0:00:07.275,0:00:08.706 Everything that I am today, 0:00:08.706,0:00:11.853 and everything that I do,[br]is based on what I've been through. 0:00:11.853,0:00:15.078 Especially for the last ten years.[br]Because before that -- 0:00:15.202,0:00:19.589 I am thirty today,[br]thirty-one in fourteen days -- 0:00:19.589,0:00:19.590 before that, 0:00:19.590,0:00:24.852 the first twenty years of my life[br]were absolutely wonderful. 0:00:24.921,0:00:27.098 I was raised by wonderful parents, 0:00:27.098,0:00:31.489 who gave me love and taught me[br]what's important in life. 0:00:31.489,0:00:36.631 I was able to travel a lot,[br]I was very active, I was playing piano, 0:00:36.649,0:00:39.170 I was very active in sports as well,[br]playing tennis. 0:00:40.814,0:00:43.175 And all of that opened many doors for me. 0:00:43.341,0:00:47.155 So right after high school in Ljubljana, 0:00:47.155,0:00:53.919 I was invited to go study to the United States,[br]on a full athletic scholarship. 0:00:53.981,0:00:59.500 I came to California when I was eighteen[br]with a full scholarship, 0:00:59.500,0:01:01.829 everything in front of me, 0:01:01.829,0:01:06.959 and I was feeling so lucky.[br]What could even go wrong? 0:01:07.590,0:01:11.249 Everything is perfect,[br]I'm at the top of my life, 0:01:11.249,0:01:14.220 I'm 18 and I have so much more to give. 0:01:14.220,0:01:20.177 Well, 10 years ago, when I was 20,[br]all this had a rather scary ending. 0:01:20.701,0:01:25.933 Something happened to me[br]that was definitely my first turning point in my life, 0:01:25.933,0:01:31.473 and completely changed me,[br]I can see and feel that very strongly today. 0:01:31.473,0:01:34.823 Since I was so active and involved in everything 0:01:34.885,0:01:41.987 I didn't have much time for partying,[br]going out, boys, flirting. 0:01:43.095,0:01:46.107 When I was 20, I got my first boyfriend. 0:01:46.107,0:01:50.555 He was very involved in basketball.[br]He was on the national team. 0:01:50.555,0:01:55.926 He was my first love, the first guy[br]I held hands with in Ljubljana. 0:01:56.742,0:02:01.814 We were together even after I went[br]to the United States, even though I knew 0:02:01.814,0:02:06.157 it was a big challenge, since I was so young.[br]Was it going to last or not? 0:02:06.157,0:02:08.114 But destiny took it's own way. 0:02:08.114,0:02:12.171 One day I called my father home,[br]and said, "How are you, dad?", he said 0:02:12.171,0:02:17.240 "Ana everything is fine --",[br]we were just having a casual conversation 0:02:17.240,0:02:21.750 but I felt immediately that something was wrong.[br]Ten minutes later he told me 0:02:21.750,0:02:27.868 that my boyfriend died instantly in a car crash.[br]We were both 20 at that time. 0:02:27.868,0:02:37.592 I can honestly tell you -- I have to zoom into present now[br]because today his father passed away -- 0:02:38.054,0:02:45.753 it is really hard, I just found out a few hours ago.[br]I'm zooming back to past now. 0:02:46.800,0:02:49.876 When my dad told me,[br]my whole world collapsed. 0:02:49.876,0:02:52.906 Nobody could really understand me,[br]I was half the world away, 0:02:52.906,0:02:59.272 I was by myself. I had friends there but they didn't really understand me because nobody knew truly who I am. 0:02:59.272,0:03:05.083 So I got really depressed.[br]I was down, emotionally completely broken. 0:03:05.991,0:03:12.823 I lost faith in life, which I had so much before[br]because I thought nothing could happen to me. 0:03:13.808,0:03:20.450 That's when it started. I got really depressed,[br]I flunked out of college one semester, took a break. 0:03:20.450,0:03:23.197 Playing tennis kept me going. 0:03:23.197,0:03:27.957 Through these couple of months I realized[br]that this [person] wasn't Ana. 0:03:27.957,0:03:31.164 I couldn't always be like that,[br]this isn't what I am supposed to be. 0:03:31.164,0:03:38.247 So I somehow stood up, finished college[br]with very good grades. I came back to Slovenia. 0:03:39.123,0:03:42.817 I still wasn't being myself,[br]I was still trying to find my way. 0:03:42.817,0:03:47.547 I came here and did my Master's [degree][br]in a year and a half, realy easily. 0:03:47.547,0:03:53.749 Every time I put something in my head, I know that it's[br]only a matter of matter of operative work [to do it]. 0:03:53.749,0:03:59.797 So I finished my Master's with a ten.[br]Good job, Ana! Not so proud of that today. 0:03:59.797,0:04:03.979 I'm much more proud of what I feel[br]and what I do currently. 0:04:03.979,0:04:09.462 I got a job which was very good, for two years,[br]in a huge pharmaceutical company. 0:04:09.462,0:04:15.306 Very good experience, but after two years[br]I realized this is not making me happy. 0:04:16.291,0:04:20.843 I was put in a little box, I couldn't think[br]with my own thoughts and my ideas. 0:04:20.843,0:04:24.782 So I quit. Everybody asked me[br]if I had a back-up plan. 0:04:24.782,0:04:27.047 "No, I don't know what I'm going to do." 0:04:27.047,0:04:33.313 I did a few things in between, and then I met[br]some people from Switzerland and Lichtenstein 0:04:33.313,0:04:40.211 and saw a huge opportunity in solar energy[br]that was evolving fast in Slovenia in 2009. 0:04:42.196,0:04:45.865 I agreed with them to open[br]a daughter company in Slovenia, 0:04:45.865,0:04:48.192 develop a huge business development project 0:04:48.192,0:04:53.058 which would have been the biggest in solar energy[br]in Europe if it had succeeded. 0:04:53.058,0:05:00.080 I devoted my entire one year in this project,[br]involving a lot of companies from here, 0:05:00.080,0:05:06.212 Unicredit Bank, lawyers, Ernst&Young,[br]quality control management team from California, 0:05:06.212,0:05:09.492 from Germany -- it was really huge. 0:05:09.492,0:05:15.968 And after twelve months, the investor, my mother company told me they don't have any money to invest. 0:05:16.015,0:05:18.788 The entire project flopped. 0:05:19.773,0:05:25.127 All the costs that occurred were left on me,[br]so I paid for everything. 0:05:25.127,0:05:31.190 So because of this project, today I have a loan.[br]I was really disappointed. 0:05:31.190,0:05:37.752 This was another huge disappointment in my life[br]because I devoted so much of me, 0:05:37.752,0:05:41.800 and failing one more time left me without words.[br] 0:05:41.800,0:05:45.250 I mean, what else can happen to me? 0:05:45.250,0:05:50.654 When I was going through all of that,[br]I realized there must be something good about that. 0:05:50.654,0:05:56.487 There must be a way for me to find.[br]So I stood up again, and again something hit me. 0:05:56.487,0:06:01.695 A couple of months later,[br]something bad affected our family. 0:06:05.372,0:06:10.763 My mom, 67 at that time, was diagnosed[br]with a very rare dementia disease. 0:06:10.763,0:06:15.790 It's not Alzheimer's, it's frontotemporal dementia,[br]and there is no cure for it. 0:06:15.790,0:06:20.221 For the last 3 years, my mom[br]doesn't really remember who I am. 0:06:20.221,0:06:24.501 Maybe 20 per cent of time she knows[br]who my father, my sister and I are. 0:06:24.501,0:06:28.959 We've been trying to be very strong[br]and supportive about that. 0:06:28.959,0:06:34.279 So, many things happened to us.[br]And all of that evolved and awakened me 0:06:38.649,0:06:45.559 to become who I really am today.[br]I realized that you have to live a raw life, 0:06:45.559,0:06:52.808 you need to go through a raw life, experience bad things,[br]and embrace them with open arms 0:06:52.808,0:06:58.740 to fully understand who you are and to really find[br]your inner morals, value, truth, and honesty. 0:07:00.479,0:07:07.057 What kept me going for the last 10 years,[br]was a strong feeling I couldn't describe years ago. 0:07:07.057,0:07:11.630 But I could finally put it into words[br]a year and a half ago. 0:07:11.630,0:07:15.143 I was running and I said,[br]"This is it. This is who I am." 0:07:15.990,0:07:20.761 It's called TRUHOMA. This is my engine,[br]my soul, how I survived until today, 0:07:20.761,0:07:23.386 this is what kept me going. 0:07:25.294,0:07:34.725 It's the belief in me, in totally honestly saying to all of you[br]"This is what you get." 0:07:34.725,0:07:38.828 No hidden motives,[br]just truly and honestly me. 0:07:38.828,0:07:43.515 I will tell you what TRUHOMA means.[br]It's a very strong word and statement. 0:07:43.515,0:07:47.962 It's applied to three basic things in life[br]-- true and honest marketing. 0:07:47.962,0:07:52.297 Today I have two companies,[br]I'm not dependent on anybody. 0:07:52.297,0:07:57.144 We're very innovative and we've just been starting[br]for the last three years. 0:07:57.144,0:07:59.548 It's really hard but I'm aiming for the longterm. 0:07:59.548,0:08:04.732 I believe if we are true and honest at what we do,[br]we will be the winners in the end. 0:08:04.732,0:08:08.782 This is what I apply in my work,[br]through true and honest marketing. 0:08:08.782,0:08:14.767 Further, true and honest management[br]is the second important thing in companies. 0:08:14.767,0:08:21.281 You have to have true and honest people,[br]and everybody that relates and coexists in the company 0:08:21.281,0:08:24.768 and creates a successful business story. 0:08:24.768,0:08:30.911 But the bottom line of everything I believe we all are,[br]is true and honest mankind 0:08:30.911,0:08:39.154 which means that we are truly and honestly in sync[br]with ourselves, and what we do and believe. 0:08:39.154,0:08:44.509 This is what kept me going for the last 10 years[br]and keeps me going now. 0:08:44.509,0:08:47.226 I will show you a perfect example 0:08:52.704,0:08:57.332 that totally describes true and honest mankind[br]and the TRUHOMA movement. 0:08:57.332,0:09:01.423 This is my charity that I do,[br]only in my spare time. 0:09:01.423,0:09:07.485 It's called Anina zvezdica (Anna's little star).[br]It's whole concept is basically 0:09:07.485,0:09:13.036 to collect unperishable food for people[br]that are socially disadvantaged. 0:09:13.036,0:09:21.404 First af all, through Anina zvezdica, I and my team[br]want to prove that you don't need any money -- 0:09:23.866,0:09:26.161 in my example, I am not in the green, 0:09:26.161,0:09:30.505 I have a loan because of my business fiasco[br]from 2 years ago. 0:09:30.505,0:09:36.557 So you need no money, you need time and devotion,[br]and it has to be 100 per cent. 0:09:36.557,0:09:40.499 So that's what we are proving[br]with Anina zvezdica. 0:09:40.499,0:09:46.408 The second very importiant thing[br]and motive is to help people in need. 0:09:49.455,0:09:54.418 The third and most important motive[br]is to bring all the people together and show 0:09:56.588,0:10:02.283 if we all have true and honest mind, we can do[br]something seriously miraculous here on Earth 0:10:02.283,0:10:06.629 and I think this is what has been missing[br]in the last years. 0:10:06.629,0:10:10.905 Especially since the materialistic phenomena[br]has been here. 0:10:12.659,0:10:19.994 On the one hand, I'm grateful that we are in crisis now[br]because it is finally awakening us 0:10:19.994,0:10:23.007 and showing what is truly important in life. 0:10:23.007,0:10:27.536 I think that Anina zvezdica has been proving this[br]for the last three years. 0:10:28.860,0:10:34.135 It was funny the way it started.[br]All my life I knew I wanted to help, 0:10:34.135,0:10:36.252 it was just a matter of time when to start 0:10:36.252,0:10:41.317 because I trust everything has to happen[br]with a reason and spontaneously. 0:10:42.133,0:10:45.198 In January it will be 3 years[br]since my first action. 0:10:47.260,0:10:52.962 For my birthday I didn't want presents,[br]I just wanted my friends to come 0:10:52.962,0:10:54.759 and bring some food. 0:10:54.759,0:10:59.462 I wrote them an invitation saying,[br]"Come, bring some food from your closets, 0:10:59.462,0:11:05.351 you don't need to buy anything.[br]We can hang out, chat and see what we can do." 0:11:05.351,0:11:11.768 Everybody loved my idea so much that in the end,[br]we made 37 happy families. 0:11:11.768,0:11:13.381 It was a great feeling. 0:11:13.381,0:11:16.913 The problem was[br]I didn't know any of these families. 0:11:16.913,0:11:24.628 So I connected with a social organization in Šiška,[br]Ljubljana, that helped me find these families. 0:11:24.628,0:11:29.167 I told them I really wanted them to have kids,[br]and they said no problem. 0:11:29.167,0:11:32.600 Every time I bring food,[br]I meet them and talk to them. 0:11:32.600,0:11:35.007 It's not like I give them the box[br]and say bye. 0:11:35.007,0:11:36.633 Why do I want to talk to them? 0:11:36.633,0:11:41.037 Because the fourth motive od Anina zvezdica[br]is maybe to change their lives. 0:11:41.037,0:11:44.851 I ask them, "What is your problem,[br]why are you in this situation? 0:11:44.851,0:11:47.968 What is the solution?[br]What are you going to do?" 0:11:47.968,0:11:53.682 The most rewarding thing for me is an example[br]from last year when a family came to get food 0:11:55.236,0:11:58.731 but this year they came and they brought food. 0:11:58.731,0:12:00.750 They changed their life story. 0:12:00.750,0:12:05.105 I want to inspire them and motivate them[br]to change something for themselves as well. 0:12:06.598,0:12:11.192 The second charity action[br]took place in April 2011. 0:12:16.376,0:12:20.703 I made a website and told my friends[br]to please invite their friends. 0:12:20.703,0:12:24.987 We expanded a little and in the end,[br]we made 105 happy families. 0:12:24.987,0:12:29.312 The feeling was great because at that time[br]I realized this was a good idea 0:12:29.312,0:12:32.776 because people started to believe[br]in my organization 0:12:32.776,0:12:35.318 because there was no Euros[br]transfered to the account. 0:12:35.318,0:12:37.384 Everything was just seen in food. 0:12:37.384,0:12:43.312 And for the third charity action, a lot of companies[br]said they want to be part of it, too. 0:12:44.682,0:12:49.865 There were two channels[br]of co-operation with companies. 0:12:49.865,0:12:53.428 One was that companies,[br]which produce food, donated it. 0:12:53.428,0:12:58.554 The other one was to involve employees[br]who started gathering food in their company 0:13:02.340,0:13:04.054 and then they brought it to me. 0:13:05.777,0:13:11.660 Furthermore, kindergartens, elementary schools,[br]highschools, faculties joined me. 0:13:11.660,0:13:15.370 When I see little kids aware of what is going[br]on in their lives -- 0:13:16.724,0:13:21.640 that there is poverty and hungry kids around them,[br]it's like education for them. 0:13:22.779,0:13:26.235 It's very important that they know what's happening,[br]at their young age. 0:13:27.205,0:13:32.509 Last year we made 523 happy families.[br]It was just great. 0:13:32.509,0:13:36.575 Many people say I have such great PR,[br]but I don't have any. 0:13:38.375,0:13:41.362 All the media are contacting me by themselves. 0:13:41.362,0:13:45.328 Why do they do that? Because they believe[br]in the story as well, they want to be a part. 0:13:45.821,0:13:49.204 Media are tired of only talking about bad things. 0:13:49.204,0:13:53.571 They want to share the good things, finally.[br]So it's awakening for them as well. 0:13:54.264,0:13:58.668 This year in April, we made another progress.[br]We made 700 happy families. 0:13:59.315,0:14:04.264 This was an even bigger logistic[br]and organizational project. 0:14:06.249,0:14:11.295 More volunteers, my little stars,[br]joined my project and we are all fully devoted. 0:14:12.957,0:14:16.042 Now, my fifth action is just finishing.[br] 0:14:16.749,0:14:19.707 Not yet, I still have a lot of work. 0:14:19.707,0:14:24.851 In two months, today is my first day off.[br]Before, I was working all the time. 0:14:24.851,0:14:28.224 I have my job in the morning[br]-- I'm also a speaker -- 0:14:28.224,0:14:32.053 and in my free time, which is totally devoted[br]to Anina zvezdica, 0:14:32.053,0:14:34.606 this is what I do,[br]because this is what I love. 0:14:34.606,0:14:38.380 And along with my little stars,[br]this is what we achieved. 0:14:38.380,0:14:41.481 We have more than a hundred people[br]involved that helped. 0:14:41.481,0:14:45.268 We have more than 50[br]educational institutions that took part, 0:14:45.268,0:14:49.402 we have more than 90[br]Slovenian companies that took part, 0:14:49.402,0:14:53.248 and most of all -[br]I don't even know if this figure is all right - 0:14:53.248,0:14:57.746 because I think[br]it's more than 40 tonnes [of food]. 0:14:57.746,0:15:02.399 We will make more than 2500 happy families[br]before New Year. 0:15:02.399,0:15:07.390 My goal is to share the food with them[br]by December 28th, and I hope to do that. 0:15:09.760,0:15:13.419 (Applause)[br]Thank you. 0:15:22.896,0:15:25.798 Many people ask me why I do so many things.[br] 0:15:28.629,0:15:32.014 They just end up in such a beautiful mosaic, 0:15:32.014,0:15:35.383 all of them together, and I learn from myself. 0:15:36.153,0:15:39.571 It's something so beautiful[br]and I want to share it with everybody. 0:15:39.571,0:15:44.243 Today I know why I am here --[br]I want to inspire everybody to change the world, 0:15:44.243,0:15:48.043 to make it better, and most of all,[br]I want to connect people. 0:15:48.043,0:15:53.792 I think with Anina zvezdica I've proven this.[br]I want to share it on other fields as well. 0:15:53.792,0:15:59.107 Why do I want to do this?[br]Because I strongly and unconditionally believe 0:15:59.154,0:16:04.574 that everybody in this world[br]is true and honest mankind. 0:16:04.635,0:16:06.611 We're all TRUHOMA. 0:16:06.611,0:16:09.032 Thank you. [br](Applause)