--- title: "FAQ — Robert Nikic" description: "Common questions about Robert Nikic." canonical: "https://robertnikic.com/faq" author: "Robert Nikic" type: "FAQPage" --- # FAQ ### Who is Robert Nikic? Robert Nikic is an entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and advisor on innovation and economic growth to an international council working on United Nations SDG 8 & 9. A former refugee from the Balkan wars, he founded and led a company from 2011 to 2026, without outside investment, that made the Inc. 5000 list twice, debuting at #418 and climbing to #35 on a reported 7,191% three-year growth rate. ### Is Robert Nikic still running a company? No. In 2026, after more than 20 years of starting and building companies, Robert stepped away from operating roles at the company he founded, a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree that reached #35 nationally. Today his work centers on United Nations SDG 8 & 9: making it easier for anyone, anywhere, to start a business and grow it. ### What is Robert Nikic's connection to the United Nations? Robert Nikic is an advisor on innovation and economic growth to an international council working on United Nations SDG 8 & 9: SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). His work focuses on opening global markets to small and medium-sized businesses through digital trade, workforce development, access to credit and cross-border commerce. He does not speak on behalf of the United Nations. ### What was Robert Nikic's TEDx talk about? At TEDxCoral Springs, an independently organized TED event, Robert Nikic gave the talk "Unlocking Success: Second Chances Can Change Your Life." It argues that a second chance, plus the right tools, can change a person's life. He also spoke at TEDxParkland on how to weaponize failure; that talk is public and can be watched on the Media page. ### Where is Robert Nikic from? Robert Nikic was born in Stuttgart, Germany, on June 21, 1992. His family is from the former Yugoslavia and fled the Balkan wars, arriving in the United States with almost nothing when he was a child. ### How old is Robert Nikic? Robert Nikic was born on June 21, 1992, which makes him {age} years old. ### Is Robert Nikic married? No. ### Does Robert Nikic have children? Robert loves children. ### What is Robert Nikic's net worth? Robert Nikic has not published a net worth figure, and the numbers that appear on third-party websites are estimates he has not confirmed. What is on the record is his work: the company he founded and led from 2011 to 2026, without outside investment, made the Inc. 5000 list twice, reaching #35 nationally on a reported 7,191% three-year growth rate. ### Where can I follow Robert Nikic? Robert Nikic shares his work across these official profiles: ### What has Robert Nikic written? Robert Nikic writes about what builds and breaks companies, including cash flow, pricing, hiring and growth, and about SDG 8 and 9 for small businesses. His articles are published in the Journal on robertnikic.com and on Medium, and he answers founder and small-business questions on Quora. ### How did Robert Nikic get started in business? Rather than pursue formal higher education, Robert went straight to work, taking long shifts in restaurants and hotels while teaching himself technology. He launched a series of early ventures that failed before they taught him what entrepreneurs actually need — lessons that directly shaped the platform he would eventually build. ### What is Robert Nikic's approach to employees? Robert built his company on the belief that a company's success starts with its people. He has said that investing in people first is the only way to build something lasting — that reinvesting in the team is what builds a company that endures. ### Has Robert Nikic taken outside investment? No. Robert has publicly declined outside investment, arguing that the discipline of building without a safety net is what makes a company durable. He believes that building without outside capital forces a focus on the fundamentals — no shortcuts, no safety nets — and that this is what creates lasting value. ### What is the company's Inc. 5000 ranking? The company Robert Nikic founded and led from 2011 to 2026 was a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree. It debuted at #418 in 2023 on the list of America's fastest-growing private companies, then climbed to #35 nationally in 2024 on the strength of a reported 7,191% three-year growth rate. ### What company did Robert Nikic found? From 2011 to 2026, Robert Nikic founded and led a technology company that made e-commerce accessible and profitable for sellers from all walks of life, enabling everyday entrepreneurs to sell brand-name products on major marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay. In 2026, Robert stepped away from operating roles at the company he founded. Today his work centers on United Nations SDG 8 & 9. ### Why does Robert Nikic care about global commerce access? Because he lived it. Robert arrived in the United States as a child fleeing a war he did not start. Every advantage he has built since rested on someone giving him a chance: to work, to learn, to fail and try again. His SDG 8 & 9 advisory work is driven by the belief that decent work and innovation are not abstractions; they are the difference between a life of survival and a life of contribution. ### What are UN Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9? SDG 8 is Decent Work and Economic Growth — promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. SDG 9 is Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure — building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. Robert's advisory work is framed around both, as pathways to opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses worldwide. ### Has Robert Nikic appeared on television? Yes. Robert has made television appearances on CBS, Daytime TV, Great Day Live Tampa Bay, and WFLA Daytime, where he discussed his entrepreneurial journey, the growth of his company, and his work as an advisor on innovation and economic growth to an international council working on United Nations SDG 8 & 9. ### What professional organizations is Robert Nikic a member of? Robert has been admitted as a member of the Forbes Agency Council, a vetted professional organization for senior-level agency executives with membership by application, and the Fast Company Executive Board, a vetted network of senior executives, founders and business owners. ### What podcasts has Robert Nikic appeared on? Robert Nikic has been a guest on podcasts and shows including On with Mario Lopez, The Tai Lopez Show, Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly and Dropping Bombs with Brad Lea. The conversations cover failure, second chances, starting over and building a business. ### What media outlets have featured Robert Nikic? Robert has been featured in USA Today, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fatherly, CEOWORLD Magazine, Benzinga, the European Business Review, Business Insider, GlobeNewswire, Digital Journal, and The Guardian Nigeria, among others. Coverage spans his entrepreneurial journey, leadership philosophy, and the growth of his company. ### How can I contact Robert Nikic for press or speaking inquiries? For press, media, or speaking inquiries, please visit the Press page where you'll find an official bio, downloadable headshots, brand assets, and a contact form. For podcast or interview requests, the Press page is the best starting point — all submissions are reviewed by the team. ### What does Robert Nikic mean by 'building without a safety net'? Robert has publicly declined outside investment, arguing that the discipline of building without a safety net is what makes a company durable. Without external capital cushioning every decision, a company is forced to focus on fundamentals — on real revenue, real customers, and real value. No shortcuts, no safety nets — that discipline is, in his view, what makes a venture durable. ### Why does Robert Nikic believe in second chances? Because he lived the alternative. Robert arrived in the United States fleeing war, with nothing. Every advantage he built since rested on someone giving him a chance — to work, to learn, to fail and try again. That conviction carries into everything he builds, and it is the message at the heart of his TEDx talk: a second chance, plus the right tools, can change a life. ### What is Robert Nikic's business philosophy? Robert believes that durable economic growth is built from the ground up, by everyday people — not handed down by capital. He operates on the conviction that technology removes human error, that building without outside investment forces discipline, and that investing in people first is the only way to build something lasting. A chance, not capital, is what changes a life.