Project "The Bridge of Successful Women of Serbia and Malta"
About Project
July 2023. - January 2024.
How we built the bridge?
Project Bridge
During the past 2023 in the period from July to December, the project “Bridge of Successful Women from Serbia and Malta” was successfully implemented in Malta. The project was organized by the Serbian Educational and Cultural Center “St. Helena of Anjou” and the Online International Business Women Club (EIBWC) Malta, as a part of the Association of Business Women of Serbia. The Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia supported the project. The project aimed to strengthen the capacities of Serbian businesswomen in Malta through online education, encourage networking among female entrepreneurs between Serbia and Malta, and promote it in both directions. The program included educating 20 project participants through online workshops and lectures in the business field “No Trade Without Proper Tools” and the marketing field “Digital Marketing.”
Analysis of participants, their interests, and expectations at the beginning of the project
How did we lay the foundations of the bridge?
The Aim of the Project
The business environment in Serbia significantly directs the development towards fostering collaboration with the diaspora, as reflected in the “Diaspora and Migrations” campaign. This initiative aims to attract and connect a larger number of entrepreneurs from the diaspora and Serbia to invest in the Serbian economy, exchange knowledge, and strengthen cooperation.
Considering these circumstances, and the fact that the Republic of Serbia encourages female entrepreneurship through various programs, coupled with the announcement of 2023 as the Year of Women Entrepreneurship by the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia (CCS), we were motivated to explore opportunities in Malta. A significant number of Serbian citizens, around 5,000, reside in Malta, including those with high professional qualifications. Among them, the role of female entrepreneurs is becoming increasingly important.
In its effort to use the interest and potential of female entrepreneurship for a good cause, the Serbian Educational and Cultural Center St. Helen of Anjou has been inspired by women involved in volunteer work within the organization. At the same time, these women are members of the Online International Business Women Club and the Association of Business Women of Serbia (EIBWC UPŽ Srbije). The persistence and motivation of these entrepreneurs from Malta to learn and connect with their homeland have resulted in significant support for this project from the Association of Business Women of Serbia, which has made its resources available to achieve the set goals.
The project unfolded through an educational program that included workshops on business tools and digital marketing. A specific part of the project was dedicated to motivational discussions with successful female entrepreneurs from Serbia.
Educational Program
Business Tools
Improving business skills is accompanied by the importance of setting clear business goals, so the workshops, with the help of business tools, addressed the question of how to formulate them effectively and track progress.
A series of five workshops, titled “You can forsee the day by the way the (daun) business looks” was expertly led by Prof. Dr. Tatjana Mamula Nikolić. Participants explored important aspects of business, such as vision, mission, values, goals, and marketing, using practical examples and exercises. During this, they gained clear insights into analyzing business situations, setting goals, and strategic planning, providing significant assistance for success in the business world. The exercises encouraged participants to enhance their business skills, and Prof. Dr Tatjana Mamula Nikolić’s constructive feedback motivated them to further improvement.
The final activity, “You can forsee the day by the way the (dawn) business looks” within the framework of the Most Successful Women of Serbia and Malta project, took place on Saturday, November 25. During this event, participants individually presented their project tasks, supported by useful comments and insights from other participants and the instructor herself. It was a unique opportunity to analyze the authentic plans of entrepreneurs from Malta through mastered business models such as SWOT, Pestle, and Canvas, allowing participants to hear new ideas and insights from different business areas. Through sharing positive energy, this education on business tools strengthened the business capacities of Serbian entrepreneurs in Malta, enabling them to face all the business challenges that lie ahead.
Prof. Dr. Tatjana Mamula Nikolić, through her dedication and knowledge, contributed to empowering participants and bringing them closer to realizing their ideas. The positive comments reflected the success of well-organized webinars, clear examples, and detailed explanations, contributing to the development of skills and motivation for constant improvement.
Educational Program
Digital Marketing
Introducing participants to the latest trends, tools, and techniques laid the foundation for improving their marketing strategies.
Thanks to numerous hours dedicated to digital marketing, the set goals were achieved, even surpassed, bringing participants closer to solid foundations for the start or successful continuation of their business careers.
The educational part of the project consisted of five workshops, presented through a dynamic exploration of digital marketing under the expert guidance of Marija Maksimović. Participants delved into key aspects of digital marketing, from digital psychology and visual design to the latest trends in advertising on Facebook and Instagram, influencer marketing, and the effectiveness of using artificial intelligence.
Each workshop served as a quality foundation, equipping participants with valuable insights and practical skills. The engagement and interest demonstrated by the participants were particularly inspiring.
The digital marketing workshops provided support to participant’s knowledge while simultaneously creating a community of businesswomen ready to face the challenges of the digital era. The enthusiasm and expertise of instructor Marija Maksimović were valuable allies in the development of this community.
Motivational Forums
Female business discussions with prominent entrepreneurs from Serbia are designed for the exchange of good business practices and experiences, as well as recognizing common interests and business opportunities.
Motivational forums, as part of the project, were realized through Women’s Business Talks where the project organizers provided online hospitality to an exceptional team of successful entrepreneurs from Serbia.
The president of the Women’s Association “Save the Village,” Malina Stanojević, a recipient of the “Success Flower for a Dragon Woman” award and “Blic Woman,” shared an inspirational story about strengthening the community through projects such as greenhouse construction and the application of modern technology, significantly easing daily tasks for women in rural areas. Through her experience, participants were encouraged to use the internet for training, conduct meetings via Zoom platform, and promote their products online.
The guest of the second forum was Marina Lazarević, a business consultant and Coordinator of the International Business Women’s Club (eIBWC) in Italy, who has received significant recognition for her work. Women’s Business Talks attracted numerous participants from different business spheres and allowed them to become familiar with the life and business challenges faced by Marina Lazarević. The guest shared valuable advice and motivation for the careers of participants who joined from various cities, including Zlatibor, Korčula, Soko Banja, Belgrade, Malta, and Monza.
The inspirational story of Borbala Jablanov, owner of the store “The Most Beautiful Meter,” was motivating for all who were present. She shared her path to successful entrepreneurship, starting from the kitchen of a small apartment and ending with prestigious awards such as being chosen among the “100 Most Successful Women in Serbia.” Borbala shared her entrepreneurial challenges, vision, and advice on business, perseverance, and brand development. The forum highlighted the importance of women’s entrepreneurship and support for businesswomen in achieving their dreams.
The fourth and final gathering of women involved in the Most Successful Women of Serbia and Malta project featured the presence of Sanja Popović Pantić, the President of the Association of Business Women of Serbia, and Zorica Selaković, the owner of the Dessert cake workshop from Čačak.
Leading the Association of Business Women for 25 years, Sanja emphasized the role and importance of women’s entrepreneurship from her rich experience within the organization and presented the Association’s plans for the upcoming period.
A conversation with Zorica Selaković, who has received numerous awards for her work, including the “Success Flower for a Dragon Woman” and the award for the development of entrepreneurship in Central and Southeast Europe, encouraged all who were present to understand the importance of dedication to their business partners. Her business, Dessert, has maintained its position at the top of successful companies in Serbia for over 30 years. All of the Motivational Talks are available on our YouTube channel and you can access them through the links bellow.
Malina Stanojević, a representative of the association “Save the Village”, shares an inspiring story about strengthening the community through projects, such as building greenhouses and implementing modern technologies. Through her experience, women are empowered to use the Internet for training, hold meetings via Zoom, and market products online. The “Success Flower for a Dragon Woman” has contributed to the recognition of the association, enabling them to expand and increase sales.
Marina Lazarević, a business consultant and coordinator of the International Business Women’s Club EIBWC in Italy, shared valuable advice and motivation at this online event. Participants from various business fields had the opportunity to learn about her life and career path. The guest attracted the attention of numerous participants from different cities, including Zlatibor, Korčula, Soko Banja, Belgrade, Malta, and Monza. This event facilitated the exchange of important experiences and inspired participants on their career paths.
Borbala’s inspirational story was motivating for all present. She shared her journey of successful entrepreneurship, which began in the kitchen of a studio apartment and continued with prestigious awards such as being selected as one of the ‘100 Most Successful Women in Serbia.’ Borbala shared her entrepreneurial challenges, vision, and business advice, emphasizing perseverance and brand development. The panel highlighted the importance of female networking as a significant part of supporting businesswomen in achieving their dreams.
The fourth and final gathering of women involved in the Bridge project was organized with the presence of Sanja Popović Pantić, the President of the Association of Business Women of Serbia, and Zorica Selaković, the owner of the Dessert bakery workshop from Čačak. Leading the Association of Business Women for 25 years, Sanja highlighted the role and importance of female entrepreneurship from her rich experience within the organization and presented the Association’s plans for the upcoming period. The conversation with Zorica Selaković prompted all attendees to understand the significance of dedication to their business partners, which has kept Dessert’s business at the top of successful companies in Serbia for over 30 years.
Business meetings
The business meetings were held to summarize the results of the past workshops and exchange current activities among the members.
The commencement of the project, organized by the Serbian Educational and Cultural Center St. Helen of Anjou, was marked on June 27 in Malta with an introductory lecture by Prof. Dr Tatjana Mamula Nikolić, who captured the attention of the Serbian public with the topic of business Renewal. During her presentation, Dr Mamula Nikolić cited data illustrating the certainty of continuous change processes we are exposed to and the necessity of continuous work and improvement as the only true path to making desirable, feasible, and sustainable solutions. Participants engaged in interactive tasks to assess their abilities to cope with changes, enabling them to identify critical areas requiring more work in accepting change.
In addition to Dr Tatjana’s lectures, project participants eagerly attended other lectures at the SECC St. Helen of Anjou, including the poetry evening with Matija Bećković, a lecture by Dr Milesa Stefanović-Banović on the importance of Serbian libraries in the diaspora, as well as webinars organized by the Serbian Cultural Center during this period.
Meetings of project participants for acquaintance, idea exchange, and agreement on joint activities were crucial for building the community comprising the participants of the “Bridge of Successful Women of Serbia and Malta” project.
The project was co-funded by the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region.
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