Success begins with the decision to try

“30 under 30”, Aleksandar Pejović: Success begins with the decision to try

Aleksandar Pejović was born in Kotor in 1995, and received his primary and secondary education in Budva, Montenegro, while he completed his basic academic studies at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Montenegro in Podgorica. He expressed his interests in the field of marketing and finance in the first years of his studies. During his final year of studies, in 2018, Aleksandar joined the company’s team Nestlé in Montenegro, in the position of intern in the department of trade marketing. After almost two years of work, Aleksandar gets the opportunity to try himself on a bigger market, and he goes to Belgrade, where he assumes responsibility as a specialist in the department of trade marketing for the company’s sweet program Nestlé. The further course of his seven-year career in the company brought new business opportunities to Aleksandr, and today he is a proud member of the team for key customers in Serbia, in the position Key Account Executive

• Why did you decide to develop your career in Serbia?

Coming to Serbia was a significant turning point in my career. Moving to a larger and more dynamic market allowed me to develop in areas that interested me, as well as to gain experience in regional business. I would say that we can consider Belgrade as a central location in the region, which offers the possibility of building a career to a level that will be noticed even outside the regional borders. When you work in an international environment, you have the opportunity to have your efforts and commitment recognized throughout the company. Now, after almost seven years of work experience and several changed positions, I am truly honored to be part of a team that cooperates with customers throughout Serbia, and I believe that we all learn together, develop and create solutions that can stand side by side with other markets. Here we have exceptional people and exceptionaland talents.

• What is the biggest challenge you have faced on your way to success?

Effective communication. I think half of success is based on good communication skills. This is especially characteristic of my sales job. It is normal for misunderstandings or ambiguities to occur, especially when your job requires contact with people. To avoid such situations, I devoted myself to developing my active listening skills and clarity of expression. However, this is a skill that we have to constantly practice and I think my mentors help me a lot with this. The FMCG industry is fast-paced and the sooner you learn to speak its language, the easier it will be for you to gain the trust of all relevantthem side.

• What was the turning point in your career?

I think the course of my career accelerated at the moment when I realized that I should look for and accept opportunities that allow me greater visibility and contact with partners. You should be prepared for such occasions. When I look back on the past seven years, I realize that I also faced a great challenge known as the “comfort zone”, which tends to keep us in familiar, established routines. I think it’s important to recognize when such a situation arises, because co-workers can’t always know what your potential and knowledge are if you don’t show it to them. I always keep in mind that “success begins with the decision to let’s try”.

• How does technology affect your work and how do you adapt to changes?

In the past ten years, we have witnessed the increasing acceleration of the development of technology and the transformation of the way of doing business. Due to the complexity and increased competition in the market, a detailed analysis with clear conclusions and mutual benefits is now necessary in order to call someone to action. I think it is necessary to set aside time to familiarize ourselves with new technologies and tools that enable faster and more efficient work. What used to take more than an hour can now be done in just five minutes. That’s why I believe that progress lies in investing in knowledge and relevant data, instead of operational. Knowledge is available just two clicks from us, the only question is whether we have the will to adopt that knowledge let’s apply.

• What books, podcasts, or other resources would you recommend for personal and professional development?

Among the many inspiring books that left a strong impression on me, I would single out “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. This book provides practical advice applicable to many areas of life, including the business environment. Also, John Kotter’s book “The Iceberg is Melting” highlights the importance of adapting to changes and presenting your ideas to others, which is particularly interesting in the context of the business world. When it comes to podcasts, they have become a replacement for my car radio and TV channels at home. I love listening to authors and guests and constantly learning from them. Some podcasts that I would highlight are “The Diary of a CEO”, in which today’s influential people are guests, sharing their knowledge, then “Mind Pump”, which deals with interesting topics from the world of fitness and business, as well as the local “History Cast”, which I often listen to as a big fan of history. Through books and podcasts, I have the opportunity to constantly upgrade myself and be inspired by ideas and knowledge that I can apply both professionally and personally. life.

Source: BIZLife Magazine

Photo: Stefan Jovanović and Zoran Rašić