GES 2016 — THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
When asked to describe my impression of GES 2016 now when I have returned from the Silicon Valley, I sum all the countless stories in my head, with one defining sentence — It is a stepping stone to success! And from here now, my goal is not to walk but to sprint towards it!
Thousands of innovative, creative, and motivated entrepreneurs were brought together. All the eyes of the world are on us, waiting for us… for the new invention that will transform commerce, for the new way to seek jobs on the labor market, “We can’t wait to see what you build next,” said Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google.
This has been the moment of realization that we are part of something big. It has been the moment of realization we are part of the creation of better future.
It would be an endless list to rehearse all the things I am grateful for, all the opportunities I had and all the stories that resulted from my participation in GES 2016, but I will try to convey them briefly:
MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER ENTREPRENEURS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD
All the people were approachable, friendly, and sociable, so I had a chance to meet around 80 percent the entrepreneurs that were attending this event. I was especially inspired by a few people I made acquaintance with.
Yasmine El Baggari: She is the Founder of Voyage — a platform that allows people from different countries to communicate and exchange ideas globally. It is an idea that corresponds to the goal of WEBLaborate — biggest digital platform for online collaboration.
Daymond John: The man who created something out of nothing. My inspiration and role model from the beginning of my entrepreneurial career. Every entrepreneur is familiar that being a risk taker is a must personality trait, but as Daymond John says, entrepreneurs should take affordable chances, affordable risks- RISKS YOU CAN RECOVER FROM.
Megan Smith: As the U.S. CTO, former Assistant to the President, Vice President at Google, and New Business Development and General Manager at Google.org, she knows what it takes to build a successful business. I learned from her that the success of a business is based on the talents, the network, the teamwork and the ultimate input it creates.
Gal Josefberg: From his Masterclass I learned how innovation comes to life and how to brand but also rebrand my product, how to analyze the market and potential winning products, in order to improve the advantages of mine products. I learnt how to find markets where innovations have been stalled for too long so they need brand new ones.
Patric Collison: Co-founder and CEO of Stripe, the man who inspired me and explained to me how a single digital idea can scale fast, how to improve and how to internationalise my business. This young entrepreneur has an advanced knowledge on how digital business work.
MANAGING TO PROMOTE MY COUNTRY IN FRONT OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
On the last day of GES 2016, I did something quite crazy, but definitely in my style.
While the lunch-break was on, I saw two of my favorite entrepreneurs Daymond John and Patrick Collision. They were heading to the media auditorium. These people have been my inspiration and my role models from the time I first started my company till now. I really wanted to ask them few questions, but it was extremely hard to reach them since there were more than 1 000 people trying to talk to these guys.
I decided to follow them and I got to this closed space in the media building where only reporters were allowed. As sneaky as it gets, I got in the private Media room and decided to act as I was part of it. As I entered the room, the moderator asked us to sit down. While we were seated the US secretary of commerce Penny Pritzker introduced the Ambassadors of GES, Helen Greiner, Founder and CEO of CyPhy Works, Daymond John, Founder and CEO of FUBU, Nina Vaca the CEO and Chairman of Pinnacle Group, Steve Case the Co-founder, chairman and CEO of Revolution, julie hanna, Executive Chair of the Board at Kiva, Patrick Collision, Co-founder and CEO of Stripe, Debbie Sterling, CEO and Founder of GoldieBlox, Daphne Koller, President and Co-Founder of Coursera.
Even though only five questions were allowed I decided boldly to put the media spotlight on me — the only delegate from Macedonia, and ask the last questions. My question was if they are comfortable in investing in Macedonia as developing country and what are their advices for the entrepreneurs that come from this kind of countries but have a visions to make big changes in the world. Even more, out in the open, I asked the question every entrepreneur from Macedonia would want to know the answer to- How do someone coming from the developing country can get the chance to collaborate with the biggest names in the business? The first to answer my question was Patrick Collision. He respectfully told me that sneaking in was such an entrepreneur thing to do and additionally he explained how Atlas Stripe helps entrepreneurs worldwide. The next entrepreneur who followed was Mr. John Daymond. He told me that the investors are more interested in supporting ambitious entrepreneurs not startups in funding stages. I even got additional guides from all of the ambassadors how to find the right partner and get funds for businesses outside us.
But most importantly, they shared the main idea behind this event. GES and U.S. Department of State encouragement of the businesses is not based on the principles of segregation and favoritism to one country rather than the other, but by the input of the business each entrepreneur represents. Or as President Barack Obama in one video about GES 2016 said: ,, We do all this because we believe that whether you live in Kuala Lumpur or Kuwait or Kansas City when you are free to have your own idea, pursue your own dreams, start your own business, serve your communities, It isn’t just good for your nations, It means more prosperity and progress for us all.”
Thanks to this opportunity the US Department of State gives the entrepreneurs that come from the developing countries, all the hard work and devotion have paid off. I have managed to bring Inception Enterprises on a international level and to attract the biggest investors to support our business.
In addition to that, in the following months Inception Enterprises is going to open offices in the Silicon Valley, Africa and Asia in collaboration with entrepreneurs that I have made connections with, during the GES.
