Workshop testimonials
Testimonials from the business model innovation workshop participants.
Metka Stare
Marko Savić is a business innovation researcher and professional that brings a fresh approach to business planning and business modelling, especially in the field of non-technological and design innovations.
Upon his personal invitation, I had the opportunity to attend his workshop – New business model design in Ljubljana, at the Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Culture in December 2012. It was part of his workshop series where he presented the new business innovation processes, especially to younger audiences.
The organisation of the workshop was excellent – from very informal registration with tea, and a relaxed atmosphere during the sessions to the final presentations of solutions. I was impressed by an innovative approach to actively engaging the participants in the process of business modelling. Marko’s presentation is a perfect combination of an ex-cathedra approach and practical recommendations for public presentations. In my opinion, Marko showed extraordinary skills in managing and leading very diverse groups of participants at the workshop. He offered them the opportunity to try out different roles and responsibilities in business modelling. Such an approach allows for the presentation of different business model idea prototypes. Last but not least, the time planning and time management of the workshop sessions were excellent.
I consider Marko not only a superb Trainer of the innovative approach in business modelling but also a skilful author of the book on Business Models Design in Slovene. I was pleased to read his book which presents some exciting cases of new business models related to design innovation and design thinking.
Roland Petek
In the autumn of 2013, we conducted a business modeling workshop with Mr. Marko Savić, MA, MBA.
In mid-2013 software Think!EHR Platform was developed to a level that needed a go-to-market strategy. Business modeling seemed to be the answer to the challenge. That's why we invited Marko, one of the leading business modeling professionals in Slovenia, to conduct a two-day business model innovation workshop with us.
There was no hesitation about engaging Marko Savić, however, we did have hesitation about whether business modeling would fit into our culture that lauds technological brilliance over everything else. Nevertheless, we did realize that business modeling is a methodology that we should at least learn about if not directly practice. We were satisfied with the delivery of a two-day business model innovation workshop by Marko Savić. Two things stood out:
one) Marko never faltered when he required at least 15 of the best people of Marand to participate. This requirement was tremendously helpful because it established the top-level importance of the workshop even before the workshops started.
two) Marko’s overall delivery of the workshop was solid but not superior throughout the workshop, however, the ending, his last business model canvas that he created personally in front of the whole group was great.
The target audiences and their roles were the main benefits of the business coaching. We do acknowledge also that bringing together our software and business teams is important, and Marko’s workshop accomplished this. We recommend Marko as a business model development coach. His understanding of contemporary theory and practice is sound, and his delivery is strong, with a devotion that tops all.
Renato Bratkovic
For five years I had a registered business as a sole proprietor as a legal basis to work on “freelance” jobs. Some time ago, I co-founded a limited liability company to expand the business and continue to work with my partners.
Recently, the desire in me caught fire to do more of this – the birth of new ideas, the ideas, the need to build the business model. Therefore, this workshop could hardly happen at a more appropriate time for me. :)
The lecturer has done his job well and passed the content smoothly, he didn’t spare the participants (although we were all motivated and it seems to me that we all had sovereign opinions and interpretations of generated business models), which is actually the only way that you can leave home with new knowledge and with a brain sore of active thinking.
Kino Šiška proved to be a suitable place for the workshop. I’ll develop my business ideas with the help of Business Model Canvas.
Tristan Azman
I can only say that the attitude and the performance at the workshop were very professional (I especially liked the timing!).
The content itself has exceeded my expectations. Although I thought I went through a lot in nearly 30 years of my business career.
As I said at the end of the workshop, this Saturday's workshop passed too quickly, which I couldn’t say often until now.
Andrej (Tesky) Tezak
I went to the workshop Business Model Generation without any expectations. The reason was that I was in a couple of workshops before and didn’t get much out of it.
This was the first time I could actually take something from the workshop, some concrete things, and developed it for my business model. I have a comedy club, called “Studio Smijeha” in Zagreb and recently we needed some new ideas of how to proceed because the business went down, and it should, of course, after all, what we did, go up. Therefore, this workshop couldn’t come to me at a more appropriate time than it actually did. At the workshop I got the answers to some key questions, in particular, it has helped me understand the key elements of the business model.
Like most, I too have put too much emphasis on “community management” rather than on the development and expansion of our core business. I found new perspectives for the business and put in my memory some really good impressions and flashes from the lecturer but in particular, I was through the “project-based group work” constantly thinking about how to replace publishing that we were solving, with my own club …
I’ll keep in touch after one year and tell you how did my business model improve the functioning of the club and how did it move our business into positive figures from red gone to heaven :)
Blaz Branc
Canvas business model, Business Model Generation, start-ups… All the buzz words. I was attracted to the December 8th, 2012, workshop because of the integrated approach: Saturday, Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Culture in Ljubljana, a full day of training to work with canvas, attractive price – and I went.
Marko’s style of lectures seemed to me at the beginning a bit rough, without the continuous flow, and because of its ex-cathedra stance a little bit “old-school” (although the guard was “nice”). Then we started to work in groups and Marko became alive. During the funnel recognition of Canvas, creating new versions of the business models, getting to know other participants, and cheesy soup for lunch … We went. For me, it’s essential that I got hands-on experience on how to use Canvas; the case looks like a simple sheet of paper online, but you have to understand the concept, you know. And that’s not quite as easy as it seems.
I would highly recommend the content of the workshop and Marko’s execution! Thus, managers who have the opportunity to realize the power of creativity to grow as creatives, you will see that every great idea needs a supportive ecosystem of the remaining 8 Canvas fields, otherwise, it will remain just a great idea on paper.
Primoz Stosicki
The whole thing seems phenomenal to me because all those models from the thousand and one book from the university study are complicated more than not. With Business Model Canvas you get a very clear and transparent system to extract the essence. The really great thing, I must admit.
Maybe I looked a bit different on the whole story than others in the workshop, I am an economist by education namely. Although we treated many of the things at the faculty and I have met many concepts mentioned in my day-to-day office work, I really enjoyed the business model generation experience.
As I said, the matter is awesome, useful, and usable, and I learned a lot in the workshop in Trbovlje.
Sara Bozanic
The technologies we design and develop ourselves have changed our established forms and habits. And with the advance in technologies, we progress too, so there are also new media, new methods of distributing content, and related new business models.
Marko Savić designs and conducts workshops in the true sense of a really fresh and progressive business model. Every detail has been carefully and strategically designed.
I look forward to every time we are sipping his knowledge and skills.
Anja Fabiani
Incredibly interesting workshop!
We attended the workshop for the first together with my daughter Pia. It was a creative St. Martin atmosphere. The ideas were all over the place…
In the end, I was pretty tired, but inspired by new perspectives… which I hope will stick for a long time to come… and take me somewhere.
The Daoli tea experience was a precious jewel of the workshop.
Simon Rucigaj
This workshop led by Marko Savić has proven to be an effective training in fast and creative thinking, searching for holes in the idea of business model innovation while at the same time searching for new business opportunities.
His active coaching approach is encouraged throughout the activities, but the pace has not yielded. The organization was excellent in all respects.
I recommend it.
Polonca Peterca
Workshop Design your new business models has shown the importance of co-working in diversified groups.
I recommend the workshop to all organizations and individuals, especially creative people who recognize the importance of creativity in their business development but realize that creativity itself is not enough.
The future is in co-working. There were individuals at the workshop with different backgrounds and some of them were not able to get rid of their everyday roles to start creating.
Marko feels great in the role of a lecturer, a facilitator, and a leader. The atmosphere at the workshop was pleasant and very relaxed.
Boris Viktorovski
The programme of the workshop was very interesting and systematic. The lecturer definitely respected all the rules a person should follow when giving a presentation. I have been to many seminars before but some only seemed like a waste of time. I was pleasantly surprised by Marko Savić in the role as a lecturer. The material was presented in a clear and understandable manner and the connection of different parts of the workshop was done in an appropriate way.
Practical video examples and group work, especially playing the "Build a tower, build a team" exercise, were very interesting. Creation itself on the business model canvas seemed a bit too short with a short time for individual analysis. Here I think the lecturer should take more time to explain where the errors were and in which direction groups should continue. Of course, it is hard to judge whether this concept would be time appropriate due to only one-day duration of the workshop especially because of the large number of participants at the workshop.
It is my pleasure to recommend the workshop and the experience I gained from it because through the creation of new business models we learn how to work in a group and to find new or develop old business ideas.
Mitja Jereb
An interesting and useful workshop!
In only one day you learn about a transparent process you can use for your team and how they should always check their ideas before they commerce. It is a way of thinking in which a team is able to speed the promising business ideas and ground the uneconomic ones.
I would recommend the workshop to anyone who has a lot of ideas and works in a team.
Irena Čebulj
The workshop was useful for me for two reasons.
Firstly, it shows how to eliminate the unnecessary in the assessment of a future job or a project and focus on the aspects that are the key.
And secondly, it offers a simple tool to balance intuitive and analytical aspects of business, whereas in the practice there is often a conflict between these two.
Robert Klun
The workshop is constructive and highlights the importance of creativity, labor inputs, and energy in the long run.
The concept of design thinking should be integrated into every development company!
Estuardo Calderón Scheel
What did I like at the business model design workshop in Nest coworking in Berlin, in February 2012? A very structured and mature way to bring the business model canvas didactically over. The design of the presentation.
What could be better? More time to correct issues – a conversation instead of a lecture from the beginning. Especially for the first presentation of the business model canvas, a round of introductions at the beginning, and a feedback session at the end. Facilitated reflection phases after each exercise.