Self-reflection provides insight into the ideal business environment where you can excel, whether it be within entrepreneurial or corporate leadership

On Fridays, the CloseOut team enjoys their free time as we gave our employees the freedom to spend the day as they please. Our office, takes on a serene atmosphere, affording me the opportunity to engage in thoughtful conversations with my lifelong friend and esteemed colleague, Dragan Travica . We delve into discussions about our business, life, and anything else that crosses our minds. Today, I want to share a few reflections on basketball, the sport that has held a special place in my heart since my teenage days, shaping my identity and providing insight into what truly fulfills me in my professional pursuits.

After completing my education, I embarked on a 22-year professional journey that led me through various roles. I began as an assistant at a university, moved to junior engineering roles, advanced to higher engineering positions, and eventually assumed middle, senior and executive management roles for over a decade. I've overseen companies ranging from small-scale operations to large multinational enterprises with over a thousand employees across multiple countries and industries.

Throughout my career, I've always thrived in smaller, agile, and fast-paced teams and organizations with an entrepreneurial mindset I managed. Having carried this mindset with me throughout my career, I naturally sought to instill it within large-scale corporate environments. However, I personally found it challenging to implement it as effectively as I had envisioned. Despite recognizing this difficulty, I remained committed and dedicated significant effort to fostering an entrepreneurial mindset within the large corporate organizations I managed. The level of success I had hoped for was not attained.

Last year, I had the opportunity to engage in multiple discussions with business coach Alan ?epec , focusing on the management challenges I encountered in my role overseeing a large corporation. Despite my initial reservations about seeking guidance from such professionals, through the time we built mutual trust and our conversations gradually shifted towards reflecting on my childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood.

Among the various topics we explored, our discussions eventually turned to basketball, a passion of mine. It was during these conversations that Alan pinpointed where the heart of the matter lays. Basketball had been a significant part of my life – I devoted countless hours to playing, particularly in the fast-paced world of 3x3 streetball. Renowned in my neighborhood for my skill and respected for my winning streaks, I thrived in this environment where quick decisions, agility, and personal accountability were paramount.

However, my performance in the more structured setting of 5x5 basketball left me frustrated and perplexed. It wasn't until many years later, with Alan's guidance, that I understood the underlying essence. In 3x3 streetball, success relied on the synergy between a few trusted teammates and individual initiative. Conversely, 5x5 basketball demanded orchestration akin to leading a symphony orchestra, emphasizing distributed teamwork and long-lasting strategy.

This realization led me to acknowledge that in business life my strengths lay in the fast-paced, autonomous environment of 3x3 streetball, akin to the agile, entrepreneurial spirit I thrived on. I recognized that my leadership style and skill set were better suited to smaller, cohesive teams where rapid decision-making was key.

Today, after many years of managing large multinational enterprise, I decided to go where I belong and finally found fulfillment and a sense of belonging playing 3x3 streetball with my @Closeout teammates, mirroring the environment where I can excel in my professional endeavors. While I wish I had met Alan ?epec sooner, I believe that our encounter came at just the right time, guiding me to embrace my entrepreneurial instincts in the business arena.

Alan ?epec I'm grateful for your support in aiding me to reclaim my entrepreneurial freedom. :)