I met Gergana back when I was working on my first big international project, INNOGROW, about making rural economies more innovative. She had a dream of showcasing the uniqueness of Bulgarian traditional cuisine, helping farmers and food producers be more competitive and gain new clients. We reconnected recently for a small collaboration, which reminded me how inspiring a person she truly is. Of course, I had to share this with the world, and I am happy that she accepted the invitation for an interview.

Tell us a bit more about yourself and the dream you are chasing

I am an entrepreneur in the field of gastronomic and rural tourism, and the founder of Pendara.bg. My work is centred around the people who keep local food traditions, knowledge, and skills alive – home cooks and hosts, small independent food producers, artisans, and people creating meaningful places in rural areas and smaller communities.

The dream I am working towards is about much more than building a successful business. I want to help create a more supportive environment for small-scale food producers and tourism entrepreneurs whose work is rooted in local food, culture, and heritage. I want their work to be seen, properly valued, and developed into a sustainable source of income.

On a personal level, this dream is also about growth, freedom, and inspiration. I want to keep learning, meeting new people, discovering new places, and creating projects that have a positive impact not only on my own life, but also on the communities I work with.

How was the idea for your dream born and how has it developed over time?

It all began more than ten years ago with a very personal need: I wanted to find wholesome, genuinely good food for my family. That search led me to meet small farmers and local producers, and I discovered people with remarkable knowledge and skills whose work often remained largely invisible to those living in the cities.

Those encounters eventually led me to help create and develop farmers’ markets. Over time, I realised that bringing local food into the city was not enough. I wanted people to see where it came from, meet the people who produced it, and understand the connection between food, place, and a way of life.

The next natural step was to invite people to travel in the other direction – out to the countryside – through rural tourism experiences. We began by creating opportunities to meet farmers, home cooks, winemakers, and artisans. Over time, Pendara grew from a series of individual initiatives into a platform that develops, showcases, and brings together a wide range of authentic local experiences.

What are your plans for the future? What do you wish to achieve in the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, I would like Pendara.bg to grow into a strong and sustainable model for gastronomic and rural tourism – first in Bulgaria, and gradually across the Balkans. I want to bring more local hosts, food producers, and entrepreneurs into our network and help their ideas reach wider audiences.

One of my biggest ambitions is to develop Pendara Academy into a leading hub for learning, practical business support, and new ideas. I imagine it as a place that brings together professional programmes, hands-on business labs, mentoring, and accessible technology – all designed to help people turn local knowledge and creativity into viable businesses.

I am also deeply committed to advancing higher education in this field and helping to prepare a new generation of gastronomic tourism managers. We need professionals who can connect food, cultural heritage, entrepreneurship, and sustainable regional development – and turn that understanding into real opportunities for places and communities.

Another important part of this vision is building an active business community around Pendara: a space where producers, hosts, chefs, artisans, and tourism professionals can meet, exchange ideas, and create new experiences, routes, products, and market opportunities together.

What are the most important lessons you learned along the way so far?

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that real change begins with trust between people. When you know the person behind the food, the place, and the work that goes into it, you begin to value the product in a completely different way.

I have also learned that a meaningful cause is not enough on its own. To turn it into something sustainable, you need to test different approaches, build the right processes, and be willing to develop the idea step by step.

Another important lesson is that people do not always recognise the value of the knowledge they carry. Skills that may feel like an ordinary part of daily life to a local host can, in fact, be a form of living cultural heritage. Our role is to help make that knowledge visible and valued without stripping it of its natural context.

And perhaps the most important lesson of all is to hold on to the purpose as the project grows and becomes a business. Growth matters, but it should never come at the expense of trust, authenticity, or respect for the people you work with.

How do you find work-life balance and prevent burnout?

I would not say I have found the perfect formula. When you are building something of your own and care deeply about it, the line between work and personal life can disappear very quickly.

Over time, I have learned to recognise when I need to pause, change my surroundings, and step away from the daily routine. Travelling and spending time in nature help me regain perspective. Sometimes a short trip out of the city, or even a single day without constantly checking my phone, can be more restorative than a long holiday spent still thinking about work.

How do you take care of yourself – physically, emotionally, and mentally?

Nature, travel, music, and photography are what restore me most. They draw me into a different kind of attention – slower, more observant, and far removed from the pace of everyday business.

Photography teaches me to notice details I might otherwise miss. Music helps me shift my mood and find a different rhythm, while travel brings fresh ideas and reminds me that the world is much bigger than whatever problem is in front of me.

I also try to protect some time when I do not have to be productive. It is not always easy, but I have learned how important it is.

What are your daily routines/habits that you believe contribute to your success?

I do not follow a strict morning routine, and I do not believe there is a single formula for productivity. The habit that matters most to me is staying close to people and to the reality of their work.

I spend a great deal of time learning, researching, and connecting ideas across different fields – food, tourism, education, technology, and local development. I try to turn what I learn into something practical as quickly as possible, whether that is a useful tool, a training programme, or a new format.

Another important habit is testing ideas on a small scale, observing how they work in practice, and gradually building the right processes around them.

What would you say are the three principles or qualities that can help a person make their dreams come true?

The first is the courage to begin before you have all the answers. If we wait for complete certainty, we may never take that first step. The second is persistence. Dreams rarely come true because of one big breakthrough. More often, they are built through small actions repeated consistently over time. The third is the ability to stay true to your purpose while remaining flexible about how you get there. The goal can stay the same, even when you need to change the path.

What inspires and motivates you when times are difficult?

I am most inspired by people who create something meaningful in difficult circumstances: women in small communities who keep traditional recipes and skills alive; families bringing old houses back to life; producers who refuse to compromise on quality; and young people who choose to stay in, or return to, the places they come from.

Whenever I see an idea help someone believe more deeply in the value of their own work, I am reminded of why I started.

What would you say to the people who are still hesitant to chase their dreams?

I would tell them not to wait for the fear to disappear – because that moment may never come. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is choosing to take the next meaningful step despite it.