We had the good fortune of connecting with Vajb Magazin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vajb, how does your business help the community or the world?

Our magazine was designed and formed to help people/readers move more easily and meaningfully in society and influence the community through their actions. Through our writing and activities on social networks, we are trying energetically to participate in the process of creating the world as a better, safer, more organized, and inspiring place to live. Each of our articles contains a certain amount of encouragement that one should not give up but persevere in order to always reach the goal first.

Every step we take in solving a problem is well planned. Especially in our country, Serbia, where social awareness is in a slight decline, we strive to raise and strengthen it. For now, we are succeeding, as it is shown by the positive impressions of readers/followers.

As Thomas Edison said – I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

What makes you happy? Why?

This question is one of those that you hear every day throughout your life. No one has yet managed to define happiness. Everyone who has tried gave a definition from a personal point of view. Therefore, what makes us happy is personal.

Vajb magazine was created because the three of us are happy while working on it. At the very first beginning, it was difficult. The love we have for what we do is immeasurable. Each of our meetings about the organization ended with a smile because we succeed to finish our day with positive results. You surely know that creating a new project requires a great deal of sacrifice and neglect of other things. We are able to spend hours and hours figuring out which path to take, so that all of us are satisfied, and therefore our readers.

Inspiration did not always come to us. There were turbulent periods when we looked for each other and questioned whether we should continue like this. Then we decided to think like a craftsman who fixes something. We started to disassemble and assemble, we were looking for a place where we will fit the most important parts into the machine. And therefore, today we are here, happy, because the machine we created works flawlessly.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

Hmm… We will reveal a little secret to you. Creativity is our lifestyle. We are curious. Would the world survive if there were no creative and educated people? Of course, it wouldn’t. It would be gloomy and dark. Creativity is all around us. Journalists, like us, are not singular creators. A chef in a restaurant is also creative because he needs to come up with a way of preparing food and serving it. One of the main guiding stars in our business is the creator and the creative process. And now while we are answering your questions, in some way we are also creating.

You don’t need to waste words talking about art. It is the untouchable meaning of life.

If you are a parent, what do you think is the most important thing you’ve done as a parent in terms of the impact on your children?

We are not parents yet, but the most important thing that we want to do in the future is to let our children connect with nature as much as we can. Teach them that all of the emotions are valid and worthy to experience and express. To feel them. To share it with someone they trust (their parents, us, for the start). To try. Everything their hearts wants to try. But also to learn some work habits and discipline. Without it, they will fly with their minds through clouds of insecurity and uncertainty. Also, we will try to be the best role model by loving and respecting ourselves in our life. Because – Our children are mirrors, reflecting images of what happens around them.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

After several years of working on students’ web projects, a team of young journalists whose energies coincided started their web magazine. The goal at the time was to become independent and establish something with a unique vibe. The new project name is based on this goal – vajb, which means vibe. Our “Vajb” was never a typical journalistic web portal, it always stood out for its emotion, author’s stamp and carefully selected stories, stylish photos, and authentic people with whom it cooperated.

How to know whether to keep going or to give up?

If you do what you love, there are no limits and difficulties that can stop you. When you take everything as a lesson and experience, there is no reason to give up. We are guided by those principles because we know that we have built an authentic story on solid foundations, which will naturally be built upon. We are convinced that the satisfaction we feel right now will only expand.

How do you define success?

Success is a subjective feeling of satisfaction in the present moment. Striving to maintain that satisfaction means achieving long-term success. Accordingly, we strive to enjoy every bit of our project. Authenticity and ease of work help us to sustain ourselves in our pursuits. Any kind of pressure and negativity are not good friends, so we threw them out of our environment and ensured success with a positive vibe.

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

All successful people that we know, have the same main characteristic – deep and passionate courage. They are full of faith in what they do on the one side, but also ready to fail a hundred times on the other, until they found their own way to succeed. If you never try, you’ll never know. There is a popular belief we are more bravery when we’re younger, but that kind of courage came into our life with life experience and maturity. We have learned there is no better time than now to take some risks – there is so many possibilities, so if you screw something up, by taking a risk, another great opportunity will pop up around the corner very soon.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Serbia is a country rich in nature, full of wonderful mountains, healing spas, historical monuments and fortresses, and excellent hospitality. The biggest pearl is the city where one of the three founders grew up, and the other two spent their best student days there, and after their studies stayed to live in the magic it provides them, the most magnificent – our Belgrade. The days of the walk are not enough to visit it all, so even we who have been in it for a decade or more are still getting to know it in all its shades. There is a roundabout in the center of the city and the famous Knez Mihailova street, on which the largest park within the most important historical and cultural monument of Kalemegdan somehow naturally extends. From Kalemegdan, there is an extraordinary view of the confluence of the Sava and Danube, two rivers, and two pearls of Belgrade. From there, the view extends to Novi Beograd and the most beautiful sunsets are when you watch them from the edge of the fortress.
Going down to the river, we come to endless river quays, created for unreal long walks, which turn into the Balkan party center at night. Rafts, clubs, and pubs are indispensable if one wants to feel the spirit of Belgrade nights, which is the exact opposite of the daily repertoire of the city, which is full of cultural events, exhibitions, museums, and magnificent theaters with masterful performances.
Masses of people from all parts of Serbia and the world can meet on the streets of the metropolis where memories worth retelling are born. Leaving the city center on the Skadar cobblestones, you immediately feel the spirit of Serbian hospitality. Here you can hear the greatest hits of Serbian music and taste the greatest specialties of Serbian cuisine – the famous Serbian homemade rakija as an aperitif, then prosciutto and homemade cheese straight from the Serbian mountains, followed by the round-about sarma, stuffed peppers, ajvar, and traditional Serbian barbecue.
When it comes to summer in Belgrade, the river island of Ada Ciganlija and the Lido island of Zemun is detour stations.
Immediately above Belgrade is Avala mountain with its tower and the unreal Monument to the Unknown Hero, to which Belgraders escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for their dose of oxygen and unreal nature, only to return the next day to their busy business lives, already accustomed to crowds in traffic and the hustle and bustle of the city, then in the evening back to the city, again to the quay, again to new meetings, agreements, and jobs. This is our city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In the beginning, there were six of us leading the project. As we have grown professionally, the team and the project have gone through various stages in the six years since its foundation until today. There were times when it seemed like it was over. However, someone was always there to hold the curtain up. Three of us are now left from the founding team – Kristina Bijelić, Luka Binić, and Lazar Janošević. In some stages, individuals were left alone to manage the entire project. Many departures and returns took place over the years. Now we are on a new chapter, a more mature capture. It is important to mention all the journalists/writers who equally contributed to the project and left a big mark. Authenticity and emotion are also essential for our success.

Website: https://www.vajbmagazin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moj_vajb/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moj-vajb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VajbMagazin

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.