Women Do Business – Eri Pavlaki & Natassa Grigoraki

The Women Redrawing the Map of Greek Entrepreneurship

There are moments when personal suffocation is transformed into a collective breath of fresh air. For Eri Pavlaki, that moment came when she returned to Crete. Confronted once again with the familiar stereotypes of provincial life—the well-worn script of “marriage, children, and a secure job”—she felt the weight of a predetermined future that was never truly hers.

At a crossroads where many women choose compromise, Eri chose creation. In May 2019, the first event dedicated to showcasing female role models in Crete planted the seed of what was to come. A year later, in July 2020, her meeting with Natassa Grigoraki gave the vision its legal framework and strategic direction. Together, they founded Women Do Business, a non-profit civil organization that set out not simply to add another series of seminars to the calendar, but to dismantle the sense of isolation experienced by every woman who dares to pursue entrepreneurship on her own.

A Seat at the Table of Equal Opportunity

If one were to illustrate their journey, it would begin with a rugged path filled with bureaucratic obstacles, financial institutions, and public authorities struggling to understand the concept of social entrepreneurship, forcing the organization to prove its value time and again.

Yet on the other side of that story, the dull grey of bureaucracy gives way to vibrant colours—the colours of more than 2,900 women who have been supported to date.

Eri and Natassa have built an ecosystem founded on four solid pillars: Empowerment, Education, Mentoring, and Networking. At its heart lies the annual three-month Women’s Entrepreneurship Academy, offering 100 women from every corner of Greece the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to transform an idea into a sustainable venture.

Supporting them is an exceptional network of more than 170 mentors, coaches, and psychologists, providing the guidance and expertise that many aspiring entrepreneurs have long lacked. Their voice has long since extended beyond the borders of Crete—and even Greece.

Today, Women Do Business actively participates in international forums, including the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), bringing the authentic needs of regional communities to the very tables where global decisions are made.

Σχεδιάζοντας το μέλλον

Eri and Natassa are already looking toward the next decade with a vision that combines stability with bold ambition.

They aspire to establish Women Do Business as a leading European reference organization, supported by a dynamic team of 50 to 70 professionals and permanent hubs in Crete, Athens, and Thessaloniki. Their roadmap includes a sustained presence in more than ten Greek cities and islands, while empowering 15,000 women over the next ten years.

Women Do Business does not simply respond to change—it helps shape it. Eri Pavlaki and Natassa Grigoraki demonstrate that female solidarity is far more than an abstract ideal; it is a powerful force capable of transforming society.

Their ultimate ambition remains both simple and profound: to build a world where no woman has to fight alone to prove she deserves a seat at the table. Instead, she will have the voice, the tools, and the community to claim her place—and define it on her own terms.