Helping the Weak, Keeping My Feet on the Ground

She says: “I’m lucky that my job revolves around empowering families to raise their kids in a loving and nurturing environment. In Serbia, 15 years ago, some 58 percent of children did not attend preschool. I like the fact that we’re using the platform from my husband’s success to make a difference.” 

But to make a difference, you need the right tools as well as the vision. That comes from years of study and experience in the field. After graduating from Bocconi University in 2008 with a degree in Business Administration, Ristić moved to Monte Carlo to work in human resources for the Tamoil oil company. “In retrospect, I wasn’t well-suited to working in a large organization. So I decided to do a master’s degree in luxury goods and services at the International University of Monaco.” There she learned a lot about how to develop a brand, from storytelling to digital promotion. “When I graduated, Novak asked me to be part of his team. My vision for his personal brand was to highlight his passionate, but also compassionate and charitable side. We renamed his foundation, opened offices in different countries, changed its mission, and focused our work on promoting early childhood education. We make a good team.” A project that has helped more than 50,000 children in Serbia by giving over $10 million to open 55 kindergartens. “The foundation has also been used as a case study by the World Bank to show how nonprofit organizations can make a difference in developing countries,” she adds. 

But even for Ristić, who describes herself as a lucky woman, there have been bumps in the road. “At a young age, when you experience power and fame, and on top of that you also have means, it’s crucial to stay cool and focused on what matters most. It’s easy to become reckless and relentless. To start thinking you can do whatever you want, whenever you want to. People come to you to offer you gifts and opportunities, to sell you things... it all seems so easy. It takes a lot of effort to stay focused and not be taken in by everything that comes your way. Money attracts lot of things, some good and some not so good. The challenges I faced help me stay awake and aware. 

“For example, when we set down the Foundation’s mission, we were guided by the studies by UNICEF. Those studies were clear – every $1 invested in a child during their formative years becomes $4 in the future. It also prevents many problems society would face if we miss the opportunity to give children a fair start. There was no doubt in our minds that this was the right thing to do, and we also put our own money into our projects because we really believe that prevention is the key.” 

Ristić adds: “I also have to say that my partner’s choice, who wants to have a strong woman at his side, made a difference in my path. We were both very young and inexperienced, and we had to manage his brand. He has always been very supportive as a partner, and gave me the opportunity to prove myself. We sometimes joked that he had more faith in me than he should have. Happily, I didn’t disappoint him.”