Ivan Kadić

DISRUPTING THE ONLINE SHOPPING INDUSTRY. Ivan Kadić believes more transparent and open technology is key to the future health of the planet and building a fair economy. His business, 60 Seconds, applies this principle to the online shopping experience by gamifying it. The app plugs into platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce and allows customers to bid on the products they're interested in buying.

The company's mission is to encourage brands to embrace a flexible pricing model, thus creating a more engaging way of buying online, particularly for millennials and Gen Z. "Few things in the world have grown as e-commerce has in the past few decades, but the same way of shopping has remained, with only small adjustments. We want customers to build honest relationships with brands they love and improve their experience with the shopping process."

60 Seconds launched in 2020 and soon caught the attention of more than 50 global brands as the pandemic fundamentally shifted people's shopping habits. Companies add the plugin to their chosen platform, and through powerful analytics, it detects hesitant customers and offers them a chance to bid on a product. If the bid falls within the price range set by the company, the customer has 60 seconds to decide to purchase.

"We are very popular at the moment because of the global economy and supply chain crisis, but we need to ensure the next generation buys into what we're building. We want to change how people shop because we don't think online shopping is fair – particularly with discount shopping and events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. When it comes to pricing, I think that all brands, but especially online ones, can be more open to flexible pricing and allow everyone to shop with them."

A DESIRE TO LEAD. Ivan is passionate about software innovation and how that can unlock new and positive solutions in our everyday lives. Before co-founding 60 Seconds, he gained a deep insight into the industry, working as an architect for different software companies in Europe and America. "But I always wanted to make something on my own, to be the product owner. The experience taught me a lot, especially about product development and being a project manager, which I'm very grateful for."

Ivan says the opportunity to be a founder and CEO gave him "a new angle in my life about what I can achieve and expect from my future." A Serbian native with an Orthodox Christian background, he grew up in a large family. In his experience, Ivan explains that religion complements rather than contradicts his sexual and other identities. “Instead of creating personal conflict during my teenage years, I appreciated myself more peacefully because of my religion. From a very early age I perceived myself as equal to everyone else. We should take a similar approach in business by welcoming all personalities into our companies and teams and focus on making the most successful products.”

The rapid growth of 60 Seconds has meant Ivan has had to learn how to be a good leader quicker than most. For him, this has meant being open to new ideas from his team ("I'm trying not to be as stubborn"), learning when to follow and break the rules, and believing in himself. "I realized nobody can represent this product better than myself. The solutions we are creating, and our employees, are as important to me as family or a partner. Representing this kind of product makes me feel incredibly proud."