Story & Lesson Highlights with Vladimir Petrovic of Belgrade, Serbia

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Vladimir Petrovic. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Vladimir, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Who are you learning from right now?
For the last two years, I have dedicated myself to learning and advancing on a personal level. I attended the Supervoice audio production school, which is also a certified Steinberg training centre. Steinberg is one of the largest global manufacturers of music and audio software and hardware. In those two years, I gained even more experience, learned many things that I will apply in my work tomorrow. The school provided me with the opportunity to learn and work with top music producers and the most renowned musicians, and every moment spent in the training centre was invaluable. The feeling when you work on yourself is phenomenal, and I am still eager for new knowledge. I have the impression that I never want to stop learning, which will make my work easier and make me better.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am 8FONK, music engineer and producer, guitarist and composer from Belgrade, Serbia. My guitar playing, composition and production are influenced by 70’s and 80’s funk and soul vibes. The results of my recording sessions were groovy sounds blended with funk, soul, disco and retro wave.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Looking at it generally, I think there isn’t any specific thing. On the other hand, growing up and maturing brings some new feelings and some inevitable changes in thinking, both in personal and professional life. Sometimes I think many things had to happen for me to feel good today and to be satisfied with myself. That’s why I believe every step I took had its purpose in shaping my personality up to now, giving great importance to the woman who has been by my side for the last 15 years and who is my great support. It feels like I have been building myself every single day. All those things that I was not satisfied with and that once made me feel bad, I let go of without thinking about them and without looking back. At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves at a crossroads. I too decided to take the path I chose. If you want to work on yourself, to progress every day, you must follow your own path and trust only your intuition. All it takes is courage and faith in yourself.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I had the opportunity to go back to the past, I would probably do exactly what I love most from the very first day. I would make it my profession from the start. I would educate myself even more and build myself in an even better way. If I were in a position to tell my younger self something, it would definitely be the following: believe in yourself, listen to your instincts, do not brag about your successes, work on yourself, follow your passion, don’t give up, every fall will be a new experience that you will overcome and learn something from. If you dedicate yourself to something with all your heart, you simply have to succeed.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I would say that it is to some extent. Sometimes I blame myself for dedicating myself to others more than to myself. I am happy when I make someone happy and when I can help. When I am around people, the energy is on a different level, but when I am alone, I somehow become calmer and more composed. Generally, I don’t like to pretend to be someone else, I want to be who I am.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
As I belong to a slightly older generation, our parents have always wanted us to have some security in life, a steady job and regular salaries. In the environment where I grew up, such a principle was taken for granted. However, as time went by, I realised that first and foremost, a person must engage in what they love. I am convinced that things would be different if people did what they loved rather than what they had to. It is not easy to make such a turnaround, to step out of the comfort zone into the unknown. When a person engages in things for which they were born, in a job they love and that spiritually fulfills them – that is invaluable.

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