Teacup with Duda Jadrijevic of duda does

Published in June 2015 in NewsPressed

Duda Jadrijevic

In business life connections are important, in families essential and in making and/or saving money indispensible…

Did some of the readers just stop there and say -‘What!’

Great we have your attention… Why?

Because all business environments large – small and owner/operators need to fine tune organization and efficiency because chaos and uncontrolled business methods and practices cost money…

Silly me did I insult any readers running businesses and infer that you may be hemorrhaging money…

No we did not say that! What we said is that 100% of unorganized businesses lose money!!!

The best way to increase efficiency and make more money is to have a ‘Teacup’ with Duda Jadrijevic who is also the hands on CEO of Duda Does…

Duda Jadrijevic of ‘Teacup’

Duda Jadrijevic of ‘Duda Does’

‘Teacup’ with Duda Jadrijevic of ‘Duda Does’…

Legend

Duda Does – meaning – ‘Your personal life organiser… Busy schedules, long working hours, families to run or life events like moving home… whatever your reason might be, it often becomes a struggle against time and the life admin piles up. But there is another way… Simply escape the mundane tasks of everyday life and avoid the stress of endless to-do-lists with a life organiser.’ – Attribution to DudaDoes.Co.Uk

Teacup – meaning – ‘Whether you’re a global corporation or a small business owner wearing far too many hats, please get in touch to find out how we can help you.’ – Attribution to Teacup-Ltd.Com

Trnjem do zvijezda: Od velikog razočaranja do ostvarenja sna

Published in Super Mila in June 2013

Dubravka Jadrijević (36) prije šest godina otišla je u London zbog ljubavi, imala je sve, dečka, obitelj i dobar posao. A onda se u jednom trenutku našla sama na cesti

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Danas je na vrhu, a prije samo četiri godine bila je na dnu. Dubravka Jadrijević (36) proživjela je gotovo filmsku priču o uspjehu, a velika joj je životna nevolja daleko od Hrvatske dala zamah da ostvari svoj san i pokrene uspješne tvrtke za osobnu asistenciju Duda does i Teacup Ltd u Londonu. Uporna i ustrajna, uvijek je vjerovala u sebe i svoje sposobnosti, a sada odlično zarađuje i ponosna je što je sve postigla vlastitim snagama i kapitalom…

Kada je prije osam godina upoznala tadašnjeg dečka, Engleza s kojim je bila gotovo tri godine, odlučila se preseliti u britansku prijestolnicu koja ju je oduševila. Bila je uzbuđena, željela je okrenuti novu stranicu. Dok je trajala veza na daljinu redovito je posjećivala London i točno se sjeća da je, kad je prvi put sletjela, imala osjećaj kao da je kod kuće.

– Početkom 2006. odlučila sam ostaviti sve u Hrvatskoj; prijatelje uz koje sam bila vezana i obitelj. Nisam imala mnogo novca niti planova, ali sam imala želju sve izgraditi ispočetka. London mi se činio najboljim mjestom na svijetu za to, a proputovala sam gotovo cijeli svijet – govori Duda, Zagrepčanka rođena u Njemačkoj koja je kao mala svirala violončelo te kao folkloristica pjevala u ansamblu Lado. U tom trenutku nije mogla zamisliti život bez dečka, ni on bez nje.
Njezinim roditeljima možda London nije bio najdraži, ali, kaže, da su ljubav i svojeglavost učinile svoje. Nakon nekog vremena našla je i posao koji joj odgovara – radila je kao marketinški direktor sveučilišta u Londonu. Međutim, poslije Nove godine 2009. uslijedio je šok – partner ju je ostavio bez ikakva objašnjenja.

– Uložila sam sve da se izvučem iz emotivne krize – slomljena srca, gubitka gotovo svih prijatelja i obitelji koje sam stekla. Izgubila sam više od 50 ljudi u jednom danu, najveću ljubav, jednu od najboljih prijateljica. Imala sam osjećaj da su svi umrli. Nisam spavala gotovo mjesec dana, morala sam se iseliti i sama naći stan s nepoznatim ljudima. Izgubila sam 10 kilograma u 10 dana i osjećala se poput sjene. Na poslu sam morala biti potpuno profesionalna, što i jesam bila iako sam dane provodila plačući bez prestanka. Mislim da je taj strašan gubitak koji sam jedva preživjela bila najbolja stvar koja mi se mogla dogoditi – govori Duda i dodaje da nije dopustila da klone i postane depresivna jer London te “pojede za doručak” ako nisi borac. U tom gradu cijeni se rad, i to je ono što joj je oduvijek odgovaralo. Zbog svojih sposobnosti brzo je napredovala, ali onda je uslijedio još jedan lom. Dobila je otkaz.

– Izvukla sam se tako što sam počela stvarati. Proplakala sam doduše možda tri noći dok se jednom nisam probudila u tri ujutro s potpunim planom za posao koji ni sama nisam znala definirati. Izmislila sam posao koji ne postoji, našla klijente koje nisam znala, ponekad gladovala i uložila u kvalitetni novi krug ljudi, ali stare prijatelje bez kojih se nikad ne bi izvukla nisam zapostavila. Kaže kako joj je snalažljivost uvijek bila jača strana koju vuče iz hrvatskih korijena.

– Dok sam živjela sa svojim tadašnjim partnerom, uvijek sam igrala ulogu organizatora u kući. Ljudi bi mi prilazili kad bi im trebalo raščišćavanje vinskih podruma zatrpanih papirima, preuređivanja predivnih kuća i organiziran dom. Za to vrijeme naučila sam sve o Londonu, najbolja mjesta za posjet, nešto pojesti, najbolje proizvode, dućane, usluge. Tako je počela moja ideja o vlastitom biznisu – prisjeća se Duda. Uložila je svih 2000 funti koje je imala u web-stranicu i ubrzo našla prvog klijenta koji je trebao asistenciju pri selidbi. Radila je i 20 sati na dan.

– Sve je to bio mukotrpan i spor put do bilo kakve financijske sigurnosti. Imala sam samo za sobu, putne troškove, a često nisam imala ni za hranu. Potkraj 2010. godine dobila sam posao dva puta na tjedan kao tajnica, a taj novac mi je otplaćivao sobu i režije, dok sam ostale dane po 16 sati radila na traženju novih klijenata – priča Duda, te otkriva da je “Duda does” za onoga tko traži osobnu pomoćnicu u Londonu jedna od prvih koja će im se ponuditi na Googleu. Klijenata je bilo sve više: – Izgradila sam jaku mrežu raznih provjerenih usluga i mene pitaju za dobrog knjigovođu, trenera, web-dizajnera ili kako prijaviti porez – govori Duda i dodaje da na dan dobiva i 400 mailova, a osim prezaposlenih majki s karijerama, klijent su joj i Apple, ali ne i razmaženi celebrityji. Ideja personal asistinga vrlo jednostavna – pomoć ljudima koji mnogo rade i nemaju vremena za privatan život.

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– Klijenti često nazovu deprimirani jer ne vide smisao teškog rada, a dođu u kuću koja je totalno izvan kontrole. Žele da im raščistim radne sobe i organiziram projekte po kući koje nikako ne stignu obaviti sami. Nekad su me znali zvati na porođaje i privatne situacije, kao na primjer rješavanje dokumentacije suprugove smrti. Često mi klijenti kažu da ako Duda nije nešto našla, onda to ne postoji – smije se. Ne smatra se ambicioznom nego poticajnom za sebe i sve oko sebe. Unatoč svemu, živi skromno, nema partnera, živi sa sestrom Jadrankom koja odlično kuha i zadovoljna je svojim životom. Joga, meditacija i masaža njezina su oaza. Klijenti je obožavaju i mnogi su joj prijatelji te često s njima izađe na koncert ili večeru.

– Da nisam zadržala svoj karakter, sigurna sam da nikad ne bih imala tako prisan odnos s njima. Mislim da je ovaj grad odličan jer cijeni ljude s osobnošću – govori Duda i dodaje da ju je poduzetništvo izgradilo kao osobu jer je naučila ići korak po korak.

– Postati poduzetnicom pod uvjetima poput mojih iznimno je teško ali nikad nisam vidjela nikakve druge opcije jer sam gradila nešto svoje ne obazirući se ono što rade drugi. Ili, još važnije, kako to rade drugi – zaključuje Dubravka koja se ne želi vraćati u Hrvatsku, ali bi voljela imati kućicu na otoku Visu gdje svako ljeto provodi s obitelji.

Da opstane, pokrenula je posao ‘osobnog asistenta’ 

‘Oduvijek sam bila dobra organizatorica. Kad sam u Londonu dobila otkaz, zadnji novac uložila sam u svoju web-stranicu koja je nudila pomoć prezaposlenim ljudima u organizaciji njihovih obaveza. I krenulo je…”

duda does | Personal Assistant and London Concierge service

Published on The Good Web Guide in August 2012

The no-nonsense one-to-one service from duda does can be trusted to keep your busy life running smoothly. Whether it is organising your home, running errands, buying that anniversary present or completely managing your home move, the duda does team will sort it out

NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL – YOU JUST NEED TO ASK

Run by the dauntingly efficient Duda Jadrijevic, a multi-lingual life organiser, duda does offers clients a personal and reliable way of finding a balance between their working and personal life. No challenge is too big or too small at duda does and clients can fall on its services according to their schedule and personal needs. Clients can expect to deal with the same person every time ensuring their confidence and comfort when entrusting duda does with any kind of administrative or organisational task. Meanwhile, all requests are responded to in under two hours as a matter of course.

ORGANISE ME

At duda does there are no joining fees and no membership fees and the initial ‘to-do-list’ consultation is free of charge. Prices are flexible making help at hand for everyone. The pay-as-go packages give clients the flexibility to decide as and when they need assistance – starting from £225 for 5 hours which is valid for 3 months. For a more regular life organiser you can opt for the monthly life organiser at £295 a month. In addition, there is the 24/7 Rescue me service for those heart-in-the-mouth moments when you realise something is forgotten at £46 per hour.

HOME MOVE

For those bigger life events, duda does is on hand too. The bespoke Home Move service starts at £975 (15 hours minimum) per project and promises that, whether it is a UK move or an international relocation, it will help settle you in to your new home too.

As you might expect, the duda does site is friendly, approachable, very clear and well-organised and a good a reflection of the level of service on offer.

 

Duda Does It For Bitch

Published on BITCH online in March 2012


‘Personal concierge’- the phrase may conjure up images of misbehaving footballers, super rich bankers or tabloid celebrities. Think again. Duda is here to help London’s entrepreneurial women balance those tricky work-life scales. I had the pleasure of chatting to her over coffee and finding out more about the woman who does it for us.

From the moment I met Duda, one might say sparks flew. Whether or not the feeling was reciprocated, I for one was immediately impressed by her energy and enthusiasm. Wearing a fabulous and cosy fur-lined coat, she instantly makes a spooling admittance of her love for beautiful fabrics, of how she feared a stuck-up, self-absorbed female journalist would turn up, and that she tends to get on with men better than women in general – despite her business being prominently aimed at women.

“Do you open your mail regularly? No. Do you have time to run errands? No. Everybody needs at some point, even for an hour, some sort of help.”

Duda speaks of her personal concierge business, Duda Does (www.dudadoes.co.uk), with an unmistakable tone of passion. Why does she think there has been such a growth in this industry in recent years? “In general people work longer hours…any spare time they have they want to spend that with their families or their friends. All of us are struggling…Do you open your mail regularly? No. Do you have time to run errands? No. Everybody needs at some point, even for an hour, some sort of help.” Her company helps to organise everything from house bills, grocery, gift shopping and other mundane domestic to-dos, to admin support for small businesses. The list of tasks that she can do for her clients is infinite, and completely customisable from client to client.

German born, Duda was brought up in Croatia, and had an extraordinary up-bringing as her childhood home often buzzed with political figures and intellectuals, what with her father being a political prisoner. “I did have a really great education, I was always a good student and I started with law.” She begins to laugh unexplainably, but it all becomes clearer as she goes on; “I didn’t like it because it’s dry, there’s no creative room, but it’s clever. If the system worked I’d probably be a lawyer, but I didn’t trust the system so therefore I wasn’t going to do it.” Growing up, Duda followed her first passion of music and was a professional singer until the age of 22, then after her stint in studying law, she moved from Croatia to Germany, before she decided she didn’t like the mentality there and made her move to the big smoke.

Duda tells me how London is far behind other international cities like New York and LA in the personal concierge business. “It’s old news in New York, they’ve had it for decades, it’s not a big deal. But here I think it’s conceived as a posh thing, something for celebrities.” So it seems that the ‘keep calm and carry on’ mentality of the British has transcended generations of war-time workers and become instilled in today’s city professionals; “I think that the English are very polite in asking for help. They don’t understand why they would ask somebody to do this for them. They don’t complain, they don’t moan. It’s the culture. They will think ‘I feel bad, I can’t ask for someone to come around and open my mail’, whereas American clients see it as a positive thing.”

“I was a pessimist! In some ways I still am. There’s no going back. I think I became positive and I believed everything is possible.”

Duda’s road to starting up her own business was in no way a smoothly paved one. She started her life in London with her partner at the time, he came from a privileged background and Duda integrated herself into his well-off family and social circle with ease. “It just came naturally- I knew I loved organising for people.” Duda explains how she would volunteer to help without a second thought, whether it was filing paperwork, or organising the cleaners, gardeners and nannies. Duda became the go-to girl of the family. “I naturally started to organise things for people, as they were disorganised. His mum loved me because she’d say ‘I can’t do it!’, so I’d say ‘I’ll do it!’ ”

While Duda was taking on projects for free at home she had made a successful marketing career for herself, working her way up from being on the phones in a call centre to becoming the marketing manager of that very same media company , all in just three years. She was flying high, but in the space of one year she lost it all. Her partner broke up with her out of the blue, and she was then made redundant from her company. It was only through the dark times, that she was able to find the light within; “I ended up on my friends couch. With £2000 in my pocket, I invested £1900 in my brand and my website.”

It’s at rock bottom where, rather than become more destitute, Duda simply let go. She is obviously such a magnetic, positive energy, I ask her if that’s what brought her through? “No I was a pessimist! In some ways I still am. There’s no going back. I think I became positive and I believed everything is possible. The idea that the fear of a situation is bigger than the actual situation, I believe that.”

“I will move the mountain for you. I’m resourceful, all my clients will say ‘If Duda can’t find it, it doesn’t exist’.”

It’s never going to be easy-going as a start up; after several years of trading Duda has hit the ground running with regular long-term and short-term clients. She explicates what makes her company different to the others, “I actually work with the ‘career elite’: women who have started their own businesses, men who are focused on their careers, hard-working couples who don’t have enough time to spend together. A lot of what other companies like mine do for their rich clients is more of an add-on. Whereas what I do is a necessity. I’m a niche within a niche.” The more she speaks of her company the more fired up Duda becomes, she appears confident and completely sure of what she can provide her clients, “I will move the mountain for you- it doesn’t matter if you want tickets for something or your child needs to get to school tomorrow. I’m resourceful, all my clients will say ‘If Duda can’t find it, it doesn’t exist’. It’s a lot of common sense, personality and initiative.”

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But what drives that initiative- who inspires her? “Steve Jobs is my big idea, he’s the only person I admire, it took me a long time to find somebody and it’s him. I relate to that spiritual part of him, which is very similar to a personal development journey; you have to learn about yourself, you have to challenge yourself. If you think ‘No I can’t do it’ you will not do it, but if you say ‘Ok let me try’ then you grow as a person. You test yourself and it’s like ‘Ah! I didn’t know I could do that!’.’’

“I had a request to sleep with somebody. I had to explain to him that’s what Duda doesn’t do!”

Duda Does has around 15-20 long-term clients, which Duda is managing now that she has two assistants, and she also has from 5 to 50 short-term projects coming and going at a time. She admits she has only had to let two clients go, “One didn’t pay me for months and that was actually my first client, who was one of the most difficult clients I worked for.”

Amongst organising private jets to Miami through Icelandic Volcanoes, one of Duda’s more interesting requests was from a client who wanted her to help with his dating life. “I had to go through all the dating agencies, I had to go through profiles he liked and didn’t like, it was bizarre because he was this business person I’d just met and we were just sitting there discussing really private stuff.”

So what doesn’t Duda do? This is the question on which she takes the longest pause to think about: “I had a request to sleep with somebody. I had to explain to him that’s what Duda doesn’t do! We’d become quite friendly because with time you do become friends with clients, and they confide in you. But having a one night stand with a guy I work with…no! Well I can find it somewhere else, let’s put it that way.”

Like an acrobat of busy schedules, Duda performs a balancing act, ensuring her clients are kept happy, along with the services that she regularly uses and depends upon. “I build relationships with services, I have services that I recommend to clients, and if I see that a client is always complaining about everything and everyone, and asking for unreasonable things from that service- then it’s a difficult choice. You might lose a client. My integrity is a natural strong part of me.”

“I want to stop this bonkers ‘superwoman’ crap, I mean what the fuck is that!”

Duda’s target market is career-focused women, she explains why she think it’s so important for women to have access to a service like hers, “Women are the natural organisers. Men are so used to getting someone to do it for them, either it’s a PA in his office or it’s his wife or his cleaner, they find it very easy to delegate, whereas women are feeling guilty all the time”.

Since the increase of women in the workplace, and the ever growing community of female entrepreneurs, the notion of the ‘superwoman’ has been heavily promoted: the woman who must not only have a successful career, but also a smoothly-run family home filled with perfectly dimpled children, and on top of that is expected to dress like she’s just come off the set of Desperate Housewives. Duda’s malcontent is clear. “I want to stop this bonkers ‘superwoman’ crap, I mean what the fuck is that! It’s wrong! I think it’s made to satisfy the men’s world. I think women are just slightly silly not to recognise that they are actually putting a lot of pressure on themselves. Stop it! Why do you want to do everything on your own?”

Her confidence is refreshing. To hear a woman happily say “I think I’m great!” without an ounce of arrogance is music to any forward-thinking ears. “If you say ‘I’m doing really great’ it always comes out like bragging, but I honestly believe that I do great stuff. Why shouldn’t I say that?”  She goes on to talk about how she feels women are brought up with a different mindset to men from a schooling age; “For girls it’s like, ‘If you work harder’. If. But for boys I don’t think they’re brought up in the same way, their egos are fed with ‘You’ve done well’.”

“I never had maternal instincts. I think it would be wrong to have my own if I can help somebody who is already on earth.”

So how does Duda measure up to the social ‘pressure’ she speaks of as a woman? With a successful business already under her belt, what else would she like from her life? “I’m single. I do have an interesting sex life but I’m happy single and would probably like to stay that way. I might have a man in my life for certain times, or maybe for a lifetime, but I will definitely deal with everything on my own. If I’m lucky to find a person who I love and will love me for the rest of my life then he can buy a house next to me! But he will not live in mine, I think that’s quite cool and I think it’s quite healthy.” What about children? “I never wanted to have children, I would love to adopt a child, since I was very young. Probably an older girl who’s aware and has been through something, I would like to give her a little bit of joy. I’m very feminine and I’m great with children – they’re also one of my passions, I forget the world around me when I’m with them- I never had maternal instincts. I think it would be wrong to have my own if I can help somebody who is already on earth.”

It’s clear that her other passion, Duda Does, has become the love of her life. She almost shrugs off the time she puts into her work, “I work 12-16 hours a day and I don’t feel it, sometimes I’m sleep deprived but it’s become normal. When I have an 8 hour day I think something’s wrong, I have time on my hands!” Despite the long hours of juggling clients and services, Duda’s sleep is worry free; “I never wake up thinking I’ve had enough. I go to bed thinking it was all worth it.’

 

Who says you need ‘to get’ organised?

Published on We Are The City on 11 March 2012

Every time I prepare for a talk on Time Management I face the same face expressions. Women you are fully prepared for another lecture on how they have to ‘get organised’ & manage it all by themselves because every time manager would advise so and because we live under the influence of media – the request for you to ‘get organised’ is written all over the wall & you just ought to do so as it’s becoming a norm in general.

Well, I’ve got some news for you!  You don’t have to get organised – instead you should get clever & open to new ways.  You might think at this stage… ‘And this comes from a time manager?’

‘Getting’ organised will not bring you success.
Focusing on your strengths will.
What about your weaknesses? Well, I say – delegate!

To suddenly get organised is a big mislead and it’s misused by so many time coaches and magazines.  First of all, to get organised is a long process. If you are not already organised, you most probably won’t become so easily.
Secondly, there is never a list of ‘Top 10 steps to get organised’ that will work because we are all different, so what works for me might not work for you and vice versa. So how can anyone write a list that will bring you further in your every day life with your ups and downs. Add lack of time and motivation to it and voila – they have put you up for a ‘failure’.

To ‘be organised’ requires a) organisational skill & b) discipline.

Organisational skill is not rocket science neither is it any better than a creative skill or trading skill you might use that brings you success. It is just a different skill that you might not have like I don’t have mathematical skills.  So for anyone to become organised, I say the chances are low.
Unless, of course, you want to shift your focus from your strength to work on your weakness. But I would simply call that ‘self sabotage’.
It’s the same problem as if I’d have been asked to become disorganised. Even though I am creative and full on in life, I will certainly fail in becoming something I am naturally not.

So no, you are not lazy, you are not failing if you ditch your ‘to do list’ for a weekend with your family and friends or have a fabulous life in the office but your house is a complete mess.

Now let’s get to discipline. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you failing in this. That’s the most natural response to life I’ve known. Some people have discipline because they were trained since early age. Ask most people if they enjoy it and I give you £5 if you prove that I’m wrong after the person passes a psychological assessment. They might enjoy the result (monetary or other rewards but to love discipline as a way of living is another matter).
I am the first one to say it’s not enjoyable. It might help me in many ways (like using it as it is my strength and I started a business doing exactly this for other people) but it also stands in my way for the majority of my time. I find it difficult to rest and to enjoy the moment (so I get help there with my assistants who book holidays or a life coach who helps me keep the balance etc). The only reason why I am very good at discipline and therefore triple organised is because I was trained since young age, having had a very dedicated career as a musical performer (music and dance).

If anyone ever says to me it is possible to get to like discipline, I would simply shoot back asking if their children ever got to love homework! Yeah, right.

And so again, you are not failing if you start to de-clutter your house and don’t finish it off the next morning. Or if your resolution to become more organised fades out within a month. You are not alone & nothing is wrong with you.

Yet something is still wrong with the picture of being disorganised.  It’s the fact that you are not feeling in control and satisfied. It bothers you & you don’t feel on top of things.

So what can you do about it?
Change the action that didn’t work until now (becoming miraculously organised if you are naturally not or inventing 40 hrs in a day if your problem is lack of time) and try a different approach.
Same actions bring same results, that’s old news so why are you behind and not doing yourself a favour?

If you are forward thinking, an achiever, modern & savvy; person who understands that taking realistically practical steps will lead you to your goals while you feel great about your journey then by now you are already adding 2+2. Right?

Delegate your weaknesses & focus on your strengths.
Weather this is making money & building a career while someone else is opening your mail, paying bills and waiting for a plumber, or being a better mum spending your free time with the kids while someone trusted and motivated is de-cluttering your home, or you need your business to flourish but there are too many hats to wear so instead of burning out and losing out you get a PA that you pay as you go.

Managing a life or a small business is not much different from running a company like Apple, just as a valid example (and having read the mind-blowing biography of Steve).
Great managers focus on their contribution to the bigger picture & delegate their weaknesses to other experts. That doesn’t mean they don’t have control. Quite the opposite. Micro managers who want to do everything by themselves end no where. if you don’t trust me, read for yourself.

So if you are one of the achievers, then the only thing you really owe to yourself and to your success (whether in your private or business life) is to take action that will work and by doing that allow yourself to try different ways. Get your priorities right, do what it’s important, delegate what you can’t handle alone and only then you will get back in control.

We at ‘duda does’ are just part of a support. Whether in advice, doing things you dislike or don’t have time for or just simply to introduce new way to life. NewYorkers are doing it for decades, why aren’t we?

Duda Jadrijevic – email her here

About the Author: 

I run “duda does” – a Private Life organising business for time starved Londoner with a focus on female entrepreneurs & Teacup Ltd supporting businesses (from small city businesses to big global companies) with Admin and Research ad hoc support.

I started my first business end of 2009 and started my 2nd business in January 2012. I am also involved in supporting female entrepreneurs with my personal inspirational story and drive as seen here

We are interested in making female career driven women aware of help that they deserve plus connecting with like minded entrepreneurs. – Access their pages here

Spring Cleaning Season: meet professional organiser Duda Does

Published on Dollymix in April 2012

How do you feel about the general level of tidiness in your life? Is being more organised a goal you aspire to, or do you prefer to live in beautiful chaos? I’m betting that the majority feel similarly to how I do on this one: wishing we could live a neater life and struggling with the mess that a busy schedule can produce – but not always knowing how to tackle it. And that’s where professional organiser Duda Does comes in!

After moving to London from her native Croatia in 2006, entrepreneur Duda Jadrijevic left a successful career in Marketing to set up her de-cluttering, life-organising and ‘Home PA’ service after spotting a gap in the market for helping out hardworking urban professionals who don’t have the time to get on top of their life admin. The service had existed for celebrities and other VIPs for some time, but Duda could see that London was filled with enough overwhelmed working men and women to build up a customer base.

I spoke to Duda to find out more about how she helps people organise their busy lives, and to see if I could learn a few of her tricks…

Why do you think that having a ‘life organiser’ is still relatively unknown in London when it’s popular in places like new york?

Although a huge fan of the Brits, I believe it lies in the culture of “keep calm and carry on”; not wanting to show you need help. Americans tend to be focused on the goal and if they need help they will ask for it straight away without wasting time.

Having said that, I’ve recently had an enormous influx of clients and I dare say it is linked to the more entrepreneurial spirit of how we live in this city these days. more people are taking a u-turn in their careers, and women in particular are starting businesses or have families and realising that the ‘superwoman’ trend is not really cool but pretty unhealthy and pathetic so they ask for help.

What are the main benefits of de-cluttering (either at home or at work)?

Getting back in control.

Any task that is unfinished (which includes putting aside one piece of paper for sorting out later) is noted in our brain. it builds up as a to-do list in our human computer, and the result is without exception, guilt. Some people find it makes them angry, but they also feel saddened and guilty over getting themselves in such a mess.

Once the physical clutter is out, the mental mess is out instantly. It works miracles! Another benefit is ‘me time’: we recently introduced another approach to de-cluttering whereby we invite clients to book put some ‘me time’ in their diary for a particular date and time. Then we choose music, get in nice coffee, invite friends and we have it done in a blink. Plus we have great fun! This doesn’t only happen at our clients’ homes: amazing fun can be had in offices too.

Do you think that disorganised people can learn to be more organised?

I personally don’t think they can, or indeed should. I strongly believe that being organised is a skill we are born or have learned at early stage of our lives.

People should focus on their strengths and delegate their weakness; I disagree with time-managament experts who give advice how to get organised and make people feel guilty if they are not. Instead of wasting your life trying to become someone you are not, people should get help with the areas they struggle in. This help them to succeed at what they are naturally good at, be it personal or business.

What are your most popular services? 

De-cluttering is very popular: people find it a huge relief to have someone help them out. It is a real eye opener for many people which then allows me to maintain their home admin once we put clients up to date and back in control.

We also offer more specific services such as mail opening, admin sorting, dealing with claims and customer service, booking appointments and travel. Most popular of all is the knowledge that reliable who thinks ahead for you is dealing with it all so that you can enjoy your free time a little more.

How many staff do you have?

I’ve built a team of four, which is then underpinned with a list of proven and reliable service providers, from events to cleaners.

What advice would you give someone who often feels overwhelmed and struggles to ‘get on top’ of tasks at work and home?

  • Every few days, write down on a piece of paper everything that is in your head. Don’t mix this up with a to-do list – forget about those! Consider this to be de-cluttering for your brain, so put everything down from “clean the bathroom” to “have more fun with Jonathan”!
  • Schedule everything that can be scheduled in to your calendar: everything on that list that takes 3 minutes or less do immediately.
  • Most importantly, delegate and share your workload: one man bands are not considered big players. Delegate what you can and what you are not very good at or motivated to do.
  • don’t think you are alone, and don’t think there is no one that can help. Services like ours are best described as a friend at hand when and for whatever needed. seriously! 😉

Any tips for keeping your home tidy when you’re working long hours?

  • Get a cleaner in once a week, preferably on a Thursday as it is closer to the weekend but gives you a fresh home mid week.
  • Organise your wardrobe so that it takes you 3 minutes top to choose what you are going to wear.
  • Arrange for your online shop delivery to come when the cleaner is in.
  • Create a “dirty corner” where you ditch everything you can’t cope with and where it won’t bother you so much. that way the rest of the flat will stay tidier.
  • Get some baskets in and ditch your mail and unsorted admin in. you can then deal with it on a day of your preferences or ideally you will get someone in to deal with it.

 

Business Birthday Interview: Duda Does

Published in The Good Web Guide  in October 2012

Duda Jadrijevic is the founder of duda does, the personal life organisers based in London. Duda and her team are happy to turn to any of those jobs that you’be been putting off, no job is too big or too small. We talk to Duda as her business celebrates its third anniversary, which she will do with friends and family, because without them duda does would not be where it is.

I guess I always had a strong feeling that one day I would just do what I do best and by my own rules. What I didn’t know is that a redundancy and an emotional break up with my ex-partner would be the ultimate inspiration to jump from the cliff so to speak.

My average working day involves checking emails nearly every five minutes, starting at 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. I deal with a lot of clients, organising appointments, online bookings, searching for best providers. Recently we we have bookings for a de-clutter case nearly three to four times a week so on top of organising private admin, we also re-organise homes.

High points of last year include… an enormous increase in demand which makes me happy as it shows that Londoners have woken up and realised that they need help here and there, international clients and our really cool fans.

As for recommending particular websites that have helped my business… Yes it should definitely be Amazon, Not On The High Street and the GWG. I always check what you guys list as my clients like the finer things in life.

My most overused phrase is… “Darling” and ‘My gut instinct says..”

I couldn’t live without… my smile because it got me through hell and is my best friend.

I am a great believer in helping each other so I don’t tend to lean on organisations. My soft spot is homeless people so I give as much as I can to those without shelter, sitting on the streets. I feel humble as they remind me how grateful I should be.

My advice to a budding entrepreneur thinking of starting up a business is… find your passion, make your own rules and get to know yourself.

You might not otherwise know that … I used to be a professional singer and dancer for the majority of my childhood and teenage years.

As for business apps… I use MimiBooks, mobile version of Freshbooks, online accounting software. I am in love with Apple stuff in general.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… ‘Dig deep.’ My friend Barbara said this to me when I was at my lowest. It’s worth every inch of digging!

My business started with nothing in my pocket and it grew organically during the recession. I find this time a blessing to get our values straight. It feels refreshing to those who find creative ways.

I admire… Steve Jobs. He was a rebel, followed his insitincts and contributed in his unique way. He was brave!

In 5 years time, I see myself… managing a team of four at duda does and four at Teacup Ltd, a new company that I have set this year. I also see myself stepping into other small business ventures.

When recruiting new staff, I look for… anyone who wants and can do this job needs to be resourceful beyond limits, creative, disciplined and sophisticated, yet street-wise. It is difficult to get that but it is not impossible.

From Heart broken + Grief-stricken to Determined Entrepreneur (I love this woman!)

Published in The Career Stylist in November 2011

entrepreneurDuda Jadrijevic is the Owner of  ‘duda does’ a Personal life organiser/Private PA business in central London. Below she reveals how she’s managed to create a successful biz despite the most horrible personal circumstances; using her  grief  as fuel to ‘re-invent’ herself +style a whole new career + business.  I was going to cut down the below to make it a more concentrated read+ follow the blog “rule book” but then I stopped myself. TheCareerStylist.com gets to the heart of what drives us + holds us back as savvy women that want to love + thrive in what we do-  what makes Duda’s story so powerful is the striking honesty with which it’s told. So I’ve left it just as it is, raw + true :)

What was your career path before launching your business?

Since an early age I was drawn to music and dance. I have had a fulfilling music career as a professional singer soloist and dancer whilst finishing my grammar school education. At age of 20 I decided to study and have so gained an MA degree in sociology and Croatian Culture.  I moved to London in 2006 and decided it was my new beginning. I had to find myself as my passion for music was difficult to replace. I gained experience and progressed fairly quickly from various events, media and recruitment roles in central London. Naturally a performer and networker, I enjoyed organising business network events and business development through marketing has been a fulfilling challenge. Yet I didn’t quite feel my truest contribution to the society has found its place. At the time when I intuitively started to feel that I would like to organise people’s private time, I completed a lot of projects for free and purely out of passion, aside my long hour working days as a marketing manager. There was no support around but I observed my target market and started to do research without telling anyone.

Was there a big moment of inspiration?

A big moment of inspiration was one of the most horrible experiences one can imagine. When I moved to London it was mainly for my partner who was a born and bred Londoner. We lived together and planned our future surrounded by his loving family that included me as one of their own. Even his friends became good friends of mine. I got my business idea whilst living in our Victorian house in West Hampstead, London. I loved organising private family functions, Christmas shopping projects and managing the house and home admin, including hiring and firing staff and connecting people.

Without any sign or explanation, I was left by my partner after New Year’s day in 2009. I wasn’t allowed to ask why and up until today I never received any explanation. Except for one person, no one ever contacted me again. My complete network, nephews I loved, cousins that were calling me their cousin, sister in law who presented me as hers – all vanished in one day. Completely devastated, in a complete emotional, existential and mental shock I lost a stone and a half, started to suffer from insomnia and fear of emotional survival. I moved out to a new area with only two friends I had built strong friendships with independently. I was in a high position within an organisation were I was constantly bullied by a sales manager and never had a day off.

Trying to understand and stay sane, I invested my grief into reinventing myself. I will never forget looking at myself in the mirror not knowing who I was, what I have achieved and where to go next. All my family and friends were back in Croatia or in New York. Everyone was holding their breaths and asking me to go back home to Croatia but I refused. I spent days learning what life is a about and step by step, my intuition that I had as a child and an artist came back. When I finally got out of the grieving process and was ready to relax and get my energy back, I was made redundant from one day to the next with no compensation pack – the recession hit my marketing role. It was late August 2009.

I will never forget that week.

I cried for half a day and started to apply for different roles yet I would wake up with my ‘duda does’ idea. I spoke to one person who felt to be perfect as a test client. He was at that time a great business mentor to me and hugely supported my idea. I had £2000 in my account and no job. Again, I jumped from the cliff knowing that I will need to swim in new waters. No going back.

A new friend offered me her couch for few months. I spent £1900 on my website, brand design and basic start up sleeping on my friend’s couch. In the meantime I persistently applied for any jobs to survive. I had no financial support and no desire to take on a loan I would regret one day soon. By February 2010 I got 3 clients and moved out to a house-share. I put my lifestyle completely on the back burner + invested everything I had into marketing.

Today I have 2 contract based assistants, a marketing manager, a web designer, a steadily growing set of  clients and a phone that is ringing with more requests.

I finally found strength to get out and meet new people. I am also a leader of few entrepreneurial groups in Hampstead women’s club and MTLTS Mayfair group. My ‘Little Pink book’ is full of handpicked services and I am surrounded by quality people. I’m single yet have found new friends for life.

What were the biggest challenges in getting it off the ground?

For me it has definitely been loss of a social network as in my industry word of mouth plays a crucial role. Also no financial support in terms of living on my own, no partner to share my finances with. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the emotional loneliness and fear of an enormous responsibility. There were days I had no food for a week as the payments were slow and no one to ask. I think of those days with a certain fondness as I know my fears are worse than the reality.

What do you love most about what you do?

As a Personal Life organiser I enjoy seeing my clients relieved after they realise what I can bring to them. It is most visible in de-clutter sessions as clutter is a psychologically difficult project. It is difficult to let go and most of clutter in people’s house shows procrastinating or simply not being able to look at it and face what’s behind things. My clients always end up giving me a hug and feel like a huge burden has been lifted from their shoulders. I also enjoy getting things sorted, in particular getting things on time or dealing with a service my clients find difficult to find an inclination to deal with. Getting my clients back in control over home related matters and taking away the stress that makes them feel guilty is my biggest reward.

As an entrepreneur I am grateful for all my life and business obstacles as being a true entrepreneur means being willing to learn about oneself and invest in personal growth. It goes hand in hand with spirituality that is an important part of doing what one wants to do. Running business is making good money as we learn to value ourselves, but it is never ABOUT making money. I love my every day life lessons which allow me to always come up with another creative solution. It can be daunting, tiring and demotivating but if we forget about self pity and just listen to what life is trying to tell us – the bigger the obstacle, the greater the idea! Uniqueness is powerful and reassuring – at least for someone like me who never wanted to blend in or conform.

What top tips would you give other women who dream about setting up their own business?

Start with a dream and fly 90% of your first few weeks. Each day hit the bottom hard and spend those 10% on a most objective ‘reality check’.Test your ideas and ask for opinions when you already feel your own- never when you feel indecisive.
Believe you can do it and imagine there is no other option than to succeed.
Look after yourself in the same way you look after your clients. Do not allow yourself to burn out. You will make mistakes, lose clients and become unhealthy.
Cry when you are sad, smile when you want to make a difference, laugh whenever you want to.
Be prepared to make mistakes, learn about others and grow as a person.
Be confident with a healthy self esteem, yet humble.
See a 12 hours working day as a norm, not as a dreadful reality. In your free time, switch off your phone for an hour. The world will still be revolving..
Never, never, never give up! W.Churchill

How do you keep yourself motivated?

My self awareness- the moment when I feel I can’t do any better I will stop. But up until then, I am naturally motivated by my potential that results in hard work, great creativeness and willingness to serve the community with my business know how and an honest and highly professional service. I have also recently started coaching sessions with Beth at The Career Stylist which have been amazing at helping me keep focussed + drive towards my goals- she really helps me laser in on what’s important + gets me stepping into my own power + talents. I really believe in doing everything you can to invest in your on development + having a coach is a big part of this, for me at least.

Just for fun..

Favourite city?

London.
Then New York.

What was the last book you read?

The power of now – Eckhart Tolle

Yummy food indulgence?

Avocado with balsamic vinegar and olive oil / Lebanese humous
Italian ice cream / Chocolate

Duda Does is Founder + Owner of  duda does, a Personal life organiser/Private PA business in central London which looks after overly busy people in London.

in 5 minutes… Ace your Christmas shopping

Published in Let’s Go with Ryanair December 2013

IN 5 MINUTES… ACE YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

US squillionaire Jeff Bezos’ mighty Amazon empire has turned Christmas shopping into a breeze. An admittedly soulless breeze, perhaps, but in the time it takes to down a cuppa, every single entry on your gift list can be quietly ticked off as bargain after bargain tumbles into your virtual basket.

Job done. But are we missing the point? Shouldn’t Christmas be about seeking out a special gift that will leave the recipient giddy with delight?

Duda Jadrijevic, founder of life organising website dudadoes.com, is a personal shopping expert. She thinks that the effort you put in will be worth it. “Thoughtfulness is an absolute winner,” she says, “you should allow yourself time to think what makes another person tick.” If you’re nodding along in agreement, remembering Christmas shopping trips of old (throw in some snow and carol singers for good measure), Duda reckons that you’d do well to prepare yourself before heading back to the shops. “There’s no point in leaving without a shopping list with presents allocated to each person,” she says. “If you can’t think of any, write down a budget for that person and two or three hobbies or things they like.”

If you don’t want to do it all in one go, follow Duda’s tip to try to get two presents during your lunch break or after work each day? In a working week, that could be 10 gifts sorted – and don’t forget to ask staff to wrap them.

If all else fails and you do find yourself staring blankly at a computer screen, try some new websites. Duda highly recommends notonthehighstreet.com and thegoodwebguide.co.uk, whose shopping section is a portal to some delightful little stores. “People postpone Christmas shopping,” Duda says, “but postponing leads to stress, pressure, hectic buying and, as a result, more expensive gifts and less choice.”

You have been warned!

Checklist
✓ Plan ahead – if you leave it too late it will ramp up the stress factor
✓ Try and make gifts meaningful by writing down recipients’ interests
✓ Ask staff to wrap your gifts to save you hassle later on
✓ Seek out unusual gift stores online