#21 Poland: When and how to pivot (Dominik Swadźba)
Description
Entrepreneur #21 out of 100: Dominik Swadźba from Krakow, Poland
As part of my journey to interview 100 entrepreneurs around the world, I recently found myself in Krakow. I was there to host the World News Media Congress, but I never travel without my podcast gear, hoping to meet founders wherever I go.
That’s how I met Dominik Swadźba, founder of uPacjenta.pl: a startup that connects patients and nurses for services like at-home blood tests. (And no, this is not a Theranos story. Their success is built on strong links to certified labs.)
We talk about his story as an entrepreneur, what it is like to have a dad that is a successful entrepreneur himself, and Dominik’s first ventures.
Then we dive into a topic every founder eventually faces: pivoting. Dominik went through several pivots. For example, early on, when he realized that the initial feedback he received from close family and friends might have been too positive, leading him to build the wrong thing. Later, COVID hit, causing a huge external shock that also opened up unexpected opportunities.
We discuss:
💡 How do you know it’s time to pivot, especially when something kind of works?
💡 What signals do you listen to?
💡 And how do you bring your team with you?
A great conversation about the messy middle, decision-making, and what it's like to have a father who is hard to beat.
United States
