Anna Tilniak – Ukrainian entrepreneur in Zagreb

As a founder and president of IBMC – International Business Meetup Club, I have the opportunity to meet and work with very interesting people from all around the world and help them with their personal and business life in Croatia for a symbolic amount of money 🙂

Anna Tilniak is one of them. Amazing entrepreneur from Ukraine. She asked me politely if I could do my famous gastro interview with her and I sad: ”Why not. I know a great Russian restaurant :)”

I expect an attack by the politically correct police in 3,2,1…

We went to Kavkaz. It’s not a Russian restaurant and even if it was, who are you to tell me where to eat? Croatians don’t discriminate anyone. We ”hate” all people equally 🙂

You escaped with your son from war in Ukraine to Zagreb and your husband had to stay there because of the war. When did you come here and did someone help you? Why did you choose Croatia from so many other places in the EU? Don’t you know that Croatians are fleeing this country because of corruption? We are also at ”war” with our government. They are killing us with their greed and stupidity 🙂

Croatia was chosen by me and my family by chance. I was stressed, I ran away from the area where invasion near Kyiv began (Vorzel is near Bucha). I was driving and driving, through Romania, Hungary, I even counted kilometers from the points that could be damaged with nuclear weapon. It seems unreal but when you see how it can be, you don’t choose something you really want, you choose between something you don’t want. My criteria were: not far away from Ukraine, safe and quiet country. Honestly I was not ready for big capitals of the world. Then I heard from a friend of my family that Croatian people support Ukraine like no one else – to know what is war is to come through it, to be in such situation. I’ve heard about corruption, but didn’t feel it myself. I received my first contract here in Croatia due to my communication skills.

Lots of people helped me personally in things like finding a place to live, arranging kindergarten etc. Croatian people did more for me, than money can buy, they spent their time interpreting for me, calling their fiends, and friends of friends in order to help me accommodate here.

Zagreb is safe for me, that’s why now I think It was good idea to choose it. Nice location from different points – I can move comfortable when I have appointments in other European countries.

I’m optimistic initially, I think positive and I see only good, even if I know what is happening in real life. This helps me a lot in my life and business. 

You are a Social media marketing counselor. When an average Croatian hears Social Media, he thinks: She’s not doing anything. Why doesn’t she find herself a real job?” You were also a successful entrepreneur in Ukraine, a woman of many talents (Event manager, you were in the fashion and movie industry, influencer, you had great contacts…), how is it for you to start from scratch in a new country where nobody knows you? 

The most painful for me after beginning of war was loosing my status. I should confess in new countries I have to start a new life, but then I decided that it’s like a game, a challenge where I need to do more and quicker, just because I know how to do my job, I know all the marketing and PR laws, I have a “portfolio” with my projects with recognizable brands like Elle for example. I have lots of materials about me online, that’s why my status is probably lost as it was in Ukraine but Google and Instagram still remember me 🙂

I am used to how people think of those who are connected with social media. I’m here for 15 years, that’s why I don’t need to convince someone who doesn’t know the meaning and influence of media and social media. I work with those who respect this industry, who are interested in spreading their ideas all over the world.

We are talking about social media and there are no pictures of food? Food porn by Kavkaz 🙂

Do you still have a company in Ukraine, or will you punish yourself with opening a company in Croatia? Basically, do you work here in Croatia and can you maybe compare how it is to run a business in Ukraine and how it is here? We are so proud that almost 70% of our income goes to the government 🙂

Opening a big company is not my goal. But to work with big companies and truly great personal brands in my business model means you are solo-artist. The first question is how to rise your paycheck per hour/month/year. To be the most wanted specialist in this field is being a real specialist plus great clients who give you from hands to hands plus PR for sure.

Accept consulting I’m trying to find new products just now, to widen my opportunities being a remarkable personal brand to start new projects in Europe.

If you want me to compare taxes in Ukraine and in Croatia, then in common they are similar as a system but it depends on sphere and amounts of money, then we’d better ask financial specialist. I’m involved in creativity mostly, I don’t like speaking about money. I have councilors on these questions 🙂

I’m writing column for 24 sata in Croatia. Check this link: https://www.24sata.hr/autori/anna-tilniak-90322

You were recently at the Venice film festival. What did you do there and why didn’t you invite me to the red carpet? Venice film festival without Dear Leader Joe is like Leonardo Di Caprio without a really young top model.

Venice Film Festival like wide range of events I was visiting recently in Paris, Berlin, Vienna – beside that they are channels for professional communication and community, they are platforms to reach top-persons and companies to promote personal and other brands. In a few words: digital is not covering everything, you should meet people if you want to move and make business personally.

Sorry, Joe, I invited my friend for a red carpet, he is going to launch project with Netflix, that’s why I helped him to meet other interesting people from industry like Brad Pitt etc.

But next time I hope it will be you who will present a project in Venice, or in New York or in London, for us to go together and make a lot of activities useful for a brand (in digital and in real life).

I had to order some cakes to celebrate NEXT TIME in VENICE or NEW YORK 🙂

How big is the Ukrainian community in Croatia and do you have some organizations here that people could contact if they wanted to help Ukraine refugees or maybe join Ukraine Masons? PS: I don’t know anything about Ukraine. If I would like to be a romantic superhero, how could I say in fluent Ukraine to one beautiful girl: ”Don’t go out with him. His parents are poor. My name is Joe, Dear Leader Joe.” This is a cultural exchange 🙂

In Zagreb my Ukrainian contacts are mostly families with kids like mine, some guys from fashion, friends in Tourist Board, and several influencers from media (local channels and management of international companies). I also managed to get acquainted with several Instagram influencers.

But Joe, the difference between me and others who live in one place and one country is I’m not closed to the world. I mean I don’t think “We’ll, I’m Ukrainian, basically I live in Croatia, that’s why I will only speak to Ukrainians who live in Croatia or only Croatians”.

My partners and clients are all over the world now. I move from Zagreb to other countries almost every week. I want my new projects to be international, and for sure connected with my roots – my native country.

To learn Ukraine with me is to learn our culture. Shevchenko, Burlyk, Frolov – poet, painter, designer if you ask me about names. They are from different periods but still world known Ukrainians connected with culture. Culture is my big and beloved issue. PS: Your superhero line: ”Не виходь з ним. Його батьки бідні. Мене звати Джо, дорогий лідеру Джо”

Did you learn Croatian? What do you like in Zagreb/Croatia except me and what would you change (Food, drinks, people, nightlife, business…)? I would forbid short people from going out during the day and night. We need to have a lockdown for short people. Who is shorter than me, should stay home. This would not apply for girls. 

I learn Croatian with people who surround me. With my kid who is attending kindergarten. Not more. I need English. And now I have no time and reason to learn Croatian deeply like it should be.

I go out in Zagreb not too often. I explore the city for my column and this gives me energy to put my clothes on and smile and see events and amazing places like Medvednica. Yes, I know all the entertainment for kids here, I’m trying restaurants and cafés because I love it and in Ukraine I have Instagram platforms dedicated to rest in Ukraine (the same name they have).

TO SUM UP, TWO REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: 

Why should all the people in the world follow me on Tik Tok and Instagram @DearLeaderJoe and what can you do to make me even more famous than I already am?

Oh, Joe! I love kind and proactive people like you. You are very talented and you have big heart. Everyone should follow you to feel it.

Is this interview for Flash.hr the highlight of your business career and if it’s not you can lie that it is 🙂

Thank you for having me here, in Flash.hr. I appreciate this attention to me and to my country – now we are all representing Ukraine and can tell the world who we are. Thank you!

You were probably asking yourself: ”What does this woman look like? Why is he only publishing photos of her with sunglasses on?”

Author: Josip Novosel aka Vin Diesel for poor people and self proclaimed Dear Leader Joe, a corresponding member of the “If they are hungry, let them eat cake ” magazine, a friend to the wealthy, a tycoon and a Gastro Snob but above all a human.

www.instagram.com/dearleaderjoe

www.facebook.com/dearleaderjoe

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