In today’s rapidly evolving corporate landscape, organizations strive not only to stay afloat but to thrive amidst challenges. This is where business consultancy emerges as a guiding light, offering tailored solutions to navigate complexities and achieve remarkable growth. In an era where adaptability is key and innovation is the pulse, Libra Consulting led by Jelena Djakovic not only ensures a company’s survival but also propels it towards unmatched accomplishments.
Jelena’s journey has been a serpentine path, eventually leading her to discover a profound passion for marketing. From her early days as a gifted artist to her intrigue with international relations, psychology, philosophy, and languages, a fusion of these interests brewed within her, ultimately crystallizing into a fervor for the world of business – she just didn’t know what to call that combination at the time.
Jelena studied Applied arts in college in Belgrade, and had a great scholarship in the US for a year, where she had the incredible opportunity to study, granting her the freedom to explore diverse subjects and broaden her intellectual horizons. Then she came back to Serbia, graduated from college, and started working for a marketing agency, almost by accident, and that is when she fell in love with Marketing, that in the widest sense, became her true calling in life.
She has achieved a master’s degree in business and opened a separate company that makes leather goods – to stay true to her artistic side, but Business Consulting is Jelena’s biggest passion.
Libra Consulting: 7 Years of Excellence
Libra Consulting headquartered in Belgrade was founded exactly 7 years ago, in August of 2016. It was initially created out of Jelena’s desire to offer high end hotels and restaurants a marketing and consulting firm that truly understands their needs.
Jelena Says,
“Hospitality is a very unique business and it takes a lot of understanding of the finesse of that business to do marketing and consulting well. Five star hotels are always open, 24/7/365, and the needs of guests, and thus, the hotels, will come at all times of day, night, weekend and holiday, without exception. So, you need to predict needs well, plan a very long time in advance, and be totally prepared for everything absolutely at the last minute.”
Libra has stayed true to that initial motivation – delivering custom made, creative and effective ideas and strategies while providing unwavering assistance to its esteemed clientele.
From Concepts to Creations
Libra Consulting is a full service marketing and business consulting company, so it offers a very wide spectrum of services, all with the same end purpose – to make the business more visible and more profitable.
Jelena also owns a leather goods company, for which she designs leather goods.
She says, “Both businesses seem very opposite, but are quite complimentary, and a very good combination for me and the team to always stay creative and challenged.“
In today’s world where most things are automated and all services are done with a pattern, we strive to personalize our service 100%, to offer each and every client and product our full attention while developing a personalized, tailor made strategy that will work for them.
We are always working on new things, partnering with new organizations. Our current pet project is called NIXY. It is a platform that supports women in the workplace, through anything that they might be going through – from fertility challenges, mobbing, or hitting the glass ceiling, to menopause and grief.
Tackling Difficulties
Difficulties are an inherent aspect of the business landscape, affecting individuals at all levels. For Jelena, workforce shortage is the utmost difficulty her company is facing right now as she says, ”There are severe workforce shortages everywhere, so finding young, bright, motivated people to join us has been more difficult than before.”
On one hand we are getting more clients than ever. Our insight shows that companies are more willing than before to completely outsource their overall marketing, sales strategy, brand positioning, almost as a rule.
On the other hand – finding people to properly manage the client accounts is hard. Sure, we have many candidates, but in my recent, or better to say post-Covid experience, the new generation has a lot of expectations and entitlement, but unfortunately (someone has to say it) very little to offer – no grit, no work ethic, very little creativity.
We are currently doing a lot to entice and keep the brightest young talent, because they are truly rare.
Leader’s way to Keep Workplace Productive
Workplace motivation is the driving force that propels employees to engage energetically and productively in their tasks and responsibilities. It encompasses the internal and external factors that inspire individuals to strive for excellence, take initiative, and maintain a positive attitude towards their work. A motivated workforce not only increases overall productivity and efficiency but also fosters a collaborative and vibrant organizational culture, leading to higher job satisfaction and ultimately, business success.
While we asked Jelena that how does she keeps the workplace motivated, She stated,
“We are a small team, internally, with a lot of outsourced and freelance team members, so it is real work to keep the Libra Consulting community close and happy. Team Building, small gifts, bonuses, benefits, no clocks-ins for work hours, family style meals for the team.”
Her remarks on Criticism and Disagreements:
Criticism is always welcome. Even if it is not well intended it teaches us something, and always makes us better – so bring it on.
Disagreements… mmm, depends. If they are constructive – by all means. I am always happy when team members have a different idea for the strategy or disagree with the approach and have argumentation for that.
Client Satisfaction comes first
Client satisfaction stands as the cornerstone of the company’s success, fostering enduring relationships and driving continuous growth. The unwavering commitment to meeting and exceeding client expectations has not only garnered their trust but also solidified the company’s reputation as a trusted partner in the ever-evolving landscape of business.
Libra Consulting is thriving, with satisfied clients who have remained loyal since its inception—an impressive rarity in the competitive realm of marketing. Any individual familiar with the marketing industry will recognize the exceptional rarity of such an achievement.
Jelena states, “Clients are evolving as so much information is available online, and everywhere else, also – pretty much anyone with a smartphone and Instagram account thinks they are a marketing expert now. Anyone with access to a platform like Canva is now a designer. But that aside, clients know a lot actually, and that is great for business.
They come prepared, you can dive right into strategy, without losing time on other things… I am very happy about these developments.”
She further explains, “We take feedback extremely seriously. Our clients are our employers, and a happy client is worth much more than the invoice at the end of the month. We do stick to our guns if we know we are right and it will benefit the client, and we always take full responsibility.”
Piece of Advice for Young Aspiring People
Work hard. Balance is great, and necessary but it also means – when you are working – work as hard as you possibly can.
Be responsible. Accountable. This is a word I feel is almost forgotten. Responsibility for yourself, your work, your results, your life – we need more of that.
Remember the feeling of shame. It is another forgotten word in today’s world.
If you do something wrong – you should feel ashamed. That feeling will make you remember, learn and never make that mistake again. It will drive you forward, and make you a better person, and a better professional.
We have lost a lot in the business world because we are no longer ashamed of anything as people.