Her Story
About Gordana
Gordana Milekic founded 3D Visionary Events in Chicago, Illinois, a company that provides services for weddings, corporate events, and birthdays. She has been in her current position for about five years and has been running her own company for a little over a year. Milekic began her career as a barista at McCormick Place, later worked as a sales manager for Target Mobile, and returned to the hospitality field after college, serving as a banquet director at Carnival where she developed a passion for making clients' visions come to life. She completed high school and two years of college in Belgrade, Serbia, before graduating from Purdue University Calumet in 2017. As a female in a male-dominated industry, Milekic has worked twice as hard to prove herself while leveraging her vision to customize events and exceed client expectations.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Gordana
01What do you attribute your success to?
My family, my uncle and my mom really pushed me forward and always had my back with everything. They always encouraged me that I could do anything I want if I want it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I had a mentor who told me when I didn't think I could qualify or be as good as anyone else, just keep pushing forward and never give up on your dreams. You could say your mind too. That kind of helps guide me when I'm feeling down.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell her to always keep her head up high, to never let anyone discourage her. It doesn't matter if she's big, tall, small, her race, her color, nothing matters. As long as she wants something, she can succeed at it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
My biggest challenge is that I am a female in a male industry, I just had to work twice as hard to prove myself. My opportunity is I have a lot of visions, I just need to get to know my clients and see what they want, and I could create something what they were not expecting. Being a female also gives me that sense that I can customize almost anything and give them new ideas.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty. For your team, guiding them through the hard times even though they may be difficult. We're all human, we make mistakes, we just have to keep moving forward and try not to make the same mistakes again.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.