Some people might say that upon finishing university, the best thing you can do is find a job, acquire some work experience and not engage in independent job opportunities until you have worked for someone else for some time.
I had the same perspective until the life circumstances led me to a different path. I am unsure if this is the best way to go, but I embraced this experience with all its aspects! In the next five steps, I would like to present you my story and paint a picture of how I transitioned from being a carefree student to a hardworking, caring young Entrepreneur.
Studying, extracurricular activities and hobbies
During my university degree, I have made decisions that changed my outlook on work and life in general. There were some tiring days when I felt exhausted and drained, but it was definitely worth it. I would do it all again! During my second year as an undergraduate in the Faculty of Graphic Arts, I decided I would join an eSTUDENT Society. I have met the most beautiful people there, and I am still friends with some of them. Together we have worked on many great projects and got the opportunity to hear exciting stories coming from successful people in different areas. Not to mention that we did not forget to have fun along the way!
For two years, I have worked as a part of Multimedija team; the first year as a team member, the second year, I have progressed into deputy supervisor. The main activities of this team were main events photography which included workshops, lectures, team building, competitions, parties, and many others. Although I had previously expressed interest in photography, working in this team has provided me with an excellent basis that was improved through university workshops, seminars, and personal practice. After two incredible years of being a part of eSTUDENT, I decided I wanted to try something new. Summer after finishing my 3rd year of an undergraduate course, I headed for the Work and Travel program located in the United States. The experience itself was so inspiring that I went the following summer. To be honest, the job that I did there was not my ideal working experience; it wasn’t even a job that I would be satisfied working, for that matter. However, that was not the main point. The purpose of the trip was to overcome challenges, gain new experiences, learn how to adjust to different environments, the energy around me, and of course, the journey itself! The experience demonstrated that I would not be able to live there for a more extended period.
However, I certainly hope to visit for the touristic purposes for no longer than a couple of months. I concluded that Europe has the best living standards and that Croatia is my place under the sun. I wouldn’t want to leave my country or my loved ones.
Final year, Covid-19.
I decided to enrol in my senior year, as many others have done. My duties for the final years were writing the Dissertation and looking for a job opportunity. I focused on the latter first. I searched for the job for a couple of months; unfortunately, with covid-19 interferences, I have not succeeded. I realised I had to create my own working opportunities. This is how the brand Shika started. I have made the visual identity, analysed the target audience and developed the brand style. Among the illustrations that I created during my university time, I chose my favourite ones, which would be the start of my story. I have picked the best ones and refined my choices during the following time.
Considering the fact that I did not want to lose my student rights, I decided I would finish the starting up of the company a few months after I graduated. In the meantime, I have devoted
myself to print testing and clothes print testing. Among the other things, I have tried different student vacancies that revolved around t-shirt logotypes and face masks.
Dissertation’ Development of ‘Shika brand.’
After a few months of researching and creating the brand, I realised this might be an excellent Dissertation subject. I sought advice from my mentor, who provided me with great support. I
collected and defined my knowledge in the dissertation paper. At the beginning of the year, I had no job and no thesis for my Dissertation; however, I had both at the end of it. Is there any better joy than writing about things that will be useful for your future business? I don’t think so. Even though it was a bumpy ride, it turned out marvellous!
My mentors’ and supervisors’ support that I have received inspired me to accomplish even more. Positive opinions from lecturers, designers and photographers motivated me to persuade this opportunity. No matter how confident you are, recognition from people in the field gives you additional security in your capabilities and inspires you to follow your dreams.
Start of my business
Finally, the special day has arrived! Two months after my Dissertation, I was given the government grants to start up my brand and opened the trade Shika brand. Much paperwork was involved, and I had difficulty getting around all these new terms and actions. I was afraid of the unknown. I was not only scared but also extremely nervous. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. It is becoming my reality! Will this be enough to support my living?
Will the crowd recognise the brand as something exciting, new and different? Am I mature enough for something this big?
Those were all the questions running through my head, and to be honest, they are still sometimes on my mind. However, I am not letting them get the best of me! I am still confident in my capabilities and the power my brand holds. My strongest motive is to produce and distribute clothes I feel most comfortable in and that I actually enjoy wearing. I am aware some mistakes will be made, but they will not dishearten me from spotting them and learning from them in the end. My mistakes will serve as my motivation to improve.
Development of new ideas
Now that I have resolved all the legal matters, I have started to think about my next steps. My most important goal was to offer 100% Croatian products.
The clothes I have used up to now were distributed by foreign merchandisers. With a couple of mishits, I have managed to reach the quality T-shirts that would not be ruined after two times wearing them. I stand by this product still, but those are not the representation of the story I want to build moving forwards. I always knew I wanted my products to be entirely produced in Croatia. In the upcoming spring-summer collection, the Shika brand will represent 100% own design for the first time. I will not reveal too much information, so I don’t ruin the surprise. You will witness the real magic itself quite soon!
My path to becoming an entrepreneur from a simple student came quite spontaneous, with no particular planning. You might want to open a business right after graduating, which is great!
My advice would be to be involved in as many activities as you can outside of the university. That way, you will meet people and other university students and build a social network that
one day might be beneficial in terms of business problems and challenges. Aside from that, this job requires testing and pushing your limits; it is not a 9-5 job where you can leave the
business off of your mind after work. Entrepreneurship demands involvement far more than that. Your mind will constantly be directed towards work progress, new ideas or improvements, including holidays and weekends. If you want to know more about this subject, look at this Index podcast, where I had the opportunity to be a guest alongside my colleague, an entrepreneur like me. The podcast can be found on this link.
