Q: Could you briefly introduce yourselves, share your professional backgrounds, and tell us what inspired you to join this nine-month program?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“I am Natia Vachiberadze, Founder and CEO of Negal Finances, a financial and legal consultancy company in Georgia. With a background in business administration and strategic tax planning, my focus is helping startups and technology companies navigate complex financial structures.
I joined this nine-month programme to strengthen my understanding of global market integration and build stronger connections between internal financial strategy and international trade. I saw this as an opportunity to expand my expertise, strengthen my consulting capabilities, and better support businesses on their journey towards international growth.”
Levan Jorbenadze:
“I am a lawyer with nearly 20 years of professional experience, primarily working as in-house counsel for organisations across different sectors. Throughout my career, I have always been business-oriented and focused on providing practical solutions to clients.
At a certain stage, I decided to gradually shift towards private practice and expand my services beyond traditional legal consulting. I wanted to offer more comprehensive and tailored support to businesses and entrepreneurs.
As an alumnus of the Practical Exchanges Programmes, I was already familiar with hands-on, skills-based learning, and when I came across the Export Consultants Mastery Programme, I immediately saw it as a valuable opportunity.
The programme offered exactly what I was looking for: practical export knowledge, consultancy skills, and the chance to connect with professionals from Ukraine and Estonia. It allowed me to broaden my expertise, enhance the value I provide to clients, and contribute to the development of export-oriented businesses.”
Q: What was your main motivation for participating in the programme, and what expectations did you have at the beginning of the journey?
Levan Jorbenadze:
“At the beginning of the journey, I expected to develop new skills in export development and consultancy, learn from experienced professionals, and build valuable connections with participants from different countries.
I also hoped that the programme would provide practical, real-world experience that I could directly apply in my work and use to create greater value for my clients.”
Natia Vachiberadze:
“My main motivation was to build a comprehensive framework for export consulting that could directly support Georgian businesses. I expected a rigorous learning experience, but I was especially eager for the practical application of these concepts and the opportunity to collaborate with professionals who share the same ambition for international business development.”
Q: The programme was highly intensive and brought together experts, mentors, and professionals from different sectors. How would you describe your overall experience, and what were the most valuable lessons or skills you gained?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“The experience was intense, dynamic, and highly rewarding. Working in such a demanding environment alongside experienced mentors challenged me to expand my perspective and approach business challenges from different angles.
One of the most valuable lessons was understanding how legal, financial, and marketing perspectives can come together to create more complete business solutions. The practical approach of the programme, including the study visit to Tallinn, helped connect knowledge with real business environments.”
Levan Jorbenadze:
“Working alongside experts, mentors, and professionals from different sectors provided a unique opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives and real-world experiences.
The most valuable things I gained were strong professional connections with participants and experts from different countries, practical skills in export and business consultancy, and a better understanding of how to identify business needs and provide meaningful support.”
Q: What was the most challenging part of the journey for your team, and how did you overcome it?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“The greatest challenge was balancing full-time business responsibilities with tight programme deadlines, particularly while developing detailed export strategies for real brands such as Chempi and AlterSocks.
We overcame this through open communication, strong project management, and relying on each team member’s unique strengths and expertise.”
Q: Your team was formed within the framework of the programme. How was the experience of working together, facing challenges as a team, and building collaboration throughout the process?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“Forming TradeWise Five was an exceptional experience in professional collaboration. We brought together five professionals with different backgrounds and areas of expertise, creating a strong foundation based on mutual respect and open communication from the beginning.
The intensive nature of the programme helped us strengthen our teamwork, learn how to approach challenges together, and turn our diversity into one of our greatest strengths.”
Q: During the graduation ceremony, your team received a special award recognizing your achievements. What does this recognition mean to you, and what do you think contributed most to your success?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“Receiving the Excellence in Communication Award at graduation was an incredibly proud moment for our team. It reflected our belief that successful consulting is not only about developing insights, but also about communicating them effectively and creating alignment between different stakeholders.
I believe our success came from a shared commitment to clarity, collaboration, and delivering high-quality work.”
Levan Jorbenadze:
“Receiving the Excellence in Communication Award was a great honour and a very rewarding moment for our team. For me personally, it was especially meaningful because I was actively involved in communication and coordination throughout the programme.”
Q: Throughout the programme, you had the opportunity to learn and collaborate with professionals from different countries and cultural backgrounds. How would you describe this experience, and what role did networking play in your journey?
Levan Jorbenadze:
“Building relationships with professionals from Ukraine, Estonia, and other countries expanded my professional network and opened opportunities for future cooperation.
I would be very happy to maintain these connections and develop long-term professional and business relationships with my international colleagues, as such partnerships can create value for both sides and support future cross-border projects and initiatives.”
Natia Vachiberadze:
“Collaborating with international experts and peers broadened our perspective and reinforced that export development relies heavily on cultural understanding and cooperation.
Networking became one of the most valuable parts of this journey, providing access to cross-border insights, especially through the experience in Estonia, and creating a lasting network of trust.”
Q: Now that you have completed the programme, what are your next steps as a team, and how do you plan to apply the knowledge and experience gained throughout the programme in practice?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“As TradeWise Five, we plan to use the knowledge and experience gained throughout the programme to support local brands through export consulting services.
On a personal level, I am integrating these export frameworks into Negal Finances, allowing us to support clients not only with compliance but also with international growth and expansion opportunities.”
Levan Jorbenadze:
“Whether through joint initiatives with team members or through my individual consultancy work, I intend to remain actively involved in supporting businesses and applying the knowledge gained throughout the programme.”
Q: How has the programme influenced your perspective on export development, and how do you see your role in strengthening export opportunities for your country and within European markets in the future?
Levan Jorbenadze:
“I believe that European markets are a natural and essential direction for Georgian businesses. Considering the political and geographical realities of our region, diversification of export markets is not only an opportunity but also a necessity.
Georgian companies should continue pursuing access to European markets while expanding their international presence and reducing dependence on any single market.”
Natia Vachiberadze:
“The programme shifted my perspective from viewing export as a transactional activity to understanding it as a broader ecosystem of strategic readiness.
Our role is now to support businesses by reducing barriers to cross-border trade and helping Georgian companies align confidently with European market standards.”
Q: Looking back at the past nine months, how has this experience changed you personally and professionally?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“Professionally, the programme added a stronger global dimension to my consulting mindset. Personally, it reinforced resilience and adaptability.
Balancing my business responsibilities with an intensive international curriculum reminded me that real growth happens when we challenge ourselves beyond our comfort zone.”
Levan Jorbenadze:
“Looking back at the past nine months, this experience significantly broadened my practical and theoretical knowledge in export development, consultancy, and business advisory services.
As a legal professional, it was my first structured experience focused specifically on business learning and consulting skills, which added a new dimension to my professional expertise.
One of the most rewarding aspects was the opportunity to engage with real businesses, especially during the visit to Estonia. Seeing how businesses operate in practice and learning directly from entrepreneurs and professionals provided valuable insights that cannot be gained from theory alone.”
Q: Would you recommend this programme to other professionals interested in developing their expertise in export and international business? What advice would you give to future participants before starting such an intensive journey?
Levan Jorbenadze:
“I would recommend this programme to professionals who want to develop practical expertise in export development, international business, and consultancy.
My advice to future participants would be to fully embrace the practical nature of the programme. The greatest learning comes from working with real companies that have genuine ambitions and challenges related to international expansion.
Engaging with businesses facing real challenges provides deeper insights, stronger consulting skills, and a much more valuable learning experience.”
Natia Vachiberadze:
“I recommend this programme without hesitation, but it requires full commitment.
My advice to future participants is to remain open to cross-disciplinary learning and to treat your team from the very beginning as a real professional partnership.
The trust you build while working under pressure is just as valuable as the knowledge gained throughout the programme.”
Q: Finally, if you had to describe this entire journey in one word or one sentence, what would it be?
Natia Vachiberadze:
“An intensive journey that transformed collaboration and challenges into new opportunities for global growth.”
Levan Jorbenadze:
“Without a doubt: a great journey to the destination.”
The journey of TradeWise Five is a reflection of what the Export Consultants Mastery Programme 2025-2026 aimed to create – professionals from different backgrounds coming together, combining their expertise, and transforming knowledge into practical impact.
As part of a fully funded nine-month international learning experience supported by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), the programme brought together 32 professionals from Georgia, Ukraine, and Estonia, creating a unique environment for cross-border collaboration, applied consulting practice, and professional growth.
Throughout the journey, TradeWise Five embraced the opportunity to work with real businesses across different industries, developing tailored export strategies and exploring the complexities of international market expansion. Their experience demonstrated the value of combining diverse perspectives – from finance and law to business strategy and communication – to create stronger solutions for companies seeking global opportunities.
The team’s dedication, collaborative approach, and ability to transform complex ideas into clear and impactful communication were recognized with the Excellence in Communication Award presented at the graduation ceremony in Tallinn.
Through the Success Story series, Visionest Institute continues to highlight the people behind the programme -professionals who challenged themselves, built meaningful connections, and strengthened their confidence to contribute to international business development.
While the programme has concluded, the journey continues through new partnerships, future projects, and the professional communities built along the way.
Stay tuned as we continue sharing the stories of this inspiring international cohort.
