Lejla Ćehić: The most successful student of the Department of Management
Our alumna Lejla Ćehić was selected as the most successful student of the Department of Management at the International Burch University. Lejla became our scholar in September 2021 and since then she was highly active in numerous areas of our foundation. We decided to have a chat to her and find out more about her ambitions.
1. Can you tell us why you chose to study management?
In high school, I was quite active in the non-governmental sector, which is how I heard about the Start Me Up High School competition, an entrepreneurial competition for high school students that was held at Burch. I gathered a team of my friends, we wrote a business plan and luckily, we passed to the second round of the competition. Unfortunately, I didn't win anything that year, and even the next year when I applied with a new business idea. However, in the fourth grade I came across a real problem that I myself faced every day, wrote a business plan, entered the competition and won first place! Not long after that, applications for universities began, and I was thinking about what direction to take. I finished high school, and all my subjects went well, I could imagine myself in everything, so I didn't even know what to enrol. I applied to many faculties, from law and IT, to political science and management. When I was accepted to all the faculties, I came across the same problem again. In the end, I looked at all the options and made an analysis of my strengths and weaknesses. I realized that I have a great love for entrepreneurship and business development, and that I have a creative spirit that I would express through marketing, and I decided that management is the best option for me. Fortunately, studying management and understanding business methods, as well as my interest in startups, brought me many good things, including a one-month entrepreneurship program in New York.
2. What is your first volunteer experience that you remember and how did it influence you to give so much of your time to charity?
I remember that already in elementary school I started with small steps of volunteering, making and selling cakes, the collected funds of which would be invested in humanitarian purposes. I was always one of the girls who would organize it all, schedule which class a male or female classmate would sell cookies, communicate with the teachers what needed to be communicated and was the first to agree to do something, without receiving any benefit from it. Precisely for this reason, already in elementary school I was chosen to be the representative of my department in the Student Council. Since I went to music school at the same time in elementary school, when I started high school, I no longer had so many obligations and decided to join several non-governmental organizations that were active in the area of the city of Bihać. With each project we implemented and with which we helped someone, I also felt better. I felt inner satisfaction and fulfillment. Over time, I also began to receive benefits from my volunteering, going to a seminar in another city and socializing with young people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also receiving some kind of scholarship.
3. You were a big part of BHFF, what roles did you play, what are your favorite moments? I fondly remember my work at BHFF. In my first year, I was part of the Academies team, where we organized 3 academies on an annual basis, which gather young people from all over BiH in one place, for several days, and where they are educated on different topics. That year, I also volunteered in the Marketing team of the Futures Leaders Summit, where, among other things, some of my beginnings in marketing took place. That year, I also received the award for the most active Junior of my generation, which I would define as the highlight of my work. Along with BHFF, I also got the opportunity to volunteer for Business Women of B&H, based in Vienna, which I visited for a few days because of that volunteering and socialized with the wonderful women who run that association. In addition, I also share a great love for singing and the piano, so on a couple of occasions I had the opportunity to express my skills in front of our scholars and guests at Celebration Night.
4. A couple of lessons you've learned in your time with BHFF?
Indeed, in two years of working at BHFF, the lessons are many. The experience with BHFF provided me with a valuable understanding of the importance of connections and leadership. By participating in workshops, conferences, and networking with professionals locally and internationally, I learned how to create and maintain professional connections that are crucial for business advancement. I had the opportunity to learn from experienced leaders in different fields, and to listen and educate myself about things I probably would never have researched on my own. BHFF gave me the opportunity to develop leadership through leading projects and teams, where I learned how to be a responsible leader, make decisions and inspire others towards common goals. Also, through BHFF, I got the opportunity to work with mentors who helped me direct my professional development. Their wealth of experience and advice was instrumental in shaping my marketing skills. Working on projects and initiatives within BHFF allowed me to collaborate with colleagues of different experiences and perspectives, improving my teamwork skills and giving me the opportunity to learn from others' experiences.
5. You currently work at Well BP as a marketing manager. Can you tell us a little more about this business? How do your previous experiences help you in this job?
Since the beginning of my university studies, I have been working alone in marketing, both through internships and volunteering, as well as through part-time jobs. I found that I'm good at it, and the fact that in my free time I like to read about trends in marketing and educate myself about the latest techniques shows that I enjoy my job. Given that I was active in the non-governmental sector in high school, I got my first job in marketing solely because of my proactivity and commitment, without any previous work in the profession. All volunteer activities and part-time jobs brought me to my current position. At the moment, the conditions suit me perfectly because I'm still studying, so due to the fact that I have flexible working hours and that I work remotely, my studies don't work out.
6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years, I see myself as a healthy individual, both for myself and for my environment. I see that I am still learning, developing in the field of marketing and at the same time I am finishing the third cycle of study-doctorate. I travel a lot, work, and am surrounded by my loved ones, healthy and happy.