The Most Valuable Thing I Gained from My MBA Still Lasts Today
“The most valuable part for me is the networking that continues even after all these years.”
“I believe the MBA influenced my career, but more indirectly than directly,” recalls Vesna Jurković. “I enrolled in 2011, during the recession. It was a time when I could dedicate myself to further education because work wasn’t as intense. I wanted to meet people, see what was happening in other industries, and discover how that could benefit me.”
At the time, she was working in finance – corporate finance, financial controlling, and credit risk. “These were mostly administrative, back-office roles. However, I always felt the need to get involved in various projects, to do something new. I enrolled in the MBA out of curiosity, but also to make good use of that time.”
The Search for Something New
After completing her MBA in 2013, Vesna spent a few more years in the corporate world. “The market was still stabilizing, but I was increasingly thinking about leaving the system. The MBA gave me the confidence and determination to step into entrepreneurship.”
Confidence to Transition into Entrepreneurship
In 2018, she founded her own company, 3D Business Finance. “I combined three areas I had worked in – financial controlling, working with legal entities, and credit risk. I brought them together into one concept and started building my story with entrepreneurs. My goal was to educate them, help them understand how the financial sector works, and make it easier for them to access financial leverage, all to support their growth.”
Over the years, the business grew. “Today, there are eight of us. We’ve expanded into financing mediation for individuals, with a special focus on business owners, because it works perfectly together. Often, the business owner doesn’t have a good personal credit rating, but the company does, so we combine options and help achieve the ultimate goal.”
For Vesna, the most valuable part of the MBA wasn’t the diploma but the people. “To this day, many of us stay in touch. We exchange knowledge, trends, contacts, and often collaborate on projects. That’s the most valuable part for me – the networking that continues even after all these years.”
Networking That Lasts and Lessons That Shape
Her professional growth was also influenced by the people she worked with, and perhaps most of all by clients who presented challenges. “My first boss at Metro left a huge mark. He taught me that high pressure can be overcome with solutions that don’t have to be perfect but are good enough and useful. That was a lesson about stress and deadlines that I still apply today.”
Of all the MBA modules, she enjoyed the Advanced Management Program the most. “We simulated running a company, and I found it fantastic. Discovering marketing was particularly interesting because I hadn’t explored it in depth before. And my fondest memories are the social interactions – conversations with people, realizing how professional life impacts personal life. It was relaxed, open, and rich with valuable experiences.”
It wasn’t easy balancing the MBA, work, and family life. “I was a single mom with two small children. It was very challenging, but it all comes down to organization. After the MBA, I gradually transitioned into entrepreneurship – first as a consultant, and in 2018, I opened my company and left the bank.”
Today, she believes the MBA is most beneficial for people aged 35 to 40. “At that age, you have experience, contacts, and enough maturity, but also the courage to step into entrepreneurship. I started at 39, and I think it was the perfect age.”
For Vesna, a successful leader is someone with high emotional intelligence, consistency, perseverance, and loyalty to their goals and values. “They must be a fair player and present. People are the ones who can bring you the greatest growth, but also the greatest challenges. Managing people is the hardest part. There’s no magic formula; everyone has to go through their baptism by fire.”
To those considering an MBA, she advises: “Don’t enroll before at least eight to ten years of experience. An MBA is a program that gives the most when you already have something to offer the group and when you can extract value from interacting with your peers. For me, it was one of the best experiences because the networking continues to this day.”