The Accidental Entrepreneur

"I'm not an entrepreneur, I'm a professional problem-solver... who accidentally created a company to solve the problems." --Naval Ravikant

I have a loft on an island in Croatia, where my parents are from. Before I head to the coast, I usually stop off and stay with my cousins in a small town called Dugo Selo, about a 30-minute drive from the capital, Zagreb. My cousin Robi and his wife Deni live in a house with four dogs, a horse, a pony, and a goat (and in the past, they even had two cats).

Healing Animals, One Step at a Time

Deni runs a business offering physical therapy for dogs and horses. Over her seventeen-year journey, she’s developed a comprehensive range of treatments:

• Manual therapy

• Electrotherapy

• Magnetic therapy

• Low-level laser therapy

• Bioresonance therapy

• Light therapy

• Passive and active exercises

Although there are dog therapy clinics in Croatia, there are none that have her breath and scope of offerings: https://equus-vitalis.hr/ 

I asked her how she started the business.

“By accident,” she said. “I graduated from veterinary school and was always curious about how healing actually works in animals. But there was nothing available locally. So I had to start from scratch—learning, attending seminars, and offering services on the side to figure out what worked. I had no other option. Entrepreneurship was the only way to do this. Eventually, it grew enough that I converted a separate apartment in our house into a therapy center.”

Organic Growth  

Here’s the remarkable part: Deni has never advertised. Not once. Every client has come through word of mouth—some even traveling from neighboring Slovenia. That says something about her reputation and the results she delivers.

Her success rests on a foundation of integrity and genuine care. She doesn’t cut corners. Her dedication to both the animal’s recovery and the client’s peace of mind is second to none. She understands what many entrepreneurs forget: the most powerful marketing comes from consistently excellent service.

The first priority for any entrepreneur should be relentlessly focusing on the quality of the product or service, and on the customer’s experience. Without a clear promise—backed by substance—there’s little chance of sustainable growth.

Deni understood this intuitively.

The Power of Systems and Boundaries

Her biggest challenge? Creating structure.

“Why is that important?” I asked.

“It’s important to me that I don’t have employees,” she said. “I train others occasionally, but I’m okay staying small. So managing my time is crucial.”

This is one of the hidden truths of solo entrepreneurship. Just because you can do everything doesn’t mean you should. In the beginning, Deni took every call and accepted clients seven days a week. Eventually, it wore her down—mentally and physically. That’s when she made a firm decision: no therapy sessions on weekends.

The surprising result? Her business didn’t suffer. In fact, it got busier. Clients began booking earlier, planning better, and respecting her time. Everyone benefited.

Here’s the truth: when you set boundaries, you not only protect your well-being, but you also signal value. Time becomes precious, and people respond accordingly.

Staying Small, Staying Intentional

As an entrepreneur, you need clarity of intention. What kind of life do you want? What kind of business are you building? And can you meet client needs while staying aligned with your values and remaining profitable?

This tension—between service and sustainability—is at the heart of every business.

Deni has found her balance. She keeps her operation lean, her service personal, and her systems intentional. It’s a simple formula, but one that requires a great deal of self-awareness.

Life Beyond the Business

On a side note, Robi and Deni are motorcycle enthusiasts. This past weekend, they took me on a road tour to Šandrovac, known for its unique equestrian center run by a local family. We had dinner at a restaurant overlooking green, rolling hills. Deni, of course, knew the owner—who also owned the stable where she treats his horses. It was a beautiful trip, one of many I’ve shared with them.

The Human Touch

There’s one last ingredient that often gets overlooked: connection. Deni is on a first-name basis with all her clients. She listens carefully. She treats both animals and people with care. Her business may have started by accident, but it flourished through intention—through attention to detail, deep empathy, and consistent follow-through.

That’s what really makes the difference.

My cousin Robi and his wife Deni and their family (the pony and the goat not included!)

Deni at work

And my tour guides

Yours truly with my cousin Robi overlooking the Sandrovec valley.