Business Unusual – What makes or breaks a deal

Luck, ego, and knowing when to walk away

Domagoj Ostović is a passionate and experienced entrepreneur, owner and CEO of Lloyds Digital from Labin, a company focused on building digital products. He is the founder and director of one of Croatia’s largest IT conferences, Digital Labin, and one of the founders and vice president of the ICT Istria association. He received the Istriana award in the economy category for the most successful entrepreneur in the County of Istria for 2022 and has been nominated for EY Entrepreneur of the Year two years in a row.

LECTURE

In this talk, you’ll hear three real business development stories that reveal how deals are often decided by very human factors.


Domagoj Ostović shares a story about unexpected luck appearing at exactly the right moment, a project that collapsed because of ego, and a situation where the smartest move was walking away from the deal entirely.


These stories show why business development isn’t only about strategy and perfect pitches. Sometimes the biggest wins come from judgment, timing, and knowing when not to proceed.

How to sell to the toughest client of all: the public sector

Mladen Milavić brings more than 30 years of experience in sales leadership, negotiation, and organizational transformation. During his career he worked with global corporations including Microsoft and SAP, leading international sales initiatives worth more than $100 million.


Today he is a co-owner of several companies where he combines deep business expertise with interests in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and human behavior. His work focuses on emotional intelligence, growth mindset, and building organizations that deliver strong results while developing people.

LECTURE

In this talk, you’ll learn what companies need to understand before entering the public sector market.

Mladen Milavić will explain when it makes sense to pursue public sector clients, the three key factors for successfully selling IT solutions to government institutions, and the common pitfalls companies encounter along the way.


It’s also a rare opportunity to explore a topic that’s almost never discussed in the local tech community – selling IT solutions to the public sector in Croatia.

The lessons sales taught me the hard way

Vedran Sorić is a sales consultant with extensive experience in sales leadership and the founder of consulting company Sorbel Group, as well as co-owner of Prodajni Mindset.

Over his career he has held roles ranging from sales representative and key account manager to sales director, executive director, and board member across several international corporations and entrepreneurial ventures.

He holds an Executive MBA from Cotrugli Business School and has delivered more than 10,000 hours of in-house lectures and workshops across Croatia and internationally. In 2022 he published the book Prodajni Mindset, sharing his practical approach to sales, leadership, and business growth.

LECTURE

In this talk, you’ll learn why success in sales isn’t just about techniques and scripts.


Vedran Sorić will share the lessons he learned during the 2008–2009 financial crisis–insights that only made sense years later. Through a personal story of failure, he’ll explain the role identity plays in sales performance, why knowledge and skills aren’t the same thing, and how misunderstanding that difference can lead to costly mistakes.


This session takes a practical look at what truly drives results in sales and what many professionals overlook early in their careers.

Nikola has been a key member of Infinum’s Business Development team for over two and a half years, specializing in outbound strategies and optimizing presales processes. His hands-on experience with AI-enhanced sales tactics has given him a practical understanding of the best approach to land a deal.