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Borko Kovacevic: Serbia Childhood to Singapore, 17 Years at Microsoft & Podcast Founder Poddster - E480

Oct 1, 2024

Borko Kovacevic, cofounder of Poddster, shares fascinating insights from his childhood in Serbia during turbulent times. He emphasizes how resilience shaped his upbringing, contrasting it with the comfortable life his children have in Singapore. Borko recounts his 17 years at Microsoft, detailing the cultural shift from formal to casual work environments and how mentorship guided him through significant company changes. He also discusses his leap into entrepreneurship, driven by a desire for personal fulfillment in a fast-evolving digital landscape.

34:56

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Borko Kovacevic

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Quick takeaways

Borko Kovacevic's journey from a challenging childhood in Serbia to a successful career at Microsoft underscores the importance of resilience and adaptability in personal development.

His transition from a corporate career to entrepreneurial endeavors reflects a desire for personal fulfillment and highlights the importance of pursuing passions in a competitive landscape.

Deep dives

The Importance of Diverse Content Creation

Creating short-form content from longer sessions is essential for maximizing social media presence and client engagement. By recording discussions and segmenting them into numerous bite-sized clips, content creators can enhance their visibility and attract new clients. This approach counters common misconceptions about the necessity of long-form content and highlights the potential of diverse formats, including video and audio. Embracing these methods helps individuals leverage social media effectively, allowing them to discover new audiences and opportunities.

Intro

2min

Resilience and Roots: A Journey from Serbia to Singapore

4min

Journey to Microsoft: Embracing Change

14min

The Evolution of Podcasting Ventures

10min

Resilience Through Adversity

5min

Borko Kovacevic, Cofounder of Poddster, and Jeremy Au discussed:

1. Serbia Childhood to Singapore: Borko reflected on his childhood in Serbia during the 1980s and 1990s, witnessing both Yugoslavia's prosperity and the hardships of the Bosnian and Kosovo wars. Economic instability and rising crime taught him street smarts and resilience, values he now aims to instill in his children, who are growing up in Singapore’s safety. He stressed the importance of teaching gratitude and perseverance despite their comfort, helping them appreciate hard work and innovation. Borko contrasted his challenging upbringing with his children’s blessings, focusing on how to nurture their development without fostering complacency.

2. 17 Years at Microsoft: Borko recounted his Microsoft career, which began in the early 2000s in Serbia as one of the first employees in the post-war region. He described the culture shock of transitioning from a formal corporate environment—where suits and daily shaving were required—to Microsoft’s casual jeans-and-t-shirt culture. Over the years, Borko worked across Europe, including Munich, before settling in Singapore. He witnessed key leadership transitions, such as Bill Gates stepping down and Steve Ballmer taking over, which shaped the company’s evolving culture. Mentorship played a crucial role in helping him navigate these changes. After receiving tenure crystals at the five, ten, and fifteen-year marks, Borko chose to pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations instead of waiting for the twenty-year crystal.

3. Podcast Founder Poddster: Borko discussed founding Poddster, a podcasting studio business born from conversations with his co-founder, a UX and MVP expert who saw a market gap for fully equipped podcasting spaces. Starting with one studio in Dubai, Podster grew to 12 studio sets in Dubai and 4 in Singapore. The rise of video podcasting and short-form content, driven by platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, has fueled its success. He also highlighted the importance of scalability and the development of Podyx, a SaaS platform to streamline operations for Poddster and other studios worldwide.

Jeremy and Borko also discussed how his early career influenced his leadership style, the potential of AI to automate and enhance podcast production, and the future of content creation.

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