I am not selling anything. But If you’re looking for some marketing and small business insights along with some almost funny jokes, you’ve come to the right place!
I write my thoughts on various topics. It does not have to be that I am correct or incorrect; they are simply my viewpoints.
I write about digital marketing, small business, my successes and failures, and what I learned from them. Maybe it will be helpful or even inspirational for someone. If it moves someone even a bit, I will be happy.
Whether it’s through building long-lasting relationships with customers or improving customer experience, I know how to enable growth in today’s digital age. Check out what I have done so far for some great insights into digital marketing and small business!
Below is a brief account of what I’ve accomplished so far, including some background information about me and my experience.
I obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubrovnik in 2006.
After I graduated from Dubrovnik College, I moved to Zagreb and landed my first job. It was a large Marketing agency, Unex Gruop.
At that time, digital marketing was in its infancy, and I was one of the first in Croatia to get involved in it. In the span of a few years from the “one-man show,” it became one of the biggest Digital Marketing departments in the country, with more than 15 people. That was big at the time 🙂
We were doing digital marketing activities for some of the biggest Croatian brands.
During my college years, I spent time in the United States, where I worked at a five-star hotel and studied wines from all over the world, and there I fell in love with wine.
After experiencing this, I desired to develop something similar for my friends and me at home. The opportunity to start something similar presented itself when we found a fantastic space in downtown Zagreb. Wine bar “Basement” came into being!
When we started it, the main idea was to make a friendly place where friends and family could come hang out. The Wine Bar Basement was a unique concept that did not previously exist in Croatia.
And that was my first step into entrepreneurship.
I have successfully sold the Wine Bar basement after seven years of operation. It was my first and only exit thus far.
Wine Bar’s success sparked new opportunities. The third project originated from the challenge of how to connect people who produce wine with those who sell it.
With that in mind, we started a wholesale wine company, “Brza Distribucija.” A company that distributes food, wines, and other liqueurs to hotels, restaurants, and bars.
The fourth project was a natural consequence of the previous three. Wine enthusiasts worldwide come on holiday and fall in love with Croatia, our wines, cuisine, and people. But when they returned to Germany, the United States, or anywhere else, they had nowhere to buy Croatian wine and have it delivered to their home.
To tackle this challenge, wineandmore.com was created.
A unique combination of an online store and a web portal that tells stories about wines and wine culture, craft beer, and olive oil.
WineAndMore is a platform that combines storytelling and e-commerce, creating a special place where people can learn more about the products they read about, buy them and have them delivered anywhere.
After leaving Unex Marketing agency, where I worked for more than 10 years, I was contacted by a former colleague of mine with whom I worked at Unex. He convinced me to come and work for Bruketa&Žinić&Gray. We would service large global clients from New York, London, and Los Angeles from our Zagreb office. Getting the most out of two worlds.
There I was in charge of an exciting and extraordinary project for one of the biggest Croatian banks.
The first digital end-to-end solution for obtaining a Bank loan online.
In essence, the concept was that you could get a bank loan from the comfort of your home while wearing your shorts and drinking your coffee.
That was the first of its kind project on the market. A tremendous opportunity to work in an extensive system with some of the most innovative and competent people. A chance to learn how to achieve some fantastic results in the Banking industry that is heavily regulated.
After a year and a half in Bruketa&Žinić&Gray, and I moved on to Addiko bank as a Digital channel and User Experience Manager. This is where I gained an in-depth understanding of how modern banking operates.
I spent around a year in Addiko Bank.
In the meantime, I sold Wine Bar, quit my bank job, and became a full-time entrepreneur.
In this article, you can read more about Why I left a high-paying job to work for a minimum wage.
I left my corporate job at the best time in the last 100 years, in 2020, when the pandemic started.
As soon as I started to work in my own company, lockdowns started, and everything was closed.
Our company, Brza Distribucija, specializes in delivering drinks, fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages to restaurants. So, how could we supply anything when everything was shut?
We had 15 employees who were not permitted to go to work. There was plenty of booze, fruit juice, and wine in the warehouse for us to sell. Everything was closed, and expenses were piling up.
We needed to find a solution to sell our main product when all of our customers are closed.
My first instinct was to create a webshop. But simple webshop is not enough? Just another new web store among thousands. That wasn’t it. We had to do something different. It was necessary to offer an idea and a concept distinct from others.
And there, Tipsy.hr came to be.
Tipsy is a website that was created as a solution to an issue at the time. Tipsy is a fantastic and entertaining concept. It provides a dose of humor, relaxation, and banter in dark times. All Tipsy communication is intended as a joke. The goal was to pique customers’ interest by teasing them and then showcasing our products.
We also offered several perks, such as quick delivery and long-working hours. You get 25 kunas if you bring a friend to Tipsy. Each purchase earned you points.
And Tipsy.hr was a complete hit in those gloomy times. It brought a smile to our customers’ faces.
But it did more than that.
Because of Tipsy, we managed not only to maintain but also to grow our business in the worst possible year for the hospitality industry.
We are proud that we have helped many small businesses and entrepreneurs in these difficult times by delivering their products to consumers.
So there you have it. These are things I will be writing about. What I learned from all of my business endeavors. My ups and downs. I will try to be as open and honest as possible.
I hope you will enjoy reading my blog!
Dario Drmac
