BHFF Alumna Lara Sović Expands Her Professional Network at BH Professionals Meetup Munich

For BHFF Alumna Lara Sović, the BH Professionals Meetup Munich was more than an evening of networking. It was her first opportunity to travel outside Bosnia and Herzegovina through BHFF, meet professionals from a different environment, and expand her network through meaningful conversations.

When Lara saw the opportunity, her reaction was simple: why not? She knew she could contribute to the event while also gaining a new experience and connecting with people whose professional journeys could offer perspectives she would not encounter every day.

From Registration Desk to Meaningful Conversations

As part of the event, Lara was responsible for welcoming attendees and registering participants. While this gave her an active role in the organization, it also created an unexpected opportunity to connect with a wide range of people.

She did not expect to speak with more than ten people during the event, making the number of conversations one of the pleasant surprises of the experience.

Rather than simply attending and observing, Lara found herself actively engaging with professionals and asking questions about their experiences.

Learning From Different Perspectives

One conversation that particularly stood out was with Denis Sišić.

Lara approached him with questions about starting a business and received what she describes as genuinely original answers. The conversation gave her new perspectives on entrepreneurship and contributed to a change in the way she thinks about an idea she had been developing.

The experience showed the value of simply approaching someone, asking a question, and being open to an answer that might challenge an existing way of thinking.

Conversations About Women in Business

Another particularly memorable conversation was with Martina Matuško, whose personal story and openness left a strong impression on Lara.

Their discussion focused on women in business and offered an opportunity to exchange perspectives on professional development and the experiences of women navigating the business world.

For Lara, the openness of the conversation was especially meaningful. Rather than being limited to formal professional topics, the discussion allowed for a genuine exchange of ideas and experiences.

Taking Ideas Further

One of Lara's main takeaways from the meetup was a change in perspective regarding an idea she had already been considering.

The advice she received during her conversations encouraged her to reconsider certain aspects of the idea and look at it from a different angle. This made the networking experience more than simply an opportunity to meet new people—it became a source of practical input that she could take forward.

Why Experiences Like This Matter

For Lara, the value of the experience extended beyond the meetup itself.

She believes opportunities like this allow students to combine exploring a new city with something professionally meaningful, whether that means attending a conference, participating in a workshop, or, as in her case, speaking with people who have built careers and are willing to share their knowledge with younger generations.

The conversations at BH Professionals Meetup Munich demonstrated how valuable direct contact can be. Students can gain insights not only from formal presentations, but also from asking questions, listening to personal experiences, and learning from people who have already navigated some of the challenges they may encounter themselves.

A First Step Beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina

The meetup was particularly significant because it marked Lara's first opportunity to travel outside Bosnia and Herzegovina through BHFF.

What began with the simple thought of “why not?” became an experience of meeting new people, expanding her professional network, exploring a different environment, and gaining advice that influenced the way she thinks about her own ideas.

And, in true Lara fashion, she also came away with one very practical lesson for the next event: print the registration list before the trip.

After all, as she joked, the tiny font on the list printed at the event may have left her convinced she had developed a new prescription for glasses.

Beyond the joke, Lara's experience captures one of the important values of the BHFF community: sometimes a relatively simple opportunity can become a meaningful step toward new connections, new ideas, and a wider professional perspective.