Forbes Bulgaria at AUBG: Talks on the Story of Success

On Apr. 24, Panitza Library hosted an evening of speeches by Forbes Bulgaria representatives. Invited by Simona Veleva, a professor at AUBG, two of the 24 Forbes employees gathered with AUBG students and staff to share their experience and Forbes’ work.

Forbes is a global media company. It provides information, connects people, and inspires them to do business. The company works in several spheres. It is most famous for its investigations and sustainable business model.

"Our sustainable business model makes us independent," said Iordan Mateev, a publisher at Forbes since 2019.

The media company produces a weekly magazine, an online edition, events, a weekly digital newsletter, and many social media posts.

Forbes’ employees try to publish on social media daily. "We are one of the leaders on LinkedIn," Mateev said.

The two speakers discussed the difficulties Forbes’ employees experienced in creating stories some 13 years ago. They made a comparison between past and present conditions. They also discussed how things have changed and what Forbes did to contribute to those alterations.

"In 2010, we couldn't find people willing to speak out. Now, there are many stories to tell," Mateev said. "We believe Forbes is part of this change and development."

AUBG students and staff members had the opportunity to learn about Forbes' mission and activities. Success is an integral part of the company's mission.

"Forbes is about success," Mateev said. "We want to make people successful in business."

Forbes also produces a variety of content, including topics about health, business, technology, entrepreneurship, etc.

"The variety of content is what distinguishes us," said Veselin Dimitrov, Editor-in-Chief at  Forbes. "We feature both big and small companies."

Both speakers also affirmed the idea that the focus of the company's coverage is the people. "We are very keen on the integrity of people because this is part of their success," Dimitrov said.

Although it currently has around ten journalists, Forbes succeeds in covering different sectors, topics, and companies.

"We look at all the different businesses and see whether they experience challenges, transitions, or tipping points," Dimitrov said. "We also consider trends, lessons, and stories."

Many AUBG alumni found their place in Forbes by working or interning there. "The AUBG-Forbes relationship represents a long and lasting love," Dimitrov said.

Others even become part of Forbes 30 Under 30, an annual list of successful business and industry figures under 30 years old.

"To end up on the 30 Under 30 list, you should start a project, try solving a real problem, and work on your story," Dimitrov said. "Just aim big!"