepreneur maintain form and inspiration?
Traveling, massages, caring for mind, body, and soul – consciously, with love, and without regrets.

What are your rituals for balance and inner harmony?
Escape into nature, silence, tranquility, the embrace of a loved one. And when they are not there – a hug with a book that I read or write.

What is the place of money in your vision of success?
For me, financial independence is a matter of accountability, culture, planning, and discipline. Success is having enough to live in harmony with your own desires.

What advice would you give to women who hesitate to start a business?
I do not advise anyone to start a business before they realize the price. I have seen women who get lost in their goals and forget their femininity. I have also seen those who want success but are not ready to pay the price and end up in depression. If they are ready for risk – to act. If they have strong support from a partner – the path is easier. If they fall, there will be someone to catch them.

What do you want to leave behind?
I want to leave knowledge – skills for personal and professional development that help people become better versions of themselves. And for women – to not forget their authenticity and femininity, even when entering the "male" energy of management and processes.