In 2017 CEED Slovenia introduced the New Frontiers series which features international experts sharing their insights about trends and the future. Regardless of the type of business you’re in global trends impacts every entrepreneur given the interconnectedness of business today.
CEED Global Advisor and Founder of Priceline.com, Jeff Hoffman was the first featured speaker. More than 250 participants attended the inaugural event where Jeff presented the latest trends brought to us by new technologies, such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and robotics. In addition, Jeff shared methods and practical advice for achieving business excellence, emphasizing the importance of continuous innovation, striving for the constant improvement, ability to see same things in a new way, staying genuinely curious in order to better understanding customers. Participants were also addressed by CEED Global Director, Peter Righi and Director of CEED Slovenia Barbara Bregar – Mrzlikar, and US Ambassador to Slovenia HE Brent Hartley. The event concluded with a round table introducing some of the most successful Slovene entrepreneurs Matjaž Čadež (Halcom) and Sandi Cesko (Studio Moderna), who added the Slovene perspective on the topic of global trends presented by Jeff. The debate was refreshing and inspiring, leaving the participants with energized and motivated to innovate in their business and achieve excellence.
The following day Jeff Hoffman hosted a workshop on building a global brand, which was designed to take participants though an even more in the depth process of creating value in the busy world of new challenges brought to us by the new technologies.
Hoffman, who had visited Slovenia in 2013 for the first time, saw the difference in the Slovene environment even over the past few years stating, ”I am surprised. In the morning I visited some entrepreneurs and companies, with whom I talked four years ago. One of the local companies that previously operated only in the Slovenian market, now has offices in London and San Francisco. The breakthrough is happening. The companies are rapidly evolving and wish to operate better on a global scale.”
