Successful story of the EU support to start new businesses in BiH: Smell of home that initiated a new beginning
After returning home from many years in France, Biljana Pržulj knew only one thing - that she would not give up.
“Everything there was orderly, peaceful and safe, but my soul was lacking,” said Biljana. “The plan was to stay there until children finished school, but they were the ones who wanted to go back. And then I realised - my heart wants me to go home.”
The return, however, was not easy. After working many years abroad, Biljana found herself unemployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, facing the challenge how to start over.
“You come back and everything you knew and built is no longer there. I was jobless and wondered where to start from.”
But Biljana is one of those people who do not give up easily. What she brought from France were a precious experience in pastry industry, new knowledge and skills, but also belief that age is nothing but a number and new beginning is always possible.
From idea to smell of home
“I have always loved to cook and experiment with food. That is how I show love. Smell of bread always meant home to me - coziness, safety, belonging. I wanted others to feel that as well. To have my customers feel “like at home” the minute they walk in.
Just at that time, she heard of the call by the Local Partnership Istočno Sarajevo, acting under umbrella project Support to Local Employment Partnerships funded by the EU and implemented by the International Labour Organisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“I applied to the entrepreneurship training Start Your Business, without having high expectations to tell you the truth, but that decision changed my life,” said Biljana smiling. Training helped her translate her idea into a plan, plan into action and action into success.
“I’ve learned how to create a business plan, how to have confidence in myself and my knowledge. And that is a true value of this support - when someone teaches you that you can even when you yourself doubt that.”
“Like at home” - pastry shop with a soul
Today, in their family house at the outskirt of Sokolac, Biljana and her husband run a pastry shop “Like at home”, a place that smells of homemade bread, pies and French croissants - a mix of tradition and experiences from those two countries.
“Customers love it! They say - is there anything better than having a French croissant as a dessert after homemade pie!?”
This comment reflects all her efforts, aromas of childhood, know-how from abroad and coziness of home that she always wanted to share.
“I want “Like at home” to be always linked to the quality, but also to the feeling of belonging. I want people not only to come to buy bread, but come to get some peace, like the one you have when you get home.”
Biljana has a message to all of those who are unsure whether to start pursuing their dreams:
“Don't be afraid. Nothing falls into your lap, and everything requires effort. Success requires time, and time will pass anyway. Thus, it is better to work on your dream while time passes.”
More on local partnerships in BiH on www.partnerstvo.ba and social media channels Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LEPSupport/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lepsupport/