May 11, 2018 - Continuing our series looking at the female entrepreneurs of Croatia, next up a young lady with a husband and two young children who wanted more from life than being a housewife. Meet Martina Miletic from My3Cakes.
Meet Croatia's Female Entrepreneurs: Martina Miletić from My3Cakes
- For our international readers who perhaps do not know you, quickly introduce yourself and what you do.
I am Martina, and if I have to describe myself in 5 words they would be: Woman, Mom, Wife, Housewife, Entrepreneur. And I still have time to make cupcakes.
- How did the business start, and what were the major obstacles and achievements along the way?
My business came to life just six months ago. I founded My3Cakes specialized in making cupcakes, cakes and cakepops.
I was managing a wine academy for five years and after giving birth to my second child I found myself in front of a wall. My job wasn't available for me anymore, I had two little kids at home, my husband was struggling on his job. I was offered the chance to run an office in Zagreb for a foreign company and they literally threw me in the jaws of finance, accounting, making business projections, all of the things I didn't even imagine doing. Instead of panic and fear I decided I have to improve my knowledge in all of these areas and I started to learn, take lessons, courses. At the same time I was trying to make delicious sweets for my children. The goal was how to make something little, sweet, full of colors and still homemade and with quality ingredients. Muffins became cupcakes, everybody started giving compliments and in May last year someone asked me: Why aren't you selling your cupcakes? After learning about business for the past few months and having much more confidence in myself, my answer was: I am opening my own business! Just six months later My3Cakes came to life.
As I decided to open my business everything opened to me. I opened myself to the world and the world came to me. The only obstacle was me, and my fear of the unknown.
Now after just a few months of running my business, people are recognizing my work, my cupcakes are finding their place in lots of homes, other companies want them for their events, my cupcake cakes create memories on weddings, bridal shows, christenings, birthdays.
And on June 1, I am starting a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to gather resources to open a commercial kitchen for everyone who wants to make cupcakes, cupcake cakes or cakepops but doesn't have all the tools at home, for everyone who tried to make cupcake at home and something went wrong, for everyone who needs a good cupcake cake for a Sunday lunch but doesn't know how to make it. This is my dream and now despite everything and everybody I am confident that this project will come to life.
I am living by my favorite quote: I am making the world a better place one cupcake at a time!
- People have told me on many occasions that the perfect combination in life is to live in Croatia and to make your money abroad. Do you agree?
Right now I can tell you that living in Croatia is definitely the best thing despite the climate. After entering the business I surround myself with positive people, with people who want to make a change, who want to work.
And after I spread my business over the borders I think I will definitely agree with this statement.
- Let's talk about the business climate in Croatia which does not have the best reputation. Give us some positives and some negatives.
The biggest problem is our mindset that you can't succeed if you are not someone's nephew, son, brother. And if you are also a woman than there is something wrong with you. If you talk only to people that have that opinion you will be drawn into a world of constant complaining and blaming.
But Croatia has people that created great things, that developed big companies all by themselves. I have met a lot of that kind of people, and those people are the ones that interest me.
- If there are three things which you could change to improve things dramatically, what would they be?
Start learning about business, about creating a company at primary school. Making more courses about opening and running a business. Encourage the government to think of the entrepreneurs as a wheel that is running Croatia by making easier to get to the EU funds or some kind of business loans.
- Your advice to foreign entrepreneurs interested in investing in Croatia? And to young local businessmen who want to try?
Just come and try. If you are young or old, with or without kids if you have a dream, if you have something that you are good at it, give it a try. Show us your passion.
- How do you think the business climate will look in 10 years in Croatia?
I think it will be better, because we are changing despite the constant destructive headlines. Even now we have more and more stories about young people that stayed in Croatia and started successful companies.
- How has 2013 EU entry changes business in Croatia?
It has changed in a way that everything is now here, everything is available, easier to get. There is more competition, you have to work harder to attract your customer, your employee. I think it is a good thing because it encourages creativity. Also, it has brought more people going abroad.
- Being an entrepreneur in Croatia is not easy. What are the additional challenges experienced by female entrepreneurs in your opinion?
Female entrepreneur in Croatia. Who are they? Those women who don't have anything but their job, who are always screaming at their employees, who are trying to be men, who don't have time for kids.
And now I started to be a female entrepreneur in Croatia and I have kids and a husband, I am not trying to be a man, I run my business and yes I have emotions and trying to create something big in our country. I am totally contradictory to the perception of the female entrepreneur in Croatia, and I like it.
- If you knew now what you knew then, would you have decided to go ahead? What was good, what was bad, and what would you do differently next time?
Yes, I would start. I would start earlier. Only thing I would do differently is to find a mentor right away, not to be scared to ask for help.
