POSLOVNI ĐIR Ana Rogulj

Guest Ana RoguljHosted by Mojdana KoharevićMay 3, 2026

Ana Rogulj

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Ana Rogulj started her career as a professor, dedicating years to sports through an association, primarily teaching children's athletics. But the path from passionate educator to successful business owner rarely follows a straight line. Her story reveals how unexpected shifts – like observing parents waiting during kids' classes, or navigating a global pandemic – can shape a business model, pushing a founder to formalize operations and rethink growth. Today, Ana is the owner of Proaktiv, a Split-based venture promoting active lifestyles for all ages, from running schools for adults to fitness for seniors. She shares how she navigated the transition from association work to private business, the role of government support, and the strategic decisions that led her to balance core expertise with entrepreneurial demands. Listeners will hear how a commitment to community health, combined with a willingness to adapt, can build a resilient business even in the face of market disruptions.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Ana's initial career path was driven by a singular focus on children's athletics through an association, a direction she once believed would be her sole professional pursuit. Businesses often evolve from an intense personal focus on one niche, but true growth comes from observing adjacent needs and expanding deliberately.

While running children's programs, Ana noticed parents waiting idly, which prompted her to launch a running school for adults in 2015, becoming the first in Split. The most effective way to expand beyond a niche isn't a new idea, but simply observing the unmet needs of those already in your orbit.

The decision to open her own business, Proaktiv, came after the Covid-19 pandemic, during her maternity leave, as she sought a way to emerge from the crisis. Sometimes, the catalyst for formalizing a business isn't a grand plan, but a period of disruption that forces a founder to create their own path forward.

Ana attributes her successful launch as an independent business owner to self-employment incentives from the Employment Bureau, which she describes as a "wind in her sails." Government support programs are not just financial aid; for new entrepreneurs, they provide crucial early validation and momentum to take the leap.

Despite being a sports professional, Ana spends significant time on bureaucracy, project applications, and deadlines, which she feels "steals" from her core work of creating training programs. The hidden cost of entrepreneurship for a specialist is the constant demand to acquire diverse administrative skills, often at the expense of time spent on their primary expertise.

After transitioning from an association to her own private business, Ana later decided to form a new club (a type of association) specifically to access project funding and grants again. Moving from a solo venture back to an association model can be a strategic pivot, allowing a business to tap into funding opportunities otherwise unavailable to individual entrepreneurs.

Asked whether it's easier to be an "artist" or an "entrepreneur," Ana states she "spontaneously wanders" between both, finding joy in her work and letting the business follow. The most sustainable approach to entrepreneurship might not be a rigid distinction between passion and profit, but a fluid integration where genuine enthusiasm for the core work drives everything else.

Ana's godmother advised her to "go alone" to avoid conflicts, an insight Ana found valuable, balancing it with the need for family and client support. While collaboration is often praised, sometimes the clearest path to execution and peace of mind is to operate independently, relying on a trusted personal circle for belief and advice.

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