Combining What Is Innate with What Is Learned: Alina Mirzaeva on True Leadership

A pioneer in her field, Alina Mirzaeva was among the first women to establish a female-led business in a country where traditional masculine norms have long dominated the business landscape.

Beyond agency leadership, Alina is deeply committed to empowering women entrepreneurs: she served as a mentor in the EBRD’s program supporting women’s entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan for eight months, and she regularly speaks at marketing education programs.

Under her direction, Synthesis has won numerous international and European creative awards, and has been ranked first among Uzbek agencies in industry rankings.

Alina’s work often blends creative excellence with social impact, from campaigns raising road safety awareness to powerful initiatives addressing women’s rights, domestic violence, and other urgent public interest issues.

Alina spoke with LBB about natural leaders and the moments that make them, the emotional resilience needed to thrive in her role, and her personal philosophy behind her success

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Alina> My first experience of leadership happened before I even fully realised it. It wasn’t about being officially appointed to a leadership role, but rather a gradual process.

Around 10 years ago, when I was working at other advertising agencies as an account manager, I increasingly took responsibility for my team’s results. I was setting up processes, coordinating people, and running projects as if I were already a leader.

At some point I understood: leadership is born exactly in those moments, when you have the courage to make decisions, and the team begins to trust you more and naturally starts to follow your lead.

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

Alina> I learned from both other people’s examples and my own mistakes. Early in my career, I saw authoritarian leaders who broke people down just to deliver results. That immediately became an anti-example for me, I knew I never wanted to lead that way. It was important to me to build a team where people could open up, not shut down.

Over time, I developed my own style: to inspire, support, and create an environment for growth, while still remaining demanding when it comes to quality and accountability. For me, leadership is the balance of strength and care.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Alina> Synthesis is now 10 years old, but my biggest lesson in leadership came during the first three years. That was the period when I first faced real pressure and responsibility. I realised then that leadership is not only about strategy and ambition, but also about emotional resilience. People look at you: if you stay calm and confident, the team stays together. That lesson has stayed with me ever since – a leader must always be the first to hold clarity.

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

Alina> I didn’t grow up dreaming of “becoming a leader” – it came through practice. Every time a situation arose that required someone to step up, I did. Over time, I saw that I had the charisma and the ability to unite people around ideas. That’s when I realised leadership is not a title, but a natural state that had always been part of me.

LBB> When it comes to ‘leadership’ as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?

Alina> I believe that fundamental qualities: charisma, courage, and the ability to take responsibility are innate. But leadership is impossible without development. I had to learn a lot: communication, strategic thinking, conflict management. At the same time, I’m convinced that if a person is highly motivated, willing to work hard, and invest effort into themselves, they can grow significantly as a leader, even if they don’t initially have outstanding personality traits. A true leader combines what is innate with what is learned.

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Alina> For me, the hardest part has always been letting go and trusting others. I used to control everything, and delegating, especially important tasks, was difficult. But over time I realised that trust is part of growth. I’ve learned to see people’s strengths and give them space to take responsibility. This not only strengthens the team but also frees me up as a leader.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you’ve failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Alina> Over 10 years of running Synthesis, there have been all kinds of situations, especially in the early years. And yes, there were moments when I felt like I had failed. The most important thing is to acknowledge mistakes and take responsibility. I always prefer to openly discuss with the team what went wrong and draw lessons from it. These situations teach humility and give energy to move forward.

Failure is part of growth, without it, leadership isn’t possible.

This approach to failure has become part of our team culture. We treat all challenges the same way – whether it’s day-to-day work or competing at international festivals. Even if we don’t achieve the victory we aimed for, it’s never a reason for disappointment. Instead, it’s a chance to reflect, improve, and move forward with even more strength. This philosophy allows us to remain resilient and keep growing.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness – what’s your approach? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

Alina> I believe in balance. Transparency is essential, because both the team and our clients and partners can tell when you’re being genuine and that’s what earns respect and trust. At the same time, a leader must be wise and avoid overloading colleagues or clients with unnecessary details or occasional doubts.

For me, it’s about choosing honesty, but framing it in a way that gives confidence to the team internally, while externally building strong positioning and reflecting our business ethics and values. I see leadership not only as managing internal processes, but also as a tool for external positioning. Through my decisions, my communication style, and my transparency, the agency transmits its values – and that becomes part of our corporate culture. This approach helps us preserve trust within the team and build long-term partnerships externally.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?

Alina> I never had one formal mentor. At different times there were different people - my managers, colleagues, partners, and international leaders I observed closely. Each of them, often without realising it, taught me something important.

Today, I dedicate structured time to mentoring myself. For about five years now, I’ve consistently mentored, especially women entrepreneurs. This is deeply important to me: I know how difficult it is to be a woman in business, balancing multiple social and professional roles.

In 2023, I participated in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s program supporting women’s entrepreneurship, where I mentored several participants. And to this day, I continue to support women who reach out to me for advice – sharing experience, guiding, and inspiring them.

I believe a mentor’s role is not to explain why something can’t be done, but to give people the confidence that they can. For me, that’s the most valuable part of mentorship helping others unlock their inner strength and self-belief. I see this not only as an investment in individual women, but also in the future of the industry itself, which becomes stronger and richer with more female voices and leaders.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Alina> At Synthesis, people have always been – and will always stay – our greatest value. Crises come and go, but the team is what keeps the agency alive. As CEO, I keep my focus on strategy, while also making sure people feel grounded and supported.

For me, the key in times of change is clear and honest communication: explaining what’s happening, what’s changing, where we’re going, and why it matters for both the agency and the team. I truly believe that it’s in turbulent times that transparency, honesty, and clarity are most valued.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Alina> At Synthesis, diversity and inclusion have always been natural values, but we place special emphasis on them. Giving every person the opportunity to be heard, regardless of gender, age, or background - doesn’t just strengthen the team, it makes it more balanced and cohesive.

This is not about “friendship for harmony’s sake,” but about the fact that in such an environment, truly strong and relevant strategies and ideas are born. That is our strength – in the different voices and perspectives that make the team resilient and the ideas universal.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Alina> Culture is the foundation of everything. Without it, a team becomes just a group of executors. At Synthesis, almost all of our people work full-time in the office. But there are times when we bring in additional specialists or partners for certain projects. Even then, we make sure to maintain our system: regular meetings, discussions, and traditions that keep everyone aligned.

For us, culture is a living organism, and I see it as my responsibility as a leader to nurture it consistently by example. That’s what allows us to remain cohesive and strong, regardless of the working format.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Alina> As I’ve mentioned before, for me the most important resource has always been people – in every context. People remain my greatest source of inspiration, development, and growth: exchanging experiences, collaborations, meaningful conversations, attending international conferences and festivals.

Of course, books and courses have also been useful and continue to be, because development requires consistency. But above all, I’ve been shaped and continue to be shaped by real-life situations, where I had to act and build my own unique experience. I believe the best resource for any leader is practice itself, combined with the ability to learn from the people around you and from every situation you encounter.