July 13, 2020 - TEDx Koprivnica Library was held in a new setting, but the feeling is the same: great speakers, creatives, and thinkers inspired the full house. 

Drava.info writes about the first edition of the TEDx Koprivnica Library held in ENTER, the creative industry incubator, which welcomed five remarkable speakers. 

Melita Pavlek is a local Koprivnica woman, who shared her advice on how to live a happier and simpler life if we just learned some lessons from our pets: how to live in a moment, how to pay more attention and catch non-verbal cues, how to be curious and how to rest and be active on your own terms. 

Kristina Čunović told the crowd about her project bringing together incarcerated parents with their children through reading. The parent participating gets to record a story that then gets delivered to their child, who gets to experience their parent reading a story to them. A simple idea, which helped strengthen family bonds in over 600 families in Croatia.

Paul Bradbury wants to inspire Croatian politicians and bureaucrats to change the country we live in, and he's certainly succeeded in inspiring the audience to change the way THEY see Croatia. In his 20 years in Croatia, he's gotten to know the best and the worst of our country, and he spoke about the fantastic lifestyle in Croatia: it's safe, it's in the EU, the infrastructure is good, the food and the wine are excellent. Foreigners don't understand why people would want to leave this country. He admitted that he fully appreciated how Croatia works only after hearing about the phenomenon of uhljeb. He presented the concept of Cromads, his solution for the development of Croatia, focusing on people who work from home, and want to move to a place that has the best lifestyle in Europe, and he thinks it's Croatia. He feels like that is the real opportunity for Croatian development and not tourism. 

Karla Čurin told her story of overcoming barriers to achieve her goals, as she's been struggling with the severe hearing loss her whole life. She found herself in the graphic design and application building, and she developed Oaza, a mobile app that helps people suffering from depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. 

The Boljar Brothers, Hrvoje and Domagoj, spoke about their brand MIRET, the eco-friendly sneakers. They're the pioneers in being eco-friendly in an industry which is among the leading producers of waste in the world today, as 23 billion sneakers get made each year, and most of what they're made of can't be recycled. They use recyclable materials to manufacture their sneakers, which don't damage the environment, and they look great too! 

June 23, 2020 - Injecting positivity into the Croatian mindset - learn the simple secret from a successful Dutch entrepreneur in Split. 

Last year, I wrote an article called The 3 Stages of Learning for a Foreigner in Croatia: Love, Hate & Nirvana.

If you like my writing, I think it is one of my better pieces, and it reflects my 18-year journey as a foreigner in Croatia to my current state of Nirvana, with no drugs involved. 

If I had to summarise my findings which got me to that blissful state, I guess it would be something like this:

1. Accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can, and have the wisdom to know the difference. 

2. Do not try and change Dalmatia, but expect Dalmatia to change you.

3. Surround yourself with only positive people doing progressive things. There are SO many of them in Croatia, all living in their own bubbles. Connect those bubbles. 

It really is that simple.

The  Permanent International Ambassador of Positivity in Croatia, Dutch Entrepreneur Jan de Jong in Split, reached Nirvana long before me, and with a much healthier bank balance thanks to his successful entrepreneurial endeavours here. 

It seems that we are on the same page when it comes to positivity and the Croatian mindset. Here is what he wrote:

Why are Croats who move abroad often becoming more successful than they were back home in Croatia? ?? Let me try to draw a picture here:

✅ If you hang around 5 confident people, you will become the 6th

✅ If you hang around 5 intelligent people, you will become the 6th

✅ If you hang around 5 millionaires, you will become the 6th

✅ If you hang around 5 people who only complain about how nothing is possible in Croatia, unless... - guess what: You will become the 6th

For this exact reason I always choose the people I surround myself with very carefully. I am very allergic to negative people and will exclude those type of people from my life ⛔

People who only tell me how bad things are or how things are very difficult here, those people don't get much attention either.

People who are optimistic, who have plans on how to improve their life and lives of others, who are honest and hardworking - with those people I can spend all day discussing all kinds of things. ??

So, ask yourself:

? Who are the 5 people you hang out with?
? How is this affecting you?

Do you agree? ??

Follow me on #LinkedIn. Follow my journey towards Hrvatska 2.0.

#LivingTheCroatianDream #Entrepreneurship

Are you interested in a better Croatia for your children? Tell us about you and what you can offer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

CROMADS: Why You Should Move to Croatia, With or Without Uhljebistan

You can follow CROMADS on Facebook - website going live in July, 2020. 

June 6th, 2020 - Katherine Kurelja, a recent diaspora returnee to Croatia, explains to us why you should visit Croatia - but from a business standpoint! 

Even though we all want to go on vacation right now and to somewhere like sun-kissed, and lifestyle rich Croatia, I want to share another side to this small, yet diverse country. One that’s less talked about, but equally inspirational. The business side and the offerings that make Croatia a value-added business destination.

1. Home of world-class IT talent. Croatia is well known in international tech circles for its’ programming prowess, creative problem-solving, and quality execution. To prove this, Croatian software development firms are no strangers to top recognition. Just a few examples are Agency Five, being named as one of the top 3 web development firms in NYC for 3 years running (if you haven’t lived or worked in NYC, it truly is beyond competitive). Similar agencies are consistently highly ranked for quality code, customer service, and on-time delivery. Additional companies include Webby award winners (considered the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet) and the most popular app in the world for learning math. There’s far more, but I think you get the picture.
   
   
2. Proven innovative thinkers and doers. There’s the saying that it must be the water. When it comes to Croatia, it’s the electricity. Nikola Tesla, born in what is now modern-day Croatia is an apt symbol for the ingenuity-heavy DNA of Croatian entrepreneurs today. Croatia is home to the world’s fastest electric hypercar, and speaking of cars, creators of the world’s first mobile parking app – helping you kiss your parking tickets goodbye. And home to the world’s best solar-powered smart bench, and makers of design your own cell phone and gaming device for kids – changing the screen time paradigm for parents. Beyond tech, Croatia boasts environmental visionaries like Miret which manufactures the world’s most sustainable sneakers. Literally, step aside, Nike and Adidas. 
   
   
3. An enviable talent pipeline. Croatia’s youth is tech-focused and primed for the next big thing or simply your next thing. High schoolers from Croatia boast 89 total medals in the International Olympiad in Informatics beating countries including Germany in total medals. In fact, Croatia only trails China, which has by far the most medals of any nation, by only 34 medals. Considering our population differences, this is not too shabby. You’ll find programs like Croatian Makers here, the largest extracurricular STEM program in the EU for students – infusing young minds with the dedication to solving problems technically and creatively, not to mention inventively.
   
   
4. You’ll get way more than what you pay for – Open an office here or send your staff here since the cost of living is one of the lowest in the EU which also aligns with salary expectations. A win-win for employees and employers, given the premium lifestyle that includes top-notch health care provided by the government. Low priced, yet equal in quality, alternatives relative to US standards are also available. I can vouch for this personally since I have lived in NYC, Boston, and San Francisco and consider myself a minor hypochondriac.
   
   
5. Ease of working relationships. Apart from the tactical like the fact that Croatia has been internationally recognized for its very high English proficiency among its population, Croatians are highly people-oriented and easy to deal with. The proof is in the countless positive reviews from tourists, but also through the growing list of foreign firms opening offices here. Another thing I can vouch for (along with their clients) is the professionalism, enthusiasm, and dedication to quality work that I have seen across the board with Croatian entrepreneurs. I don’t feel I’m far from the high-performing US cities I’ve lived in when I deal with these men and women. In fact, their energy is contagious, hence my decision to work here.

From my short time living in Croatia, I can see that business opportunities for those who partner with Croatian firms are growing by the day.  And the benefits are plentiful since what you save in terms of time, energy, and cost you can spend on a vacation here.  After all, it’s no coincidence that one of the mottos here is “Croatia: a small country, with big dreams.” 

Bring yours!

Katherine Kurelja is a Co-Founder of Back Bay Agency, a full service marketing and business development consultancy. You can contact Katherine at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to share other companies or exciting stories about Croatian business not covered above.

May 29, 2020 — It was supposed to be a sunny weekend at sea for Tomislav Car and his wife and business partner Ana. Then the coronavirus pandemic and earthquake in Zagreb left them marooned on an island of the Adriatic coast. Spoiler alert: they and their business are flourishing.

Their weekend getaway off the coast of Zadar quickly turned into the headquarters for their company, Infinum, which has offices in Croatia, Slovenia and the United States, with employees from 11 countries.

The couple chose the first sunny weekend in March to steal away to their mobile home on the island of Pašman, they told Gloria. After the pandemic and earthquake, they considered their options and decided to stay and work remotely. It didn't make sense to return home. Two months later, they’re still on Pašman.

“We fell in love with the island from day one,” Tomislav told the magazine. “We are delighted with nature and the sea and, as things stand, we will not leave here anytime soon.”

Although they had practically everything they needed in the house, it was primarily designed for rest and enjoyment. The couple adjusted the workspace and arranged their home office.

“Although we are on the island, we did really well with the procurement,” Ana said. “We ordered bar tables and chairs for a makeshift office, some furniture, a mini oven and similar little things. And everything came to us. Admittedly, with a few days of delay, but here, we tried all possible deliveries and we managed to arrange everything.”

The work did not suffer, and the couple spent every moment of rest united with nature. Tomislav guesses he has done hundreds of meetings from the terrace of his Pašman hideaway via Zoom. It’s a marked change.

The couple has negotiated a vagabond existence spent shuttling between the U.S. and Croatia for the last few years. Time spent on the road, on planes, in the hustle and bustle — among people. It has taught them to appreciate simplicity and nature.

The decision to stay was effectively made for them with travel restrictions. But the couple said given the chance to pick where to work during the era of social distancing…

“It is really beautiful,” she added. “We are in nature, the internet is great, we are connected to the whole world. We realized that we would also sit at home in Zagreb, so we didn't miss anything.” She admits that they miss people, socializing with family and friends, but again, she adds, quarantine was experienced by everyone, those in the city or those on the island. There was no socialization anywhere.

All this, and even more, is appreciated by their dog, a Maltese named Eric.

We are not going anywhere without Eric,” Tomislav said. “We started looking for accommodation in camps and discovered mobile homes in Istria. Although this type of vacation is highly valued in the world because it is truly a luxury in a nutshell, people still often think that we are resting in a camper that the old men found dragged to the sea in the eighties.”

The couple owns three mobile homes, scattered around Pašman and Murter. While they enjoy one, they rent the others. 

“When we are doing so well, we thought, others will surely appreciate it,” Tomislav said.

Ana has her morning rituals — before she starts working she runs, walks Eric and makes breakfast, while Tomislav usually, she reveals to us, immediately gets out of bed for a laptop and starts working. He only pauses to walk Eric or play the guitar on the terrace.

“We love pasta, tonight I prepare kiflice, and the other day I even made cream puffs,” Ana said. On a good day, they’ll spread out on the terrace as pine needles drop from the trees. Evenings can get a bit chilly.

“But here it seems like everything was made just right for us,” Ana said. “We’re connected to nature and the entire world at the same time.”s

May 27, 2020 - We are partially conditioned by our environment. So what happens when we exchange Croatia's default negative mindset for opportunity positive?

I had the most amazing day yesterday, and it was far from the main Croatian tourist hot spots. 

A small village near Solin, one of the Kastelas and a small village called Vrana.

Although a little tourism was involved, the reason I visited these places on my way from Hvar to Zagreb was to meet three people who lived there and had one thing in common - a positive mindset. And they are also key players in the team being assembled for Croatia 2.0. 

First up, Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong, who has been running successful businesses in Croatia since 2006. 

Jan has a large following on LinkedIn and he has been in the media a lot recently. A true Croatian patriot despite his Dutch roots, Jan sees opportunity in Croatia whereas others only see emigration. We talked digital nomads for a while and he told me about a couple of ideas he is working on. One thing I like about hanging around with successful people is seeing how easy things can be, as well as being inspired to see how I could implement those ideas in my approach to life here. 

Great to see you, Sir, and to finally meet the lovely Slavica. 

A great start to the day. 

Next up, Making Kastela Bench Tourism Great Again with Feliks Lukas, who is fast becoming one of my favourite people in Croatia. I can't hang out with him too much, as I would spend the day laughing and get nothing done. 

Feliks is best known perhaps for bringing the only WTA tennis tournament to an island, even more impressive, outside of peak season. The Bol Open has been a great success, and it was only after spending a little time with his that I realised that this is just a fraction of what Feliks does. 

I will write about it soon, but Feliks managed to pull off the most amazing project for Kastela during the lockdown, a true example of creative thinking in the new Croatia 2.0. 

Passionate about his native Kastela, Feliks was not going to let me go with just a chat and bench photo shoot, and he took me on a tour of the Kastela I had never seen, including this gem above. 

Default negative mindset? In this amazing country? With some stimulating and positive people?

Surely the day could not get any better?

Not only could it get better, but it did. 

Next up, a visit to Vrana near Biograd na Moru, to meet the digital nomad pioneer in Croatia (at least I think so), Tanja Polegubic.

A really great exchange of ideas and planned cooperation on some Croatia 2.0 ideas, and then a tour of the wonderful setting we found ourselves in. 

The westernmost example of Ottoman architecture in Europe, apparently, meet Maskovica Han. Absolutely stunning! As is its surroundings, right next to Vrana Lake. 

Such incredible treasure on the Road Less Travelled in rural Croatia. 

And there was plenty of confirmation that I was off the beaten track. 

Last year I wrote an article called The 3 Stages of Learning for Foreigners in Croatia: Love, Hate & Nirvana.

I am finally at the nirvana stage with my relationship with Croatia. And the shortcut formula to get there (if you want to save the 15 years it took me to figure things out) is simple - accept the things you cannot change and surround yourself with positive people. 

People like Jan, Feliks and Tanja. 

That's it. 

I guess I might have a more default negative mindset if I spent all day as a keyboard warrior fighting HDZ v SDP battles, ustasa v parizani, di si bio u '91?

But hell, the sun was shining, I thought I would give opportunity positive a try, rather than default negative. And you know what?

It works. 

I recently presented a concept called CROMADS: Why You Should Move to Croatia, With or Without Uhljebistan.

I was surprised at the lack of negative comments (for a change) and very encouraged by so many positive comments. 

Among the things I said in the article is that I now approach Uhljebistan much as a Norwegian drinker and smoker approaches cigarettes there. Norway is a great country to live in, but man, the fags and booze are expensive. But, he reasons over a 10 euro beer, the cigarette and alcohol tax is worth paying to live in Norway. 

I feel the same way about Uhljebistan. Rather than being depressed and frustrated, I accept that one of the downsides of life here - as with expensive beer and cigarettes in Norway - is that I have to pay an 'Uhljeb tax' in order to live in the most beautiful country in Europe, and one with the very best lifestyle. 

And you know what? As soon as you get into that mindset, Croatia really is the most incredible place to life. Surrounding yourself with positive people who want to achieve things and make Croatia better place motivates you to do better as well. 

So what was the reaction to a little opportunity positive rather than default negative? Some reader comments:

Imagine what might start to happen to the default negative Croatian mindset if we started to change the environment to arguing about Tito and Pavelic in favour of celebrating the MANY success stories? This positivity might just catch on. 

There are only two main problems with Croatia in my opinion - the system and the mindset. Pay your uhljeb tax and then bypass the system by creating a Croatia 2.0 reality which will inspire local people to change their mindset as well as creating jobs. Uhljebistan will implode sooner rather than later - the viruses of transparency and technology are impossible to fight if you do not have immunity. 

Did I say jobs? That Dutch serial entrepreneur again. 

And if Croatia really wanted to build a proper tourism strategy, build it around its two best jewels in the new reality - safety and lifestyle. 

If you are interested in a better future for Croatia and would like to get involved in Croatia 2.0, please contact me (email ONLY please, am drowning in messages at the moment), Subject Croatia 2.0 with a short para about you and how you can contribute to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

22. svibnja 2020. - Dok tisuće napuštaju hrvatsku, zašto biste se vi preselili u Hrvatsku - da, zaista! Zaboravite na Uhljebistan, zaboravite na turizam, ovo su CROMADS.

Svi ćemo se zauvijek sjećati ovih posljednjih nekoliko mjeseci. Toliko nesigurnosti, toliko promjena, toliko vremena da razmislimo o prošlosti i budućnosti. Mislim da smo se svi promijenili barem malo zahvaljujući koroni. Ili smo se promijenili mnogo.

Meni je ovih posljednjih nekoliko mjeseci prošlo kao u magli. Nikad nisam više radio u životu, i tih sat vremena koje sam sam provodio uz Jadran svaku večer nakon što sam cijeli dan pisao o smrtima i bolesti pomoglo me održati normalnim. I dalo mi je jasnoću.

Sada vidim svijet drukčije nego što sam ga vidio prije godinu dana, posebno kad se radi o Hrvatskoj. I ništa mi nije jasnije od toga kako je ova seizmička promjena u našim životima Hrvatsku postavila u savršen položaj da preokrene svoje opadanje broja stanovnika, stvori bogatstvo i pomakne ovu zemlju prema naprijed.

S ili bez Uhljebistana.

Nekad sam mislio da je moguće reformirati sustav ovdje, a moji hrvatski prijatelji smijali su se mojoj naivnosti. I bili su u pravu. Ali, posljednja me godina natjerala da shvatim da je sav trud uložen u nastojanja da se popravi Uhljebistan i provedu reforme zapravo posve uzaludan. Energija je to koja se može bolje usmjeriti u novim, pozitivnim smjerovima, kao što je moj novi koncept - CROMADS (skraćenica od Croatia i nomads, nomadi; nomadi u Hrvatskoj).

Potpuna nesposobnost Ministarstva turizma, koju predvodi ministar-heroj sa svojim sloganima za vrijeme doba korone poput "Hrvatska diše turizam", dok istovremeno nisu u stanju objaviti bilo kakve korisne savjete za putovanja u Hrvatskoj, pokazuje - još jednom - da zaista nema nade. Pa, draže mi je, umjesto da nastojim popraviti Kraljevstvo slučajnog turizma, ismijavati ih i igrnorirati, na kraju ih učiniti besmislenima i nebitnima.

Pokrenuli smo zajednicu na Viberu, nazvanu Total Croatia Travel INFO prije nekoliko dana, saznati više i priključiti se možete ovdje. Prošlo je 8 dana otkad me zamjenik ministra turizma pozvao dapošaljem pitanja Ministarstvu, na koja će oni odgovoriti pa ću ja stvoriti stranicu koja će pomoći onima koji stvaraju 20 % hrvatskog BNP-a - turistima. I 8 dana kasnije dobio sam tišinu. Shvatio sam da ne odgovaraju medijima, stoga je za turiste još manja šansa da će dobiti odgovor, pa smo pokrenuli Viber community s namjerom da sve podatke stavimo na jedno mjesto  (ako vas to zanima, pospremite link na ovaj naš članak u kojem je sve objašnjeno). Dopuštamo pitanja (i bilo ih je MNOGO), te odgovaramo koliko možemo, a one na čija pitanja ne možemo odgovoriti upućujemo na prave adrese e-maila. Reakcije su uglavnom vrlo pozitivne i posebno mi se svidio ovaj komentar koji sam primio od Bonaca Experience - hvala vam! Pridružite nam se (trebat će vam aplikacija Viber).

Jedan od ključeva uživanja u boljem životu u Hrvatskoj je toliko jednostavan, a s druge strane toliko teško ostvariv

Mindset.

Stanje duha.

Prije par godina, u [i]fičru[/i] napravljenom za britansko veleposlanstvo u Zagrebu, objasnio sam sve što bi strani investitor trebao znati o Dalmaciji u jednoj rečenici, za koju mi je trebalo 12 godina da je shvatim, ali čim je shvatite i prihvatite, život u Dalmaciji postane gotovo savršen. A ako je ne možete prihvatiti odmah, ili ćete je prihvatiti u budućnosti ili će vam se život pretvoriti u frustraciju. A rečenica je...

Nemojte pokušavati promijeniti Dalmaciju, ali očekujte da će Dalmacija promijeniti vas.

Stanje duha važno je i kad se obraćate Moćnoj Državi Uhljebistan. Umjesto da se nervirate i osjećate frustriranima, kako sam se ja osjećao godinana, ovih dana se osjećam kao stanovnik Osla koji mnogo pije i puši dok se obraća Norveškoj i životu u njoj. Ovo je divna zemlja, ali, čovječe, cigarete i piće su zaista skupi. Ali, njegovo je razmišljanje da su pivo od preko 10 eura, te porez na cigarete i alkohol vrijedni plaćanja da bi se živjelo u Norveškoj.

Tako nekako ja doživljavam Uhljebistan. Umjesto da sam deprimiran i frustriran, prihvaćam da je jedna od negativnih stvari oko života ovdje - slično kao cijena piva i cigareta u Norveškoj - činjenica da moram plaćati porez na uhljebe kako bi mogao živjeti u jednoj od najljepših zemalja u Europi, koje imaju jedan od najboljih stilova života.

I znate što? Čim se ubacite u taj način razmišljanja, samo malo toga "nemojte pokušavati mijenjati Dalmaciju, ali očekujte da će Dalmacija promijeniti vas", sva negativnost nestaje. Okružite se sa što je više moguće pozitivnih i dinamičnih ljudi ovdje, koncentrirajte se na stvaranje Hrvatske 2.0 i bolje budućnosti za našu djecu. Faks uređaji Uhljebistana 2.0 su na izdisaju, postaju svakim danom sve manje relevantni.

A sada, razgovarajmo o CROMADS (Kromadima), i zašto su oni hrvatska budućnost - i to posebno sjajna budućnost!

Radi se o konceptu koji sam prvi put predstavio na Business Cafe Online događaju prošli tjedan, gdje sam bio jedan od gostiju uz legendu Jana de Jonga. Ništa vezano za Cromade nije posebno komplicirano, niti je skupo implementirati taj koncept. Zahtijeva promjenu samo jedne jedine stvari.

Stanja duha.

Cromads - za početak.

Da bih taj koncept najbolje objasnio, trebate zaboraviti na Hrvatsku u kojoj turizam ostvaruje 20 % BDP-a, pritom polagano uništavajući njenu obalu. Trebate zaboraviti i na Uhljebistan za sada. Vratit ćemo ideje Moćne Države Uhljebistana nešto kasnije, kada dođemo do tri različita scenarija - Cromads koji žive s, bez ili uz naše uhljebske prijatelje.

Koncentrirajmo se na to što je Hrvatska bez Uhljebistana: sigurna, prirodom prekrasna zemlja u EU, cjenovno prihvatljiva i lako dostupna, sa sjajnom lokalnom hranom i vinom, stvarima koje treba vidjeti i doživjeti, infrastrukturom i internetom. I životnim stilom kojem cijeli svijet zavidi. Sjajna zemlja za provesti život. Zapamtite ovu misao.

Živimo u svakim danom sve više digitalnom svijetu, i činjenica je da nas mnogo (a uskoro će nas biti većina!) radi u istom uredu.

Taj se ured zove internet.

Samo su dvije varijable u našem globalnom uredu - povezivost (3G, 4G ili 5G) i vremenske zone. Osim toga, slobodni smo šetati svojim uredom i odabrati radno mjesto koje nam najbolje odgovara.

Kad odemo iz ureda, odlazimo doma.

Kad sam prvi put pričao Business Cafeu, prije godinu dana u Zagrebu, trebalo mi je 90 kilometara da dođem do njih iz Varaždina, 180 kilometara za cijeli put.

Prošli sam mjesec primio svoj mjesečni izvještaj od Google Mapsa, u kojem me obavještavaju koliko sam zemalja obišao i kilometara prošao u travnju 2020.

Hodao sam 100 kilometara, a vozio se samo 65! Dakle, taj put da do Business Cafea prošle godine bio je trostruko duži od ukupne vožnje koju sam obavio u travnju 2020.

A opet, sjedio sam u Jelsi u krevetu s čašom vina, drugi sam se put pojavio na Business Cafeu, ali ovaj put me gledalo mnogo više ljudi nego što bi se moglo ugurati u sobu u Zagrebu.

Vlasnica BC-a, Kristina, mogla je biti u Dublinu, Dubaiju ili Durbanu. Prošle godine, morala je biti fizički u Zagrebu, ali to se promijenilo. I kako online školovanje postaje sve uvjerljivije, stupovi koji nas vezuju za određenu lokaciju sve više postaju uklonjeni. Naravno, neki od nas htjet će ostati u mjestu gdje su odrasli, blizu svojih obitelji. Ali mnogi će poželjeti napustiti ured i domom zvati neku lifestyle destinaciju.

Mjesto poput Hrvatske.

Zamislite, dug dan u uredu i zatvorite računalo i tražite što će vas opustiti. Ugodno kupanje u Jadranu prije večere, možda? Šetnja kroz mjesta koja je zaštitio UNESCO, poput Splita, Trogira ili Dubrovnika? Ili planinarenje ili šetnja kroz prekrasnu zemlju čijih je 10 % teritorija posvećeno nacionalnim parkovima ili parkovima prirode?

Izbor je vaš. Destinacija je sigurna, cjenovno prihvatljiva, lako dostupna, većina govori engleski jezik, hrana i vino su izvrsni, ima mnogo toga što biste trebali vidjeti i doživjeti. A jesam li spomenuo taj stil života?

Prije pandemije korone, globalna su predviđanja bila da će na svijetu biti cijela milijarda digitalnih nomada do 2035. godine. Događaji posljednjih nekoliko mjeseci samo su ubrzali taj trend, pretpostavljam.

Za razliku od turista, digitalne nomade privlači stil života. To znači i duži ostanak, više integracije u zajednicu, prilika da se uključe u život, potaknu i nešto u nju vrate. Kad ovdje govorim o lokalnim nomadima, lokalne me oči blijedo gledaju jer pogrešno misle da govorim isključivo o blogerima i influencerima koji se bave Splitom i Dubrovnikom.

A onda im ispričam o Julie iz Denvera, pa budu šokirani. U vrijeme masovnog bježanja iz Slavonije, postoji žena koja ne samo da se preselila u Osijek na nekoliko mjeseci, nego je time bila oduševljena. Sigurno, pristupačno, prekrasno, sjajno lokalno stanovništvo i priroda, govori se engleski jezik. Čemu bi čovjek mogao prigovoriti?

Ne tjera li vas to na razmišljanje, što ako?

Zašto ne biste cijeli dan radili u uredu, a zatim prešli u svoj lifestyle raj - otprilike bilo gdje u Hrvatskoj?

A nisam još ni spomenuo hranu. Ni vino.

Sjajnu lokalno proizvedenu hranu, sa sastojcima koji nisu dostupni kroz cijelu godinu u nekom bezukusnom obliku, nego samo kad im je sezona. A okus i svježina je fantastična. Kao što je i 130 autohtonih sorti vina, uključujući originalni zinfandel.

Kako bi bilo kad bi moja hrana putovala onoliko koliko ja putujem? Sjajni lokalni proizvodi. Lokalna ekonomija.

Posao u globalnom uredu, dom u glavnom gradu stila života Europe: gdje da se prijavim? Vrijeme je da porazgovaramo o slonu u našoj dnevnoj sobi.

Ovo su scenariji za Cromade:

Scenarij 1: Uhljebistan u potpunosti ignorira priliku s digitalnim nomadima.

Židot ide dalje, kako je i prije išao. Nešto mudrog marketinga privuče nešto više digitalnih nomada nego što ih je i do sad dolazilo. A oni ZAISTA dolaze. Bez reformi pravila o imigraciji, njihov će boravak biti ograničen na tri mjeseca u većini slučajeva. Ali, digitalni nomadi su pokretna družina, doći će na tri mjeseca, trošit će u barovima, restoranima, dućanima. Svi ti neizravni porezi bit će samo naznaka onoga što bi moglo biti. Solidan prihod.

Scenarij 2: Uhljebistan odlučuje uključiti se. 

Budući da je većina uobičajenih pritoka novca presušila, Uhljebistan odlučuje da se treba uključiti. Učinimo jednostavnijim da digitalni nomadi ostanu duže, na taj način nama će doći više novca. Nekima se životni stil toliko svidi da će pokrenuti svoje tvrtke, zaposliti lokalno stanovništvo, a svi će oni zajedno plaćati ogromne poreze Moćnoj Državi Uhljebistanu. 

Scenarij 3:  Vive La Revolution!

Stvari u Hrvatskoj postaju dovoljno loše da se ljudi odluče pobuniti. Nacija koja može na ulice Zagreba dovesti 550.000 ljudi koji slave svoje nogometne junake sa Svjetskog prvenstva i koja može Olivera sa stilom ispratiti u Vela Luku pokreće protest sa sličnom strašću. To završava tako da Uhljebistan biva ukinut.

Što nam ostaje? Globalni ured, zaposlenici iz cijelog svijeta koji sudjeluju u lokalnom gospodarstvu, inspiriraju način razmišljanja u sljedećoj generaciji lokalnog stanovništva. A kako više nema Uhljebistana, progresivno oporezivanje približava te tvrtke i njihove potencijalne zaposlenike.

I dok se nadamo scenariju 3, realniji je scenario 1 - što je i dalje OK!

Radite u globalnom uredu, uživajte u glavnom gradu stila života Europe, s ili bez Uhljebistana.

Zaboravite na pronalaženje onih 20 milijuna turista koji polako uništavaju obalu.

Kupujte lokalno, radite digitalno, mijenjajte način razmišljanja. Hrvatska je zaista fantastično mjesto za život. Mjesto u kojem bi lokalno stanovništvo zaista uživalo na svojoj obali, samo kad bi si to mogli priuštiti. 

May 20, 2020 - With thousands emigrating, why you should move to Croatia - yes really! Forget Uhljebistan, forget tourism, meet CROMADS.

These last few months will be remembered forever by us all. So much uncertainty, so much change, so much time for reflection on the past and the future. I think most of us changed a little thanks to corona. Or maybe changed a lot. 

For me, the last few months have been a blur. I have never worked harder in my life, and that precious hour alone by the Adriatic after reporting on death all day helped keep me sane. And gave me clarity. 

I now see the world very differently than I did a year ago, especially when it comes to Croatia. And nothing was clearer to me than how this seismic change in our daily lives has positioned Croatia perfectly to reverse its population decline, generate wealth, and move this country forward.

With or without Uhljebistan.

I used to think it was possible to reform the system here, and my Croatian friends would laugh at my naivety. And they were right. But this last year has made me realise that all that effort in trying to improve Uhljebistan and bring reform is wasted effort. Effort which can be better directed into new, positive directions such as my new CROMADS concept. 

The complete ineptitude of the Ministry of Tourism, led by our heroic minister with his corona-era slogans such as Croatia Breathes Tourism, while being completely incapable of publishing any useful travel advice whatsoever, shows - once again - that there really is no hope. Rather than try and improve the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism, it is better to mock it and ignore it, then to render it meaningless and irrelevant. 

We launched a Viber Community called Total Croatia Travel INFO less than 48 hours ago (you can learn more and join here). It is now 8 days since the Deputy Minister of Tourism invited me to send questions to the ministry which they would answer so that a helpful information page could be created to help the people who generate 20% of Croatia's GDP - the tourists. Eight days later - silence. I realised that if they are not replying to the media, then there is not much hope for tourists, and so we started the Viber community as a way to put information into one place (bookmark this link to our master article if interested), We are allowing questions (and there have been MANY), and we are answering what we can and directing people to the correct email address where we do not have the information. Feedback has been broadly very positive, and I really liked this comment from Bonaca Experience - thank you! Join us (you will need to download the Viber app).

One of the keys to enjoying a better life in Croatia is something so simple, and yet so hard to get right. 

Mindset. 

A couple of years ago, in the above feature for the British Embassy in Zagreb, I explained everything a foreign investor needed to know about Dalmatia in a sentence, a sentence that had taken me 12 years to figure out, but if one can understand and embrace its meaning, life in Dalmatia is close to perfect. And if you can't embrace it initially, you either will at some point in the future or face a life of frustration. And the sentence is...

Do not try and change Dalmatia, but expect Dalmatia to change you. 

And mindset is also important when one approaches the Mighty State of Uhljebistan. Rather than get frustrated by it as I did for years, I approach it these days as a Norwegian resident of Oslo who drinks and smokes a lot approaches life in Norway. It is a great country to live in, but man, the fags and booze are expensive. But, he reasons over a 10 euro beer, the cigarette and alcohol tax is worth paying to live in Norway. 

I feel the same way about Uhljebistan. Rather than being depressed and frustrated, I accept that one of the downsides of life here - as with expensive beer and cigarettes in Norway - is that I have to pay an 'Uhljeb tax' in order to live in the most beautiful country in Europe, and one with the very best lifestyle. 

And you know what? As soon as you get into that mindset - a little like Do not try and change Dalmatia, but expect Dalmatia to change you - all the negativity goes away. Surround yourself with the many positive and dynamic people here and focus on creating Croatia 2.0 and a better future for our children. The fax machines of Uhljebistan 2.0 are on borrowed time and increasingly irrelevant. 

Now let's talk CROMADS, and why this is the future of Croatia - and a very bright future indeed. 

It is a concept I presented first with Business Cafe Online last week, where I was a guest with the legend that is Jan de Jong. There is nothing terribly complicated about CROMADS, nor does it cost much to implement. In fact, it requires only one thing to change. 

Mindset. 

Let's begin with CROMADS. 

In order to explain it best, I need you to forget that Croatia is a  tourism country with 20% of its GDP slowly destroying its coast. And I need you to forget about Uhljebistan for now. We will bring in the Mighty State of Uhljebistan later, with three scenarios - CROMADS with, without and coexisting with our uhljebby friends. 

Let's focus on what Croatia is without Uhljebistan: a safe, naturally beautiful country in the EU, affordable and accessible, with great local food and wine, things to do and see, good infrastructure and Internet. And a a lifestyle that is the envy of the world. A great place to live. Hold that thought. 

We live in an increasingly digitalised world, and it is a fact of life that a large minority (and possibly soon to be the majority) of us all work in the same office. 

It is called the Internet. 

There are only two real variables to our global office  - connectivity (3G, 4G or 5G) and time zones. Apart from that we are free to roam our office and choose a seat and view that suits us. 

When we leave the office, we go home. 

I first spoke at Business Cafe a year ago in Zagreb. In order to get there, I drove from Varazdin, 90km each way. Round trip of 180km. 

Last week I got my monthly report from Google Maps to tell me how many countries I had visited in April 2020, and how many kilomotres I had travelled. 

I had walked 100 kilometres and driven just 65 km. So that drive to Business Cafe last year was three times the distance I drove for the entire month of April.

And here I was, sitting in bed in Jelsa with a glass of wine, making my second appearance at Business Cafe, but this time with a lot more people than could fit in the room in Zagreb. 

BC owner Kristina could have been in Dublin, Dubai or Durban. Last year, she had to physically be in Zagreb, but no longer. And with online schooling looking increasingly likely sooner rather than later, suddenly the pillars which chain ourselves to our locations are removed. Sure, some will want to stay in the place where they grew up, close to family. But there will be many who would love to leave the office and go home to an amazing lifestyle destination. 

Somewhere like Croatia. 

Imagine a long day in the office and you close down and look to de-stress. A swim in the Adriatic before dinner perhaps?  A little stroll through a UNESCO World Heritage Site such as the old towns of Split, Trogir and Dubrovnik? Or perhaps a hike in a stunning country which has 10% of its surface given over to national and nature parks?

The choice is yours. The destination is safe, affordable, accessible, English is widely-spoken, great food and wine, lots to see and do. Did I mention the lifestyle?

Before the corona pandemic, the prediction was one BILLION digital nomads by 2035. The events of the last few months has probably accelerated that number's arrival. 

Unlike a tourist, a digital nomad usually comes for the lifestyle.  Which means a longer stay, more integration in the community, a chance to engage, inspire and put something back. When I talk digital nomads here, local eyes glaze over, as they falsely assume that I am talking exclusively about bloggers and influencers in Split and Dubrovnik. 

And then when I tell them about Julie from Denver, they are shocked. In an age of mass emigration from Slavonia, here was a woman who not only moved to Osijek for several months, but absolutely loved it. Safe, affordable, beautiful, great locals and nature, English spoken. What was not to like?

Doesn't it make you think? What if?

Why not work all day in the office, then come home to your lifestyle paradise - pretty much anywhere in Croatia. 

I haven't told you about the food.

Or the wine. 

Great locally produced food, with ingredients which are not available all year in some bland format, but only in season. And the taste and freshness is magnificent. As are the 130 indigenous grape varieties of Croatia, including the original Zinfandel. 

What if my food also travelled about as much as I did? Great fresh local produce. A local economy. 

A job in the global office, a home in the lifestyle capital of Europe, where do I sign up? It is time to talk to the elephant in the room. 

There are three scenarios with CROMADS:

Scenario 1: Uhljebistan ignores the digital nomad opportunity completely.

Life goes on before. Some clever marketing brings in more digital nomads than are currently coming. And they ARE coming. Without reform of the immigration rules, stays will be limited to three months in many cases. But digital nomads are a mobile bunch. They will come for 3 months, spend in the bars, restaurants, shops. Those indirect taxes will be a little taster of what might have been. A good solid income. 

Scenario 2: Uhljebistan decides to engage. 

With its usual cashflow channels drying up, Uhljebistan decides to engage. Let's make it easier for digital nomads to stay longer, and there is more money for us. Some love the lifestyle so much that they start businesses, employ locals, all of whom pay a hefty tribute to the Mighty State of Uhljebistan. 

Scenario 3:  Vive La Revolution!

Things are bad enough in Croatia that the people rise up. The nation that can get 550,000 people on the streets of Zagreb to celebrate its World Cup heroes and send off beloved singer Oliver in style to Vela Luka starts to protest with similar passion. And Uhljebistan is overthrown. 

What are we left with? A global office, employees from all over the globe contributing to the local economy, inspiring the mindset of the local next generation. And with no more Uhljebistan, a progressive tax incentive to bring those businesses closer to their employees. 

And while we hope for Scenario 3, the reality is probably Scenario 1, which is still ok. 

Work in the office, relax in the lifestyle capital of Europe, with or without Uhljebistan. 

Forget trying to find those 20 million tourists which are slowly devastating the coast.

Buy local, go digital, change mindset. Croatia really is the most amazing place to live. A place where the locals would be able to enjoy their coast at an affordable price.