Saša and Dean Perko they have a story that is truly inspiring! Saša is 33 years old, and Dean is two years younger, and both of them are successful in their jobs today, but the road to success was thorny, but also fun. They went through all phases of work in order to perfect each segment, and today they are co-owners and directors of a group of companies DOMinvest.
Saša has a master's degree in civil engineering, and Dean has a master's degree in economics. Their idea started as a "fantastic idea" – entering the construction site without experience or capital. They took a cash loan, they were brave but also a little crazy, as they say. However, they had a clear vision and knew what steps they had to take to reach the goal. They invested a lot of time, effort and energy in order to start reaping the fruits of their labor. And so begins their adventure...
"Since we started without experience, and we weren't allowed to show that, on the new tool we bought on the first working day, in the morning in the parking lot in front of our building, we poured ceramic glue and poured water over it. We had to ensure that the ceramic tile cutter, glue mixer and trowels looked like they had been used countless times. And it worked, the bathroom turned out great, the only thing was that it took twice as long as expected", admit these brothers, who have been watching how they work since the first day, but at that time it was important for them to give the impression that they were experienced.
"The beginning was difficult. In order to start the business, we decided that I would spend the first year on the construction site and work as a support worker. I carried tools, ceramic tiles and cleaned after the craftsmen, all with the aim of seeing first-hand what the construction processes looked like so that we could optimize them later. However, a very specific relationship was created, where the masters told me that I was helping them because that is not what the "bosses" do. But today I am proud that after graduating from university I decided to follow this path", tells us Dean Perko describing his first days in the field.
Although many people wonder if the family business has flaws or if it's good when everything stays in the family, the guys have an answer to that. "There are both positive and negative sides, but I would say that there are many more positive ones, at least in our case. It's great that Dean and I complement each other fantastically. Although we have different characters and are motivated by different things, we share the same visions and goals. We have absolute trust in each other. Mistakes happen and bad decisions are made, but given that we have maximum trust, no arguments or misunderstandings, only constructive discussions. I believe that it is better that "everything stays in the family" precisely because of this trust", Saša is honest.
There are several companies in their group, and the work is divided so that everyone manages their part and they do not get into a situation where someone has to be the last. They come to a solution through conversation, and they stick to the fact that two heads are smarter than one. Saša manages the project office, while Dean manages the execution of works. Other companies are run jointly, with the help of a top team of people they have assembled. They believe that people are the greatest resource and that only a satisfied employee gives his best and works for the benefit of everyone in the company. They make decisions quickly, and leave those they disagree with to whoever is in charge of that part of the business.
"Today, we offer a comprehensive service in construction - we design and build all types of buildings for other investors, we reconstruct and rehabilitate existing buildings, and we would especially emphasize the restoration and revitalization of buildings of cultural significance. In addition to the above, we build our own residential buildings that we sell on the market. With this, we completed the entire process in construction - design, construction and sale", Dean is proud to be doing the job he loves with his brother, despite the challenging times for this sector.
"I would say that entrepreneurship is challenging at all times. The crisis lasted until 2015, from 2019 the biggest problem became the workforce, and from 2022 we are facing very high inflation. However, we see every crisis as an opportunity. In such moments, the weakest fall away, while the most agile and fastest get real opportunities. We like to think that we are among them and that we can adapt very quickly to the most complex situations on the market. So it's challenging, but at the same time interesting and exciting," the older brother explains to us Saša Perko.
However, they also suffered losses in their business and have no problem talking about it. "There were a lot of losses along the way, which were often the result of our wrong decisions. This is our first entrepreneurial experience, and during the rapid growth we were faced with a series of big decisions that we were not up to at the time. Three companies we worked for failed, two in execution, one in design. We also had many unsuccessful investments, both in property and in people. Each new step in the company's growth cost us many unsuccessful attempts. Let's talk about "Learn by doing", and according to our estimates, this is "learning" for us. cost a little less than a million euros", they are honest, united brothers who today build hard and with quality.
Their parents raised them from a young age and encouraged them to develop skills which they use today in entrepreneurship so that they know from a young age that for any success they need to work hard but also smartly.
"It is not difficult for both of us to invest years of work to achieve the given goal. We did our first jobs together as teenagers. Jobs were of a simple nature, but as we grew, they became more and more serious. They taught us responsibility and money management, which we see today's generations lack", Dean is honest.
From the foundation until today, their companies within the group they grow by an average of 100% per year, and the projects they work on are increasingly demanding. They are currently working on a hotel complex in Istria, a museum in Slavonia, and kindergartens and schools in the Zagreb region. Before the real estate crisis, they also worked on the German market, and soon they are launching a new DI Ceramics brand, a showroom specializing in the sale of ceramic tiles and a complete ceramic assortment.
And finally, we asked the guys what their weaknesses and strengths are. Saša points out that Dean is much more empathetic, feels people and their needs, gets along well with his team and knows how to get the most out of them. On the other hand, he is consistent in what he does, and he believes that he could hardly imagine a better partner than him. Dean agrees with that, but points out that Saša is more focused on strategic management, while he is focused on operational management. Therefore, Sasha's virtue and weakness is that he observes everything on a strategic level and numbers are often his priority. He is more focused on results, and Dean makes an excellent combination for people.
Photo: Dejan Tatomir
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