Bridging tech and business: A unit lead’s path to growth and success

At ProductDock, we’re happy to have people who’ve been with us for ten years or more. We proudly celebrate and honor them, as their path to growth and success is crucial for us and our culture.

This time, we sat down with our unit lead, Mladen Marinković, to talk about his path to growth and success. His discipline, hard work, dedication, and empathy for every team member are just a few of the many reasons we’re proud to have had him as part of our team for the past decade. We look forward to achieving even greater success together in the years ahead.

What do you like most about your role?

I love having the opportunity to influence things, to have the chance to make this place better, to develop business, to work with people, to develop others, and through that, to develop myself. When you’re involved in so many things that are vastly different and you’re working across many different fields, you quickly realize that you, as a unit lead, have a lot of limitations. So it’s an opportunity to grow through that position, but also as a person – because working with people enriches you on many other levels as well. That’s what I like about this role.

As a Unit Lead at ProductDock, what is your biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge is being a unit lead, holding that position, and staying consistent. At every moment, you need to be able to listen to everyone, understand their perspective, understand the context in which the person is operating, and follow the topics that change daily. In a few words, you have to be capable of shifting contexts very quickly —whether it’s a business context, something related to the company, or something about the team or the clients—and handle it all swiftly. That’s a challenge that can drain your energy quickly.

What makes being a Unit Lead at ProductDock unique?

The unit lead position at ProductDock combines business and development. I’d say it’s both a servant role and an operational role. Servant – in the sense that you need to recognize where people and teams need help and assess where support is required. Operational – because a unit lead needs to develop various strategies aligned with the company’s goals—create a plan that matches those goals, outline clear steps, and communicate that to everyone involved in making it happen.

How did you grow at ProductDock? Tell us about your journey.

I joined ProductDock as someone who had already grown both personally and professionally, and as a medior developer. I had completely changed industries— before web development, I worked in embedded development. That’s a somewhat different way of working; I was fully involved in the product development process, as we were working on a physical product. I collaborated with many different departments, from hardware to software, but the client was the only aspect I didn’t deal with. That was my first job, and it gave me valuable experience in understanding how software development works and what it takes to deliver a successful product.

Then I transitioned to what was then codecentric and started working in web development. That was a career shift for me. I started working on a great project with a fantastic team, had amazing mentors and got to work with great technologies. Over time, even though the project had everything it needed from a technical standpoint, it never really took off or reached its full potential. That’s when I started to get interested in the business side of things—because if the technical part alone isn’t enough, I wanted to understand what else it takes for a product or application to succeed.

While working on some of the following projects, my wife and I had to organize our daily routines because our kids were still young. We had to drive them to and from daycare—mornings there and back, and then again during my lunch break. With traffic, that whole trip would take around 45 to 50 minutes. So, I arranged with my team to structure my breaks that way, and I used that driving time to listen to business audiobooks.

Each book was around three to four hours long on average, and I was listening for about an hour to an hour and a half each day. So, during that period, I was devouring business books. In general, they were books about processes, business, and strategy, and I realized that this is something I’m truly passionate about.

After working on several more projects, I had the opportunity to apply that knowledge and experience while working with colleagues to improve the projects—not just from a technical perspective, but by looking more closely at the value we were delivering as a team. That included asking the right questions and getting feedback from clients—who were really engaged—and through all those different experiences, it became clear to me that I wanted to try myself in a role like this.

The opportunity came up four years ago—and here I am today. As a unit lead, I work with an amazing team of professionals. Of course, we all have good and bad days—we’re all human, and that’s the real challenge. First and foremost, you must realize that you can’t always rely solely on yourself, and secondly, you can’t always rely on others because it’s impossible to be consistently perfect all the time. It’s important to be open to the fact that, at the end of the day, we’re all just human.

What is your best ProductDock memory?

I don’t have anything specific I’d single out. I constantly feel good in this environment. I get joy from those small wins and successes—like when something we planned comes to fruition, or when an investment we made pays off and shows long-term results. That’s what makes me happy, and that’s what I enjoy.

What is the secret of staying in the same company for more than 10 years? 

A very well-balanced personal and professional life. It’s something we’ve always tried to preserve, and that’s always been part of the culture—this simple understanding that being successful professionally also means having a well-balanced personal life.

For example, I think I’m one of the older people here. When I first joined the company, I already had three kids, and at that time, most people didn’t have children—yet everyone was very understanding. I could always organize my time in a way that worked for me.

What matters to us as a company is that the work gets done—how people organize their time is up to them. We do our best to maintain that balance so that neither side suffers. We want people to feel fulfilled because only then can they be genuinely creative and do their work in the best possible way.

Which qualities or skills should a team member bring to the table?

They need to be open to new things and be true team players who show understanding for others and the people around them. They must know that teamwork isn’t about individual contribution, but a team discipline where everyone aligns themselves with shared goals. They should be ready to learn new things, open to asking questions, eager to grow, and willing to understand what kind of company this is and what type of work we do.

It’s important to realize that we’re part of a service industry—and they should care about that enough to be successful in their role.

Of course, this all depends on the position they’re coming into. For younger colleagues, it may not be that important, but for older colleagues, it definitely is to stay focused on their team.

Juniors must be open-minded, eager to learn, aware that teamwork differs from working individually, and ready to offer help and ask for it when needed. They should be willing to give feedback, support their teammates in developing, and be aware that they influence the entire environment by being part of the team.

Why is team autonomy important for ProductDock crew?

Because this is a team effort. We’re in an industry where teamwork is essential for achieving goals—building applications, creating products, etc. Given how complex the industry is, the demands are such that one person alone can’t cover everything. Our work is often so interconnected that it wouldn’t be possible to divide tasks in a way that gives individuals selective responsibility— where everyone does their part only, and the team isn’t needed.

Since the work itself is complex, the most successful teams are the ones that are open to learning new things, flexible in shifting their roles, and committed to doing effective retrospectives—analyzing their work so far, learning from mistakes, being open to taking responsibility, and supporting each other. That’s not something you can do alone, which is why strong team dynamics and autonomy are so important.

The team owns the entire project, and these people work together daily toward a shared goal. They need to have the autonomy to adapt and shape their processes in a way that allows them to achieve the best possible results.

What would you say to the younger self just starting to work?

I’m not sure I’d give myself any advice. Every experience a person goes through in life is valuable in some way. Maybe I could imagine a picture of myself in the future and adjust some of my actions based on what I see there. But my past experiences—good or bad, strengths or weaknesses—have led me to where I am now in this position. So, I’m not sure I could say anything that would significantly change my current perspective.

What are the three things you like the most at ProductDock?

I love the people at ProductDock. I’ve been here for ten years; I know a lot of people and I love the atmosphere here. I like the approach to work, where the expectation is that the job gets done, and the autonomy given in how we work. We try to allow people to use their knowledge to solve tasks they are most competent in. I also like that, through our work, we constantly strive to be a company with optimal working conditions, a relaxed company, and to have an excellent work-life balance.

How would you describe yourself in one word?

Disciplined.

What do you do to relax in your free time? How do you recharge your batteries?

Most of my activities outside of work are centered around my family. I really enjoy spending time together and traveling. I work out a lot and try to stay physically active—that’s really important to me. I used to do kickboxing, and now I have a small home gym with a good amount of equipment. We also have a big yard, so I do a lot of functional training—anything that helps me feel capable and strong. That’s something I really enjoy.

I also love reading—philosophy and business are my favorite topics. I enjoy keeping up with new trends, especially following AI from more of a philosophical perspective—its directions, possibilities, and the risks it brings. I’m also into parenting coaching—I like applying the skills I learn and develop to raise my kids. And that’s pretty much it.

What keeps you motivated?

My family is what motivates me—that’s where I recharge. I love life. I live an active life, and I’m genuinely satisfied with what I’ve achieved, personally and professionally. Right now, my most significant source of motivation is my family.

What is your favorite place you have ever visited?

Nuremberg is the last place I visited. I was impressed by the greenery—so many green spaces, parks—it’s just a really beautiful place. A calm, pleasant, green, and large city. I love visiting different places, experiencing other cultures, and seeing people’s lives. If I could, I’d love to live by the sea, somewhere warm.

Which book would you recommend?

When it comes to business books, I recommend Impact Players. I liked that book because it brings together the traits needed to be recognized as someone who impacts their environment. It offers excellent advice that can be applied both professionally and personally. As for books that aren’t business-related, I’d definitely recommend one of my favorite authors, Yuval Noah Harari, and his works, Sapiens, Homo Deus, and Nexus.

Where do you see ProductDock in the future and would you like to send a message to your team?

In Barcelona, on Tassos. Somewhere exotic. Just kidding. I see ProductDock as a larger, successful company that is growing and developing beautifully, with excellent, cool people working in it. I can praise my team and say only the best. We work together really well, and we all understand where we’re heading and what we’re doing. When I need answers, I get them quickly, and I try to do the same for them – respond quickly to the questions they ask.

What was the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Prodigy in 2007 at Exit, and Prodigy in 2005 in Belgrade. I regret never attending a Limp Bizkit concert and missing out on the Rage Against the Machine concert.

Which app do you find helpful?

Audible, an app for listening to audiobooks. Headspace, an app for mindfulness exercises and meditation.

Describe your typical working day.

I usually wake up early; that’s how it is—my kids go to school at 7, so we get up at 6, get them ready, and send them off to school by 7. After that, I start planning my workday. I have coffee, go through my daily tasks, and organize everything I need to do. This takes about half an hour. Then I do a short workout, have breakfast, shower, head to work, and begin tackling things from my plan.

I also leave room for unexpected things that come up—unexpected meetings, operational needs, people. I spend a lot of time communicating with others, working on different initiatives, trying to come up with strategic ideas, planning steps, and putting them into action. Throughout the day, I have sync meetings with many people involved in various projects, and I also get involved in initiatives led by others. I attend meetings with my unit and team and respond to client requests in multiple forms, reports, contracts, and everything else that comes up.