Meet Marija Cvetanovska

Balancing entrepreneurship, postgraduate studies and motherhood is no easy task, but for Marija Cvetanovska, each experience has helped shape her professional journey. A graduate from North Macedonia with an MBA in International Management from Wittenborg, Marija combines entrepreneurial experience with a passion for leadership, business development and customer experience.

Before pursuing her MBA, Marija studied Linguistics and Literature at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. Alongside her academic journey, she founded and managed her own beauty business, gaining valuable experience in entrepreneurship, marketing, customer relationship management, operations and team leadership.

Reflecting on her decision to continue her studies, Marija says: "Having founded and managed my own business, I had gained valuable entrepreneurial experience, but I wanted to complement that practical knowledge with a deeper understanding of global business strategy, organisational management, marketing and cross-cultural leadership."

Wittenborg's international learning environment and practical approach to education made it a natural choice. During her MBA, Marija strengthened her strategic thinking, project management and problem-solving skills while collaborating with classmates from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. These experiences enhanced her communication skills, adaptability and ability to work effectively in multicultural environments.

During her MBA, Marija was managing her business, writing her thesis and becoming a mother at the same time. Reflecting on this, she says: "Throughout my studies, everyone was incredibly understanding, encouraging and genuinely interested in both my academic progress and my personal journey."

She adds: "They celebrated important milestones with me, checked in on how I was doing and created an environment where I felt supported as both a student and a person."

Her time at Wittenborg also helped bring one of her long-term ambitions to life. "I had always dreamed of opening my own beauty academy, but it was during my time at Wittenborg that this vision truly became a reality," she explains. Through encouragement, mentorship and practical learning, she gained the confidence to take the next step and establish what is now The Velvet School.

Fluent in Macedonian, Serbian, Turkish, Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian and English, with Dutch at B1 level, Marija brings a genuinely international perspective to her work. Her entrepreneurial mindset, adaptability and strong communication skills have helped her navigate different industries, cultures and challenges.

Having completed her MBA, Marija is now looking to build a long-term career in the Netherlands within areas such as Learning & Development, Retail Training, Customer Experience, Brand Marketing, Project Management or Business Development. She is particularly interested in organisations where she can combine strategic thinking, creativity and people-focused leadership while continuing to grow professionally.

Is Marija the professional your organisation is looking for? Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn.