In an insightful appearance on the show “Čadež Talk”, hosted by Marko Čadež, the president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Matthew Mukaler, a leading figure in the global startup scene, shared his entrepreneurial journey from gamer to BlackRock. Broadcasted on TV Euronews Serbia, Mukaler revealed the challenges faced by startups and offered advice on overcoming personal and professional obstacles.
Mukaler, who transitioned into IT technologies through gaming, discussed his early experiences with programming. He worked on projects like creating a Facebook clone to learn “backend” technologies related to server operations and “frontend” for user interface design. These projects helped him grasp the fundamentals of product development.
Reflecting on his own struggles, Mukaler talked about the difficult realities of running a startup, noting that the media often focuses on the success and financial rewards, while overlooking the hardships that precede them. He also shared his personal experience with burnout, which resulted from juggling work, studies, and launching a startup.
“When the professor suggested starting a startup, I planned to take a break, but we jumped right into the project, and I didn’t have time to rest. After 3-4 months, I was completely exhausted,” Mukaler said.
His advice for young people dealing with burnout is to slow down, rest, and recognize that willpower is like a muscle that requires recovery. Mukaler emphasized the importance of knowing your limits and the need to take breaks to maintain long-term success. For some, resting could mean playing games, others may find it in a walk or a workout at the gym. The key is recognizing the right moment before your energy drops too low.
After selling his startup, Mukaler joined BlackRock, where he continues to emphasize doing his best in whatever endeavor he pursues. “My biggest motivation is to always give my best, whether at BlackRock, a startup, or anywhere else,” he said.
Čadež highlighted the valuable lessons young people can take from Mukaler’s experience, regardless of whether they are studying, running a small startup, or working at a large company. The driving force, he noted, is finding the motivation to keep moving forward and learning from experiences.
Mukaler also shared his views on the Serbian startup ecosystem. He acknowledged the vast technical knowledge and expertise available but pointed out that success also hinges on mastering sales, marketing, and customer acquisition. He noted that one key to his startup’s success was joining an accelerator focused on promoting academic startups in cybersecurity, which helped them not only refine their technical skills but also enhance their sales and positioning strategies.
For Serbian startups, Mukaler believes acquiring these additional skills could significantly improve their chances of success and help them achieve desired results.
