NEWS AND BLOG

As a young mother facing the challenge of balancing her career and family life, Esma Jašarević decided to make a change in her career. Together with her husband, after living in Sweden for ten years, she boldly stepped into the world of entrepreneurship and launched her own business – Kiwi Kiwi.

Kiwi Kiwi specializes in creating modern, high-quality websites, keeping up with the latest market trends, and delivering solutions that will captivate you.

 

Read the interview with Esma and discover how good organization is the key to success!

 

What inspired you to start your own business?

I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business, of having the freedom to choose who I work with, where, and when. That desire grew even stronger when it was time to return to my old job after maternity leave.

I didn’t want to spend hours commuting when I could be enjoying that time with my family. I felt that I no longer wanted to build someone else’s dreams while mine were on hold. This motivated me to finally take control of my life and join my husband in the entrepreneurial world.

 

What is your family-business background? (Is anyone in your family an entrepreneur?)

I was fortunate to witness firsthand what entrepreneurial life looks like. My husband has been in this world for 15 years.

 

What do you enjoy most about running this business?

What I love most as an entrepreneur is the freedom to shape my workday as I wish. The ability to decide when and on which projects to work on is priceless to me.

Additionally, working with our wonderful clients, who trust me and give me the opportunity to showcase my creativity, brings me great joy. Every new project is a chance for collaboration and inspiration.

And working with my husband? That’s a special kind of joy! We go through the highs and lows together, support each other, and share a common vision. Balancing family life and running a business is the biggest challenge for a mompreneur!

 

What has been your biggest challenge on your entrepreneurial journey, and how did you overcome it?

As a mother and entrepreneur, my biggest challenge was balancing family life with running a business. I firmly believe that young children need the presence and attention of their parents during the early years of life. This belief guided me through a very challenging period of juggling business responsibilities and caring for my children.

I managed to organize my work so I could be with my children until they were three and four years old, before they started kindergarten. This approach required juggling a lot of various tasks but allowed me not to miss any key moment in my children’s early development.

Once my children started kindergarten, I experienced a significant shift. I gained more freedom and time that I could fully dedicate to our business.

Although the journey was challenging, I believe this experience enriched both my personal and professional life, showing that it is possible to successfully combine motherhood and entrepreneurship with careful planning and support.

 

How did you secure initial funding? Did you receive any financial incentives when starting the business?

When we decided to start the business, we relied on our savings.

 

How long did it take for your business to start generating income?

By some stroke of luck, we managed to generate income in the first month of operations.

 

How do you handle failure or obstacles?

I try to learn a lesson from every obstacle. Why did it happen? What can I learn from this experience? And how can I prevent a similar situation in the future? I let every failure become an opportunity for growth.

 

Celebrate every small victory! – says Esma, who realized her business dream step by step.

 

What advice would you give to young people who want to start their own business in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

I know it can be scary, but just dare to start! Believe in yourself, even when it seems like no one else does. Don’t know what you’re doing? That’s okay, we’ve all been there! You learn along the way.

Use social media, connect with people in your industry. Build your personal brand while developing your business – it will pay off in the long run. Focus on creating something of quality that you can showcase to future clients. The most important thing is to start and not give up. Be persistent, learn from mistakes (there will be many, and that’s okay), and celebrate every small win.

 

What state or city-level activities could help overcome obstacles for young people wanting to start a business?

We started our business in Sweden, so I don’t have much experience with Bosnian institutions. However, I know that organizations like Mozaik, Omladinska banka, and Lonac.ba offer grants and incentives for starting a business.

 

What unique challenges have you faced as a woman in entrepreneurship, and how have you overcome them?

So far, I haven’t faced challenges in entrepreneurship based on being a woman. I hope it stays that way.

 

What advice would you give other women who want to become entrepreneurs?

In addition to the advice I mentioned earlier, I’d suggest starting with small experiments. You don’t have to jump into deep waters immediately.

Test your ideas through a "side hustle" – a small business you can run alongside your regular responsibilities. This will allow you to evaluate and test the market and then adjust your approach without taking too much risk.

 

What initiatives or changes do you consider key to achieving greater representation of women in entrepreneurship?

When I think about encouraging more women to enter entrepreneurship, several ideas come to mind that could make a big difference.

Firstly, we need to make it easier for women to access fundings for starting a business. It’s no secret that this is often the biggest hurdle. We should create dedicated funds and loans specifically for women entrepreneurs. It’s also important to better utilize existing funds and similar resources. Many women aren’t even aware of these opportunities!

Secondly, networking is crucial. When people say, 'It’s not what you know, it’s who you know', it’s true in the business world. We should encourage women to connect with other entrepreneurs, exchange experiences, and share advice. Imagine if every successful entrepreneur mentored a newcomer – what a boost that would be!

Lastly, we shouldn’t forget the eternal dilemma – balancing work and family. Many women abandon entrepreneurial ideas because they think they won’t manage everything. We need to create an environment where women can be successful entrepreneurs and good mothers, wives, daughters... It’s not easy, but it’s possible with the right policies and societal support.

Kiwi Kiwi is yet another proof of great success. Combining family life and entrepreneurship is no small feat, especially when children are young. That’s why we want to once again congratulate Esma on her bravery in stepping into the entrepreneurial world and wish her a lot of success in the future!