I am an optimist and am not afraid to change, learn new things, and start from scratch. Happy people make a better future, and I am not scared to be one of them,” says Dunja Vuckovic, Innovation and Development Manager at The NANA SV agency, who is an experienced coordinator with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. She is skilled in management, video production, strategic planning, film, and event management. Strong professional focused on organization and business development.
Let’s find out how she started her journey
After finishing the faculty of Art in Belgrade for movie and television production, Dunja always knew that her carrier would be dynamic, that she would never settle for mediocrity, and that she wanted to be surrounded by a good and strong team that would push the boundaries one step further.
Therefore, one year later, Dunja enrolled in the Master studies Faculty of organizational sciences and became a master manager in project management. For eight years, Dunja organized and produced many projects such as movies, TV series, commercials, music videos, and short documentary movies. Moreover, she worked in the production team on National television in Serbia for informative programs such as the news, morning program, and other day-to-day shows. But, after some time, that work started to take the best of her, it became too filled up with the constant adrenalin and stress, and it just wasn’t a sustainable way of living. Dunja knew, at that moment, that she needed to make the change.
“The moment that directed me to the career I have now was the moment when I realized that I have everything needed to create the career I want. I have a family business with an exceptional name and reputation, I have the knowledge and experience in the field of management and organization, and all I need to do, as the next step, is to combine the best of those features,” says Dunja.
Dunja grew up in a family where her mother is an entrepreneur and owns an agency for elderly home care. Dunja, after realizing that she needed something new in her career and to make her path, used her skills and her mother’s experience and created a unique working model and contribution to the innovations in the social services field. Dunja proposed her business agreement – she would start working in her family business and drive innovation and new partnerships, and she taught her how everything needs to flow and how to think and act like an entrepreneur. Since then, they have expanded their agency, digitized the business, and expanded to the world market.
“My goals are to make a company that will make a strong impact in the social services field in Serbia, to help and improve the lives of socially vulnerable categories, and to inspire new projects and new ways of social welfare,” says Dunja.
How was the NANA SV agency formed?
Like someone with elderly parents at the time, Dunja’s mother looked for the adequate help she could provide them. Not being able to find a licensed and certified agency, she came to the idea of opening her own.
The NANA SV agency was the first licensed private social protection organization to provide home assistance services to the elderly in Belgrade, Serbia, founded in 2008. She started this company with the mission to improve social services and not only to help the elderly population live a more comfortable and dignified life but also to help other women find jobs.
They use the business model of most socially developed European countries within their laws. They integrated the world trends and are constantly pushing the boundaries within domestic industry standards, not only in the field of elderly home care but also in the employment model.
The period during and after the Coronavirus pandemic taught them about the importance of digitalization, so their new services will be developed in response to the market’s new demands. With new projects, they strive to implement digitalization for monitoring and work administration, all for easier availability of services and better security for both clients and employees.
The Major Setbacks on the Path of Success
Like other leaders who had to cross many hurdles laid on their path, Dunja has also experienced a long process and overcome challenges to reach where she is today. In the starting phase, for Dunja, the most challenging part was the significant change from one industry to another. In Dunja’s life, her mother and family were the most influential for her, who supported her with every decision she made.
“Entrepreneurship is actually very similar to making a movie set – you always need to tell everybody what they need to do, but to leave them space to be creative, you need to know with how much money you are working, and you need to know your audience. When I realized that, I knew I was well prepared for this,” assures Dunja.
Keeping the motivational fire burning bright is Dunja’s job
According to Dunja, as a young woman entrepreneur, your primary responsibilities are to empower others, both women and men, to be creative, stay true to themselves, and use their maximum potential in any field they choose. Self-confidence and precise visualization of your goals are essential characteristics if you want to succeed as a woman entrepreneur.
Young woman entrepreneurs face the problem of remaining a woman in the man’s world. Motherhood, combined with work obligations, is sometimes tough to handle, and without a good supporting system, you can, in some situations, face a big challenge.
The importance of balancing work and family life
“In the beginning, my private life and free time were mostly filled with business obligations and business discussions, but after some time, I realized that I had to draw the line and make some balance. Now, I Don’t carry my laptop wherever I go to organize my free time with my friends, boyfriend, and family and I try to leave to leave all the problems in the office. Sometimes I succeed in that, and sometimes it’s at least an excellent idea,” expresses Dunja.
The Shining Future
“I see the company growing in other markets and networking with other industries. Merging with other professions and responding to modern requirements, we can provide a service that will be available and adequate for everybody, giving a complete and unique way of support and care,” says Dunja.
