How to build resilience as a startup founder with Gergana Stancheva from LAM’ON

Next on The Recursive podcast we welcome Gergana Stancheva, an illustrator turned entrepreneur. She and her co-founder Angela Ivanova developed a product that eliminates the need to use plastic in the packaging industry. Together they created LAM’ON in 2017 – а startup producing biodegradable laminating film for print and packaging. 

Several years later they are ready to launch officially and sell their products in Europe. They are focused on building up their production and distribution lines here in Bulgaria. 

In her conversation with Georgi, Gergana opens up about all the sweat and tears that go into building a product company.  As she puts it herself: “It’s a constant failure until you actually get it right.” 

She talks about dealing with rejection and building resilience as a startup founder and tells how she and her co-founder went broke while developing their product. Gergana also shares what it is like to work with your best friend but also how do they keep their personal relationship going strong. 

A freelance illustrator and designer before becoming a startup founder, Gergana had to jump into the role of a salesperson for LAM’ON. She explains how this helped her develop people’s skills and why really believing in your idea is what eventually makes you good at selling.

The co-founder of LAM’ON also shares how she has developed an environmentally conscious mindset and what is the key when trying to make people care about climate change.

In the episode you’ll also learn what does it take for a Bulgarian manufacturer to go global. 

Jump in to watch the previous episode . The serial entrepreneur and co-founder of biotech startup Nasekomo Xavier Marcenak talks about what is special about black soldier flies and why it is so beneficial for animals to eat protein, sourced from these insects.