FPower Entrepreneur Interview: Elli Tsirliagkou
“The challenges of female entrepreneurship”
16 Sept 2019
On the 84th Thessaloniki Fair International and its DIGITAL GREECE section, the FPOWER NGO, that promotes female leadership in Greece, Olga Azilazian and Rosanna Mortoglou interviewed founder of ATRION Art Gifts Elli Tsirliagou and the three of them discussed about the challenges of female entrepreneurship.
Elli Tsirliagkou, architect and MBA INSEAD graduate, understood the need for premium and custom designed corporate gifts and today ATRION is a leader in the corporate gifts and awards market.
She first highlighted the problems that most entrepreneurs of her generation faced when starting their business just before or during the economic crisis in Greece, sharing the feelings of insecurity and doubt in an environment of economic instability.
Elli Tsirliagkou then focused on the diverse female roles talking about the difficulties of trying to keep a balance between maternal and professional life. She referred not only to the relation of the two under the pressure of everyday life, but also to the critical period of starting a business that often coincides with the period of starting a family, emphasizing the need of state support so that maternity does not consist an obstacle for young professionals.
As she pointed out “Up to now a woman’s professional activity was often of subsidiary importance, the kind of ‘going out of the house’ and just have an occupation. This social convention is far from the cultivation of a culture of women choosing to start their own business. Due to the economic crisis, women are now forced to contribute more actively than ever before and support their family income not just by choice but for reasons of necessity. Today this abrupt change needs to be framed by the appropriate tools and organisations like FPower in order working women to be supported and encouraged to start the business of their own and getting to know other equivalent examples”. She also emphasized the importance of networking and interaction among women in business and the creation of a ‘community’, “Βeing part of a team with other women you can relate and share your thoughts and concerns can strengthen a stronger feeling of security”.
Elli Tsirliagkou then highlighted the significant role of mentorship, a very common practice abroad, that is right now being promoted in Greece mostly through organisations like FPower. “Mentors have something that young professionals lack but is of great importance; experience. A mentor is the only person that will support and transmit their knowledge and valuable point of view-and sometimes that is the only thing you need in order to avoid mistakes”.
Giving the answer to the final question of what actually consists a business, the answer is simple; “Its people” replies Elli Tsirliagkou with great enthusiasm.
For more information contact www.fpower.gr.
