Robert Nikic boarding a private jet, used for the Digital Journal Inc. 5000 article

Digital Journal

Digital Journal · 2023

Robert Nikic's Company Joins the Inc. 5000

Robert Nikic's company joins the Inc. 5000 at #418 with 1,387% growth, as Digital Journal reports on its hybrid model of software, products and support.

#418

Inc. 5000

1,387%

Growth

15+ years

Of work

At a glance

Outlet
Digital Journal
Format
Sponsored section
Published
August 14, 2023
Topic
First Inc. 5000 placement
Robert's role
Founder and CEO
Reported figures
#418 · 1,387% growth

Last updated

What Digital Journal reported about the Inc. 5000 debut

The debut

Digital Journal marks the first Inc. 5000 placement for the company Robert led: #418 nationally, with 1,387% growth, as the article reports. It notes the result came after more than 15 years of work.

The hybrid model

Robert uses the piece to explain how the company worked. It was not only software. Sellers got software, access to products and a support team that ran operations for them.

Brands and speed

The article highlights two parts of that model: products from established brands that customers already recognized, and 2-day shipping. Together, Digital Journal suggests, they made a new seller's store look and feel like a mature one.

Related: The Inc. 5000 honors · Tech Times on Delaware growth

In Robert's words

Making the Inc. 5000 at #418 felt like a long time coming, because it was. It took more than 15 years. My family came here as refugees from the Balkans and started over with nothing, and my teenage startups failed. I worked 18-hour shifts, launched in 2011, relaunched in 2018 and kept going without outside investors. What got us there was the hybrid idea: software plus a team that does the work. The next year we reached #35. Since 2026 I've worked on SDG 8 & 9, and part of that is getting small sellers paid faster.

Robert Nikic

Key takeaways

01

A 15-year overnight success

The debut came after more than 15 years of work.

02

Software plus people

A hybrid of technology, products and an operations team.

03

Brands and fast shipping

Established brands and 2-day shipping, as reported.

Where this fits in his story

  1. 2011

    First platform launched

  2. 2018

    Relaunched as a full platform

  3. 2023

    Inc. 5000 debut at #418

    This feature

  4. 2024

    Climbs to #35

  5. 2026

    Steps away to work on SDG 8 & 9

Where it led

The Inc. 5000 debut was the first national proof the model worked. Robert's current focus under SDG 8.10 is a problem every growing seller hits: waiting weeks or months to be paid. He wants small sellers paid in days, so growth like this is not slowed by cash flow.

Then

Digital Journal marks the first Inc.

Now

SDG 8.10: helping small sellers get paid in days, not weeks or months.

See Robert's SDG 8 & 9 work

Questions

When did the company first make the Inc. 5000?

2023, at #418, as reported by Digital Journal on August 14, 2023.

What growth did Digital Journal report?

1,387%.

What does Robert Nikic do now?

He works on United Nations SDG 8 & 9 as Advisory Council Chair at Reseated Councils.

Original article

Read the original article · Published in Digital Journal, August 14, 2023

Digital Journal sponsored section

Read the original

About Digital Journal

Digital Journal is a Canadian digital news platform founded in 1998. 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.