Step by Step: The Mindset of the Resilient | 24.07.2025

Sofia, in the middle of summer - we took a different path, literally.

Step by Step: The Mindset of the Resilient was an invite-only hike for CEOs leading €1M+ turnover companies, created as a reset: fewer distractions, more perspective, and the kind of conversations that don’t happen in meeting rooms.

We met early on Vitosha and walked the trail from Aleko to Kamen Del with our special guest Kiril “Disl” Nikolov - world-recognized endurance mountain runner and orienteer. Because we were a small group, it felt instantly close: friendly, calm, and surprisingly open. The mountain did what it always does - it removed the noise and made space for real talk.

As we hiked, the conversation moved naturally between business and mindset: what it takes to keep going when you’re tired, when progress is slow, when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Kiril shared his experience - how resilience is trained, how focus is built step by step, and why endurance is more about “why” than willpower.

At the top, we ate together looking over Sofia - one of those rare moments where people slow down enough to actually register what they’re carrying. After the hike, many of us stayed for lunch at the hut, and the conversations continued the best way they can: unforced, personal, and memorable.

This gathering reminded us that resilience is a practice. And sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is step out of the usual environment, breathe, and return with better energy and better questions.