In an industry often measured by performance, logistics, and deadlines, Ana Čalić has also focused on what, in practice, often determines long-term quality: education, a support network, and greater visibility for the professionals who keep the yachting industry moving every day. At Navela, a family-run company, she progressed from marketing to working with clients and partners, and from that experience she launched Women in Nautica (WIN) as both an event and a platform for practical, candid conversation.
WIN offers a clearer picture of who already leads processes, makes decisions, and shapes the sector, with a particular focus on the visibility of women. Through its conference, magazine, and podcast, WIN today brings together an inclusive community, opens up the industry’s most pressing topics, and expands space for mentoring and career development.
For Nautika magazine, we speak with Ana Čalić, Commercial Director at Navela and founder of the Women in Nautica initiative.
When you look back on your path at Navela, what was the first clear sign that yachting requires both a strong story and a solid structure behind it?
A strong story and a solid structure were something I noticed immediately in the business founded by my mother, and results and recognition always speak louder than words alone. That is precisely why, and also because my character is genuinely curious and eager to learn, I began my career with continuous development and learning new skills, so that I could further build the “story” and strengthen the “structure” myself.
What shaped you most personally in the industry before you launched the Women in Nautica initiative?
I believe it was a moment even before I formally began working in yachting: the decision to step into entrepreneurial waters and choose a completely different path from my peers from my graduate program in Amsterdam, who mostly started their careers in corporate consulting.
Was there a trigger that turned the idea into a decision to launch Women in Nautica? Do you remember a situation or conversation that was decisive?
The idea had been “simmering” for several years before we officially launched the initiative and held the first conference, in different formats and with different goals. As with everything, several things had to align, and in the end WIN was born when experience, desire, opportunity, and capacity came together at the right moment.
What specific need does WIN address most clearly today? Is it networking, mentoring, visibility, or career development, and which of those was most urgent at the beginning?
At the beginning, it is always important to set clear foundations: what the platform stands for and whom it represents. After the second edition of the conference, it is now clear that we do not stand only for empowering women in the industry, but that we also support men who support women in that process. We launched and continue to deliver education on the industry’s most pressing topics, and we are growing closer through a shared process of learning and development. Through the conference, magazine, and podcast, the platform has a strongly educational character, while new segments such as mentoring add a career development component, along with ambassador programs that enable key brands to actively build, together with us, a story that matters to everyone.
WIN has already had two important editions, in 2024 in Zagreb and in 2025 in Amsterdam, as part of METSTRADE. What has that continuity confirmed to you about the community and what people need?
That continuity confirmed that we are recognized not only in the region but also internationally, and that our core values resonate with all of our past, present, and future supporters. People need a place where they can learn something new and important for their careers in yachting, expand their professional network, and ultimately meet friends.
How would you define WIN in a single sentence today: an event, a platform, a community, or something broader?
WIN is a platform that enables an inclusive community to learn, grow, and develop.
How do you build the program, from topics to selecting speakers? What matters most to you in keeping the content current, practical, and sufficiently concrete?
We always build the program with an emphasis on the industry’s key topics, from technological advances to soft skills. We aim to cover as many themes as possible, but through formats that are clear and engaging for audiences to follow. The content always remains concrete when it is presented by professionals who have spent their whole lives working in the field.
How do you measure success after an event? What are the most important indicators of real impact: new partnerships, mentoring, business opportunities, or changes within companies?
The most important indicator, and the way we measure an event’s success, may sound contradictory in this digital age: it is word of mouth, when the right message travels from person to person. During and after the event, many people reach out for more information on how to join the program, become mentors, find where they can follow the podcast, and also to praise the existing content and express interest in what comes next. We are always surprised, after months of work, to see the genuine, positive impact we leave behind.
Where do you want WIN to be in the next few years? What single change would be your strongest proof that the initiative is leaving a mark on the industry?
New international opportunities for collaboration, as well as the creation of a multi-day event with interactive content, are the main steps in the project’s development. With good organization, a clear vision, and concrete support, results will surely follow, and we already invite all Nautika readers to mark December 3, 2026, in their calendars.
