Slaven Drinovac is the Founder of MINDHOUS, a Brisbane (Australia) based company that provides coaching and consulting to leaders and their businesses and teams. MINDHOUS has consistently supported small-to-medium-size businesses to increase their profits, productivity and improve work culture.
For more details, visit their website here.
Here we sit down with Slaven, to know a bit more about his journey as a business coach.
Q. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Slaven: When I think about it, some level of entrepreneurial spirit has always been there. It has been the way approached any kind of work. Even in the corporate world, I was interested in starting something new, taking calculated risks and seeing an idea become a reality. I guess I am no different to many other entrepreneurs, having that innovation streak and just waiting for the right time to put it to good use. If you ask me when is the right time to become an entrepreneur, any time really. Sometimes you just got to take the first step, and, it all goes from there.
Q. How did you get started?
Slaven: That may be like an epiphany for some, you get up one day and start working on an idea. In my case, the idea of starting my own business was simmering for a while. I aimed to start it well from the get-go and prepare as much as possible. Not just having a good understanding of business administration, but also polishing the profession-specific skills. I gained credentials with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which was the catalyst. I understand that some may have a different view, but I believe that some form of checks and balances are essential for any profession. That is one reason I am the current President of the ICF Australasia Queensland.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Slaven: I was reasonably comfortable with strategy, P&L and HR to some degree. Even though I had a fairly robust business plan, I must admit that marketing was one area that challenged me the most, mainly because I thought I knew more about it than I did. An Udemy course I enrolled in soon after I realised I needed to brush up on that topic was a game-changer. If I can single out one thing that I learned from this is the importance of the message received. In short, it is not about the message given but the message received or interpreted. Since then, I have been using this insight in all my dealings: presentations, lecturing, or emails.
Q. What is the Most Memorable Thing You’ve Done Since you Started your Business?
Slaven: Interestingly, the first thing that comes to my mind is interest in my thoughts on leadership. Australian Business Journal shortlisted me as one of 20 leadership experts in Australia. I was interviewed by New York Weekly and Leadership Stories podcast series and published in India’s most-read media on Human Resources HRKatha. The Queensland University of Technology included my leadership experience and viewpoints in the Faculty of Business and Law curriculum. When I put it this way, it sounds that my initial effort on focusing on the message received was a good investment.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Slaven: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. It had a massive impact on me, as it seemed only then that I began to truly understand the human mind. That is the reason my business is called MINDHOUS. I came across the book by accident. I was on a flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong. The person sitting next to me put this book on the empty seat between us, and I just asked about the book. Long story short, I got the book as soon as I arrived in Hong Kong and could not put it down when I started reading it.
Q. What are your top 3 favourite online apps, tools, or resources and what do you love about them?
Slaven: Since I started my business, I have been using LinkedIn extensively. Obviously, connection with professionals and commercialisation through Sales Navigator are the key features. However, the platform offerings have been improving in other areas, such as publications and learning, and I use all of it as much as I can. HubSpot is another one. Its CRM function has been quite handy. I cannot pass Microsoft Outlook. It keeps me sane. If it is not there, it is not happening. The Outlook has picked up its game, particularly with add-ins.
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Slaven: Self-awareness among leaders. Leaders’ impact on people around them is sometimes underestimated. Dr Tash Eurich’s study showed that even though most people believe they are self-aware, in reality, only 10-15% of the people in their research fit the criteria. While business professor James O’Toole believes that as one’s power grows, one’s willingness to listen shrinks, this research shows that can change with increased self-awareness, and getting feedback is a good way of improving in this area. So, I hope I can have a small contribution to increasing self-awareness amongst leaders, which will inspire them to focus on people and things that really matter for humanity.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Slaven: Find a mentor and engage, collaborate, or partner with people knowledgeable in the area in which you are not an expert.
To keep up to date with Slaven and his journey, connect with him on LinkedIn.
