What's your backstory?

I grew up in Serbia and had a great childhood despite the fact that we lived through very challenging times like war and hyperinflation. I also lived in Prague, London, and Athens, and living in these different cities still has me wondering about my identity and where I belong :). It also taught me a lot about the importance of deeper human connections, which is part of what my business brings to the world today :)

Work-wise, I had international experience working for a corporation for more than 12 years until I quit my job 3 days before we got locked up in quarantine.

What does your company do and how did you come up with the idea?

I called my business a Playground to keep reminding myself of how we should see business and why not life too :)

It's about supporting people to do what they find meaningful, more solidarity, more compassion and also taking oneself less seriously.

What is the actual business? I do different 'future-of-work' experiences so it's a bit tricky to explain it fast. Generally, I help people who procrastinate, I invite people to surrender to island life on a remote Greek island and I also gamify networking and events so we can relax and connect with some great people.

All ideas come from needs I too experience as a solopreneur - which is loneliness, more support and more connection.

How did you get your first 10 customers/subscribers?

It was through my network at first :)

What steps did you take to understand and confirm that your product or service was a good match for the needs and wants of your target customers?

For the anti-procrastination program, I had two rounds of pilot testing that lasted 5 months and included also interviews and recordings. This really helped to improve the product.

For the Greek workation and networking events - it was more spontaneous. I have people coming back to the workation for a third year in a row and people saying this networking was the most memorable thing on a conference, so this speaks for itself :)

How did you reach and acquire your first 100 customers? Which platforms or methods did you use to connect with them and promote your product or service?

At first, I got most people through my networking and then via FB groups. Recently I also started to use LinkedIn more and I will keep developing my presence there.

What distribution channels did you try that didn’t work?

Instagram ads. I also didn't invest a lot but since my products take a bit of time to understand, an instant ad didn't seem to bring me much.

What specific tools, software, or resources have been most helpful in growing your business?

I learned a lot via Indie hackers and by being in different communities with similar needs. I highly recommend connecting with other entrepreneurs who go through the same challenges. As far as tools go, I love organising and planning. This helps me make decisions and set clear directions. I love using Trello. I also use automations whenever possible, and I can recommend Zapier and Calendly.

Who are some recommended experts or entrepreneurs to follow for learning how to grow a business?

I look for an entrepreneur who has similar values to me and also for the one that has business similarities or a skill that I am working on.  For e.g. when I started working on copywriting, I followed Marie Forleo.

How did you make the transition from a side hustle to full-time entrepreneurship?

I didn't transition. I quit my job and went all in.

What drives you to do what you do?

I never felt like this at any other job and I didn't even know that having a business and creating can give me such a feeling.

I discovered a lot about myself and it's an ongoing personal development.

What I enjoy the most is getting lost in the creation process, designing games and also seeing or hearing how people love it :) or how it supported them to make a change.

Any quotes you live by?

I am trying to master "Present over perfect" :) I like the clever and simple philosophy of Sadhguru

Your links + socials

- Web
- Instagram
- Linkedin

Any promotions you would like to add for Founderoo readers?

I am gifting a 50eur voucher that readers can use on either the Anti-Procrastination program or Workation in Ikaria. Just quote: FOUNDEROO.