Instead of constantly asking how to get more customers, the more important question becomes how to create more value with the customers you already have.
“In my experience, most companies don’t lose to competition; they lose to their own inability to see where they are no longer relevant”, for Diplomacy&Commerce says Maša Mutić, owner and CEO of Navora Consulting d.o.o. After decades of working in leading positions in an international environment, our interviewee began to think outside the box and ventured into consulting and navigating the development of companies of various sizes. She talks to our magazine about the challenges and ways of working, competition, and the business environment.
- You gained long-term experience of almost two decades in sales and development strategies in multinational companies across different markets. What stands out most and what did you learn?
If I’m being very direct, most companies don’t lack strategy; they lack the discipline to make it work. What stood out to me over time is how often strong strategies fail, not because they are wrong, but because they are too complex, too abstract, disconnected from local markets, or never translated into something people can understand and consistently execute. That’s also what I learned. I always knew that people are central to success, but through experience I saw how much they truly determine the outcome. You can have the strongest strategy, clear KPIs, and well-defined plans, but results depend on how well they are understood, how aligned teams are, and how consistently they are executed. Working across different markets reinforced that. Strategies may look strong on paper, but their success depends on how deeply you understand the customer, how closely you listen, and how effectively you translate that into action. Operating in performance-driven environments gave me a clear perspective that success is not about having more ideas, but about making the right ones work. Finally, I learned that leadership is not only about setting direction, but about building capability, because the real value is not only in the strategy you define, but in consistent execution and sustainability over time.
- After years of successful work, you decided to start your own business. How did you make that decision?
It wasn’t a single moment, but a gradual realization. Over the years, I had the opportunity to work in environments where performance, clarity, and consumer understanding were non-negotiable. You see what happens when everything is aligned, when strategy, teams, and execution work together, and results follow. At the same time, I started to notice how many strong businesses operate below their potential. Not because they lack ambition or ideas, but because what they aim to do and what actually happens in practice are not fully connected. That contrast became very clear to me. Starting my own business was a deliberate decision to take what I had seen work in practice and apply it more broadly, to help businesses that already have a solid foundation unlock more from what they already have. I saw an opportunity to add value to companies that have strong potential but lack the connection between strategy, execution, and the customer, which is where real growth is created. The decision was less about leaving something and more about stepping into a space where I could create more impact by helping businesses turn clarity into performance.
- Strategic consulting and consumer experience development are at the core of your work. What makes your approach different?
What makes my approach different is that it combines strong strategic thinking with real, long-term execution in highly consumer-driven environments. I spent over 20 years in international systems where results were not optional. Every decision had to be grounded in strategy, validated through consumer behaviour, and delivered through disciplined execution. I led and established multiple cross-functional projects, which gave me a strong understanding of how to connect all these elements. That experience shaped how I work today. Many companies today don’t lack ideas; they lack the ability and discipline to execute in a way that aligns teams, channels, and ultimately the strategy itself. What I bring is the ability to translate strategy into something tangible, with clear and repeatable ways of working, defined standards, and a customer experience that is not left to interpretation. In practice, that means teams operate with more clarity, decisions are made faster, and execution becomes consistent across locations and channels, and less dependent solely on leadership. What differentiates me is that I have built and led these systems in practice, not just advised on them. I understand what it takes to make things work in real environments. I don’t advise from the outside; I build from the inside, so it actually works.
- Customer experience and strategic leadership are your specialty. What is most important in these areas?
The most important thing is understanding that customer experience is not separate from leadership, but a direct result of it. Customer experience is not a concept; it is a system. If it is not clearly defined, structured, and managed, it will depend on individuals, and that will always lead to inconsistency. Strategic leadership is what makes that system work. It defines the direction, sets clear expectations, and ensures that the way the business wants to show up for the customer is delivered across the organization. On that note, a customer is not necessarily only the end consumer. In many cases, internal customers are just as fundamental to success. Without that, execution becomes fragmented, and that is exactly what customers experience. When that improves, the impact is immediate, with stronger conversion, higher customer retention, and more predictable business performance. One of the biggest gaps I see, particularly in Croatia, is in physical customer experience. While digital has progressed, physical environments like retail and services are still not managed as a strategic function. At the same time, consumer expectations have moved forward. People are returning to physical spaces, but they expect clarity, efficiency, and value in every interaction. Consumers no longer have the time or the luxury to evaluate endless options. This is where the gap is, and where the opportunity is noticeable. Companies that treat customers and their experience as a leadership priority, not an operational detail, will outperform—not because they do more, but because they deliver more consistently where it matters most.
- What is most often missing when business owners set up and grow their companies?
What I most often see is a strong focus on growth, but not always in the right place. Many businesses naturally focus on acquiring new customers. It feels like progress, it is visible, and it is often easier to measure. But at the same time, the value of existing customers is significantly underutilized. The biggest opportunity in most businesses is already there, within their current customer base. Customers who already know the brand and have already chosen it once are far more likely to return, spend more, and build long-term loyalty if the experience supports it. However, that requires a shift in thinking. It requires a deliberate decision to manage customer value as a strategic priority, not just a byproduct of operations. This is where many businesses fall short. The experience is not consistent, the value is not clearly communicated, and the relationship is not actively managed. When this is addressed, the result is not only growth, but more efficient growth, higher value per customer, stronger loyalty, and less dependency on constant acquisition. Investing in your current customer base in turn brings new quality acquisition as for today’s consumers advocacy is far more valuable than any campaign you create.
- How would you evaluate the business climate in Croatia, and what is missing from both the state and the business community?
Croatia today has a solid foundation, with stable growth, EU integration, and a strong base of small and medium-sized businesses. The potential is clearly there. From a state perspective, the focus needs to remain on efficiency, speed, and predictability. Businesses need an environment that enables faster decision-making and long-term planning. This also includes creating more equal conditions for participation. Despite progress, women are still not given the same level of opportunity in entrepreneurship and leadership, which directly limits the full economic potential of the market. At the same time, what I see in practice is that the bigger gap often lies within the business community itself. Many companies are still led intuitively, heavily dependent on the owner, and shaped by what has worked in the past. At the same time, the market is changing quickly, especially from a consumer perspective. Expectations are higher, physical experiences are becoming more important again, and consistency is no longer optional. Those who recognize this shift and are willing to challenge their own assumptions will move ahead very quickly.