Meet Zeljana Babic, the CEO of Xenios Academy

Zeljana Babic, CEO of Xenios Academy – a “super cool and fun” Learning Management Platform for the Hospitality and Tourism Industry.

“Perhaps my proudest accomplishment isn’t a singular event, but rather a lifelong commitment to perseverance – simply refusing to throw in the towel, even when all the odds seemed stacked against me.” -Zeljana Babic

Late in 2023, at the time 32-year-old Zeljana Babic, a neuroscientist by profession, left California after almost a full decade of studying, working, and living on the West Coast of the United States. A dream she had since a young age – to become a scientist and contemplate the future on the sands of a sunny California, was replaced by another. Zeljana, who earlier secured a Master of Science in Neurobiology and completed a dual major in Clinical Psychology and Physiology and Neuroscience for her Bachelor of Science at the University of California San Diego, decided to pack her bags and move to the city in the heart of an Arabian desert, Abu Dhabi, to pursue a new dream and become an entrepreneur. And that was just the beginning.

Please introduce yourself and tell us, in your words, about your inspiring story.

My name is Zeljana Babic, and I am the CEO of Xenios Academy – a super cool and fun Learning Management Platform for companies in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry to train their employees.

Born and raised in Eastern Europe, my journey has been anything but linear. After spending the past 10 years studying Neuroscience at different levels in California, I recently relocated to the UAE to run my EdTech tech startup.

I am a very curious person and love learning, so outside my professional ventures, my interests have been learning how to fly a plane and drive a boat. Currently, I am also exploring my newfound love for Formula 1 and satisfying my wanderlust through travel (Business Conferences are a great excuse to satisfy that need!)- with my newest travel obsession being visiting space (someday, somehow).  

Though I do have a bunch of hobbies I want to get into, my free time is still extremely limited, so my primary focus right now is ensuring my company becomes one beautiful success story. 🙂

What are the three most important habits to be a successful high performer or leader?

At 33, I’m still on the journey to mastering those skills. But what has gotten me through some major challenges and obstacles in life is pure grit. Resilience has been the backbone of my life journey, and hopefully, it will continue to propel me forward.   

Compassion is another big one for me. Being kind and empathetic, even in this cutthroat business world, goes a long way, and I believe it’s a highly undervalued skill.  

Finally, there is a healthy dose of what some might call “grandiosity.” Let’s be real, nobody completely sane jumps into the startup world when there are way easier options out there. But that little bit of crazy is what fuels the belief that we can achieve the impossible.  

So, how does this translate to leadership? Well, compassion helps people feel valued and supported, which hopefully means less burnout for everyone and a lot higher quality of work being done. Resilience and a belief that “we’ll get there” keeps the team motivated when things get tough. Startups are a wild ride: highs are exhilarating, and lows can be brutal. But I hope that my own resilience and absolute determination to succeed rub off on the team, pushing us through the rough patches and towards a healthy and enjoyable work culture.

What advice would you give to an entrepreneur or founder leading a team for the first time?

I would advise them to take the time and truly get to know their team members, learning the stories behind their professional and personal achievements. Leading a team composed of individuals with diverse personalities and backgrounds, regardless of size, is never easy. By investing time in understanding their characters, life journeys, and future aspirations, you, as a leader, gain a clearer picture of where your company is headed with this unique blend of individuals working towards common goals, KPIs, and other metrics. Additionally, recognizing that each person operates differently in various situations is essential. A true leader should not only adapt to their actions but also anticipate them.  

To sum up, a genuine leader should understand what truly drives each employee under their supervision — we are all motivated by different rewards. Demonstrating compassion, leading by example, and publicly and privately acknowledging their achievements, both big and small, make people feel valued and, consequently, more motivated and satisfied at their workplace.

How do you use social media in your business?

​​I must confess that, until very recently, I wasn’t particularly keen on using social media platforms. In fact, I deleted my online presence years ago to focus on my studies, work, and private life. However, now that I have my own business, I’ve come to understand the importance of social media in establishing myself in the business world. So, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have the best Marketing Director in the world, Igor Besermenji, who is doing a phenomenal job of utilizing various social media platforms.    

Not only does he promote our company exceptionally well on these platforms, but he also excels in developing genuine relationships with key figures in different conferences and news outlets, shining a spotlight on my expertise and sparking their interest in inviting me to speak, participate in panels, or share my opinions on various topics. 

As a beautiful result, I only “have to” truly manage my own LinkedIn account. I even genuinely started to enjoy cultivating a network of valuable connections.  This includes potential clients, mentors with expertise in my specific niche who can offer guidance, collaborators who share my professional goals, and some interesting individuals with whom I can learn and grow.

How did you market your business when it was brand new?

That’s a fantastic question and a crucial consideration for any new entrepreneur. Back in 2023, when we launched Xenios Academy, we invested a big chunk of our funds into promoting our business through respected niche magazines and online platforms. But truth be told, it didn’t quite give us the traction we had hoped for. It was a lesson learned early on.  

So, we pivoted our strategy to focus on purely organic growth. Things really started to take off when we began winning some major competitions, such as “Women in Tech” by UN Tourism, the biggest of them. For example, UN Tourism not only brought us a ton of media coverage but also provided us with serious mentorship on PR and marketing.   

In short – several of our competition wins, coupled with the quality of our product concept (and a bit of luck!), caught the attention of major tech and business news outlets, like CNN, Forbes, Arab News, and Bloomberg Adria.  

Now, we’ve ramped up our presence on social media, particularly on LinkedIn and Instagram, where we engage regularly with our followers. Plus, we launched a podcast called “Hospitality As It Is,” catering to professionals in the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries, featuring insights from industry experts and keeping listeners updated on the latest tech advancements.  

So, with all that said, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to UN Tourism for their incredible support throughout this journey. Their backing has been instrumental in our marketing success so far.

Can you share some of the most important lessons you’ve learned from your successes and failures in business?

Elon nailed it when he said, “Running a startup is like chewing glass and staring into the abyss. After a while, you stop staring, but the glass chewing never ends.” The tech world demands a thick skin. You have to roll with the punches, because things will go wrong daily – and I mean *daily*. It’s a relentless barrage of problems – disappearing clients, development delays, legal issues, and complexities – and the startup life is nonstop. But hey, they say it builds character. 🙂

Jokes aside, running a bootstrapped tech startup is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. However, when we hit the jackpot and see the results of our blood, sweat, and tears – the rush of excitement, joy, and satisfaction is like nothing else. It really does feel like reaching the top of the world.

What book do you think everyone on the team should read?

You know, I’m going to sound mega cliché right now, but all my friends know I’m a huge fan of Elon Musk. So, I’ve read both biographies – by Ashlee Vance and Walter Isaacson – multiple times, and I feel super inspired every time. There’s a ton of controversy surrounding Elon, but the resilience and grit he has shown time and time again are something I admire more than I can describe. Chapter 8 of Ashlee’s version, titled “Pain, Suffering, & Survival” – it’s probably embarrassing to say how many times I’ve read it. It’s my comfort chapter whenever I worry about my business or life in general.

Every entrepreneur has a goal and problem they’re trying to solve. What was the inspiration that started your journey?

During my PhD in Neuroscience, I unexpectedly faced a heart surgery that resulted in a medical leave. This left me with a ton of sudden free time and a wandering mind. Having spent nine years near Silicon Valley by that time, I already knew I was working towards becoming an entrepreneur. 

So, after a casual conversation one afternoon with my co-founders Marco and Filip, we collectively decided to embark on a journey to address a training problem in the hospitality and tourism industry.  

While my expertise lies in the neuroscience aspect of our product, my hands-on experience in the hospitality industry has provided invaluable insights into the training challenges faced by staff. However, it’s important to note that Marco Corallo, our co-founder, deserves a lot more credit when it comes to his deep industry insights. Marco brings over 13 years of experience in luxury hospitality, having worked in five-star Forbes hotels in the UAE and UK, as well as renowned establishments such as the World’s 50 Best Bars and Michelin-starred restaurants.  

Our partnership, combined with Filip’s expertise in UX/UI design as our third co-founder, has fueled our commitment to providing a learning solution that is not only scientifically sound but also deeply rooted in the practical realities of the hospitality sector.  

Our goal is to develop a super cool, fun, and effective app for employees to undergo training at their workplace, while simultaneously saving significant time and money for their employers in organizing effective training sessions.

What can you tell our readers about what’s next for yourself and your company?

Xenios Academy is currently in the midst of a very dynamic and transformational phase, transitioning from a promising startup to an emerging company to watch. This signifies an exciting juncture in our growth, but also a critically important one. Recently, we’ve forged partnerships with the United Nations Development Program in Serbia, the Ministry of Tourism and Youth, and the Visit Serbia Online platform for a significant pilot project aimed at sustainable tourism development in the Republic of Serbia. Additionally, we are negotiating several major government contracts in the Middle East. Furthermore, we are diligently crafting courses for clients in Europe and the Middle East who have patiently waited for us to go live and go through the pilot portions and supported us since our early days of development.

2024 is projected to be a year of substantial growth for us, both in terms of profits and product development, and I am eagerly anticipating what the future holds in store for us. Thanks to Igor, I am also going to have a very busy upcoming spring and summer season, scheduled to participate as a speaker and panelist in multiple conferences on tech and tourism that will take place across various locations, from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to the UK and other European countries.

What would you consider your biggest accomplishment and why?

This is a really hard question to answer. Coming from the small and poor country of Serbia, I made a daring decision to walk away from a fully government-funded medical school education and instead took on the role of a waitress in both Dubai and London when the opportunity presented itself. While this move may have seemed unconventional to many, I knew in my gut that it was the right choice. It provided me with the chance to save up enough money to pursue my lifelong dream of studying in California—a dream I’ve held onto since I was just 12 years old but was lacking the financial means to pursue it.  

Years of relentless work and dedication culminated in a dream come true: landing a spot in one of the world’s top Neuroscience PhD programs at UC San Diego (my alma mater!), where I had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the field. But then, just when things were settling into place, the idea and the opportunity for our company surfaced, and I faced yet another pivotal decision: PhD or my business venture. A leap of faith, lots of tearful goodbyes, and I found myself on a plane, halfway across the globe, ready to bet on myself and my team, and build something I truly think can help a lot of people, and teach me a whole other set of skills.  

Within just a few months of focusing on the company, I was honored with the “Woman in Tech” award from the United Nations World Tourism Organization. It was such a humbling and exciting experience. Then, to top it all off, I got featured in some amazing publications – CNN, Forbes Serbia, and Bloomberg Adria! Right now, it’s all hands on deck to make this company a massive success. In a few years, once we’ve hit that classic tech milestone – exit or IPO (fingers crossed!) –  I plan to circle back to my PhD. There’s still a lot I want to explore in neuroscience research + business – I have a whole bunch of exciting projects in mind!  

Perhaps my proudest accomplishment isn’t a singular event, but rather a lifelong commitment to perseverance – simply refusing to throw in the towel, even when all the odds seemed stacked against me.

Do you have a favorite quote or motto that inspires you?

Per Aspera Ad Astra (Through hardships to the stars)

What are some final thoughts you’d like to share with our community?

Jokes aside, running a bootstrapped tech startup is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. However, when we hit the jackpot and saw the results of our blood, sweat, and tears – the rush of excitement, joy, and satisfaction is like nothing else. It really does feel like reaching the top of the world.

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