The students at secondary school “Dr. Petar Beron” learned how to plan the budget of a startup business and what it takes to be successful. Their special guest was the Finance Director Kamen Trendafilov. 

The high schoolers at Secondary School “Dr. Petar Beron” in Kostinbrod completed their Financial Literacy Club on June 8. 2018, with a meeting with a financial expert who talked to them about starting their own business. Kamen Trendafilov is the Finance Director of Credissimo and Nexo. He was a “role model” for the students of Radoslava Georgieva – a second-year teacher and Teach For Bulgaria participant. Kamen told Radoslava’s students about his personal and professional journey in the financial world. He shared how valuable communicating with different people proved to be both in his studies and at work. Kamen highlighted that communicating with different people helped cultivate respect for others, appreciate what they had to say, and accept different points of view, which in turn helped him make better informed decisions and judge more clearly. The financial expert shared that a key skill for his success had been teamwork and personal accountability – the mindset that success is up to us to pursue.

“The most important thing for you is to never stop learning; know that every person you meet can help you gain experience,” Kamen Trendafilov added.

He gave some professional tips to the teenagers about budgeting when starting a business. One of the older students got inspired by the meeting with the financial director and is working on a business plan to open his own bakery in Kostinbrod. The students also learned how to spend their savings effectively during the summer and what to look for and be aware of when purchasing goods on installment credit terms.

The meeting with Kamen Trendafilov was part of the Financial Literacy Club at the school. The club is an extracurricular activity for the students. It was initiated by Radoslava Georgieva – a primary teacher and Teach For Bulgaria alumna.

The club was set up as part of Visa’s project “Our Money”. The activities are aligned with students’ interests. They involve different guest speakers and discussions, cover various topics, and give children the opportunity to learn how to manage their finances sustainably and effectively.