Today we’d like to introduce you to Snezana Pejic.
Snezana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
While in college and working in the corporate workplace, I noticed that I had knowledge about communication and formal business protocol that was unique in both academic and corporate environments due to my work at Royal Squadron in Jordan, as well as growing up in an affluent family in Europe where civility, maturity, good manners and culture are enforced by the whole community starting at a young age.
In 1995 I enrolled at Boston University to study business management, finance and online marketing. Living among students, I had a chance to see differences in culture and individuals struggle with navigating through social settings due to lack of knowledge around communication, interpersonal skills, and professional demeanor. I had the same experience when I joined the corporate American workplace, and I envisioned a program that could help others improve the way they communicate, interact and work together.
When my daughter started school, I got involved with her school’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Every year, this amazing and awe-inspiring force of women worked diligently to organize programs that would improve the academic experience for the students and bring the local community together to create strong, tight-knit community for the children to grow up in.
The Etiquette Academy of New England was a way that I felt could make a positive impact on making our community a better place for everyone.
Today, our programs touch 500+ people per year through a variety of offerings for youth and professionals. Our programs focus topics such as business etiquette and modern standards, TEAM communication and conflict resolution, email, social media and cell phone etiquette, networking and the art of small talk, table manners, family etiquette (how to show respect to siblings and parents), how to be a gracious guest and host, social graces for public places, and much more.
We are now working on adding contemporary programs such as gender etiquette, and we are partnering with a Mandarin etiquette teacher to offer our programs to the growing Mandarin speaking population. Looking back, we have accomplished a lot in the last five years.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I expected challenges from day one, and have tried to keep an open mind by listening to my clients and team to determine what direction the company should be moving toward. At the beginning, our biggest challenge was finding the right words to describe the relevance of our programs. Later on, it was a challenge to connect with and build a network of people within the industry to evaluate if we are on the right path, and how to improve and grow.
Today, our biggest challenge is finding the right professionals to join our team as we expand and offer more youth and professional programs.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Etiquette Academy of New England – what should we know?
We offer four different segments:
1. Business Trainings: TEAM, leadership and sales communication, professional standards (etiquette), and creating, maintaining and navigating professional connections. Our two flagship trainings are: a. improving communication among team members and leadership teams, both in-person and through email and phone; b. business trainings for interns and entry-level employees, or the millennial population.
2. Youth Programs: we start at age 7, and offer age appropriate programs to improve social and communication skills, project confidence, strengthen self-esteem, build leadership skills, navigate friendships, resolve conflict, understand social cues, basic manners, table manners, and inspire a positive attitude.
3. International Programs: programs for individuals moving to New England, or professionals working with U.S and Western clientele. Our programs introduce professionals from other countries to the culture, communication and community dynamics of the Western world.
4. Marketing Services: we offer strategic marketing capabilities to promote businesses, books, articles and publications created by etiquette, protocol, manners and cotillion professionals.
Pricing:
- Youth Programs: start at $199 per person
- Professional Programs: start at $195 per person
- Professional Trainings: start at $1,500 per team
- Marketing Services: start at $250 per month
Contact Info:
- Address: 1309 Beacon Street, Suite 300, Brookline, MA 02446
- Website: theetiquetteacademy.org
- Phone: 617.608.3920
- Email: programs@theetiquetteacademy.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheEtiquetteAcademyOfNewEngland/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/EtiquetteAcadNE
Image Credit:
Boston Magazine (Photo 1: Professional Photo)
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