BIZLife „30 under 30“: Darko Marjanovic, entrepreneur, „Things Solver“

Darko is the CEO and one of the founders of „Things Solver“. He is 27 years old, he launched the company at the age of 23 and before that he was developing web presentations and was a student associate at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences. „Things Solver“ is a company that deals with artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics, and also has its own product. Today the company has 14 employees. He is interested in how data can optimize complex business processes, and besides that he is also interested in development of people and businesses. In addition to running the company, he is the founder and active participant of the non-profit organization Data Science Serbia, which aims to popularize this field in Serbia. He is a member of the Serbian Association of Managers. He is a proud father of a daughter Marlene. Is there anything you had to renounce in order to get to where you are now? „Yes, there is.“ And „No, no there is not.“ Those are the answers. On one hand, the goal is to constantly jump out of your comfort zone, which means giving up every day pleasures. Besides, rarely there is someone who can understand your position and desires. At first, it’s not easy to invest time in something uncertain and plausible only to you, without being a „kid“ for a year or two. On the other hand, in my head, I can’t classify this as a sacrifice, because, in simple words, it’s nothing when compared to what I gained. Did success reach you, or was it the other way round? I honestly believe that success cannot happen if you do not want it and you do not put in the effort and work. The current success I have achieved is due to hard work and perseverance. And believe me, anything is possible if you want it and start acting in that direction. Don’t wait for success to come to you, start working to get there. What is the most important lesson you have learned in your work so far? Entrepreneurship itself provides you an opportunity to learn a lot. What I would single out as the most important thing so far is listening skills. Seemingly irrelevant yet very important, in my opinion. In this position, you need to be able to listen to both your team members and your clients. What is the ultimate goal? For me, there is no ultimate measurable goal. I believe that one should follow one’s gut instinct and passion for something at a given moment and what is more important, never stop doing that. We have a limited ability to leave a mark in the society, while being fulfilled and happy at the same time. On the other hand, the company I run has its own, different, goals and the best recipe for success is that I run the company, not the other way round. Favourite school subject? History. That is still a major interest for me. First job? Making web site presentations. Business role model? Steve Jobs. Motivational song? „It’s my life“ by Jon Bon Jovi.

Izvor: BIZLife magazin