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Robert Nikic Featured in Business Insider
Business Insider on why Robert Nikic turned down angel investors and grew his company on its own revenue, keeping the focus on sellers and consumers.
At a glance
- Outlet
- Business Insider
- Edition
- Africa, featured post
- Format
- Article
- Topic
- Turning down outside investors
- Robert's role
- Founder and CEO
- Funding
- Self-funded, no outside investors
Last updated
What Business Insider reported about Robert Nikic
Saying no
Business Insider covers one of Robert's defining choices: turning down angel investment even though there was real interest. Many founders treat outside money as a milestone. He treated it as a trade-off.
Why struggle helps
The article reports his view that working through startup struggles without a cushion builds a more durable company. Decisions get sharper when every dollar is your own, and growth has to come from revenue.
Who the company serves
The piece quotes Robert on where the focus belongs: "The interest should always be sellers and American consumers because this is what our platform is built on." Without investors to answer to, the company could keep its attention on customers.
Related: Forbes on how he treated his team · The Inc. 5000 ranking
"The interest should always be sellers and American consumers because this is what our platform is built on."
In Robert's words
People thought I was crazy to turn down investors. My family came here from the Balkans and started over with nothing, so I was used to building without a cushion. My first startups failed and I worked 18-hour shifts to fund the next try. When the interest came, I asked who the company would really work for. My answer was sellers and customers, so we stayed independent, and we still made the Inc. 5000 at #418 and #35. Since 2026 I've worked on SDG 8 & 9. Most small businesses don't get to choose investors, so fair credit matters.
Robert Nikic
Key takeaways
01
Growth without outside capital
Robert turned down angel money and grew from revenue.
02
Struggle builds durability
He argued hard early years make a sturdier company.
03
Customers first
Without investors, the focus stayed on sellers and consumers.
Where this fits in his story
2011
First platform launched
2018
Relaunched as a full platform
This feature
2023
Inc. 5000 debut at #418
2024
Climbs to #35
2026
Steps away to work on SDG 8 & 9
Where it led
Then, he grew without outside capital. Now, under SDG 9.3, he works on fair access to credit based on real sales rather than collateral alone. Robert had the option to refuse investors. Most small business owners don't have any option at all, which is why he focuses on lending that looks at what a business actually sells.
Then
Then, he grew without outside capital.
Now
Now, he works on SDG 9.3, so small businesses can access credit based on what they sell, not what they own.
See Robert's SDG 8 & 9 workQuestions
What did Business Insider report about Robert Nikic?
That he turned down angel investment and grew his company on its own revenue, keeping the focus on sellers.
Did Robert Nikic take outside investment?
No. Business Insider reports he declined it, and the company was built without outside investors.
What does Robert Nikic do now?
He works on United Nations SDG 8 & 9, including fair credit access under SDG 9.3.
Original article
Read the original article · Published in Business Insider
Business Insider Africa edition, featured post
About Business Insider
Business Insider is a business and financial news website launched in 2007. Wikipedia
About Robert
Robert Nikic is an entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and Advisory Council Chair at Reseated Councils (United Nations SDG 8 & 9). He came to the United States as a refugee, and from 2011 to 2026 he built and led an e-commerce company that was twice named to the Inc. 5000. Today he works to make it easier for anyone, anywhere, to start a business and grow it.