My “e” Story
What we have in our mind (knowledge) and what we have
in our heart (passion) makes us as unique as our DNA. My parent’s genes and the way my
mother raised me account for my relentlessness, competitiveness and my “moving mountains”
attitude. I am passionate about making a change, I see obstacles as challenges and believe
that every struggle makes us stronger and more knowledgeable.
I fell in love with the big “E” during my e-business
studies at the Faculty of Economics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje,
Macedonia. Over the years I became very passionate about e-commerce that was just beginning
to develop at that time. Just before graduating in 2010, I won the most innovative business
plan competition and got a small funding grant to launch my business. This was the key
incentive for me to begin my entrepreneurial journey and launch Grouper.mk, the first deal
platform in North Macedonia. It transformed the e-commerce industry in the country and
became known as the game-changer of e-commerce.
My career path in the digital world was developing
very “organically”. My impact and hard-work were beginning to be recognized home and abroad.
I started speaking at events, mentoring young future entrepreneurs and working on various
projects. In 2016, the German startup magazine, The Hundert recognized me as one of the “100
Female Founders Europe!” and in 2018, Forbes named me “Forbes 30 Under 30”. In 2019 UNCTAD
appointed me as one of the seven global eTrade for Women Advocates.
After being an entrepreneur for almost 10 years in
August 2019 my career path took a sharp turn when I was invited to join the Government of
the Republic of North Macedonia as Minister of Finance. I was heading the public finances of
our country and led the implementation of many economic and fiscal measures during the
biggest crisis in history caused by COVID-19 until September 2020. Among the key priorities
during my mandate as Finance Minister, I have put digitalization and technologies in the
focus as a key to solving many problems and putting the progress and reforms of our country
in "fifth gear".
After the ‘exit’ from the Government, followed a
successful business exit, when Grouper was acquired by the Polish Group Asseco SEE. A few
months later I continued my efforts for ecommerce development joining Ananas E-commerce,
whose mission is to revolutionize e-commerce in the Balkans, and recently co-founded the
Balkan Ecommerce Alliance that I am heading as President.