B

ecoming a businesswoman was Liana Trisnawati’s dream since childhood. The dream was inspired by a number of successful businesswomen. To realize her dream, she kept struggling and finally made it as a successful businesswoman.

Liana has been involved in the business world since she was very young. As the oldest child among three children, her mother had great expectations of her. During her youth, she helped her mother until late at night as her mother was a single parent who had to work hard to raise the three children.

Liana claims she inherited her business talent from her mother, who was a professional and hard working woman. For Liana, doing business is not too difficult because since her elementary school days she assisted her mother in the batik and furniture business so she understood the right steps to take in developing the business further.

After graduating from high school, Liana took advantage of various job offers from a number of companies in a wide range of businesses to acquire experience in the business of garments, banking, industry, trading and retail.

During her spare time she studied at Trisakti University, Jakarta, and graduated with an associate degree in management. Her years of experience in business and the management knowledge she acquired at university transformed Liana into a highly capable businesswoman at the age of 29.

Liana, who is quite tall, said the hardships she went through made her an independent woman. She started her business at the lowest rung of the ladder, unlike others who are born into a wealthy family. Her childhood experiences did not make her feel inferior but rather motivated her to achieve success.

Her friends consider Liana to be a tough and daring businesswoman due to her determination. Liana is presently the president director of the Pratama Group, which is active in trading, financial consultancy, IT, integrated marketing communication and services for a floating coal terminal located in West Kalimantan. In the not too distant future the company will expand its business of coal transportation services to East Kalimantan.

Liana said that today many women have become entrepreneurs because they have passion for their work and are good at multitasking, which is why they become successful businesswomen, wives and mothers simultaneously. Not many of them are single parents like Liana who have to play the role of both father and mother.

According to Liana, women can interact easily with others and are highly competent. Apart from
that they also have the ability to establish good relations with all layers of society. On top of that, they are highly professional, disciplined, persevering, hard working and full of integrity.

As a businesswoman, Liana has had her share of failures. She never lets a failure get her down but immediately rises above it, thinks positively and motivates herself by socializing and praying. That is her strategy in business and in life.

Although having an extremely busy schedule, Liana makes time to be active in the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), the Association of Young Indonesian Entrepreneurs (Hipmi), Indonesian Businesswomen’s Association (Iwapi), the Lion’s Club and Rumah Indonesia (House of Indonesia) and slowly but surely she is directing her life toward the world of politics, because for Liana, politics is full of possibilities.

Liana said a businessperson has to have courage, confidence, working capital and the ability to network. Without these, it is difficult to become an entrepreneur, she said.

She added that not only is working capital required for doing business but it has to be supported by talent and comprehension as well as the implementation of proper business management.

“Learning to become a businessperson is very costly and invaluable because it is related to the time and energy spent in order to attain a successful stage. One can become frustrated if not fully prepared mentally. I myself had similar experiences and my life story is full of successes and failures,” she said.

Liana also has an ambition to go international and has held international-class events, such as business forums and promoting Indonesia’s rich investment and cultural potentials in a number of Asian countries, Australia, Europe and the US. Recently, she held the Indonesia Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, in connection with the visit of the Indonesian President to Turkey.

Currently her company, which is active in integrated marketing communication, is heavily promoting Indonesia through Integrated Trade Tourism Investment (TTI). Recently, Liana and her team held an exhibition and the fourth TTI business forum called JakVest 2010.

The event, carrying the theme “Grab the Future for Indonesian Global Investment”, ran from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at Balai Kartini, Jakarta, and was participated in by state-owned companies guided by the Community Development Partnership Program and Regional Investment Coordinating Boards from throughout Indonesia, multinational companies, association of entrepreneurs and 10 foreign chambers
of commerce. National Batik Day was commemorated during the event on Oct. 2.

In an optimistic tone, Liana, who loves gado-gado (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce), added that a major task in 2011, that is, promoting Indonesia in Europe, awaits her full attention. Perfect Comm in collaboration with the Indonesia French Chamber of Commerce and Industry will hold the largest exhibition and business forum in Paris.

This event, called Indonesia Trade Tourism and Investment, will be supported by a number of Indonesian ministries and will invite 250 participants from the government, state-owned companies, companies owned by regional government, private companies and businesspeople from the European continent.

“It is a unique satisfaction in itself to be able to help promote Indonesia, which is rich in its natural resources, to foreigners. I must emphasize that our rich natural resources and culture are equal to those of any country in the world. That is why Indonesia has to be introduced to foreigners so that they are attracted,” she said.

That is the life story of Liana, who was born in Jakarta in 1968. She said one has to make the best of available opportunities because life has its ups and downs. As a human being, she said, we must realize that success and health can change at any time.

“Avoid arrogance and always be grateful for what God has granted us and never forget to share with those who are less fortunate,” she concluded.

Background

Name: Liana Trisnawati
Place/date of birth: Jakarta, Aug. 29, 1968
Status: Single

Education:

1987-1991: associate degree in management, Trisakti University
1991-1993: Communication and Public Relations, Trisakti University