When emotion is turned into work and the event into a story – it is created Vanavi Experience.
For Iva Vavan, the founder of a brand that brings people, brands and communities together, the business is not just the organisation of events. This is the Art of Creation Experiences that remain in memory.
I believe that each event has its own rhythm, tone and emotion, and my task is to connect them into a whole that is remembered.
From an idea to an experience that connects
In the world of tourism and event management Iva has been for more than twenty years. She worked, learned, created and at one point felt that she wanted something of her own.
It took me a long time to be encouraged and go alone. The idea was smoldering for a long time, but it wasn't until I felt like I wanted something of my own that Vanavi was born. It all began out of love for people, experiences and creating an atmosphere that connects. My first project was small, but with a big heart. Since then, everything has rolled, like a series of small successes leading to a larger goal.”
Today, Vanavi Experience signs events that have "things" – energy, emotion and storytelling.
Its world consists of stages, halls, streets and squares, places where the emotion turns into an event and the event into an experience. From business conferences to cultural events, each project carries a recognizable Vanavi seal, warmth, professionalism and detail that remains in your memory. A special segment consists of conceptual events tailored to the client's needs, where each idea is conceived, guided and implemented to the smallest detail.
When I feel the energy of the audience and the moment, I know that I do what I love.
Two worlds under one brand
Through years of experience, Iva has developed and Vanavi KIDS, a brand that brings together children’s events, interactive walks, workshops, quests and animations at weddings and festivities. This segment, he says, was created from the desire to offer children quality, educational and entertaining content, and parents moments of carelessness and togetherness.
Through Vanavi KIDS I want to create a world of imagination for children and a space for adults to enjoy the moment. These are small things that mean a lot.
For Iva, Vanavi Experience and Vanavi KIDS are two worlds that overlap in the same mission, that is, creating experiences that connect.
Vanavi also signs numerous other projects that connect people, ideas and emotions. There are Miss Business, a programme linking female entrepreneurs from all over Croatia, TEEN Tok, a parlour through which adolescents learn about self-confidence and communication, and Mentoring programme “Are you?”, through which young people create their own portfolio and learn how to introduce themselves to the world.
For me, every project is a new level, a new ‘level’. When I look behind me, as if I were passing through the tunnel of my life, and whenever I would turn into a smaller passage, let the "centrifuga" take me back to the main tube. And so, level by level, forward.
Support on the way from Startup to Porin
Iva describes her entrepreneurial journey as a step-by-step process. The first serious one was made in Startup Incubator of the City of Rijeka, where, as part of the 14th generation, she learned to turn her ideas into a structured plan.
Like anyone moving into something of their own, I had an idea, but not all the links and order of priorities. The startup incubator helped me put everything in my head. I learned how to set goals, look at the business more widely and think like an entrepreneur.
After her experience in Startup, she continued her development through Porin Virtual Incubation, where it still builds a network of collaborations, connects projects and develops a brand.
Porin gives me support, advice and continuity. It's a nice feeling to know that you have an environment that understands, encourages and believes in your path.
Lesson from the Stage
When asked what she would say to those who are just thinking about starting their own business, Iva sincerely replies:
Don't be ashamed to ask. And don't expect it to be perfect or as planned every day. Entrepreneurship is a winding slide of emotions, from excitement and pride to fatigue and doubt. But if you believe in what you do, if you love your job and the people you work with, every rise and fall makes sense.
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