Transcript Akademija Ženskog Preduzetništva

Workshop on Enhancing Women’s Entrepreneurship in SEE
Sarajevo, 1st October 2009
The Women’s Entrepreneurship Academy
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Female entrepreneurship advanced in the post –
communist period
Entrepreneurship as a way of life
20% SMEs (16.000) registered by women (official data)
Only 6.700 SMEs own and managed by women (real
picture)
88% micro business
10 % of small enterprises
2% of medium sized companies
0,5% of large sized business units
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Non – governmental organization, actively working in the area of
economic empowerment of women since 2006
Developed training program for female entrepreneurs in business
management, marketing, finances, motivation and personal capacity
building called “Step by step to your business”
Assisting local governments in Vojvodina in fostering women’s
entrepreneurship in their communities (e.g. Business Incubator in Backi
Petrovac 2009)
Model of the Academy implemented within Bihac Chamber of Commerce
in 2007
Co-author of the program of guarantees of the Guarantee fund of the
Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
Initiated establishing the women’s entrepreneurship section within
Serbian Chamber of Commerce in 2006
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Mini five years of experience in business
Higher level of education
Married with two children
earlier employed in state/ public company
Motive for starting own business:
 Better living conditions
 Independence and freedom
Services, retail
Initial capital: savings, financial support from family members, friends
Competence – key aspect when starting business
Dedicated to work, min 12 hours at work
Aactive search for new information
Satisfied with incomes although could be more
Success in business depends on work, persistence and personal involvement
Successful female entrepreneur is recognized by close environment
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Qualification
 Highly qualified women with university degree or higher education
(50% of respondents)
Age
 Older (39 – 49 years old) so called “new women’s entrepreneurs
 Younger (38 years old and younger) from families with tradition in
entrepreneurship
Type of business
 traditional female jobs (retail, services, booking and financial
services, foreign language schools etc)
Size of business
 Small, low profitable business (bakery, meet processing, production
of cement, sugar stick packaging, car wash services etc.)
To earn money, to support their families
To prove their own abilities, to have independence
and freedom in decision - making, in choosing
collaborators,
To harmonize work and family commitments
more easily
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family responsibilities
lack of initial capital
stereotypes in attitude of local community
lack of courage to enlarge existing businesses
access to information on loans and other
forms of support for entrepreneurs
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REGIONAL NETWORKING
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ACCESS TO FINANCING
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CAPACITY BUILDING
◦ First International Conference of Women in Business
– “Business Powered by Women”, held in Novi Sad,
in June 2007
◦ Guarantee fund of the Autonomous Province of
Vojvodina
◦ The Women’s Entrepreneurship Academy