LEADERSHIP FORUM AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR DAY 2025

On 24 November at Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia more than 700 entrepreneurs, leaders and professionals filled the hotel's halls at one of the largest business events in Bulgaria, the joint edition of Leadership Forum: The Art and Lessons of Success and Women Entrepreneur Day 2025. The day unfolded under the motto of shared knowledge, personal development and the power of responsible leadership.

The event opened in an unconventional and impactful way by the creator of the format, Desislava Avdzhieva. She appeared on stage wearing a mask to make a strong symbolic gesture to everyone present and to draw attention to authenticity in leadership and entrepreneurship. "Today I urge you, if only for a moment, to take off the masks of the perfect image that society and we ourselves place on us and with an open mind to accept everything that this forum has to offer," she said. The opening set the tone for a day dedicated to authenticity, inspiration and the courage to see ourselves as we truly are.

Maestro Yordan Kamdzhalov continued the opening with the theme of the responsibility of leaders toward people and the power of collective potential. He emphasised that leaders directly carry responsibility for the health and happiness of the world and added that "trust is the key to the hyperpotential of the human being." Kamdzhalov highlighted that the human being remains the centre of every system regardless of technology and that the shared rhythm is the foundation that unites the group. Inspired by this idea, the Maestro created a model in which hundreds of attendees in the hall joined in a single rhythm, showing how the collective can work in sync. "If we cannot think, feel and act together, we cannot achieve any results," he added, emphasising the power of collective intelligence.

The subsequent inspiring bagpipe performance by Stoyo Stoev, woven into an elegant musical dialogue with his wife, created an unforgettable emotional backdrop and prepared the audience for the profound content that followed.

This year's programme offered one of the strongest and most diverse lines so far. It included practical discussions on the balance between health and career, strategic panels on growth and management, topics on personal branding and authentic leadership presence and in-depth conversations on the application of artificial intelligence.

The first discussion panel Health and Career: The Balance That Keeps You at the Top brought together, under the moderation of Kristina Gazieva, the inspiring viewpoints of Yuliana Doncheva, Boryana Gerasimova, Sami Hossni and Konstantin Kovachev. The conversation showed that real success is built on conscious choice, sustainable habits and self-care.

The second panel, moderated by Hristo Dimitrov, featured Slavi Nestorov, Rosen Rashkov, Lyubomir Getov and Aleksandar Buyukli in a conversation about the tricks, strategies, habits and leadership approaches that speed up a company's development. The participants presented real examples and working models from their own practice.

In the discussion Business Etiquette and Dress, led by Albena Aleksandrova, participants Jordana Dimitrova and Viktor Stoyanov discussed the power of first impressions and the role of personal style in professional communication.
Personal Business and Brand as One was the panel moderated by Desislava Avdzhieva, in which Velizar Velichkov, Natalia Kobilkina, Bilyana Yotovska and Ivan Nedelchev shared practical strategies for aligning the personal brand with the business, building a professional image and increasing influence and trust in different fields of entrepreneurship.

During the discussion Techniques for Hacking the Mind and Body, the participants explored practices for mental resilience, stress management and optimisation of personal energy, combining scientific approaches with practical techniques for improving focus, balance and inner strength. Zhivko Krastev moderated participants Adelina Dimitrova, Gabriela Sakalieva, Dr Rayna Stoyanova and Konstantin Dragov.

Among the speakers with individual lectures, demonstrations and workshops, all strong personalities with deep know-how and charisma, were Maria Amzina, Vladimir Borachev, Georgi Malchev, Biser Kunchev, Miroslava Veleva-Radkova and Krasimira Angelova.

Alongside the main programme, visitors could explore a rich expo area with more than 47 exhibitors: companies from different sectors, innovative products, services and solutions that added practical value to the experience. The business community clearly expressed its desire for partnerships, development and an active role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In the evening part of the event, just before the award ceremony for the causes, Slavyanka Stoykova, the ambassador of Women Entrepreneur Day in Bulgaria, delivered a powerful message to the audience. "Responsibility is the bridge between what we do today and what we want to do tomorrow. Responsibility to ourselves and to the people around us. And in fact boundless responsibility is the ability to give and to leave something behind," she emphasised.

The cause competition also brought particularly emotional moments, giving visibility to initiatives with real and measurable social impact. The audience connected with the stories behind these projects, stories of meaning, change and human influence. Among the awarded causes were School of the future, the National folklore ensemble Bulgare, Dinner in the dark, Gorata.bg, the film Giants and the children's kitchen Her Bebe.

The culmination of the evening was the formal ceremony for presenting the Prizes for enterprise, which this year recognised five strong and inspiring women: Desi Dobreva, Ekaterina Dafovska, Stiliyana Nikolova, Mira Dobreva and Jordana Dimitrova. Strong messages, emotion and gratitude marked the moment, a tribute to the women who change and inspire.
The evening programme continued in a warm atmosphere, where guests enjoyed an amazing dance performance by a dance formation that drew them into Latin rhythms.

After this emotional day, filled with deep knowledge, shared practices, valuable advice, experience and new connections, the organisers are already looking towards the next edition. Vasil Yanev, one of the organisers, shared: "Leadership is a path we walk together. And when knowledge is shared, the future changes." This is why, in 2026 participants can expect an even richer, more colourful and more unexpected programme for the leaders of the future, created to bring unique emotions, inspiration and new knowledge.

Next year the format will run over two days and will once again combine the strength of Leadership Forum, Women Entrepreneur Day and Sales Club Conference, expanding its scale with international participation. Among the confirmed names are Michael and Brian Tracy, global authorities in leadership, communication and personal effectiveness. 2026 will be a year in which the event raises the standard even higher and creates a space where leaders of Bulgaria, and beyond, can continue to grow, connect and shape the future together.