Nikola Dujmović
Episode · #237
TEHNOBIZ Nikola Dujmović
Guest Nikola DujmovićHosted by Dražen TomićMay 3, 2026
Nikola Dujmović
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
The 2020 crisis was a catastrophe for many, but for some sectors, it was an accelerant. Nikola Dujmović, CEO of Span, found his company growing by 20% while others struggled. He describes the experience not as pure luck, but as the natural outcome for an industry built on global, remote work and a rapid shift in client priorities. Dujmović shares Span's playbook for navigating sudden economic shocks, drawing lessons from the 2008 downturn and applying them to a world where "crisis-mode operation is the new normal." This conversation offers a clear-eyed view of how some businesses thrive in disruption, and what it takes to be considered an indispensable partner when everything else is uncertain.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
When the 2008 crisis hit, a friend advised Dujmović to ignore new projects and focus on operational budgets. Span's growth came from sweeping up many small, essential tasks. In a downturn, clients prioritize immediate functional needs over grand initiatives; adapt your sales to meet that demand.
02
Years of digital transformation plans were compressed into mere weeks during the 2020 crisis. For IT service providers, this meant a sudden, urgent demand for partners who could deliver rapid, essential solutions.
03
The IT industry's inherent "IT land" mentality — global, meritocratic, and remote-first — proved a crucial advantage during the crisis. Its borderless talent pool and work model make it resilient when physical presence is restricted.
04
A large conglomerate, Tate & Lyle, paid Span over a million dollars upfront to accelerate a project, explaining their 2008 crisis lesson: poor treatment of suppliers led to cancellations. Some companies learned that securing key partners with immediate capital is better than hoarding cash.
05
In contrast to 2008, when Dujmović warned of cashflow issues, the 2020 crisis saw Span's own suppliers offering them surplus capital. A strong, interconnected business community can invert traditional cashflow fears during a crisis.
06
The immediate technology priorities for companies facing sudden remote work and digital acceleration distilled into three: scalable infrastructure (cloud), data protection (security), and process automation (AI). These became operational necessities, not future trends.
07
The accelerating pace of global change means crises are no longer rare, century-spanning events but recurring disruptions, perhaps every fifteen years. Businesses must build continuous preparedness into their core strategy.