*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.
Q and A with Marina, County of Međimurje, Croatia
“Make brave decisions and just start before you are ready because “the right time” is just an illusion. Don’t wait until you will have time–create time for things that are important to you.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: As an activist, entrepreneur, and gardener, I’m passionate about possibilities to constantly create and contribute to creating a better community. I help aspiring individuals develop competencies, careers, and businesses so they can reach their potential and achieve success. Also, I help companies create a healthy foundation for their business, develop their brand, and create business growth strategies.
After high school, the “box I put myself in” became too small for me. After I quit my first job, I started to grow–personally and professionally. I founded an organization, I worked as a manager, head of sales, project manager, mentor, consultant, and now–I am the CEO of my own company “Konekta,” where I help others find their passion, their life and business purpose, and create the life that they want to live. I am the creator of Successful Women podcast, #MOŽEŠ (You can do it) campaign, I organize conferences and networking events, create educational videos, write for Croatian business magazine “Poduzetnik” and last but not least, I am a Bio gardener, and I love to learn. So, if you ask me what my biggest passion is–the possibility to constantly create is my passion, as well as contributing to the community and helping others. This is what led me to this moment in my life where I can say that I am absolutely satisfied and happy.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: The atmosphere in Croatia in the ‘80s and ‘90s was not supportive of individual development. Priorities were to find a job, get married, have kids, and get a mortgage, and that’s it. My family was sometimes having a hard time accepting that my sister and I were not “like the other kids.” Today, they are proud of us both–my sister is also an entrepreneur and an author.
It takes a lot of courage to become the person that you believe you can be. But even though others sometimes couldn’t understand our choices, the strong women in my life– my mom, grandma, and my grandma’s sisters made a great impact on my life. My grandma’s lessons about integrity and respect for people and the community created my path. All my life, I was a human and women rights activist, and for a long time, I worked with unemployed and marginalized women. Today, I am doing very similar work in my own company–I empower people, mostly women, to reach their potential and create prosperous businesses they can be proud of.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: Never give up on your dreams. If you don’t have support, be your own support. Make brave decisions and just start before you are ready because “the right time” is just an illusion. Don’t wait until you will have time–create time for things that are important to you. Celebrate your successes–don’t just put new benchmarks to achieve even more. And most importantly–you can do it. You most certainly can do it!
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: For the last 19 years, I have been creating opportunities for women and supporting them so they can stand up, be visible, and become stronger and proud of themselves and their work. For me, feminism is based on love and pride; it is creating equal opportunities for all as well as equal distribution of power among men and women.
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