How do you become an entrepreneur? Vector Labs at Forbes DNA of Success Forum
Our co-founder Blaga took part in the Forbes DNA of Success forum in 2021. Together with two other Bulgarian entrepreneurs who have developed their ideas into a successful business, they share their paths and discuss how difficult or easy it is to create a working business, or in other words, what it is like to be an entrepreneur.
If you haven't watched the discussion, we share some of Blaga's insights in the article. You can watch the video from the forum here.
Blaga has extensive professional experience as a manager and consultant. She is also the main engine of the Give a Book Foundation. Here are her answers to the discussed questions.
How did you end up on the side of entrepreneurs?
"It's pretty logical when you accumulate knowledge that you want to apply in a different way than what your boss tells you - then you decide you want to do something of your own. I have watched my parents, who have had their own business since I was very young, and I have always wanted to follow this path. But I didn't understand when "Give a Book" as a foundation became a kind of innovation.
At one point, I was included in the selection of Forbes; I received other awards, and someone comes and tells you, "You are a social entrepreneur," "But how so ?! I didn't want that at all; I had other ideas about entrepreneurship - this happened to the foundation by itself and naturally." This step led me to gather the courage to start my own company.
Childish is a software company focused on Python and systems with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The logic is that machines and computers learn similarly to how children and machines learn. But that's not the only reason we call ourselves Childish.
Childish also comes from the naive idea of my partner and I, with whom we founded the company, to make the company 50% owned by the foundation. We were both very committed to working with the children and decided that if we did business together, it would be shared with the foundation. "
How do you find the balance between personal life and work?
"I just want to comment on what Oggy said, 'Entrepreneur's wife' - the entrepreneur doesn't always have a wife. I am saying it somehow as a joke, but this balance is essential. I have seen examples when the people around you do not support you; somehow, it can not happen. And it would be best if you had family, friends, and people around you to understand that because entrepreneurship is a full-day and a full-night job, it's not a 9-to-5 job. "
Where do you see Childish in 3 years?
"It's something I talked about at a foundation's meeting recently. At one point, I realized that when the company grows and our profits grow, the foundation will get half of that. So at one point, I gathered the people from the foundation and told them, "Think what we can do with this money.
The foundation currently has a budget of BGN 100-200 thousand per year and manages the communication of 500 volunteers with 500 children. What can we do if we have five or ten times more? And somehow, we were all shocked that we have a great opportunity to make a big difference with our work.
So in 3 years, I want to think about whether to build a residence or to make some other innovation in the social sphere, investing the money from the company. "