Not always what you love has a market

Introduce yourself in a few words..

My name is Svetoslav Todorov, I am 266 years old. Co-owner of Evelin 29 – production of dietary supplements. I am also a co-founder of VapePro – one of the fastest growing companies in Bulgaria, which made over 16 million leva in revenue in its first year.

How would you describe your career in a few words?

Persistence, discipline, and experimentation. I started at 16, with no capital and no experience, and I learned everything the hard way – through experience, mistakes, and working every day without a break.

What was the most important choice that shaped your path?In?

The decision not to wait for the ideal idea or education, but just to start. When you start, everything becomes clear in motion. I chose to act and learn from practice, instead of waiting for the “right moment”.

What would you like to know at the beginning of your career that no one told you?

That revenue is not profit. My first business with audiobooks made about 1000 leva a month, but everything went for expenses. I realized that a real business is one that can sustain itself and bring value, not just revenue.

How can a person understand which profession is suitable for him?

By starting to do something and learning to like it, not the other way around. Not always what you love has a market. If you learn to enjoy the process of work and development – then you win.

What skills do you think will be key in the next 10 years?

·  Sales and communication

·  The ability to learn quickly

·  Team and process management

·  Discipline and resilience in failures

How to build a network of useful contacts without looking interested?

Be genuinely curious. Ask people about their business, learn from them. That's how I created my first partnerships – not with the intention to take something, but to understand more.

What is the biggest mistake you made in your career, and what did you learn from it?

To hire too many people too quickly, without a stable foundation. I learned that growth without processes and proof of concept leads to collapse, not to success.

How to recognize a toxic work environment and when is it time to leave?

When there is no clear direction and people do not know why they do what they do. When there is a lack of transparency, discipline, and leadership – this is not a place for growth.

What would you do differently if you could start over?

I would start slower, but with more structure and better processes. Before, I wanted everything to happen overnight. Now I know that success comes through systematization, not speed.

How to maintain our motivation in times of stagnation?

By reminding yourself that discipline is more important than motivation. I get up every morning at 5:30 – even when I don’t feel like it. Habit conquers emotion.

How to achieve a balance between professional and personal life?

In the first years, there is no balance – there is only building. But when you have a clear goal and system, over time you can afford to take a break. I have not been on vacation for 10 years because that was the price of my dreams.

When is it time to change our career, not just the job?

When you are no longer learning and growing. I changed directions several times – from audiobooks, through digital services, to physical products – but each step was an upgrade.

If you had to give only one piece of advice to people who are seeking success, what would it be?

Start. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, investor, or idea. Learn while you act, and you will build momentum that will carry you forward.

What is Your definition of “successful career”?

To do what has value for others, and to be able to live by your own rules. For me, success is not luxury, but the freedom to choose and create.