PR ON THE GO March 8, 2024
Entrepreneur interview:
Natasa Chondraki, Founder of Synchrono Language Center
Author: Leonidas Episkopos
Leonidas holds an MA in International Relations and is currently pursuing an MA in Strategic Communication and Public Relations. At PR ON THE GO, he brings his experience in global newsrooms and brand marketing at 3M to the local business focus.
On the occasion of International Women's Day, I'm especially honored to have Natasha Chondraki in the interview. Natasha is a successful businesswoman who founded the Synchrono Language Center in Piraeus, Greece in 1985. Since 1985, more than 10,000 adults, children and professionals from all walks of life have attended the school.
In the course of Natasa's career, her family business has been honored in terms of exclusive cooperation with organizations abroad such as CNN International, Dynamic English Education, Ladder International, etc. From 1995 to 2008 they represented the BBC New English Course in Greece. They have been involved in the creation of several projects for foreign students in Greece, in collaboration with European universities, among other successful news.
In interview: Natasa Chondraki, Owner-Director at Synchrono Center
"We work creatively from dawn to dusk, 12 months a year, inspired by our students, because for us, personalized teaching is the secret of our students' success, both in the exams and in the practical use of the language, as well as in their everyday life of work and social contacts."
"One who is committed to working in one’s own business should be ready to compromise as well as to rebel against conventions with all that it ..takes!"
Can you share with us the inspiration behind starting your business venture? What drove you to become an entrepreneur?
It’s true that I started working in my school years and by 18 I had realized that I am more creative and productive if left alone! So, when I finished my Business Studies in the UK, I was ready to implement theory into practice i.e. own a business. So I set up my school of foreign languages with the support and encouragement of my husband who has been ever since working on my side taking care of the business accounts while I was in charge of the language teaching programs and their promotion in the city.
As a business owner in your field, what obstacles did you encounter due to your gender, and how did you effectively address them?
To tell you the truth my field i.e. English and in general foreign language teaching Schools provide a friendly welcome to women who are keen on doing business. Factors like the high costs of setting up and running a business, the unstable economic environment as well as lack of any national policy to encourage the setting up of businesses are the real obstacles.
Describe a time when your business encountered a setback or failure. Also, explain the lessons you gained from this experience that have positively impacted your current business practices.
The lessons learnt in a period of almost 40 years of running our business were always very hard like the pandemic that forced us to engage in online lessons, which despite its difficult implementation seems to have opened new opportunities in new markets.
Describe an impactful event in your entrepreneurial experience that had a profound effect on your business's trajectory.
Oh, yes! We’re quite happy to have invested in online learning and to have already setup our platform since 2008 which made it possible for us to overcome the pandemic crisis while maintaining our clientele.
Tell us about a particular accomplishment or success experience that you take pride in.
Our commitment to continuously review our teaching methods led to the making of our innovative learning method named Fastschool for adults which differentiated us from the competition.
Which specific marketing and promotional tactics you have used to successfully reach your targeted customers within your industry?
The list of tactics is endless, but I’ll refer to social media advertising and to mail marketing for this era.
As a woman entrepreneur, have you faced any particular preconceptions or stereotypes? How did you manage them?
No, I haven’t although there were cases which could be interpreted as being as such. Besides, I never expected any favourable treatment, nor did I allow my gender to have any exceptional impact on my career. After all, having a family determines some specific disciplinary patterns which I have often applied in working. These were more or less effective. One who is committed to working in one’s own business should be ready to compromise as well as to rebel against conventions with all that it ..takes!
As a woman entrepreneur, how do you navigate the challenges of maintaining a balance between your personal and professional responsibilities?
In my case, I definitely tried very hard to cope with these roles, sometimes successfully…while some other times…unsuccessfully…. Yet, I’d always encourage women to take up business roles as I find their participation in business ventures has been pretty successful and rewarding.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to other aspiring women entrepreneurs based on your journey and the lessons you have acquired along the way?
Women can perform many roles and have learnt that these roles are not necessarily conflicting with one another as men have also learnt how to cooperate and realized that women are their partners and collaborators. I’d advise women to go ahead and demand help from the state which has been very insensitive and unresponsive to women’s family needs.
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