{"id":7801,"date":"2025-04-10T12:09:22","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T12:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/7801\/"},"modified":"2025-04-10T12:09:22","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T12:09:22","slug":"from-zero-to-e1-6-million-the-no-bs-guide-to-solopreneur-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/7801\/","title":{"rendered":"From zero to \u20ac1.6 million: The &#8220;no-BS&#8221; guide to solopreneur freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketgamer.biz\/subscribe\/\" class=\"art-subscribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t<strong class=\"qual\">Stay Informed<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Get Industry News In Your Inbox\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Sign Up Today<\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This article was written by Two and a Half Gamers founder and co-host and user acquisition and marketing consultant\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketgamer.biz\/industry\/matej-lancaric\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Matej Lancaric<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hey there, fellow solopreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs and industry peers. TL;DR: I built a one-person gaming consultancy from scratch &#8211; no team, no investors &#8211; and scaled it to over \u20ac1.6 million ($1.8m) in annual revenue.<\/p>\n<p>This article shares the journey, real numbers, hard lessons and what I\u2019m doubling down on in 2025: content, creativity and freedom. No fluff. Just the truth. Buckle up. Here we go again!<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I built a \u20ac1.6m business between diaper changes and campaign launches.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In five years, I grew my one-person company from essentially zero to over \u20ac1.6m ($1.8m) in annual revenue. I did it my way &#8211; focusing on real value, staying profitable, keeping family first and ignoring much of the usual &#8220;hustle hype&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not always rainbows and unicorns out here, but sometimes it actually is.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132992\/86199\/matej-lancaric-unicorns_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-unicorns_1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This story isn\u2019t the typical flashy startup tale. It\u2019s not about chasing vanity metrics or burning out with 100-hour weeks. Instead, it\u2019s a down-to-earth account of resilience, strategic value delivery and sticking to what matters most.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll walk you through each year of my journey (with actual revenue and profit numbers), share the key lessons I learned at every stage, and illustrate how focusing on profit, family and authenticity over vanity and hustle culture made all the difference.<\/p>\n<p>I hope that my experience can inspire you to carve your path to success on your terms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Humble beginnings<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In mid-2020, I took a deep breath and became my boss. Until then, I\u2019d worked for other companies in the gaming industry (marketing and user acquisition). The decision to go solo was exciting and terrifying &#8211; I had zero clients on day one and no safety net.<\/p>\n<p>However, I believed in my skills and saw an opportunity to fill a gap for smaller and mid-sized gaming companies that the big agencies often overlook.<\/p>\n<p>People don\u2019t know where it all started, even before my first job in the gaming industry, Pixel Federation. My interest in online marketing grew during my last year at the University. A friend from my childhood, Ondrej, started his own company and brand, Gentlemen\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>An ecommerce brand focused on selling men\u2019s accessories &#8211; wooden bowties, bracelets, notebooks, backpacks and other \u201cfashion\u201d sh*t. All are produced here in Slovakia. Handmade. This was 2013!<\/p>\n<p>We met, cofounded a company and started working on this project together, and the rest is history. Then, we sold the brand before I started focusing fully on gaming.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The entrepreneurship lessons about how to spend my own money were invaluable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>We had to reinvest everything we earned from the paid performance marketing. It\u2019s a different approach when you know it\u2019s your own money and you have to get it back, because if you don\u2019t, you are f**ked. It gives you a very different perspective.<\/p>\n<p>Afterwards, every time I have a budget to spend on user acquisition, I treat it like it\u2019s my own money. It makes a huge difference. Also, now we are back at it again with Ondrej (and Tibor) with <a href=\"https:\/\/playablemaker.com\/25gamers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Playablemaker.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I am going to go a bit lighter on some of the details so I don\u2019t repeat myself. A big chunk of my journey is well documented here:<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132994\/86199\/matej-lancaric-revenue-graph_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-revenue-graph_660.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Anyway, let&#8217;s go back to 2020. To my surprise, that first year went better than I could have imagined. By the end of 2020, my tiny consultancy had generated \u20ac576,622 ($638,465) in revenue and achieved about \u20ac284,302 ($314,793) in profit.<\/p>\n<p>Yes &#8211; over a quarter-million euros in profit in year one, with no investors, no fancy office, and (get this) no website or sales deck for most of the year. I literally didn\u2019t even have a company website initially. Guess what? Nobody cared. Clients didn\u2019t hire me for slick PowerPoint decks or a pretty website; they hired me because I delivered real value and solved their problems in user acquisition and marketing.<\/p>\n<p>I focused all my energy on doing great work for the few clients I had, and it paid off.<\/p>\n<p>That humble start taught me a powerful lesson: substance beats style. Instead of spending time on &#8220;looking professional&#8221; in 2020, I poured my effort into helping my clients grow their games. This no-bullsh*t approach quickly built a reputation through word of mouth.<\/p>\n<p>By being authentically myself &#8211; a gamer and marketer who speaks frankly (sometimes too frankly) &#8211; I attracted clients who appreciated honest, effective advice over polished presentations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Riding a wave of growth<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If 2020 was about finding my footing, 2021 was a rocket ship. Word had spread that I could deliver results, and suddenly, more companies were knocking on my door (or rather, my inbox) than ever before, partially, thanks to COVID and the fact people realised I really don\u2019t need to sit next to them in an office.<\/p>\n<p>Definitely helpful. Partially because I do my work well. (As humble as it sounds, wink wink.)<\/p>\n<p>I was just one guy, but I found myself in high demand in the gaming marketing niche. I said &#8220;yes&#8221; to a lot of new projects and pushed my own limits to seize the opportunity. That year, revenue doubled to \u20ac1.13m ($1.3m) in 2021, with a remarkable \u20ac710,844 ($787,334) profit. For context, that\u2019s a profit margin of over 60%, which is almost unheard of in many startups.<\/p>\n<p>It was crazy to realise that I, a solo practitioner working from a home office, was running a business with over a million euros in sales and more than half of that in pure profit. The fun part is that the real profit margin is even higher because, at this point, half of my life is an expense for accounting.<\/p>\n<p>How did this happen? Looking back, I\u2019d credit a few factors. First, deep expertise and focus &#8211; I stayed in my lane, offering top-notch marketing and user acquisition services specifically for game developers and publishers.<\/p>\n<p>Being one of the few specialists in this area, I became the go-to person for clients needing that help. Second, I wasn\u2019t afraid to charge what I was worth. In fact, I even slightly raised my rates as my track record grew, knowing that the value I brought justified the cost. I\u2019ve never believed in undercutting or offering big discounts to land a client &#8211; more on that later.<\/p>\n<p>Third, I simply worked smart and leveraged my time well. Fourth, there was no plan B. This had to work, which is the most important part of this whole exercise.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>If you have a plan B, you always count on the failure of plan A. That&#8217;s not a setup for success.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That\u2019s not to say 2021 was easy. On the contrary, it was intense. I was essentially maxing out my capacity. Long days, juggling multiple client campaigns, very little downtime &#8211; I definitely felt the stress of rapid growth.<\/p>\n<p>There were moments I thought, &#8220;This is awesome, but can I keep this up?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It was a classic entrepreneurial high: exhilarating but precarious. The big lesson of 2021 was that growth can be amazing, but burnout is a real risk if you try to do everything alone. Yet, my daughter was born in late 2021. I started a podcast in Slovakia in 2021 and doubled down on content production and writing.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/bC6k_FEpwp4\" alt=\"yt\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Still, 2021 showed me what was possible when you deliver great work and when you think with your brain and not your arse. That\u2019s pretty important. 80% of people still didn\u2019t get the memo.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, I even got some external recognition: my company\u2019s explosive growth landed us as one of the fastest-growing tech businesses in the country that year. Apparently, we ranked 2nd fastest-growing technology company in Slovakia &#8211; not bad for a business literally run out of my daughter\u2019s room.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132995\/86199\/matej-lancaric-social-media-post_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-social-media-post_470.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This proved that focusing on value and results rather than hype could beat out many venture-funded players on pure performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A reality check<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As it turned out, 2022 gave me a reality check whether I wanted it. Early that year, I experienced every consultant\u2019s nightmare: one of my biggest clients (who made up a large portion of my revenue) hit a crisis and abruptly cut their marketing spend.<\/p>\n<p>In a week, about 50% of my monthly revenue disappeared. Ouch. After the previous year&#8217;s highs, this felt like hitting a wall at full speed. For the first time since going solo, I saw a significant drop in my income.<\/p>\n<p>That was scary, and it happened for the first time. Since then, it\u2019s been happening from time to time. It\u2019s happening to all consultants. It\u2019s unpredictable. But you get used to it. Now I know it\u2019s all going to be fine, but it still sucks.<\/p>\n<p>I launched a passion project: an &#8220;amazing no-bullsh*t gaming show&#8221; &#8211; a podcast and content series for the gaming community I co-hosted with friends Jakub and Felix. I am so glad we started doing this together. We had known each other for a long time, but Two and a Half gamers strengthened our friendship. I love them both deeply and couldn\u2019t imagine doing this any other way. They also tolerate me, which is a big plus.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I wanted to start a podcast because I felt there is a need for real knowledge sharing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>After my daughter was born, I started consciously structuring my days to spend about 70% of each day with Katarina and fit work into the remaining 30%.<\/p>\n<p>Because nothing is more important than my little one. Full stop.<\/p>\n<p>Boxout quote: I want to emphasise this to anyone reading: you do not have to sacrifice family to build a successful business.<\/p>\n<p>Most people would say that\u2019s impossible for a business owner, but I have proved it\u2019s not only possible but can make you more effective. I learned that being &#8220;busy&#8221; is often just a state of mind; when you truly prioritise your time, you can achieve incredible things in less time than you think.<\/p>\n<p>By the end of 2022, I had turned what could have been a disastrous year into a transformative learning experience. I diversified my client base so that no single client would hold me hostage again. I streamlined my processes even more to get work done faster. And crucially, I reinforced my commitment to a family-first, balanced lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>The lesson here was clear: it\u2019s about building a life you actually want to live, even when business fluctuates.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/BJ6uTu6ziBs\" alt=\"yt\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Throughout 2023\u2019s growth, more than once, I\u2019d been told, &#8220;Start an agency, man! You\u2019d make a killing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>And sure, I\u2019ve led teams before. People said I had &#8220;founder energy&#8221; and maybe they were right. But the agency route? That\u2019s a different beast. It\u2019s less about doing the work you love and more about managing the people doing the work. And honestly? I\u2019m not in this to be a full-time babysitter of KPIs and calendars.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I like getting my hands dirty in campaigns, digging into data and solving marketing puzzles.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>One of the funniest stats I have from 2023 is that my little company was listed among the top gaming companies in Slovakia by revenue, and all the others above me had dozens or hundreds of employees. I am constantly punching far above my weight class purely by being efficient and effective.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132996\/86199\/matej-lancaric-annual-figures_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-annual-figures_1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>2024: here we go!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As 2024 rolled in, I took a moment to appreciate how far the journey had come. This was the fifth year of my solopreneur adventure, and the business had consistently been profitable and growing in one way or another each year.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132997\/86199\/matej-lancaric-revenue-graph-2_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-revenue-graph-2_1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>From a numbers perspective, 2024 was another solid year, reaching over \u20ac1.6m ($1.8m) in revenue. This is a modest rise compared to the leaps of earlier years, but if you read the graph properly, you know what\u2019s coming in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>In short, I chose to reinvest in quality and future growth rather than squeeze every last euro of profit out of the year. As mentioned before, my whole life basically now became an expense: built three houses in Slovakia, invested in several companies (and continue doing so in 2025), and renovated another flat.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132998\/86199\/matej-lancaric-profit-graph_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-profit-graph_1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Mindset over money<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even though I mentioned the past revenue a lot in this article, let\u2019s get something straight. I\u2019ve never been driven by the smell of freshly printed cash. Sure, I like earning good money (who doesn\u2019t?), but the whole idea that &#8220;money makes the world go round&#8221; never really clicked for me.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve had plenty of people try to sell me the dream &#8211; equity deals, stock options, skin in the game, the usual pitch deck jargon. And while they were talking percentages and payouts, I mostly thought, &#8220;Eh, sounds exhausting&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/132999\/86199\/matej-lancaric-worklife-balance_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-worklife-balance_890.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s this popular startup fantasy: build fast, exit hard and ride off into the sunset with a suitcase full of cash. Is that your dream? Go for it. No judgment.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s not kid ourselves &#8211; when money is the main motivator, your compass can start pointing in some weird directions. It becomes dangerously easy to say yes to things that don\u2019t align with your values just because there\u2019s a payout at the end of the tunnel.<\/p>\n<p>That &#8220;more&#8221; for me? Health, family and peace of mind. I\u2019ve seen too many people chasing corner offices and executive titles while their personal lives quietly crumble. They say their kids are their world, but their calendars tell another story. I\u2019m not pointing fingers &#8211; we\u2019ve all been there.<\/p>\n<p>I believe in working hard and earning well, but not at the cost of the moments that actually matter. Because what\u2019s the point of a bigger paycheck if it means being a stranger in your own home?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Family first: redefining success<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A huge part of my journey, and one of the main messages I want to share, is prioritising family and personal wellbeing over the so-called hustle culture. You often hear entrepreneurs claim their family matters most, yet they\u2019re working 24\/7 and barely see those family members.<\/p>\n<p>Adopting a family-first approach meant making strategic decisions to ensure my family, my mental health and my company\u2019s financial health could all thrive together.<\/p>\n<p>Family-first means taking your kids into the middle of the woods and spending time with them. Who says others can\u2019t join?<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133000\/86199\/matej-lancaric-then-and-now_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-then-and-now_890.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I structured my work around life, not the other way around. I\u2019ve mentioned that in 2022, I was spending 70% of my day with my little girl. That wasn\u2019t just a random luxury. Being there for my family is a non-negotiable and I designed my business to accommodate that. It meant I had to be extremely efficient and focused during the limited work hours, which ironically made me even better at my job.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no greater productivity motivator than knowing you want to actually spend time with your kid and watch her grow up. They grow so fast. Too fast. By saying &#8220;no&#8221; to things that weren\u2019t truly important, I got &#8220;yes&#8221; results in both family and business.<\/p>\n<p>I want to emphasise this to anyone reading: you do not have to sacrifice family to build a successful business.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133001\/86199\/matej-lancaric-business-quote_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-business-quote_890.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t buy into the hustle bros that say endless grind is the only way. It\u2019s simply not true. I\u2019m living proof that you can scale back on the grind and still scale up your company. In fact, having a happy personal life gave me the mental clarity and motivation to perform even better when I was working. It\u2019s the classic win-win that too many entrepreneurs miss out on.<\/p>\n<p>The family-first approach also opens up many opportunities. My daughter takes a short lunch nap, so I have about 60 minutes until she wakes up. What do I do? I made 15 videos (9 AI UGC) and finished before she woke up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2025 and beyond: the evolution of a creator, strategist and full-time curious human<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Five years into this journey, I\u2019ve realised something strange: success at the top can feel\u2026weirdly lonely.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re just starting out, there\u2019s always someone ahead of you to chase or learn from. But after a while, you start looking around and thinking, &#8220;Wait, who do I follow now?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s when you realise the next version of yourself doesn\u2019t come from mimicking others &#8211; it comes from inventing the path you want to walk.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, I haven\u2019t gotten here alone. Tatyana Bogatyreva and Arthur Chin were two of my earliest connections in the UA world, dating back to the wild west of 2016\u20132017. Or was it earlier? We first met at the Facebook office in Paris during UA All Stars, where we were all just starting to figure things out.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly a decade later, I still look to these OGs as kindred spirits in the space. That kind of long-term professional friendship is rare and valuable &#8211; it reminds me where I came from and why I started.<\/p>\n<p>With Tatyana, we go back to the time when I had no idea what IPM meant. This was at the 2018 London Appsflyer MAMA event after my talk about creatives.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133002\/86199\/matej-lancaric-selfie_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-selfie_1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Yeah. We learn all the time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Asia FTW: energy that matches my speed<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One place where I feel completely at home professionally is Asia. The fast pace, constant innovation and zero-BS attitude across South Korea, China and beyond fit my natural rhythm perfectly.<\/p>\n<p>The Two and a Half Gamers podcast has gained a surprising amount of traction there and the reception has been nothing short of energising. Thats why we started our Korean channel on YouTube as well.<\/p>\n<p>In January 2025, we held our first live event in Seoul, hosted with our friends at Airbridge, and it might just kick off a new tradition. We\u2019re already dreaming up what version 2.0 could look like. It\u2019s always thrilling to meet marketers, founders and creators who match your energy &#8211; and Asia? They get it. We get it. And it feels like home.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/48s-ySBG2Vg\" alt=\"yt\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>More creator, less conference circuit<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the thing: 2025 is shaping up to be my creator era. The spark that started with a few blog posts and podcast episodes has now ignited into something bigger. My Brutally Honest newsletter grew to over 18,000 free subscribers, with 11,500 on Substack and 7,537 on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n<p>Newsletter and podcast growth is a grind. There are no shortcuts, only hard work and valuable content that solves problems and offers solutions. Brutal honesty and a bit of fun help, too.<\/p>\n<p>Also, I now have 405 paid subscribers, which pushed annual recurring revenue from $16,000 to $52,000, a three-times jump! This excludes the paid promotion and collabs that started lining up.<\/p>\n<p>Tell me if you want to collaborate, I have some slots left.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133003\/86199\/matej-lancaric-subscribers-graph_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-subscribers-graph_890.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not just growth. That\u2019s a signal. It told me, &#8220;Matej, this is scalable. Go deeper&#8221;. So I am. Expect more articles, more videos and yes, even more &#8220;crazy sh*t&#8221; ad creatives, because somehow that\u2019s now my brand (and frankly, I love it).<\/p>\n<p>What type of content can you expect from me? State of UA reports, playables and creative trends, specific genre playbooks, industry reports, game UA reviews and a lot more.<\/p>\n<p>This shift in direction has also changed how I think about industry events. No more hopping from conference to conference every month just for visibility or FOMO. From now on, I\u2019m all about niche, curated events with people I actually want to talk to.<\/p>\n<p>Quality over quantity. Depth over noise. If I\u2019m speaking somewhere or hosting something, know that it\u2019s because I truly believe in the crowd, the mission and the conversations we\u2019ll have there. That\u2019s the bar now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brutal honesty and the joy of asking<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Funny thing &#8211; I used to be the kind of guy who never asked for discounts or favors. My logic was: if I can afford it and it\u2019s worth it, just pay and move on. But lately I\u2019ve changed my mind. Because I\u2019ve realised a powerful truth: if you don\u2019t ask, you don\u2019t get. That applies not just to discounts, but to everything in life &#8211; intros, opportunities, mentorship, even feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Closed mouths don\u2019t get fed. If you want something? Say it. Ask for it. The worst that can happen is a &#8220;no&#8221;. The best? Game-changer.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, let me just say: I still think work-life balance is a myth, but not in a cynical way. I just think the only way to win long-term is to genuinely love your work.<\/p>\n<p>If your life is spent recovering from your work, something\u2019s broken. I don\u2019t &#8220;balance&#8221; my work with life, I integrate it. I bring my whole self to the work, and I let my work fuel other parts of my life. That\u2019s how I stay energised.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133004\/86199\/matej-lancaric-minime-quote_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-minime-quote_890.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Minime in the front seat, walk-and-talks in the back<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve embraced one more philosophy in recent years: never lose touch with your inner kid. That curious, creative, slightly mischievous version of you &#8211; keep that alive. Let them ride shotgun. Let them steer sometimes.<\/p>\n<p>Whenever I\u2019m creating something that feels truly fun or wild, it\u2019s because my Minime is driving and I\u2019m just letting him rip around the track. This approach drove the growth of Two and a Half Gamers significantly. Look at the 2024 numbers: now we are sitting on 15,000 subs, just four months from the last count.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133005\/86199\/matej-lancaric-podcast-image_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-podcast-image_660.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/E2Z73tMFPU0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">This episode<\/a> is definitely our viral hit with 43,000 views:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/E2Z73tMFPU0\" alt=\"yt\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Anyway. Also\u2026 I walk on calls. A lot. And apparently, this makes some people uncomfortable. I don\u2019t get it. If we\u2019re deep in conversation and I\u2019m pacing through a park or strolling down a side street, I\u2019m actually thinking better.<\/p>\n<p>Moving helps me talk. It\u2019s not disrespectful; it\u2019s efficient. So to the folks who prefer I stay glued to my desk, I say: loosen up. Some of the best ideas I\u2019ve had were born between footsteps. Who says you can\u2019t move and build momentum at the same time?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key takeaways from my solopreneur journey so far<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1. Authenticity is your greatest unfair advantage.<\/p>\n<p>Being unapologetically yourself, whether that means being brutally honest (pun intended), slightly weird, or walking during client calls, is how you attract the right clients and collaborators. People don\u2019t hire robots; they hire humans they trust.<\/p>\n<p>2. Work-life balance is a myth &#8211; love your work instead.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re constantly needing to &#8220;recover&#8221; from your job, you\u2019re probably in the wrong one. Integrate life and work. Design a rhythm that fuels you instead of draining you.<\/p>\n<p>3. Ask for what you want. Seriously.<\/p>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s a better deal, a favour, or an opportunity, closed mouths don\u2019t get fed. Learning to ask has unlocked more than I ever expected.<\/p>\n<p>4. You don\u2019t need to follow the traditional playbook.<\/p>\n<p>No office? No problem. No pitch deck? Nobody cares. Forget the startup checklist. Build your business around what works for you &#8211; lean, real and on your terms.<\/p>\n<p>5. Your inner child knows what\u2019s up.<\/p>\n<p>Keep the curious, joyful, &#8220;crazy idea&#8221; version of yourself alive. That version is often the one closest to your creative truth and your edge.<\/p>\n<p>6. Build something that serves your life &#8211; not the other way around.<\/p>\n<p>The ultimate flex isn\u2019t how many hours you work. It\u2019s how much freedom you\u2019ve created to live fully, spend time with your family and wake up excited to build your thing.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re building solo, or thinking about it, I hope this gives you a glimpse of what\u2019s possible. Not just the revenue but the freedom, family time and meaning behind it. I\u2019m still learning. Still adjusting. Still building.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/media.pocketgamer.biz\/images\/133006\/86199\/matej-lancaric-purpose-quote_orig.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/matej-lancaric-purpose-quote_890.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Thanks for reading. If you\u2019re on a similar journey, let\u2019s connect. Subscribe to the newsletter or send me a DM. I\u2019m here for the long game.<\/p>\n<p>You can find the original Substack post <a href=\"https:\/\/lancaric.substack.com\/p\/from-zero-to-16m-the-no-bs-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stay Informed Get Industry News In Your Inbox\u2026 Sign Up Today This article was written by Two and&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7802,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3094],"tags":[51,3134,4949,4948,3321,16,15,4950],"class_list":{"0":"post-7801","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entrepreneurship","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-entrepreneurship","10":"tag-life-work-balance","11":"tag-matej-lancaric","12":"tag-startup","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-wellbeing"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114313597002681045","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7801"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7801\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}