ROAD TO NEW ERA 1

chronicler Vasil Garbov

After successfully completing the 3-month mentoring program of Mentor the Young, and working with my mentor Todor Madjarov, I'd like to share an idea that I think you'll find intriguing.

From the outset, I aimed to document my progress succinctly, maintaining detailed notes before and after each conversation with my mentor. This allowed me to visually track my progress and made the process engaging, seeing the brand evolve over time. It also sparked curiosity about the journey and the variety of ideas and options we explored.

Over the next two weeks, I'll share our progress, the questions we tackled, and the cases we discussed. This will illustrate how a mentor with real-life experience can significantly benefit a startup entrepreneur.

I'll present the creation journey of the next startup in Bulgaria, a project born from improvisation yet driven by thoughtful planning and ambitious goals.

The Beginning of Our Journey

In our first official meeting for the Mentor the Young program, Todor and I reviewed our goals and the essence of our collaboration.

It's common for mentees to be unclear about their specific objectives and how to maximize their mentorship experience. Let me tell you something—it's unrealistic to expect to fully exploit a mentor's support. Instead, focus on the unique advantage of engaging with a person who has likely traversed your path. Unlike YouTube's "Lambo gurus" or AI tools like ChatGPT or Google, a mentor provides personalized insights and can help prioritize the key issues, making the most of your time together.

During our initial conversation, we discussed both my personal and professional goals. My professional ambitions were closely aligned with my personal aspirations, making it easier for Todor to work with me as I had clear ideas from the beginning.

Defining My Goals

On a personal and professional level, my goals included:

  • Improving verbal/public communication: This remains a challenge for me.
  • Enhancing negotiation skills: Especially in discussing sensitive topics like money, salaries, and financial terms.
  • Developing "Digital New Era": The focus of my efforts. The name was inspired by Counter-Strike: 1.6 New Era—catchy, isn't it?

My Vision for Digital New Era

During my interviews with Mentor the Young, I emphasized my goal to develop a legitimate digital agency focused on the web. My skills include project management, web consultancy, sales, basic technical SEO, and digital design (graphic, web, logo, branding, etc.). I aim to create quality user experiences for digital products and innovative, reliable websites. However, I deliberately chose not to delve into digital marketing, a field Todor excels in, especially within startups.

Essential Program Goals

Marketing

  • Developing strategies for promoting services and products.
  • Designing marketing campaigns tailored to various business stages and objectives.

Negotiations

  • Mastering the art of negotiating with potential clients and partners.
  • Addressing "less comfortable" topics such as finances, terms, and conditions.

Business Expansion

  • Identifying the right time to expand.
  • Determining the conditions under which to pursue growth.

That's enough for today. If you're interested, stay tuned for the next update. If not, no worries. Feel free to share your thoughts below.

Conclusion

The essential goals for the program revolved around marketing, negotiations, and business expansion, providing a comprehensive framework for my startup journey.- Where and how to start?