April 23, 2020 - As campaigns to 'Buy Local' took root around the world, Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong in Split makes an intriguing pledge to hire more Croatian staff. 

People often complain that while Croatia is a beautiful place for a two-week holiday (it IS!), the realities of living here are another story. No jobs, corruption, negative mindset, nepotism, the list goes on. And so the young emigrate for better opportunities. 

As one of the relatively few people who decided to emigrate from my home country to Croatia as everyone else was leaving, I have perhaps a different perspective on things that many who just dismiss the impossibility of a decent life in Croatia. 

Firstly let's agree on some things. Croatia really IS the most beautiful country in the world. And the Croatian lifestyle really IS the best in the world. And if you have lots of money, it is paradise indeed. 

If you don't have lots of money,  life is harder. 

But that doesn't mean that life is impossible. As with anywhere else in the world, hard work is an essential ingredient to success. I have worked harder in Croatia than at any time in my life, without the supposed millions in my bank account that all foreigners apparently have by default, and I have a lifestyle here which I would not swap for any other in the world. 

And one of the secrets of a happier life in Croatia is something which is very obvious, but relatively few people embrace here. 

Surround yourself with positive people, and your world will be immediately a lot more positive. 

I have written before about the default negative Croatian mindset. Everyone is entitled to feel as they like, but my experience Croatia has some of the most positive and forward-thinking people in the world. You just have to seek them out, surround yourself with them, and let those positive juices flow your way. 

Try it. It really does work. 

One great example is Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong, who has employed well over 500 people in Croatia since moving here in 2006 (the number is probably much higher). I am beginning to think he has Croatian blood in there somewhere. He lives, breathes and buys Croatian. 

A few days ago, I reported on one of his linked in posts, "Croatia Has All Ingredients to Offer Best Standard of Living in Europe."

So how does  Mr. Positive respond to the current business climate of mass unemployment and client cancellations?

By encouraging others to do as he does - buy local. And if enough people do buy local, he will create more local jobs. He has pledged it publicly. 

From Jan de Jong's LinkedIn:

✋? I, Jan de Jong, co-founder of Webpower Adria, hereby solemnly swear, to hire 1 full time employee for every 25 companies that switch from MailChimp to Webpower Adria. ??

Yes, its that straight forward! Switching from MailChimp to #Webpower allows us to hire more people in Zagreb, Croatia.

MailChimp - with over 20 million clients worldwide - probably doesn't even know where Croatia is.

At Webpower Adria we know all our clients personally and we take very good care of them.

Contact us to hear more about our #BuyLocal campaign and switch your email marketing business to Webpower Adria.

Your business is very much appreciated, by us and by #HZZ ? #CroatiaFirst #LivingTheCroatianDream #entrepreneurship #email marketing #livechat #marketingautomation #Croatia

About Jan de Jong:

In 2006 I moved from the Netherlands to Croatia. In that same year I founded my first company, M+ Group. Over the years M+ Group expanded rapidly and developed into the leading Contact Center service provider in the Adriatic region. End of 2015 I sold my shares of M+ Group, making my first successful exit from a company I founded. At that time, the company employed over 400 people

After making an exit from M+ Group, I continued focusing my efforts on growing our full-service, award-winning, digital marketing agency, Younited Agency. Today we have offices in Zagreb & Belgrade, employing 25 full-time marketing professionals, servicing over 50 clients.

Just 1 month after my exit from M+ Group, I co-founded a new company, Webpower Adria.

Nowadays, we are the leading Email Marketing Automation Provider in Croatia & Serbia. We support the largest retailers, e-tailers, telco’s, national airliners, insurance companies, banks and hospitality service providers by delivering them the best possible email marketing experience.

All in all, happy and proud of what we have accomplished over the past 13 years, but even more so excited about the upcoming years. I am an open-minded entrepreneur, dedicated to make every company I am connected with the best in its industry.

You can connect with Jan de Jong via LinkedIn.

Learn more about his entrepreneurial experiences in Croatia in Jan's TCN feature in our Foreign Entrepreneurs in Croatia series.