Author: Neda Dimova Prokić

To promote the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs and highlight last year's results and successes to a wider audience, MAAA launched a new podcast series under 'The Voice of MAAA,' this time focusing on women's entrepreneurship. 

The first episode focused on 'The Role of Finances in the Development of Business Ideas and Businesses' and featured Tatjana Veljković, financial consultant and program facilitator, along with Ivana Temelkovska, a young entrepreneur and participant in last year's program. The podcast was hosted by Ognen Janeski, a MAAA member and prominent journalist.

Veljković encouraged women to take the initiative to start their own businesses, highlighting that the Academy offers modules designed to help them launch and grow their ventures.

For Temelkovska, the concept of lifelong learning was crucial when deciding to apply to the Academy. In addition to formal education, she wanted to acquire practical knowledge and experience, and as she mentioned, the Academy provides opportunities to apply what is learned in real-world settings.

The second podcast was titled “Challenges in Starting and Running a Business”. In this episode, Nadica Gorgieva, founder of the “ChiaDia” brand, and Natali Ristovska, founder of the “Yova” brand shared their experience with their businesses. The podcast was hosted by Leposava Ognjanovska Stavrovska, Assistant in Legal Studies and a member of MAAA. The main motive for Gorgieva attending the Academy was to improve her approach to business, based on the American methodology. The Academy helped her create and execute a business plan. Ristovska pointed out that women are not only looking to make some profit, but also to have significant impact in the world with what they do.

The third podcast focused on turning an idea into a successful business, featuring two outstanding speakers: Sofia Goševa-Čolančeska, financial advisor and program educator, and Marta Pejoska, entrepreneur and gallery owner, who was also the recipient of the Academy's first-prize award from the jury committee. The podcast was moderated by Verica Jordanova, journalist and coordinator of the program implemented by MAAA. Goševa-Čolančeska emphasized that the Academy helps potential women entrepreneurs navigate the path from idea to real business. She explained that the participants are introduced to marketing, sales, financial management, and other key aspects of business. Pejovska emphasized that through experiential learning through this program, she gained a vision of exactly what she needs to do to make her business successful.

The fourth podcast, dedicated to the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, addressed the questions: 'What is the path to consumers? How do we properly promote and market our business?' It featured Dr. Dimitar Jovevski, a professor at the Faculty of Economics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, and Marina Toševska, co-founder of Tricky Treats Tail, last year's program participant and an award-winner. The podcast was hosted by Teodora Cvetkovska, journalist and podcaster.

Toševska emphasized that the knowledge, skills, and networking she gained at the Academy were instrumental in establishing her business. She noted that the Academy provided an innovative learning approach, where, under the guidance of mentors, participants learned how to transform a business idea into a start-up, which could later grow into a sustainable business.

Jovevski mentioned that at the Faculty of Economics, they are working on transforming the curriculum and encouraging students to engage in informal education programs, thereby complementing their formal studies.

MAAA has reached a large number of young women through various initiatives, consistently investing in their empowerment and providing them with the opportunity to become key contributors to our economy. These efforts also help raise awareness about gender equality in North Macedonia.