In her op-ed originally published in Blic Biznis, Zoja Kukić Đorđević, a member of the unlockit conference Program Board and co-founder of Startit, XLSIOR, and Luni Club, writes about why there is no universal formula for growth and why different paths to global success will be one of the key topics discussed at the unlockit conference, taking place on February 19–20 in Belgrade.
When we look at globally successful companies, it often seems as if success follows a predetermined path. You’re supposed to come from the “right” geographies, have access to capital — both at the beginning and throughout your growth — and rely on massive teams behind everything you do. This narrative has been repeated for years, to the point where it starts to feel like the only possible truth.
But that is merely the loudest version of success being told. Fortunately, reality is far more complex.
I would argue that the true superpower behind business growth is the ability to adapt.
To begin with, business success comes to those who know how to adapt to their circumstances and environment, finding ways to overcome obstacles more easily. If you come from Serbia, your chances of securing a multi-million-dollar investment for a brilliant idea are relatively low, simply because there aren’t many investors willing to back anything outside of real estate. However, you may be able to gather a close network of people who can help you push key parts of your idea forward — something that, in more developed economies, would often be nearly impossible without significant funding.
Then there is another form of adaptation that is harder to grasp in our region: adapting to user needs. There is no point in a company’s development where you can say you’ve learned everything about your users and solved all their problems. Their needs are constantly changing.
Beyond this fascinating capacity for rapid adaptation, almost everything else about business success differs from one company to another.
To illustrate this, I’ll highlight a few founders who will be speaking at the unlockit conference, organized by the Digital Serbia Initiative on February 19–20 in Belgrade.
One of the most extreme examples is Gamma, which grew from zero to $100 million in revenue in less than two years, with a team of only around fifty people. The company now holds more cash in the bank than it has ever raised in funding. Its growth didn’t come from aggressive hiring or massive budgets, but from a clear product and strong operational efficiency — and the person leading their growth will be joining us in Belgrade.
From our neighborhood comes another outstanding example: Photomath, an app created to help children learn mathematics, which reached more than 500 million users worldwide before being acquired by Google. Photomath’s growth was not driven by traditional marketing strategies, but by a product that became its own distribution channel.
That capital is not the sole driver of growth is also demonstrated by HeyReach, a startup from North Macedonia with more than €10 million in revenue, now considered one of the fastest-growing products in the region. Without investors, they focused on a clear niche, disciplined product development, and close communication with their users. Their founder will speak in Belgrade, while their Head of Marketing will also lead a dedicated workshop on the second day of the conference.
Then there is FishingBooker, the world’s largest fishing trip booking platform, operating in over 110 countries — developed and run from Belgrade. A clear example that today’s global market no longer requires a “global address” (or even access to the sea), but rather a deep understanding of the problem being solved.
Finally, there is Nordeus, the most successful tech story from our country, whose founders reached more than 500 million users worldwide without additional external investment.
These are just a few examples, but in truth, no company participating in the unlockit conference neatly fits into the category described at the beginning.
And the lessons they will share are not only valuable for those building globally oriented businesses from day one, but also for people working in companies that are already established in local or regional markets — yet believe they simply cannot play at a bigger table.
Why is it important to tell these stories? Because too often we scale down our ambitions, convinced that we don’t meet the “necessary conditions” for success.
There is no single path, no single model, and no single geography that guarantees growth. There are only decisions — and the consequences of those decisions.
