Leskovac – If young women have a goal and desire to start a business on their own, they should start investing in their knowledge without the fear of failure, because it is possible to overcome all obstacles in life with a positive attitude and self-belief, says beekeeper Marina Petkovic from the village of Donji Bunibrod in the municipality of Leskovac, who started dealing with beekeeping 16 years ago, thus continuing the tradition of her grandfather, who kept bees as a hobby.

There are over a hundred beehives in her yard and quotes like "where there is thought, there is strength” on the walls of her workshop, while there is not only honey on the table, but also various medicinal products, such as propolis and soap bars made with honey. All those products were made by this businesswoman, who has been investing in new ideas for years and who places her products outside the borders of Serbia.

“It was very difficult in the beginning and my first steps in business were very small. I did not make enough efforts and lacked the knowledge, courage and self-confidence. I soon started making big steps forward, established my own business and started to exhibit and present my products in my city.  I was noticed very quickly, so that in 2016 I got the opportunity to participate in the event called the Days of Serbian Culture in Istria (Croatia). I also had the honor and pleasure to be a part of the project for encouraging and employing young people, where I was recognized as a mentor ", says the forty-eight-year-old businesswoman about the path of her success.

Through that project, she familiarized young beekeepers with the business, helped them become self-reliant, while today she sells queen bees to her local colleagues, which are for their needs.

“My love for the job just pushes me forward. The very thought of my bees swarming all over the Jablanica district makes me happy ", she says.

Given that women in agriculture, and especially in beekeeping, rarely stand out as farm owners, the success that this strong woman has achieved is astounding.

“I fight for my customers with quality, I keep investing in production, I educate and improve myself and hold workshops and lectures for future young beekeepers ", she says. 

Although more and more difficult times are coming for beekeepers, she does not give up and encourages others to do the same.

“The most important thing in beekeeping is your love for it. If there is no love, there is no good business, either. Only then come patience and inevitable effort ", she says. 

Enthusiasm, knowledge and love for work are noticeable in every sentence uttered by this master of beekeeping. It was these qualities that helped Marina fight for her place on the market and step by step build her small honey kingdom.

Source: Jugmedia and Coordination Body