Lana Velimirović Vukalović
Episode · #41
POSLOVNI FM PREDSTAVLJA Lana Velimirović Vukalović
Guest Lana Velimirović VukalovićMay 3, 2026
Lana Velimirović Vukalović
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
The familiar complaint about economic centralization often ends there. But for Lana Velimirović Vukalović, the observation that "only Zagreb lives" when it comes to quality education became a specific challenge to address in her own city. As the director of Varaždin's Open Public University, she decided to build a local answer: an Academy for Entrepreneurship. Her path, from a language professor to leading a public institution and founding this academy, offers a perspective on how to foster regional economic growth not by lobbying for policy, but by cultivating local talent. Readers will consider how much latent entrepreneurial energy lies untapped in smaller communities, waiting for a platform to emerge.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
The common refrain that "only Zagreb lives" when it comes to quality education and business opportunities drove Lana Velimirović Vukalović to act. Instead of accepting the capital's dominance, she saw an opportunity to create a systematic, local entrepreneurship academy in Varaždin. The lesson: real change often begins not with policy lobbying, but with a direct challenge to a perceived imbalance, creating the missing infrastructure yourself.
02
When the public call for the Academy for Entrepreneurship opened during summer, it initially received only five applications in ten days. Then, just before the deadline, applications surged to twenty-three. This shows that initial silence doesn't always signal lack of interest; sometimes, it just takes time for the right opportunity to resonate and for word to spread, even when people are on vacation.
03
Instead of demanding full business plans, the Academy for Entrepreneurship asked applicants for a "detailed vision for the next five years" and their chosen field. This approach acknowledges that for early-stage entrepreneurs, a clear direction and a sense of purpose are more vital than a static document, allowing ideas to evolve.
04
Many young applicants to the academy expressed interest in "production-based activities," including a textile technology student who wants to produce shoes. This reveals a latent demand for tangible goods and manufacturing among younger generations, challenging the common perception that all modern entrepreneurship must be digital or service-based.
05
A student who joined the pilot project with no prior experience opened his own artisan business after completing the academy, and is now hiring staff. This outcome shows that the value of such programs lies not just in education, but in providing the practical framework and connections that accelerate the leap from idea to operating business, creating local jobs.
06
While designed for education, strong networking emerged as an unexpected "side product" of the academy, connecting participants from diverse fields with each other and with the lecturers. When you bring together a varied group, the community and collaboration often become as valuable as the formal curriculum, establishing a self-sustaining ecosystem.
07
The academy introduced local business mentors this year, explicitly to showcase that success is achievable outside of the capital. This focus on local expertise grounds entrepreneurial ambition in tangible, nearby examples, proving that valuable guidance and inspiration don't always need to be imported from larger centers.
08
Unlike slower formal education programs, the Academy for Entrepreneurship updates its curriculum annually based on market analysis and detailed feedback from participants. This agility ensures that the program remains highly relevant, directly addressing the evolving needs of its entrepreneurial community rather than relying on static, outdated frameworks.
09
The most consistent feedback from applicants was a clear desire to "stay in Croatia and work here," particularly in Varaždin. This demonstrates that local entrepreneurship initiatives can be a powerful antidote to brain drain, offering concrete reasons and opportunities for talent to build their careers and businesses in their home regions.
10
Lana Velimirović Vukalović's own path, from a professor of German and French to leading a public institution and founding an entrepreneurship academy, illustrates a broader point. An entrepreneurial mindset isn't confined to a specific industry; it is a disposition to identify unmet needs and systematically build solutions, even within established public frameworks.