We recently had the opportunity to have an insightful conversation with Jasmina Rucic, a serial entrepreneur and an acclaimed author. Bringing over two decades of entrepreneurial experience, Jasmina has played crucial roles in businesses across industries, spanning from e-commerce to investment.
Additionally, as an independent author, her storytelling is a reflection of her visionary entrepreneurial mindset, weaving compelling narratives from her personal journey. With a passion for business and focus on innovation, Jasmina Rucic continues to drive impactful solutions across industries, emerging as an inspiration for the next generation of leaders.
The Beginning
We started the interview by asking, “Could you start by telling us about your professional journey and the inspiration behind jumping into this industry?”
Jasmina shared, “I like to say my career has been a series of intentional reinventions. I began as a PR manager in Formula 1, where I learned how to manage high-stakes communication, craft narratives under extreme pressure, and build relationships across a fast-moving global environment. But I’ve always believed that growth lives outside of comfort, so I shifted into entrepreneurship and founded my own luxury events company. That opened my eyes to creativity, service, and the art of designing experiences, not just communications.
Later, moving countries gave me another turning point. I opened restaurants, which taught me persistence, attention to detail, and how to build environments people return to. Each industry change added something new: Formula 1 gave me speed and strategy, luxury events gave me creativity and precision, and the restaurant world taught me experience-building. And now in Dubai, I finally did something I wished for years, I wrote my first book. The response to it opened doors I hadn’t imagined, including the creation of my reading retreats, which grew directly from the conversations and reflections the book sparked.
I’m now working on a new, more creative addition to my book ‘From Tapas to Towers’, expanding its themes in a way that invites readers to go even deeper. I didn’t follow a linear career path, rather, I followed curiosity, creativity, and the belief that we are allowed to start again.”
Lessons Embraced in the Process
Intrigued to learn more about the lessons Jasmina Rucic learnt as a professional in this field that helped her lead the team and work, we asked her to share a glimpse of the same.
“The biggest lesson is that energy is contagious. The way you show up sets the tone for everything: business strategy, culture, and clients alike. Another lesson is to stay flexible. Industries change, people evolve, ideas transform. If you lead with rigidity, you break. If you lead with adaptability, you grow.
Lastly, I learned that leadership is not about control. It’s about clarity, communication, and trust. You don’t have to know all the answers; you just need the courage to keep asking better questions,” she reflected.
Adaptability Amidst Uncertainties
To understand how Jasmina Rucic handled the tough phases in her career, we asked, “What is a major challenge you faced when starting a business or career and how did you overcome it?”
Jasmina responded, “One of my biggest challenges was starting again and again. Changing industries is exciting but also humbling. Every time I pivoted, from PR to events to restaurants to writing, I had to begin as a beginner. What helped me overcome that was persistence, curiosity, and an inner voice that kept saying that this next chapter matters. I also learned to embrace failure as information, not defeat. Reinvention is not losing what you were, it’s adding to it.”
Vision Behind the Core Offerings
We then asked, “What are your plans with the services and products you provide? Could you share a bit about them with our viewers?”
She stated, “My focus now is on creating meaningful experiences through storytelling and wellbeing. Writing my first book, From Tapas to Towers, opened up entirely new conversations and perspectives. It even led to the creation of reading retreats: spaces built around personal development, mindfulness, and genuine connection. I’m now working on a follow-up project. I’m keeping the details quiet for the moment, but it will continue my focus on reflection and slowing down.
My vision is to build a brand around emotional wellness, creativity, and human experience; products and spaces that help people slow down, reflect, and rewrite their own stories. I believe reading is not consumption, it is transformation.”
Impact of AI on Businesses
To get Jasmina Rucic’s perspective on reshaping businesses with AI, we asked, “With AI rapidly transforming industries, what are your thoughts on its role in business today?”
“AI is here, and it’s not the future, it’s the present. The question isn’t whether to adopt it, but how to adopt it thoughtfully. I believe AI can enhance creativity, streamline operations, and open doors to new business models. But it cannot replace human intuition, empathy, lived experience, or storytelling. AI can process information, but humans give it meaning. The businesses that will thrive are the ones blending intelligence with humanity,” Jasmina mentioned.
Insights of an Expert
Addressing the aspiring professionals, we asked Jasmina Rucic, “What advice would you offer to beginners in this field — or any field of business?”
Jasmina responded, “Start before you feel ready, and allow yourself to evolve. Your first business will not look like your third. Your first idea may not be your legacy. And that’s perfectly okay. Be curious, be consistent, and invest in connection: with yourself, your clients, and your community.
Also, don’t fear change. Most doors in life don’t open. You have to push, knock, or build your own. You don’t need permission to start again. Reinvention is a skill, one you can practice for a lifetime.”
Connect with Jasmina Rucic on LinkedIn to gain industry insights.
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