Boosting Female Entrepreneurship in Slovakia

Motivation, the first stimulus to change our lives - we may often lack this in order to step forward and make our dreams come true or to realise our business ventures. To inspire women not to be afraid to set off on an independent entrepreneurial journey is the main goal of the project “Boosting the female entrepreneurship in Slovakia.”  

The project is implemented through practical meetings (motivation seminars, lectures and one-to-one consultations) and sharing authentic experience from a successful female entrepreneur with  unemployed women, mothers on maternity leave, and students. The target group will have a chance to personally confront opinions, ideas and knowledge about entrepreneurship with the business reality. Potential businesswomen will also have an opportunity to get in contact with the community and institutions that are focusing on the support of female entrepreneurs in Slovakia.

The origins of the project

The National Agency for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (NADSME), as a member of the Enterprise Europe Network, elaborated the project based on the call “European network of Female Entreprenership Ambassadors" of the European Commission in spring 2009.

The project was built upon the previous experience with the support and promotion of the business sector as well as female entrepreneurs through the national competition Businesswoman of Slovakia. The joint partner of the project “Boosting the female entrepreneurship in Slovakia” is the Regional Advisory and Information Centre in Prešov.

In August the project was approved by the European Commission. Thus Slovakia joined another nine European countries creating the European network of ambassadors. At a ceremony in Stockholm in October, 130 successful businesswomen from the EU were appointed by the Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria together with Commissioner Vladimír Špidla. The project and the Slovak Ambassadors were introduced to the Slovak public during the opening conference which took place in November 2009 in Bratislava. The completion of the project is planned to be in June 2011.  

Main mission

Promotion of entrepreneurship among women by the network of successful female entrepreneurs – Ambassadors represents the main goal of the project. In Slovakia, 9 Ambassadors have been appointed from all regions to inspire women and young girls through success stories in order to set up their own businesses. Ambassadors should become role models who encourage target groups to seize opportunities and make their dreams come true.  

Target groups

Project activities are designed mainly for potential businesswomen, especially:  

·    mothers on maternity leave,
·    unemployed,
·    the employed who are considering entrepreneurship,
·    students.

Associated partners

Apart from the lead partners of the project “Boosting Female Entrepreneurship in Slovakia”, the following organisations take part:  

·    Top Centrum Podnikateliek (Top Centre of Businesswomen),
·    Nadácia Integra (The Integra Foundation Slovakia),
·    Materské centrum MACKO (The Mother Centre MACKO),
·    Ekonomická univerzita Bratislava (The University of Economics in Bratislava),
·    Ústredie práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny (The Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family)


Female Entrepreneurship Ambassador

To inspire women – mothers on maternity leave, the unemployed, the employed planning to become independent, and students – to start up, that is the task of nine entrepreneurs. Almost 40 businesswomen decided to take part in a call for the nomination of ambassadors, out of which the evaluation committee selected nine. They represent the most successful female entrepreneurs of Slovakia. The following ladies are ready to share their experience and give you useful business tips:

The Ambassador is a successful female entrepreneur who:
·    looks for ways of permanent self-improvement,
·    is open to further education and training,
·    is happy to help, share experience, and work with people,
·    is self-confident,
·    follows the principles of the ethics code,
·    cares for the constant development of her company.

The following ladies represent Slovak female entrepreneurs:

ABSOLONOVÁ Katarína
(Nitra region)

Company name / location: ASAP-translation.com, s.r.o., Nitra
Scope of business: translation services
Founded: 2005
Number of employees: 6

www.prelozime.sk  


HURAJOVÁ Ľudmila
(Trnava region)

Company name / location: Mgr. Ľudmila Hurajová – CLIP Centrum, Trnava
Scope of business: education, sale of foreign literature
Founded: 2001
Number of employees: 2

www.smileschool.sk
www.clipcentrum.sk


JESENSKÁ Renáta
(Prešov region)

Company name / location: Don Leon, s.r.o., Tatranské Matliare
Scope of business: chocolaterie
Founded: 2006
Number of employees: 5
www.bonbonin.sk ">
www.bonbonin.sk


MADAROVÁ Terézia
(Trnava region)

Company name / location: le PROVOCATEUR s.r.o., Šamorín
Scope of business: intermediation services in the field of modelling, education activities
Founded: 2007
Number of employees: 1

www.noveTVARE.sk


MARKO Petra
(Bratislava region)

Company name / location: ExtravaDansa s.r.o., Bratislava  
Scope of business: dance, costume and TV dance performance production
Founded: 2003
Number of employees: 61

www.extravadansa.net


MARTÁKOVÁ Silvia
(Banská Bystrica region)

Company name / location: SM Complicité, s.r.o., Banská Bystrica
Scope of business: production, sale of maternity wear of the trade mark Complicité®
Founded: 2003
Number of employees: 1

www.buducamamicka.sk  

KIŠOVÁ Andrea
(Banská Bystrica region)

Company name / location: A.K.Shop – Andrea Kišová, Fiľakovo
Scope of business: retail with electrical appliances
Founded: 2001
Number of employees: 3

www.akshop.sk


RADOŠINSKÁ Martina
(Trenčín region)

Company name / location: Subliprint s.r.o., Nové Mesto nad Váhom
Scope of business: sublimation print, textile stitching and production of textile products
Founded: 2006
Number of employees: 10

www.subliprint.sk

STUBBS Zlatica – Mária
(Žilina region)

Company name / location: ZMS Consulting & Coaching s.r.o., Žilina
Scope of business: advisory services / consulting for foreign investors coming to Slovakia, interim management, coaching
Founded: 2005
Number of employees: 0

www.zms-consulting-coaching.com


FInd out more on the project