OptiSpace—Success Knows No Borders
A startup team doesn't have to be in the same room all the time to create magic. Or, as we will see in the OptiSpace example, they don't even have to be in the same country to be successful.
OptiSpace is a startup born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, grown in Slovenia, expanding to the German market, with a desire to move to the USA. OptiSpace is making borders seem irrelevant.
Strong teams are made of a lot of different ingredients but being in the same room all the time is not one of them. OptiSpace taught us that physical presence is less important than deep mutual understanding and hard work in building a successful team.
In 2019, a group of colleagues who worked together on different projects, Sabina Veronika Golob, Apolonija Kurent Lebar and Goran Gašić, gathered around an idea and decided to go for it and start their own business. OptiSpace was born.
The idea that connected them was very straightforward. They noticed a gap in the real estate market: it was tough to find an office space or event venue for a short-term lease. It occurred to them to start an “Airbnb for businesses.”
However, not long after the team started their endeavor, the global COVID-19 pandemic hit. Workspace became obsolete, and short-term renting was not even an option. But after the initial struggle, the business recovered and started to bloom. As soon as people realized that the pandemic is something we have to live with, they began searching for a workspace that they could rent for a day or for a couple of hours, and this is where OptiSpace found its opportunity.
Our most significant success, so far, is managing to earn the trust of over 100 companies in our local market. We had over 600 bookings in around 6 months despite COVID-19 and several months of total lockdown.
Sabina Veronika Golob, CEO of OptiSpace
Encouraged by such success, the team managed to get investments and necessary resources to expand operations to other markets. Some of the mentors working with OptiSpace are Patrick Collins, a sales expert, Boštjan Lipnik, product development expert, Igor Madžov and Vladimir Ćorda as Swiss EP team members.
Swiss EP has helped us a lot. At different phases of development, there comes a time when you need guidance, help, and mentorship. The team has always been there for us, providing great experts and helping us with their knowledge. The Swiss EP team also supported us when we were closing the first round of investment. I believe their support was one of the reasons we are moving forward and successfully overcoming all the challenges we have.
Sabina Veronika Golob, CEO of OptiSpace
As one of the most active participants of the Swiss EP organized Sales ScaleUp program, OptiSpace consolidated its sales funnel, preparing to offer an advanced set of services to future customers. During mentoring sessions with Patrick, the team learned how to set up an effective process and start executing on it.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people work, and we have adapted to it. Now, we are introducing additional value to companies by offering them a place to manage hybrid workspaces, remote talent, and marketplaces, all packed up with smart budgeting.
Sabina Veronika Golob, CEO of OptiSpace
For a team of enthusiasts on their way to changing how people utilize their vacant office space and manage a hybrid workspace, borders are no issue. The world better be ready for OptiSpace and their global expansion.