Dejana Ponoš

My professional path has never followed just one direction. Although I originally trained as a primary school teacher, my career took me into management, business psychology, media, research and digital development — always drawn to work that connects people, ideas, technology and practical solutions.

Today, I work independently as a consultant and founder of Pepper, a company through which I help media organizations, companies and teams develop digital products, improve the way they work, explore new business models and turn ideas into practical, sustainable projects.

My work focuses particularly on digital transformation, media innovation, product development, audience development, AI and technology adoption, organizational development and new business models. I am especially interested in projects that sit at the intersection of technology, people and business — where understanding how people behave is just as important as understanding the technology itself.

Before founding Pepper, I was Director of Digital Development and New Business at Daily Press, publisher of Vijesti, one of Montenegro's leading media companies. My work included the development of new digital products and revenue streams, audience development, technology and AI initiatives, digital strategy, partnerships and projects aimed at building sustainable models for the future of media.

Prior to joining Vijesti, I spent more than twelve years leading Arhimed, a company focused on media monitoring, digital archives, research and analysis. That experience taught me how closely management, psychology, technology, communication and human relationships are connected — and how much successful work ultimately depends on understanding people.

Education has always remained an important part of my life. I originally trained as a primary school teacher, later completed an MBA and studies in Business Psychology, and continued learning through professional programs in management, psychology, technology and organizational development.

I was also one of the co-founders of NGO Tinker, an organization dedicated to STEM education, media literacy, internet safety and encouraging children's curiosity and problem-solving skills. Although my professional path has since taken me in a different direction, Tinker remains an important part of my journey and of the projects I am proud to have helped create.

For many years, through the Parents Association (Udruženje Roditelji), I have also been involved in initiatives supporting parents, particularly single-parent families, as well as in advocacy and projects promoting inclusion, education and equal opportunities.

I enjoy creating things that did not exist before — whether that means a new digital product, an educational project, a business model, a new organization or simply a better way of solving an old problem.

I am endlessly curious about people, technology and society, and I believe that learning should never really end.

Sofi is 15 and already has a world very much her own. She writes poetry in English, and her poems live at sofis.world. Watching her develop her own voice has probably taught me as much about curiosity, courage and individuality as anything I have learned professionally.

I have always tried to teach her that talent matters, but persistence matters more — and that almost anything worth doing begins with the willingness to try.

Perhaps that is also the simplest way to describe how I approach my own life.