About Me
As a true innovator, I bring a unique approach to problem-solving, drawing from my extensive 360-degree experience in the software industry. My diverse roles—including Principal Custom Development Engineer, Senior Product Manager, Solutions Architect, top Sales and Pre-Sales Consultant, and Business Development Manager—have given me a broad perspective and a deep understanding of the industry. This wealth of experience has strengthened my adaptability and expertise, allowing me to tackle complex challenges with confidence. And yes, Marija is my wife and partner in crime.
Early Life
I was born on February 23, 1966, in Ivanjica, a picturesque town in the mountains of Western Serbia. I had a wonderful childhood in the former Yugoslavia, growing up with my little dog, Jonny, but no worries, I am not using that name for my passowrds any more :-). As a boy, I played the mandolin and was passionate about soccer and skiing.
Leadership Style
I have always had a talent for recognizing the best in people. Whenever I held leadership positions, my focus was on bringing out the strengths of my team, creating an environment that they would always remember.
Key Accomplishments
At one point, I helped save a factory in my hometown from shutting down by introducing an innovation that kept them operational during the UN sanctions of the early 1990s. Later, I completely rebuilt the backend operations of one company in Belgrade, enabling them to pay commissions to 10,000 collaborators on time — a task that took me 56 hours straight, without sleep!
After moving to Canada and the U.S., my career became filled with customer success stories. I played a key role in the New York City 311 project, as well as in Telstra and Deutsche Telekom. As a first-time Product Manager in San Francisco, I managed to double product revenue within just 18 months.
During my time at Cisco, I once saved a $6 million services deal with a company in San Antonio that was on the verge of collapse. I even got close to securing a patent, which ultimately ended up as a protective publication. And yes, as a salesperson, while in Prague, I once achieved 500% of my sales target! There are plenty of accomplishments, so feel free to pick the one you like best. 😊
Fun Facts
I once traveled around the world, so I like to say I’ve measured the planet with my back! So, the Earth appears to be round :-)
One of my favorite travel stories happened when I was living in Toronto. I needed a return ticket from Melbourne and was given two options: fly over London or Tokyo. The total flight time and layovers were nearly the same, and the ticket prices were identical. Can you guess the difference? Flying over Tokyo would get me home on Saturday afternoon, but flying over London would land me in Toronto on Monday morning!