Arijana Maksimcuk, owner of Telemax company: In business, there is no waiting - you either create or you disappear

Ariana Maksimchuk entered entrepreneurship when the circumstances were anything but favorable. In the post-war period, without safe templates and ready-made paths, she decided to build her own system of values ​​and work. Telemax was born from the need for creation, freedom and constant pushing of boundaries, and its founder is today considered one of the rare female leaders in the engineering and technological business in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- After all, it is, first of all, a matter of character, and then also of business culture, which with us private individuals always stems from this first... I could never accept that something could not be done, just because obstacles appeared. If I spent hours, days, years on a project that is realistic, rational and sustainable, I could not forgive myself if any procedure and bureaucracy stopped me. I could say a lot on that topic, I went through a lot of procedures applying new technologies, which is perhaps the slowest and most difficult process in institutions, because there are no rules for new technologies and anything that goes "out of the box".

In my experience, I don`t have unfinished subjects or unsuccessful projects due to institutions and bureaucracy, because I have at least a thousand recipes for mastering it. I am guided by the principle "you can never be as persistent in ignoring as I can be persistent in insisting". There was everything, from sitting in front of offices all day, to chasing around the field and intercepting on the stairs. Some would say that it might be inappropriate. But when you know that you are right and when the existence of dozens of families depends on your results, there is no shame, door or obstacle that can stop me.

I only regret my time and energy that was spent on bureaucracy, instead of creation and progress. Life would be better and simpler for everyone in the state if we spent time on creation, and not on waiting for the slow processes that apply in institutions. Because the biggest problem is the slowness and procrastination of the process, and business does not tolerate that.

- I have to admit that there are also positive examples of state administration, and here I come back to the fact that everything in life, even in state systems, starts with people. From those who lead and who give their personal, characterful example to the administration they lead. For example, the municipalities of Gradiška and Laktaši give us hope that the administration could one day speed up and follow the businessmen. Just as it is important for me to get a job, perform it well and get paid, it should also be important for decision-makers that someone brings new technology to their environment, applies it successfully and points to new directions for their environment. And they recognized it. That`s how we influence everyone around us, encourage each other to move forward. I didn`t allow any negative energies or obstacles, which were often "invisible" to stop me. Creative energy is much stronger and more powerful than negative energy, as my life and experience have shown.

I have no fear of the unknown, because when I enter any new project or technology, I prepare very well and have a large database that I use for preparation. I`m not vain and I like to hear a lot of different opinions before making a decision. There are a lot of preparatory meetings with people both here and abroad, where I ask for advice and consultation, and only when my intuition and tables confirm it, do I enter an unknown project. It takes a lot of time, it requires a lot of sacrifice, but that is why it is important that my family understands and follows me.

- The slogan of our company is "The Future Today", because in my biography I have many technologies that I applied for the first time in our country. It`s my passion and it turned out to bring the biggest profit. For me it is something natural and very simple. It is probably a matter of talent and a special sensibility for the new and unknown that I recognize as a challenge. I dunno, I seem to have a "sixth sense" for innovation.

- I remember the construction of the Delta shopping mall as an extremely difficult project. And not because of the type of installations and technologies that we had to complete, although we used new technology, but rather the problem of the organization of the construction site and the relationship between the investor and the main contractor, which is still in court today regarding the payment of that project. The pressure felt by all of us who were present as contractors on that building is for me an example of an endurance test. There is no money in the world that will make me participate in anything like that in the future. That`s why I turn to projects that depend on me the most. It is easier for me to move the mountain by myself than to wait, hope and believe that the others will turn one stone at a time.

Immediately after the publication of the Law on Renewable Sources, in 18 months we installed over 8.5 MW of solar power, which after the Delta project was a real recovery for us and a return to the normal functioning of the company, which I consider our exceptional success. For the same period of time, we achieved a much higher income with the great satisfaction of all employees and without any pressure, out-of-series efforts that we had to invest before. But this type of business that we have chosen requires a lot of additional work. I work a lot on my improvement, I study a lot. I am very persistent, sometimes too much, until I push it to the end and I have a strong intuition as my hidden weapon and I am the most creative in organizing work.

I managed quite significant and demanding projects, completely different in terms of technologies, and it was always a new challenge for me. So far, I haven`t had any mistakes or unfinished projects because, in addition to the vision and strategy, I am also very focused on the details. We, as a contractor, have a great responsibility - and that is to complete the work according to the principle of light in hand. Sometimes it is ideal, and sometimes it is very demanding, as I mentioned. However, one thing is common in both cases - we have to finish regardless of the cost. And that`s why we`ve been successfully existing for 23 years.

- By taking care of employees, good salaries and a humane approach. As a director, I am very demanding and it is not easy to follow me. But I also try to give back to my people not only financially, but also with a lot of empathy for their life and human circumstances. I constantly have several employees with whom I personally work and finally, after many years, I received support in this. I found an excellent HR expert who helps me and my younger son a lot in selecting employees.

- Business ethics, dedication, motivation and will to work and create. The resourcefulness that is necessary to possess in order to overcome obstacles. That, I responsibly claim, is becoming the biggest problem for newly employed people. It is already a matter of public policies and business culture that is built, nurtured and encouraged in a systemic and educational society, and this is where I personally see big problems in our environment in the future, because no one is working on it. Neither the school, nor the institutions, and the family is slowly lagging behind in that field. As a society, we are still burdened by backward beliefs and values ​​such as "secure job", "civil service"... But this is a topic that should be devoted to more than one question, and I would stop there. Perhaps you, as creators of public policies, could support us entrepreneurs to jointly and systematically try to change the awareness of this topic?

- After 30 years of my directorial and leadership role, I was recognized by the media and people who started to deal with the topic of female leadership, which is a very rare phenomenon in our region. Because it is much easier and more painless in life to be a classic woman than a woman leader and decision maker. Not because women are weak or not valuable enough, but because society is created in such a way that, although it gives a certain space to women to develop in business, on the other hand, it expects her to keep all those other roles that are extremely demanding.

The process in society that helps create a greater number of women leaders is a process in which, to begin with, stereotypes that apply in our region must be changed in society. It is the most difficult process and that is why so few women appear in leadership positions. Unfortunately, women leaders who have courage, family support and the power and knowledge to do something really worthy of respect appear very rarely in our area. I am very sorry that the female energy, which is positive, much fairer and not burdened by the competitive spirit like the male, does not have more space and support. We all know that with women in leadership positions, we would have a more humane society, and that is why we must all work to support today`s girls so that they are stronger, more resilient and win our battles tomorrow.

The processes are so slow, but that doesn`t mean we shouldn`t fight every day. A typical women`s business is, for example, banking, where you have the largest number of women employees, and you do not have a single woman as a general director in BiH. That`s why I think that this question is very difficult to answer, and this again opens up a new topic of the "glass ceiling" that women in business face. Everything is given to you, but not to the top... Nevertheless, I responsibly claim that with the support of decision-makers, directors, owners or themselves - women can do everything, they have a chance in all areas, as I have successfully worked for 30 years in a typically engineering male business.

- Only good and precise organization and work on yourself both on tools in the business and on new recipes in the kitchen, which is a pleasure for my loved ones! I embraced my "invisible work" and with great pleasure I am both a cook and grandmother, I prepare ajvar and make a ritual out of it. I may sleep less, but my spirit is more hungry for inspiration than rest.