Maxim Behar: Inspiration Begins with the Smallest Things — Even a Single Word

Host: Max, I introduced you as a PR expert, but that title is far too narrow for you. You're an entrepreneur, journalist, diplomat, and now — a creator…

Maxim: I’m just someone who does his work with joy. I was a journalist, founded my PR agency 30 years ago, and since then, I’ve been involved in many different projects. I chair the board of trustees at UNWE, I’m president of the World Communications Forum in Davos, and I’ve been the Honorary Consul of the Seychelles for 22 years now.

Host: That’s a lot of watermelons under one arm, as we say in Bulgarian…

Maxim: For me, they’re not watermelons — they’re pleasures. I manage them easily because they give me energy. Of course I make mistakes — probably more than anyone in my company. But I don’t learn from my mistakes; I learn from my successes. When you achieve something, analyze it and do it even better next time.

Host: That’s inspiring. How did the Seychelles story begin?

Maxim: In 2004, I got an email saying that Sir James Mancham, the first president of the Seychelles, was coming to Sofia. I honestly didn’t even know where Seychelles were! We met, clicked instantly, and just a few days later, he called and said, “I want you to become our Honorary Consul.” And that’s how it started.

Host: And you’ve done a lot for them since…

Maxim: Yes, I support a whole neighborhood on Mahé Island — Beau Vallon. Donations, advice, close friendships. The capital, Victoria, has only 8,000 people. Everyone knows me, and I know them. I talk to them almost every day. That’s more than diplomacy — that’s trust.

Host: And you’re no stranger to electric cars either…

Maxim: My wife and I both drive small electric Smart cars. Charging them for a whole day costs under 2 leva! We also have solar panels at home. It changes your mindset. You drive clean, live sustainably, turn off lights you don’t need, watch how much you consume. It’s a lifestyle.

Host: Speaking of lifestyle — how did the music idea come about?

Maxim: I don’t make music. I do marketing through music. My songs are tools for messages. Together with Misho Shamara and Lil Sha, we created “Viva Bulgaria.” It all started as a joke at 2 a.m. and ended with a professional video. I wrote the lyrics, Lil Sha composed the music. I wanted to tell the world: Bulgaria is modern, positive, full of light.

Host: And now the song is officially out?

Maxim: Yes, we released the video last night. It shows a futuristic Bulgaria with flying cars, but also features the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral — because values remain. It’s not just a song — it’s PR. It’s my form of communication.

Host: And new books?

Maxim: I’m finishing a book about style — not just in appearance, but in thinking, in how you shake hands, how you speak, how you treat people. I’m also preparing a collection of stories about people I’ve met — from King Charles and Hillary Clinton to Joey DeMaio from Manowar. I hope someone reads a single sentence that might change their life.

Maxim Behar doesn’t just participate in public life — he creates it, shapes it, and inspires it. For him, style isn’t vanity, success isn’t a goal but a responsibility, and communication — a mission. And even when he raps, he speaks the language of influence. Because, as he puts it:
“I don’t make music. I do marketing.”

Watch the full interview here.