admin Resilience and hard work are the cornerstones of success. This is definitely the core truth for fine entrepreneurs and leaders like Mr. Dejan Stancer. As the CEO of the Kazakh-Slovenian Business Club or KSBC, Stancer has pioneered an incomparable legacy of fostering cooperative growth in the industry. Established in 2013, under the guidance and astute vision of Stancer, the KSBC aims to develop greater economic cooperation between Slovenia and Kazakhstan. Stancer was one of its central founding members and continues to guide the venture as its CEO.
Becoming a Passionate Leader
Stancer began his career as a 20-year-old entrepreneur in Slovenia, the northern-most part of Yugoslavia. With Slovenia gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and the consequent to a free market economy meant a new challenge for new entrepreneurs. Stancer was among one the first-time entrepreneurs in the country who were tasked with building a wide spectrum of enterprises right from ones dedicated to automobile distribution, provision of legal and financial services to tourism.
I look at the past completely differently than I did before and as I look at the future today. But if I somehow logically rethink and articulate the experiences I have already gained, anything I would have done differently in the past would take me away from the path I walk today. – Dejan Stancer
Stancer has many years of international business experience and rich entrepreneurial experience including that as an advisor to the European Union and various global entities and renowned business leaders. Over his three-decade long career, Stancer has crafted an impeccable reputation as an ingenious industry leader. In 2020, Stancer was appointed as the CEO of GCBL as well as a Senior Advisor for the largest technology investment project in the Balkans Skopje Technology Park (STP).
Crafting a Legacy
KSBC was curated by a group of passionate entrepreneurs who wanted to see tangible change in the way economic cooperation and cross-border collaboration was envisioned. To this end, under the auspices of Stancer, the KSBC focused on the B2B segment. Since this segment represented an unexploited arena with untapped potential, the Business Club focuses on ways of building trust and cooperation between the two countries by emphasizing on it.
It is important to be open-minded for the new. Being flexible and responsive in these changing times is needed, and of course, remaining connected and looking for opportunities even where you felt they didn’t exist yesterday is pivotal. – Dejan Stancer
KSBC’s success today is hidden in the way Stancer and his colleagues chartered the course of the Business Club. Stancer asserts, “We did a lot of things for the first time and probably differently from past practices, which made all the difference from the existing one and shot KSBC out of the average.” He also lauds the role played by the Kazakhstan and Slovenian government and their officials in helping support the aims of this venture.
KSBC’s Domain of Operation
- The business centers on the KSBC premises in each country presents entrepreneurs from either side of the Club adequate space to showcase their products and services.
- The KSBC also aims to provide companies with assistance as per their individual requirements. Whether it comes to finding business partners or concluding concrete deals, the KSBC is geared towards providing all forms of assistance to entrepreneurs seeking support.
- KSBC also provides precise advice to entrepreneurs who are preparing to set up a business in either of the countries. From procedural guidelines to finding business opportunities in dependent nearby markets, KSBC ensures entrepreneurs are well-informed before they venture out into setting up a business in either of the two countries.
Leading the GCBL
Stancer is also currently dispensing the responsibilities of the Chairman at the Global Chamber of Business Leaders (GCBL), that’s a coalition of governmental leaders, CEOs and executives, entrepreneurs, investors and business and industry leaders who share the vision of building a sustainable business model. “GCBL brings together the best global leaders at its core, and seeks and offers solutions to overcome health, social and economic crisis, which in many fields has already grown into a strong crisis of values,” propounds Stancer.
Overcoming Roadblocks
In the creation of ingenuity, one is always likely to encounter obstacles. The same was true for KSBC. Stancer proposes, “Without obstacles, there would be no experience,” highlighting the expertise he gained from all these trials and obstacles, while running both the KSBC and the GCBL. Remaining true to his zeal for hard work and diligence, Stancer spends 20 hours a day working to fine-tune these organizations. To him this is an uncommon opportunity that’s he’s fortunate enough to experience. “I’m happy to have the daily opportunity to be connected to all corners of the world, to be connected to people I might otherwise never have had the opportunity to meet, while still learning new things. Believe me, it’s an invaluable experience,” mentions Stancer.
Adjusting to the New Normal
Talking about the changes induced by the pandemic, Stancer asserts, “Outwardly, it may not seem that much, but in reality, the changes are huge. The instruction to maintain physical distance, connected people differently than they could have ever imagined. People connected virtually, made new friendships, organized virtual events; in short, everything moved to another sphere.” He also added that KSBC’s work was put on halt as a result of the pandemic, but with the easing of restrictions and reopening borders, things seem to be back on track for a new normal. In such turbulent times, Stancer asserts, “A good leader is someone who knows how to motivate colleagues in these times, encourage them and thus support them.” Adjusting to the new normal is therefore hinged on astute planning as much as caring for the needs of others.
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