What is “Lifecycle Marketing” for you?

I like to say that email is the most intimate place on the Internet. Lifecycle marketing, to me, is about respecting that. It means sending the right message, at the right time, to the right person. Not blasting. Not begging. But guiding people through a relationship with your brand: quietly, thoughtfully, and based on where they actually are.

How did you start in Lifecycle Marketing? What was your career path across the years?

Back in 2009, I was on an inside sales team when I got offered a chance to join a newly formed online marketing team and learn email. I took it. MailChimp was the tool of choice, and I got hooked. Over the years, I expanded into CRM, product, and digital transformation, eventually co-founding and scaling a DTC brand from scratch. It wasn’t a straight path, but every piece added something to how I approach lifecycle marketing today.

What have been the main challenges of your career?

No roadmap. No mentor. I had to figure things out alone: how to build, test, code, market. Coming from Serbia, even basic tools like PayPal were hard to access. It meant everything was DIY and a “hack”. That kind of uphill battle teaches you to be stubborn and scrappy, but it also slows you down. The early years were tough.

What is something you are most proud of in your career? 

Persistence. For example with Undrdog. We started with one product and a weak WooCommerce site. Today, it’s a well-known brand with loyal customers across the U.S. That didn’t happen overnight. It happened because we kept going when it didn’t make sense to.

What has helped you develop yourself as a professional?

Ambition, long hours, and digital mentors. I read a lot, tested a lot, and followed curiosity until it became expertise.

What's one single strategy that you may suggest to increase value for the people in the Lifecycle marketing community?

Don’t send unless you have to. Fight for the user. You don’t work for the calendar, or the boss shouting for a blast. You work for the customer’s attention - treat it with care.

What would you recommend to those just starting into Lifecycle Marketing?

Forget the tools at first. Focus on value. Learn how to think, not just click. Tools change. Value doesn’t. If you focus on tech too early, you’ll become someone’s VA, not a strategist.

How would you define yourself outside of work? 

I’m a curious, future-facing realist. I like exploring how things could be whether through philosophy, sci-fi, strategy games or just quiet thinking. I critique myself a lot. But that’s part of staying sharp.