LocationsElena Bokshtayeva’s story is one of transformation – a journey from the fashion shows’ catwalks to her own thriving retail business. With the support of a mentorship program for women entrepreneurs, backed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Economy of Belarus, Elena in just three months turned her business ambitions into the largest fish store in her native town of Orsha, Viciebsk region of Belarus.
Elena Bokshtayeva
Photo from Elena Bokshtayeva’s archive.
Born into a family of railroad workers, Elena initially dreamt of a career in modelling. During her school years, she pursued castings, photo shoots, and fashion shows. However, her parents, deeply rooted in the family’s railroading tradition, urged her to follow their path. She eventually enrolled in college, where she met her husband, whose family was also tied to the railroad industry. For a time, it seemed like her future was settled. Yet, Elena’s creative spirit refused to be confined.
“In my spare time, I started needlework - knitting, embroidery, creating souvenirs from natural materials. It became a lifeline after the birth of my son, while I was on maternity leave,” Elena recalls.
She registered as an artisan and sold her handmade products through three stores, marking her first foray into entrepreneurship. Yet, she admits she lacked the confidence to take her hobbies further.
A turning point for Elena came when she joined an international modeling project.
Photo from Elena's archive
A turning point came when Elena participated in an international modelling project aimed at non-professional women of all ages and diverse appearances.
“The project helped me to rediscover myself. I learned to communicate, to be active, and to believe in my potential,” she says. This newfound self-assurance would later prove pivotal.
The first steps
The business idea emerged unexpectedly when her husband took up smoking fish as a hobby. They sourced high-quality fish from Kamchatka. They bought it in bulk, but with surplus product, they began gifting it to friends and family. Word quickly spread about its high quality. Recognizing the demand and potential, Elena registered as an individual entrepreneur, quitting her railroad job and using a subsidy to purchase an industrial refrigerator. She launched an online store, leveraging social media to promote her products.
Her business began when her husband took up fish smoking as a hobby.
Photo from Elena's archive
“We eventually bought a plot of land, built our own house, and moved the operation there. But I felt the business was stagnating - I wanted more,” explains Elena.
Entering the mentorship programme
At an event hosted by the Orsha Regional Entrepreneurship Support Centre, Elena learned about the mentorship programme for women entrepreneurs and signed up. She was paired with Oksana Zhikhareva, an entrepreneur with three decades of experience in catering. Together, they tackled Elena’s challenges - from opening an offline store to optimizing social media marketing.
“My mentor helped me prioritise, develop strategies, and evaluate progress. We visited competitors, analysed their strengths and weaknesses, and refined our approach,” Elena recalls.
Elena together with her mentor Oksana Zhikhareva (left).
Photo: UNDP in Belarus
With Zhikhareva’s guidance, Elena and her husband opened their physical store within just three months -navigating inspections, diversifying their product range by 20%, and fine-tuning pricing and design. “The mentor’s experience made the process smoother. She pointed out critical details we might have missed,” adds Elena.
The buzz began long before the shop’s doors opened. Banners and billboards dotted the streets, radio hosts aired the news, and even public transport bore stickers announcing the launch of Elena’s store. The campaign paid off: on the opening day, more than 200 invoices were printed.
Inside Elena’s shop before the opening.
Photo from Elena's archive.
But the success didn’t stop there. The store’s physical presence sparked a surge in online activity too. Orders soared by over 60%, while website traffic and phone inquiries increased by 20%. Social media engagement followed suit, with a 30% rise in post reach and a steadily growing follower base.
Elena’s ambitions, however, stretch far beyond this single store. With the help of her mentor Oksana, she has drafted a business plan to establish her own fish production line.
“Our long-term goal is to create a nationwide network of stores with our own production,” she shares, her vision clear and unwavering.
Mentorship as a catalyst for women’s entrepreneurship
Elena’s journey is illustrative of a broader trend in Belarus, where the proportion of women entrepreneurs has risen to 39.5% in 2023 - a significant 8.9% increase since 2020. Globally, the narrative is similar: the 2023/24 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reports that one in ten women has started their own business, with confidence in opportunities and skills rising by 79% and 27%, respectively. Yet, the fear of failure remains a persistent hurdle.
For Elena and many others, mentoring has been a crucial tool for overcoming challenges.
Photo: UNDP in Belarus
In autumn 2024, a UNDP initiative implemented together with the Ministry of Economy of Belarus brought together 45 women entrepreneurs from Viciebsk, Mahilieu, and Homiel regions. Through this program, aspiring businesswomen gained access to resources, knowledge, and the support needed to turn their ideas into solid enterprises.
To read more about the results of the mentorship programme, please go to the portfolio.
This story is part of a regional communications project that highlights how UNDP is empowering women in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan through mentorship programs. For more inspiring stories, please visit:
https://www.undp.org/ru/kazakhstan
