For over a year now, Umrežene has been creating a space where women entrepreneurs with small businesses and brands receive not only practical tools to grow their work, but also a true sense of community that empowers them. After a successful first edition last year, we designed another workshop cycle this year, combining learning and networking, and invited entrepreneurs from across Serbia along with mentors from our community — to connect knowledge with lived experience and create a lasting platform for exchange, collaboration, and inspiration.
Selected participants and their stories
On October 18–19, 2025, we gathered at the Moxy Hotel in Belgrade with a carefully selected group of participants — half from Belgrade, and half from other cities — while part of the program (two of the six workshops) was specifically tailored for last year’s attendees. We invited them back to continue their journey and strengthen their ties with each other, as well as with this year’s participants.
Among the new participants were creators of sustainable fashion, upcycled jewelry designers, illustrators and calligraphers, footwear designers addressing specific health needs, and producers of textiles and accessories — all women looking to turn their talent into a sustainable business, but who often lack the structure, support, or targeted knowledge to move forward. By including past participants in this year’s design, we aimed to build a long-term community where learning and networking go hand in hand, and where each experience feeds back into the growth of the whole.
This weekend was both practical and warm — a space for taking concrete steps, sharing experiences, and reinforcing the idea that there’s no single path to entrepreneurship.
Inspiring returnees as mentors
Our mentors were more than just facilitators — they are women who have gained experience both abroad and locally, who have already faced the challenges of running a business, and who are now giving back by supporting others. Their contribution went far beyond knowledge-sharing: they embodied real-life success models, showing how to balance creativity and business, how to build an authentic brand, how to overcome the fear of charging fairly and understand the true value of your product.
What we did and what the weekend looked like
The program included six hands-on workshops covering key steps in developing a small business: clarifying your offer, pricing and sales, effective customer communication, business plan structure, personal branding, digital tools, and defining your vision and mission through small but meaningful actions that lead to big results:
- A clear and focused offer — Kosara Dangić
- How to sell and charge your product — Valentina Sofijanić
- Creating a business plan — Aleksandra Markov
- Personal brand and authenticity in business — Ana Popović
- Digital tools for entrepreneurs — Sara Santini
- Small actions, big steps — Una Stupar Jokić
Each session was interactive with short presentations, group exercises, and plenty of space for questions, discussion, and exchange.
And yet, some of the most valuable moments emerged in between — during coffee breaks, over lunch, or at the evening cocktail — where participants and mentors exchanged ideas and even started outlining future collaborations. Their stories are a powerful reminder that individual experiences can gradually transform society, by engaging with their communities and encouraging positive change.
Impressions and why this matters
The first impressions from participants speak volumes. Their feedback included phrases like “incredible energy,” “clearer vision for my business,” “practical and applicable advice,” “marathon-level support – education, motivation and solidarity,” and “casual conversations where collaboration ideas were born.” Many said the gathering gave them exactly what they needed most: encouragement, clear next steps, and a sense of community that supports their work.
Umrežene shows us that when women connect and share experiences, they create a support network that lasts; one that extends into all areas of society, from the local community to broader social impact.
