We talk to Beata Drzazga, an entrepreneur and recognized leader, about business, the hopes and threats of AI, and young entrepreneurs.

Running your own business requires many sacrifices, commitment, and consistency. The early days can be particularly demanding, as young entrepreneurs must dedicate significant time to building a brand, acquiring their first clients, and establishing a stable market position. This often means working well beyond their standard full-time job, taking risks, and investing without guaranteeing a quick return. This is especially true when we consider artificial intelligence, which can, on the one hand, simplify our daily work, but on the other, pose numerous risks.

Running your own business requires not only a good idea but also patience, resilience to failure, and a willingness to make decisions with long-term development in mind. Beata Drzazga, an entrepreneur and recognized leader who has launched numerous businesses from scratch, discusses how to address this issue. She is also known for her charitable work and consulting for entrepreneurs in the SME sector.

What, in your opinion, are the biggest challenges facing Polish entrepreneurs today?

Unfortunately, one thing has not changed. We still receive too little support from the state, while at the same time facing too many regulations which, instead of making it easier to run a business, often make it more difficult.
As entrepreneurs, we already have considerable experience because we also operate abroad and can see how we are treated in other countries. We speak with representatives of public administration in places such as Abu Dhabi, Nevada, Miami, New York and San Francisco, where a great deal of attention is paid to entrepreneurs and to what they can contribute to the economy.
People developing businesses in China have similar experiences. There, it is appreciated when someone comes in with the intention of creating something, investing, sharing their experience and building together.
The state should support entrepreneurs because, ultimately, this translates into tax revenue, jobs and economic growth. One can only dream of a country full of enterprising people. In Poland, however, we do not always feel that support.
I speak with colleagues who run even very large businesses, and we often share similar impressions. There are announcements that regulations will be simplified or relaxed, but in practice, reality does not always live up to those promises.
For me, this remains one of the most important challenges facing entrepreneurs.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the way companies and the job market operate. Do you see it primarily as an opportunity or a threat to entrepreneurs?

I do not believe that artificial intelligence itself is the problem. For some time, people were concerned that certain professions would disappear and that this would lead to job losses. Of course, the labour market will continue to change and its structure will evolve, but the most important thing will be whether employees are able to use their skills and talents while also making effective use of artificial intelligence.
We, as employers, are people too, and we certainly do not want anyone to lose their job. What concerns me personally, however, is a situation in which artificial intelligence is developing at an extremely rapid pace, both in China and in the United States, and the main objective becomes simply a race to see who can get ahead of whom. That can be dangerous.
I believe that this development should, to some extent, be jointly monitored and controlled. From an entrepreneur’s perspective, however, artificial intelligence can be extremely helpful. It speeds up processes and enables companies to grow more efficiently.
There is also enormous potential in medicine. Research is progressing increasingly quickly in areas such as organ regeneration, slowing down the ageing process and improving overall health. This is a very positive direction, because everyone would like to live longer, but above all, to live longer in good health.
Artificial intelligence is already having an impact on many sectors and industries. In the day-to-day operation of companies, I see it primarily as a tool that can support us and make our work more effective.

How can the development of artificial intelligence change the opportunities for young people who are just thinking about their own business or professional career?

We often hear that “everything already exists” and that it’s difficult to start a new company because the market is oversaturated. This is partly true, but at the same time, the market and customer needs are constantly changing. The development of artificial intelligence will also change many things completely. Significant opportunities will undoubtedly arise from new technologies, computer science, and broadly defined technology professions. I also see this during my stays in San Francisco. I am the vice president of PolSV in Silicon Valley, an organization founded by Professor Moncarz. I meet many young Poles there. It turns out that our compatriots have very good ideas and great potential, and there it’s easier for them to find the capital needed to develop startups and people willing to recognize their ideas and help them develop them.

From the perspective of an entrepreneur and employer, how do you assess the young generation entering the job market today?

Of course, as entrepreneurs, we also pay attention to the attitude young people have towards work. I see many exceptionally talented individuals. Even at the age of seventeen or twenty, they are already very well read, interested in the latest technologies and highly ambitious. They want to reach for the stars, and that is very positive.
On the other hand, we also see a group of young people who feel somewhat lost. If someone does not want to start their own business, they have to accept that they will be developing their career as an employee. And professional success, higher earnings or a position of responsibility usually take years of work to achieve.
I sometimes have the impression that some young people would like to achieve everything very quickly. They look at people in their fifties or sixties today, who own homes, travel and are in a good financial position, but they do not always see that it took them many years to get there. We also started out without all of those things and gradually built our position over time.
I understand young people who would like to earn good money straight away, own their own home or travel, but reality does not always work that way. If someone does not have the aptitude or the courage to start their own business and take on the risks that come with it, they should consistently develop their career step by step.

How has running a business changed over the years? Do today’s entrepreneurs have it easier than those who started decades ago?

When I started my company, the reality was completely different. Not everyone had a bank account, marketing was nowhere near as developed, access to information was much more limited, and social media did not exist. Even so, we managed because, for us, that was simply normal.
Today, entrepreneurs have many new opportunities, and it is worth recognising these advantages as well. The world has accelerated dramatically. On the one hand, we are in constant contact with everyone and have access to an enormous amount of information, but on the other hand, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain privacy.
We are constantly on our phones, replying to messages, emails and text messages. You can spend practically the entire day trying to catch up with work, but it is the kind of work that can never truly be finished.
I used to think that after another year or two of intensive work, the company would finally reach a point where things would become easier. Today, I know that in business there is really no such moment. If a company continues to grow and scale, new responsibilities and new challenges keep appearing.
That is why it is also extremely important to find time for yourself and to rest.

Source: Strefa Biznesu,