POSLOVNI DIR Nikola Barbarić

Guest Nikola BarbarićHosted by Bojana KoharevićMay 3, 2026

Nikola Barbarić

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Nikola Barbarić spent years as a sniper in the Croatian army, a career demanding precision and discipline. Then he quit. His next venture: becoming a clown. This isn't a story about a career pivot; it's about a man who walked away from state security into the volatile world of entertainment, launching his business just as a global pandemic shut down all public gatherings. Barbarić's path from military uniform to Spartanko Smotanko, a beloved stage performer, is a study in conviction. He demonstrates how an unconventional calling, even one met with bureaucratic confusion and market collapse, can still find its footing through sheer will and a refusal to be categorized. You'll finish this conversation rethinking what constitutes a "safe" career and how much external support a truly driven entrepreneur actually needs.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

"I was a sniper in the Croatian army, then military police. I turned down a high officer rank and resigned voluntarily," Barbarić says, describing his departure from a secure state job. The lesson isn't about chasing passion; it's that some entrepreneurial paths are less chosen than compelled, demanding a radical break from conventional security.

Barbarić opened his business at "the worst possible time," just as COVID-19 measures banned all public animation, meaning he received no government support. Launching a new venture directly into a market collapse can reveal the true resilience of a business model, forcing immediate adaptation without external safety nets.

When Barbarić tried to register his business, officials struggled to categorize "clown" as an activity, eventually filing him under "other musical, scenic, and artistic organizations." The system often pushes new, uncategorized ventures into ill-fitting boxes, forcing entrepreneurs to navigate complex, multi-entity structures just to exist.

Despite his business later "exploding," Barbarić was denied self-employment incentives, and his wife lost her job and associated support, leaving them without income during the pandemic. Government support programs can miss the very businesses they're meant to help, failing to recognize potential when it's obscured by immediate crisis.

During the pandemic, Barbarić faced the dilemma of adhering to strict "two households" rules for birthday parties or risking disappointing children and damaging his reputation. Operating a service business under arbitrary restrictions forces entrepreneurs into impossible ethical choices that pit compliance against customer satisfaction.

Barbarić credits his wife for handling all administration, marketing, and paperwork, stating, "She is my manager, wife, mother, and queen." For a creative entrepreneur, a trusted partner who manages the entire back office is not just support; it's the strategic enabler that allows the founder to focus solely on the core offering.

Barbarić initially did birthdays but now focuses on "Stage Magic Comedy Performance" for large groups in hotels, camps, and schools, rarely doing private parties anymore. A strong early market entry point isn't always the ultimate scaling opportunity; the real business often lies in refining the offering for larger, more structured clients.

Barbarić describes his performances as "seven or eight arts in one," a result of years of diverse training. Mastery in a niche creative field isn't about excelling at a single skill, but about synthesizing multiple disciplines into a unique, holistic experience that transcends simple categorization.

Explore further

ScenariosBusiness challenges CardsEducational cards TimelineTopic evolution